You know, I want to talk just a little bit about
how this season, we're talking about during Lent,
the idea of what we may be sacrificing during
Lent. Now I'm kind of curious a little bit. Is
anybody sacrificing anything during the season
of Lent? Anybody letting anything go? Okay, a
few of you, a few of you. Alright, the rest of
you heathens, y 'all need to get on the ball,
okay? What? Oh, okay. No, no, no. The reason
why I wanted to talk about that is that to try
to explain a bit about what this season is meant
for. is what is really trying to get us to realize
the idea of what cravings are really about in
our life because if we're being honest cravings
in our life do not actually fill the real needs
that we may have let me explain a bit so like
for example let's say that you are having certain
cravings or desires for things and your body
is telling you that you want one thing but it
may be actually wanting something else. So for
example, let's say that it is Valentine's Day,
and you are really looking forward to that box
of chocolates that your sweetheart is going to
give you. And if not your sweetheart, then I
guess your spouse. Oh, but a bunch. Ah, bad jokes.
But let's say that you're realizing that you
really want chocolate, but in reality, you're
actually having a magnesium deficiency. So what
it might mean is that your body really wants
some green leafy vegetables. So at Valentine's
Day you need to tell your sweetheart that instead
of a box of chocolates you would like a box of
some green leafy vegetables. Does that sound
pretty good? I think we're on a great roll now.
Or let's say you're really craving sodas. You'd
really like a good Coke or a Dr. Pepper and those
are the only two sodas that exist in Texas so
that's what we're drinking. It may turn out you
actually have a calcium deficiency. So when you're
going to get your burger and fries instead of
getting a large coke, you should get a large
serving of kale. I'm sure that would be amazing.
When you want salty foods, you could still go
after celery, but what about coffee? How many
people have to start your day with coffee every
morning? Oh, okay. See, there you go. Lots more
hands this time. You might actually be having
a salt deficiency which you could actually satisfy
with apple cider vinegar. So you go over to the
office and make sure you ask Starbucks, I would
like a big grande apple cider vinegar. See if
they'll put foam on top of it for you. It'll
be great. You know, I personally struggle with
the sugary sweets. I could definitely fill it
with sweet potato, but if I have a sulfur deficiency,
it's actually asparagus that I need. And don't
even get me started on beer nights whenever we're
going out every second Friday of the month to
go to local brewery. It turns out that maybe
some of us guys actually should be just eating
a bunch of turnip greens instead. So we've got
at least one saying no over here. food is that
it's not even just that sometimes we're trying
to satisfy the physical cravings we have but
that oftentimes we're also trying to satisfy
our emotional cravings as well and you can oftentimes
tell the difference between emotional hunger
and physical hunger because if you really are
physically hungry the hunger is slowly going
to turn up a little bit at a time over the course
of the day but if it's emotional then it hits
you abruptly. and you're like all of a sudden
feeling this desire, this hunger for food but
there might be times where you're hungry and
you could be very happy and everything's good
but there are times whenever we might feel guilt
or shame and that can cause us to eat at that
moment or times whenever we feel that we've eaten
enough and we're ready to stop. But whenever
it's our emotions, it can oftentimes be harder
to stop eating at those times. But even the things
that we crave can betray what our emotions are.
Because sometimes we crave sugar when we are
depressed. Sometimes we crave salty foods when
we're feeling stress. We might want more meat
and crunchy foods because we're feeling angry.
or sometimes when you know that there's just
too much anxiety and instead of eating part of
that pint of ice cream, the whole pint is now
gone. And that's the thing about this is that
oftentimes our cravings are just trying to fill
things that might actually need something else
instead. It turns out that whenever we are looking
at fasting from something, I don't want to remind
you that we're not just saying that you're not
going to eat at all, but also times when you're
saying you're going to fast from something specific.
I'm not going to have this thing for a period
of time. It can actually be to try to help us
to refocus. There are four big reasons why we
might do that. One of them might be because we're
realizing we need to practice self -control.
We need a chance to be able to learn what it
means to say no. Because if we can't say no to
something that we clearly don't actually need,
what about the times whenever it's something
that we've struggled with for a long time? Or
maybe we need time to talk with God and to ask
God to give us discernment and to show us what
it is that he's trying to teach us, but also
maybe we're asking God to be more involved in
our lives. Or even times whenever we're meant
to confess our sin, maybe we're not willing to
admit the sins that we've struggled with the
most. And not just us as people, individuals,
but even our whole community. Because how many
things do we see in our world that we know are
not pleasing to God? And as we take time in prayer
and fasting, we're asking God to help us see
our part and how God be the one to move and to
change us. And that's something that we're trying
to look at here, is to try to understand a better
fulfillment of ourselves and our lives than the
cravings that we have. And that's what's on our
mind when we hear Paul saying to us today, their
God is their belly. When Paul is saying their
God is their belly and we've got this idea that's
on here is that it's a very very minor very small
part of what we end up seeing Paul talking about
because Paul is actually talking about earthly
things as a whole. It's the idea that it's not
just the things physically in our belly. We do
look oftentimes at gluttony but then also we
might take times thinking about drunkenness as
well. How often is it that we may say, I need
to have one drink this evening, just one. Now,
we also did that the night before, and the night
before. We're probably going to do it again tomorrow.
But instead of actually enjoying it, it's now
such a habit that now we have to have that in
order to feel calm, happy, and ready for the
end of the day. But more than even just the things
that are satisfying the belly or the taste buds
is that even more than that is satisfying the
other cravings as well. Because it's not just
the food or the drink. There are plenty of other
cravings as well. How many cravings are there
also in our mind? And how many cravings are there
also in our addictions? So how many things that...
Well, I don't really need to have any sort of
anonymous group to help me, but maybe I'm not
willing to admit how much this habit consumes
me all the time. But more than what's just physical,
what about what's also going on in our minds?
How often do we realize our response to things
that we don't even have any control over? How
often is it that we may see what other people
are doing and without even realizing it we've
already come to a judgment about it. We've already
come to some place of deciding these are the
bad people, these are the bad things and ideas.
Why? Because one of the biggest cravings that
we have is often times our desire for self -righteousness.
Why is that? Why is self -righteousness such
a craving? Because whenever we feel that we've
been really good at something and everybody is
not, how does that make us feel? Isn't there
kind of like a warm fuzzy feeling that we get
whenever we know, I'm not struggling with this
thing. Other people are, but I'm not. And without
even realizing it, we've already given in to
a mindset and perspective we didn't even realize
we had. But even beyond that, whether it allows
us to feel that we have achieved more than other
people as well. But I want to take it further
than that. Want to take it further than what
Paul is saying I want to also look at what we
end up hearing and seeing from Jesus as Jesus
Says to those Pharisees that I must go on my
way What is it that's happening and and to try
to help explain this a little bit I got to go
back to the food for just a second Okay, is that
so when I was I was in China and while I was
there there was a guy that worked with me His
name was Brian Sorry, Brian You're the example
today. But the thing with Brian is that he had
come from Boston or something like that, or Baston.
I don't know how you're supposed to say it. But
in coming over to China, he had made himself
a promise. That he was not going to eat a single
dumpling. I don't know. What in the world? How
do you eat anything in China if you don't have
dumplings? Because it's like, oh, you don't like
this type of dumpling. No. I don't want any dumpling.
Well, what about this type? You realize there
are hundreds of types of dumpling. They're all
very different. No, if it's called dumpling,
I won't eat it. What about a baozi? No, it's
a dumpling. What about a shou mai? No, it's a
dumpling. Oh my word. It's like all he could
eat was sandwiches and burgers and pizza. And
I'm like, you just spent however long in China
and you are missing out. Why? Because in his
mind, this was his perspective And that's what
made him comfortable. He was not going to go
outside of that box because it was going to make
him uncomfortable. And here's the thing, is how
often it is that we realize that the comforts
of our body are also a sense of our comfort of
what we're willing to see and view. Our point
of view is oftentimes the thing that gives us
our warm and fuzzy feeling. more than anything
else because look at the Pharisees that are coming
over there to speak to him now when we hear this
passage we might be thinking wow those Pharisees
I thought they were all so mean these Pharisees
are very very nice they're coming to warn Jesus
Jesus we don't want you to be you know arrested
by Herod or or put to death except is that really
what they were trying to do Because what they're
really trying to do is say, Jesus, don't go to
Jerusalem. We don't want you there. Why is that?
The Pharisees had been so important for so long.
Not just their place, not just their authority,
not just their power, but the way they viewed
the world. Is that their way of viewing the world
was about trying to show you have to live up
to God's laws, not just what he told you, but
also what we're telling you to do. But you know
what's funny about the Pharisees? The Pharisees
were really good at condemning everybody else
for their issues. But the funny thing about people
who know the law really well is they're also
really good at figuring out the loopholes to
get around it. And that was the fun part about
this. is that they liked the fact that they could
find every loophole so they could still satisfy
whatever they wanted. At no point in time did
they have to slow down long enough to ask what
was happening inside of them. Because that's
the thing is that Jesus knew though, Jesus knew
what it was that was going on. He knew He still
had to go. The thing that was so sad to Jesus
is that What does he point out? I'm casting out
demons. I'm curing the people who are sick. Notice
he didn't say I'm bringing good news to the poor
because, well, the Pharisees aren't really going
to be interested in good news for the poor. But
the thing with this is that instead of embracing
God Himself right there, is that instead, they
wanted to keep things exactly the way they saw
them. That's what broke my heart so much about
my friend Brian. It's not because I don't have
any stocks in a dumpling restaurant or anything
like that. I don't get anything out of it But
it made me so sad Because there were so many
delicious things to eat over there and he was
missing out on most of them And isn't that the
same thing about what we end up seeing with God
being here on this earth? Is that Jesus ends
up saying I could have taken you under my wing
What would have been the most amazing thing for
the Pharisees looking for the coming Messiah?
To realize he's there And they were missing out
Because they didn't want anything or anyone to
change the way that they saw the world the way
their world view truly was see this is a lot
of what we end up seeing today is that our world
today struggles with the law of God and the gospel
of God believe it or not the idea that God has
expectations that we're supposed to live up to
and that God is forgiving loving and merciful
there's always somebody who is going to have
trouble with one the other or both because how
often is it someone is going to find a fence
if you tell people in the world what you're doing
is wrong You should stop because it's a bad thing
and then what are we met with? How dare you say
that to me because you're hurting my self -esteem
Don't tell me that the thing I it doesn't matter
if it's a sin or it's wrong. Don't tell me that
Or even the other side What if we were to say
that we need to show? Mercy grace kindness to
the poor the foreigner those who are in need
and then we're met with you're destroying the
world and the very things that we hear from God
himself, but because our point of view doesn't
allow it, we want to shut it out. But more than
anything, people become louder and more violent
when they're not getting their way and other
people don't back down. Could you imagine how
many people would have never thought that the
Pharisees, the scribes, the chief priests would
all get together and would take this popular
rabbi and send him to his death. People are peaceful
until they are not. And that's the thing about
this. is that Jesus is going off to Jerusalem
he knows what happens to people who speak the
truth to the ones who hear it just like Jeremiah
because what is Jeremiah in our passage telling
us today is frankly God will curse us and that's
the thing about this Jeremiah was not saying
anything that was wrong The people had been worshipping
other gods. They had been doing practices that
were terrible. There were even kings who had
sacrificed their own children. There were those
who were so distraught that they turned their
back on God and were willing to kill each other
for survival, even in their own country. They
were those who were not willing to focus on God
alone. And what is Jeremiah saying? We're going
to suffer the consequences. Were the people around
him willing to hear from God? No. It'd be easier
if you just killed the guy saying it. How often
is it that we'd rather attack the person speaking
truth and being willing to admit what's wrong
instead of dealing with where we're at? How dare
you say anything bad? And that's the thing about
this so funny is that he had to have people protect
him It's speaking the word of God. Well, well
Micah Micah said this before so, you know, it's
okay It is okay for Jeremiah to say this and
then it points out later in the chapter Yeah,
except Uriah was killed for the same thing Is
to be almost killed for declaring what is just
real and what is happening around us because
We crave things physically We crave things mentally
We crave things emotionally, but do we crave
what we truly need spiritually? And that's the
place where we find ourselves in this season
of Lent. It's a season of Lent is meant to be
a time for us to acknowledge the things that
we give into and to confess the cravings that
have controlled our lives. It's to realize that
we our physical creatures. We're constantly looking
for what makes us feel good. But if we don't
acknowledge it and confess those things before
God, who's really going to determine our direction?
What is really going to determine our direction?
Because the thing that we discover is that we're
called to see when we pursue what we want and
we're ignoring what God wants to fulfill us with
See that's the thing about this We're not called
to become something terrible God isn't trying
to say I want you to refrain from things because
I'm trying to condemn you God is saying are you
willing to let things go so that I can bless
you? Are you willing? to let me be the one to
put you under my wing, to guard you, to comfort
you, to bring you hope and peace. Whenever we
don't feel hope, peace, love, and joy, and we
try to find them in the bottom of the Pringles
canister, where you can't quite get your hand
all the way to the bottom, but you're still going
to hurt your hand to try to get there, or we
are willing to... Scroll through what's going
to depress us and anger us Or more than that
scroll through something that watching it might
destroy our relationships Or even the times whenever
we know that what somebody is saying is true,
but we make sure that in our mind Even if we
don't do it with our mouth. We're going to make
sure we have the last word But what if it truly
means that fulfilling the true cravings that
we need is about coming back to Christ Jesus
and that's the challenge for us today are we
willing to ignore the things that might distract
us with our time our energy because I can promise
you how many times if you take a step back from
something you don't you know you don't need how
much more time money energy and everything else
you will have for the things you know that God
would want. So instead of fulfilling our belly,
can we make the time to help fill someone's belly
who needs it? Instead of trying to feel self
-righteous, what if we come back to God for His
righteousness? And what if instead of being threatened
with our worldview that always wants to feel
we're in the right, What if we're willing to
acknowledge that we're not? Because instead of
being right, we're forgiven. Because that's the
truth about this, is that forgiveness is ours.
So why not be willing to let go of all the things
that promise to make us feel good but never truly
do? And instead focus on the one who always brings
us life everlasting. and will never leave us
with an oily greasy thing on our fingers. With
that, thanks be to God.