I Can’t Get No… Satisfaction

A Series on the Beatitudes
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Matthew 5:6; Micah 6:8

 [In this series, we will be looking at the Beatitudes from the perspective that Jesus came to establish his kingdom. In order to do that, he needed to set new expectations; to let his followers know that his was a spiritual kingdom, not a political one. To teach them what it means to bring in his kingdom; what it means to turn the world upside down.] 

⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.      NIV

 

 In 1965, the iconic music group the Rolling Stones, released a song titled, “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction”. The lyrics tell a story about a man who tries to find satisfaction in his life, but no matter what he tries, he “can’t get no satisfaction”. It’s not the best English, but you get the point.

 

Of course, he’s not the first person to experience dead ends in their life. Solomon, the wisest man on earth, wrote in Ecclesiastes about hopelessness; about desperation. He tried every avenue available to find satisfaction, but in the end he wrote, “I can’t get no satisfaction”.

 

² “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
    says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
    Everything is meaningless.”    NIV

 

However, the Beatitude for today gives us hope. Here are two different versions that help us to understand how.

 

⁶ God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
    for they will be satisfied.            NLT

 

⁶ “Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires;
    God will satisfy them fully!       GNT

 

Jesus seems to be pointing his disciples back to the voice of the prophet Micah who also gave us insight on how to find satisfaction in life.

 

⁸ 

…the Lord has told us what is good. What he requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.                       GNT

 

There are lots of bunny trails that we humans run down trying to find satisfaction. Sometimes, they seem to work for a while. But none of them are eternal; none of them have the power to weather all the storms of life; none of them usher in the kingdom of God.

 

Only the Living God, King of the universe, has that ability, and Jesus points us towards Him.

 

Copyright 2021 Joseph B Williams

 

 

The End is Near

1 Peter 4:7-11

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%204%3A7-11&version=NIV;NLT

  

⁷ The end of the world is coming soon

 

What do you think of when you see someone carrying a sign with these words on it? Christians have been saying this for two thousand years. Ever since Jesus ascended into the Heavens, the apostles and all the first century believers thought he would be returning in the near future.

 

⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 2 Peter 3:8         NIV

 

So much for our sense of time. But for the believers in the first century, the idea that Jesus would be returning soon provided them with a sense of urgency. It gave them hope in the face of desperate circumstances; of terrible persecution. After all, what are Peter’s next words following, “The end is coming soon…

 

…therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. ⁸ Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹ Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.  NLT

 

In the week leading up to the posting of this blog, I was on vacation. The week before vacation was crazy. I had to get everything done for work that I would’ve done during the week of vacation. And this blog had to be done before leaving. Vacation brings a sense of urgency to us; a sense of what’s really and truly important.

 

In a similar, but much more eternal way, Jesus returning brings us a sense of urgency; of priority; of perspective. Chances are most of us won’t see that day, but it’s not a bad idea to live our lives as if Jesus’ return is eminent.

 

The end of the world is coming soon. It just depends on how you define soon right? Just think of it as getting ready for a vacation.

 

 

 

 

Laying Down the Law

Romans 14:13-19

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2014%3A13-19&version=NIV;NLT

  

Parents set boundaries for their children all the time in all different areas of life. In response to the question of “What are some TV boundaries that you set for your children?” my daughter had three rules:

 

       No TV after dinner.

 

       Only 1-2 hours of TV at any one time.

 

       No TV while eating dinner.

 

Then, just in case, she installed an app on her daughter’s phone that locks her out from 8 pm to 7 am.


Parents set boundaries for their children. Sometimes they make rules. But when they get really firm, they lay down the Law.

 

Paul is writing to the Roman believers about a hot button issue of the time. Jewish Christians believed the Law prohibited them from eating meat that had been offered to idols. Whereas, Gentiles had no problem eating the same meat. This became such an issue that the Jerusalem council had to deal with it.

 

Paul wrote to the Roman church, “stop condemning or judging each other”.

 

¹⁷ For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. ¹⁹ So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. ²⁰ Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat.          NLT

 

In our culture today, we don’t really relate to conflict about eating meat offered to idols. But we can relate to judging one another. We judge others based on how they look; where they live; how they affect our life; how they act in church; what they smell like; if their beliefs match ours. The list is endless.

 

We all have our own set of rules based on our values and priorities. Then we apply those rules to others. What rules do you apply to your family; to your co-workers; to people at church; to the stranger in the car who cuts you off? Do you build others up or tear them down?

 

Once you’ve answered those questions, remind yourself of what is truly important; that only God’s word and people are eternal. Then live a life that will “aim for harmony in the church and build each other up”.

 

 

 

 

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.