Q1. Jesus' Passion

[theoldveteran]

On 8/7/2014 at 2:27 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (John 4:31-34) What does Jesus mean by “food” in these verses? What was his passion? What is your passion? What will it take so that your passion, your goal in life, is to do the Father’s work? In your life, what do you think that might look like?

(1) He was using the concept of "food" as a figurative of speech. He's using "food" as a way to fuel the body and give it the "Spiritual" energy it needs to present the Gospel to the lost sinners.

(2) His passion was to tell the sinners how to stop sinning, leading to death and eternal separation from God, but how to be saved, leading to eternal life in Heaven with God.

(3) His passion, is to become my passion.

(4) I'm praying for God to give me the same passion for His word that I have for a page 'turner novel', A hunger and thirst that won't let me put it down, but to keep on reading as I can't wait to see what happens next.

(5) It will result in more Bible reading and more intense, fervent prayer.

[Jonathan Edwards]

 The food that Christ is referring to is doing the work of his Father, the salvation of men.  Now Christ is reaping the fruits of John the Baptist's labors.  The same.Greek word for 'accomplish' in JOHN 4:34 is the same as 'accomplish in JOHN 19:30.  His mission to the Samaritan woman was accomplished in the view of the one final sacrifice on Calvary.

My passion is carrying out my calling to evangelism.   We are talking about a vocation that has been in my heart since I was in high school--- 1973.

Outdoor preaching.    I have been an outdoor preacher for years here in NYC and out of state.   Believing in God for a steady associate to assist me in preaching,  praying and driving.   Very sad, here in NYC,  a Laodicean spirit pervades the churches.    God will bless me with the right person who is Orthodox Bible believer and serious about Bible evangelism.  The word 'sacrifice' is inimical for many.   Their food is looking for soul mates, marriage partner or just someone to complain to.

Making more out of state evangelistic trips once final repairs made on my Jeep.   Traveling alone I must be carefull as to what venues I go to.

[Daniel R]

1. What does Jesus mean by "food" in these verses?

In these verses, Jesus uses the word "food" to resemble doing the Father's Will and accomplishing the Father's Purpose and Works, for Jesus, and for us.

2. What was His passion?

Jesus' passion was very obviously doing the Will of the Father and accomplishing the Father's Works assigned to Him (Jesus).

3. What is your passion?

My passion is sometimes to do the Will of the Father  (sadly, lots of times only when it fits what i want or am comfortable with...), but lots of times, sadly, my passion is to live how i want to live and do what i want to do... It may not necessarily always be bad, but if it's not doing the Father's Will, it is still a sin...

4. What will it take so that your passion, your goal in life, is to do the Father's Work and Will?

For me, true discernment from the Holy Spirit is needed to increase my passion in doing the Father's Will and Works. Often times, i struggle with creating my own will and works, not necessarily a bad will, and convincing myself that it's the Father's Will and Works, and that causes me to tire and exhaust myself spiritually, which in return causes me to be less sensitive to the Father's actual Will, Purpose, and Works for my life because i try to get rid of my "own will," but at the same time, i become very insensitive and very rejecting of the Father's true Will, Purpose, and Works for my life because of that.

5. In your life, what do you think that might look like?

In my life, my goal and my passion is to somehow call and bring people to God. God revealed this to me one time when i was in the car with my dad driving, when suddenly a thought popped into my head, actually the Holy Spirit, saying, "Look at all these lost souls..." Ever since then, i've felt that my purpose and passion has been to call and bring people to God, though i don't yet know how or when, i trust and understand that God's timing is perfect so i put my complete trust and reliance in God!!!!!!!

THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!!!
THANK YOU HOLY SPIRIT!!!!!!!

THANK YOU FATHER!!!!!!!

[Irmela]

(John 4:31-34) What does Jesus mean by "food" in these verses?

What was his passion?

What is your passion?

What will it take so that your passion, your goal in life, is to do the Father's work?

In your life, what do you think that might look like?

Jesus was talking about doing the will of God the Father and to accomplish and completely finish His work. 

He went about telling the people and drawing people into the Kingdom of God. His passion was for the people not to be bowed down with extra rules and regulations, but to draw them to God. 

I too want to do what God has called me to do. Not to shy away from it but to live for Him. 

[Ludmila Kosenko]

Food: God's Word and Truth. Jesus said: I am the way, the truth and the life.

Feed on God's Word and be nourished, strengthened to do His work. Follow His ways, His will.

Hungering souls need real food for Life Eternal. Sin is not real food and leads only to death.

 

[Krissi]

(I'm not certain if I'm supposed to stop answering these questions, Pastor Ralph, so I'll continue until you pull the plug. The discipline is good for me.)

1.  What does Jesus mean by food?  This is fascinating. Jesus switched metaphors from water to food because of the prompting of the disciples, their insistence that He eat to be nourished. Jesus must be saying that nourishment doesn't matter; that which is important is doing God's will. Yes, this is obviously true, but why does He say this now? There's no context recorded.

He must have been talking about doing God's will (or something related) during which he used the disciples' food as a verbal segue into what He wanted to say which is this: nothing is as important as obeying God's will. That's the message; we live to know and obey God's will. This is more important than eating. Drinking. Even, perhaps, life itself. Even though eating and drinking sustain life, Jesus is saying that the stuff that really sustains our existence isn't as important as doing God's will.

2. Obviously, then, doing the will "of the Father" is His passion. Another lesson, here, is that we're not to be divided between many passions, but have one overriding passion which is obeying God. Jesus didn't say, "Sit here ... have a bite ... let me tell you about God's will...." 

3. So, my life has many passions and sub-passions and minor passions and a few big passions. I pray that my uber- or life-affirming passion is obedience to His will. Am I doing this? No, of course not. I don't think any human being can say, with a straight face and uncrossed fingers, that the ONLY passion they have ALL the time is obeying God. Some of us get closer to the mark than others, obviously. I'm probably in the middle of the pack.

4. One of the reasons why this passion isn't over-ridingly important to me is I don't know what it is. I sense the passion only. Circumstances seem to be narrowing in on a particular passion or calling or life-goal or destiny or God's will for my life. So, without a clear sense of God's will, I do the work in front of me. This is menial stuff that means very little to me, but I do it with gusto praying the Lord rewards my faithfulness in the small stuff and then opens doors as well as my mind to a passion-calling or, worded more nicely, a calling of passion.

5. What does this passion look like, you ask? Well, as I wrote, I'm not certain, but I believe it is diplomacy. Geopolitics. I'm praying for doors to open. I'm praying to be used. I'm doing all the prep work I can think of. Learning languages. Learning cultures. Knowing what's going on. Honing the lingo. Writing to clarify thinking.