A Bear Claw

John 6:47-58

 

 

I have two breakfast meetings a week at Panera Bread and always order the same thing… a bear claw with three butters. Heat it up in the microwave and spread the butter so that it melts – it’s heavenly. But no matter how good it tastes, about four hours or so later, I’m hungry again.

 

The passage today follows the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. At this point, people are following him just to eat a meal. But he is trying to open their eyes for them to see that there is something more important than just food and drink.

 

“The one who brings a hearty appetite to this eating and drinking has eternal life and

will be fit and ready for the Final Day. My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. By eating my flesh and drinking my blood you enter into me and I into you. In the same way that the fully alive Father sent me here and I live because of him, so the one who makes a meal of me lives because of me.”            MSG

 

Jesus was making the point that the people had lost perspective; that their priorities were messed up; that they needed to refocus their lives on eternal values not temporal. Of course we all have basic needs; food, water, clothing and shelter, but in our affluent society our wants can easily begin to feel like needs.

 

The fact is though, instead of prioritizing “the real food and the real drink” we can easily run after a bear claw at Panera. Jesus is calling out to us across the centuries to remind us what is important; he is calling for us to live our lives in him.

 

It would be good for us to remember these words that Jesus spoke in Matthew 6: ^31 “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these

things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”            NIV

 

Or, in the words of Paul, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

 

It goes without saying but, seeking Jesus is way better than a bear claw; even with melted butter.