"Lord to who shall we go? You have the words of eternal life?" John 6:69 Last week in part 1 of the "Theology of Appetite" 1 came to the conclusion that all people are hungry...but sadly, most the time people are not "really" hungry enough to wait! When I was 12 years old, I was obsessed by football; tackle football that is. (In 37 years, things haven't changed much at all.) Every week I was given an allowance by my dad and he said I could spend that money on anything I wanted; or save it for something really good. At the time there were only a few stores in walking distance from our home that we really could buy from: Avallone's Pharmacy sold candy and coloring books galore, there was a Bowling Alley that had coin machines where you could get cool press-on tattoos, and there also was a general store called Rogers & Ray's that sold cheap bouncing balls, average priced model airplanes and high-priced sporting equipment and bikes. (My sister called it Robbers & Ripoff's because she never seemed to have enough money to buy what she really wanted there.) One day as I was walking down the isle of Rogers & Ray's I noticed they had a new supply of football shoulder pads. I couldn't believe it. I tried a pair on and they fit perfect. Then I looked at the price tag - - my sister was right! They were Robbers & Ripoffs. It didn't matter, I had to have those shoulder pads. I ran home to tell my dad, "Dad, you won't believe it, but Rogers & Ray's has a pair of shoulder pads that I need to have. The only problem I don't have enough money to buy them." He looked at me and said, "Well, you need to save your allowance up and buy them when you have enough money." I was downcast, "But dad, that could take a whole year?" So little by little I saved. No longer did I use my money to buy Bubble Yum grape, or a glow-in-the-dark bouncing ball, nor did I use my money to get a sno-cone at the local fair - - I saved it because I wanted those pads. After a few weeks my dad came up to me and said, "Chris, you really do want those shoulder pads. Here is what I will do: I will give you an early advance but you need to pay me back." I couldn't believe it, I said. "Deal." and we drove that afternoon to buy my very own pair or Rawlings shoulder pads. I loved those should pads. I would even wear them to bed. It took me awhile to pay them off but it was worth it. Usually the candy I bought or the bouncing ball would be gone in a day with nothing to show for it, but those shoulder pads gave me two to three years of excellent service. They were worth the wait - -but the wait was only possible because I was "really" hungry for them. TRUE DISCIPLES WAIT I have found that all true followers of Jesus are "really" hungry people. While the rest of the world is getting their fill on things that don't satiate, the Christian is fed up with being dissatisfied; so they wait. The true Christian is done chasing because they are tired of coming back from a party, or a relationship, or a dishonest job feeling empty. While the rest of the world is running, the Christian waits. In John 6:68-69, the true disciple Peter states in very frank terms the quandary every true disciple feels, "Lord, to whom shall we go?" This statement expresses the honesty of a man who has been disappointed by all of the other empty answers offered for soul satisfaction other than God himself. Peter is done. So is every true Christian. My personal belief is that true disciples always begin in a state of complete exhaustion and dissatisfaction with the world's false promises. In their hunger they have swallowed the rotten sewage of lies, sex and video tape and have gotten sick. Very few people have really reached this point - - look around, people are still chasing lies and empty guarantees. The worldly man's heart never gives up believing the answer is still out there somewhere. The truth is, they aren't hungry enough to wait. WHAT A DISCIPLE KNOWS In this story in John, the disciples stay with Jesus, less out of what they want, and more out of what they know. I submit, a disciple is a person that thinks first. The world feels first. Don't get me wrong, the disciple feels and wants things too, we do crave something; but I am not sure we can fully put into words what it is we really want. Yes, we want peace, health and wealth, healing and miracles, power and position, but we know once we get those things they won't satisfy us for long. It will never be enough. A disciple knows there is always more than this. Peter says the more is called "eternal life." (verse 68) Eternal life is having God's life inside you, forever. In other words, the disciple knows... "Whatever it is I am looking for, whatever eternal life looks like and tastes like, I know it is only found in Jesus." We often hear Jesus presented as the means to get to what we ultimately want - - not as the end itself. But a disciple knows that Jesus is the end, he is what I want the most. As Peter says in his first book, "Even though I can't see him, I love him, and I am filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy knowing that I am receiving the salvation of my soul." (1 Peter 1:8-9) RAPHAEL CAN'T WAIT I own a big, fuzzy, lovable Australian Shepherd dog named Raphael. The big goof loves popcorn, and when he sees it he can't wait. If he smells it popping in the microwave he drops what he does and comes running. He can't stop himself because his hunger drives him. Well when it is time for bed, he knows he has to go down the stairs to the basement and get into his cage. But he hates going to bed because he doesn't want to miss the action upstairs. So calling him to get into the cage is like pulling teeth, "Raph, get down here!" Often he will lie completely on his back refusing to come. But if you drop a trail of popcorn leading from the top of the stairs into his cage, he falls for it every time! The hypocrite is like this when it comes to the world's enticements: easily fooled, easily caged. But a disciple doesn't get trapped by the lies, the sparkle or the popular sentiment. The true disciple is the one who waits for the one thing he or she knows that will truly satisfy the soul: Eternal Life found in Jesus Christ. So, are you hungry? Hungry enough to wait?
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