Dr. Wayne A. Lawson
Senior Pastor
Perfected Praise Worship Center
Oklahoma City, OK
Bishop@PerfectedPraisewc.org
www.PerfectedPraisewc.org
Preached Sunday, July 11, 2010
(Adapted from Rev. Shawn Drakes 2009 Sermon)
TITLE: ALL YOU CAN EAT
SCRIPTURE: JOB 23:11-12
I think that one of the wisest decisions ever made in the food industry was the idea of the “All You Can Eat Buffet.” Many restaurants only offer this option and it has proven to be very successful. Matter of fact, whenever we go out to eat with my Mother-in-Law – this is the only type of restaurant she will usually frequent. I must admit that on most Sunday’s after Church, I am a big fan of Golden Corral, Mackie McNairs or Hometown Buffet. There are very distinct reasons as to why many of us frequent the Buffet Style Restaurants.
• We like to see what we are going to eat before we eat it
• You can choose food that is appealing to you
• You can make sure the quality of the food you are going to eat is to your standards
• You can see what is in it
• We like to choose our portion size
• You can get as much or as little as you want
• We like to choose the types of food we eat
• If you want a little extra desert and fewer vegetables- O.k. not a problem, (at least not with the restaurant)
• You can eat healthy, unhealthy, or in between- It’s all up to you
• Because it’s – All You Can Eat
We find this Old Testament writer in our Scripture Text this morning alluding to the importance of What We Eat Spiritually – he talks to us about the importance of the feeding process. It parallels an “All You Can Eat Buffet.” As believers we must decide what you Listen to – What you Believe – What you follow. As we Consume the Word of God, remember what David discovered in PSALM 34:8 “OH TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD…” Paul said in I CORINTHIANS 3:2 “I FED YOU WITH MILK, NOT WITH MEAT FOR YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO BEAR IT.” So the Word of God my brothers and sisters is not simply to be read but it is to be consumed.
In this passage read in our hearing, Job testifies that his need for the Word of God in his life was just as important as the food required to sustain his body. Just as Job was convinced about the necessity of God's Word in his life, the question that confronts us is, "How do we, as believers today, cultivate this same mindset and attitude?" Do you realize we become what we consume. Let me prove my point.
According to the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, there are 300 million obese people in the world and one billion people are overweight. This startling statistic is due to the fact that most of these individuals are consuming foods with no nutritional value. Foods with no nutritional value include:
• Fast food
• Soda pop
• Candy
• Alcohol, as well as other foods
• If you are overweight or obese, then eating foods with no nutritional value will only help you gain more weight
Nutritional Values are listed on all packaged food and are available online and through government publications for whole foods such as fruits and vegetables. Most restaurants also will provide nutritional information if it is requested. Being able to read the standard nutritional value panel on foods is vital to keeping track of your intake of healthy and unhealthy food components. This is useful not only for those watching their weight or dealing with specific health issues, but also for anyone interested in healthy eating. Eating makes digestion and assimilation possible, and when these functions are normal in their working, the result is health and strength, and all the usefulness and joy of living.
So it is as we consume the Word of God - Remember its Nutritional Value - The Word of God is true. Its Nutritional Value is Listed on every page in the Bible. COME TASTE AND SEE – Consider the Spiritual Principle here – OH TASTE AND SEE - the writer did not say “See and Taste. Before we taste a substance we generally look it over first. If it’s Pleasing to the Eye we will usually taste it next. Served Sushi at the house - But here, we are told, that we must taste before we see. That’s what Faith is all about. We are not able to understand the Nutritional Value of the Word of God if we need to See first and then Taste. That is why Jesus said – BLESSED ARE THOSE THAT HAVE NOT SEEN ME YET BELIEVE.
Every Word is Healthy Eating. Look at what Jeremiah said JEREMIAH 15:16 “THY WORDS WERE FOUND AND I DID EAT THEM; AND THY WORD WAS UNTO ME THE JOY AND REJOICING OF MY HEART.” SOLOMON said the Word will be “HEALTH TO OUR NAVEL, AND MARROW TO OUR BONES.”
• The Words within the Bible give us life
• When we get to the end of our lives, it is the information within the Bible that will continue to give life
• This is why Jesus proclaimed that He is the Bread of Life
There is no nutritional value when we use the Word of God in an effort to Elevate ourselves over someone else. There is No Nutritional Value when the Word of God is used for Wrong Reasons or Used to Spiritually Beat Somebody Up. Heard a Young Adult new to community invited to Church. Said only come if they had a Praise team. Some come only for Choir - No Nutritional Value. Did not ask about Pastor – Bible Study – Life Seminar – Young Adult Ministry – Women – Men Ministry. It’s the teaching and preaching of the Word of God that we find our Nutritional Value.
The quality of a Christian’s spiritual life is directly related to his/her interaction with God’s Word. Christians who devote themselves to His Word through disciplined Reading – Study - Application - as well as through a healthy exposure to Godly Preaching and teaching, gain vitality in their walk with the Lord. Most do well with the Reading – Study – yet falter when it comes to the Application. Christians who neglect the Scriptures deprive themselves of the spiritual nourishment that the Word of the Lord provides. In essence, these Christians starve their Faith.
As you eat of the Word of God - Remember its Cost - One of the reasons many of us enjoy the Buffet is because of the Cost. Ordinarily the cost is low compared to how much we plan on eating while we are there. Compared to your mainstream Restaurant, we feel a Buffet is more Bang for the Buck. What is the cost Job alludes to in the text?
• It is important for us to Count the Cost
• Jesus came to this earth in the form of a man so that we could have hope
• We don’t believe in words that were just made up
• We trust in a Book that doesn’t contradict itself
• We trust in a Book that can be proven true through history and through eye witnesses
• We trust in a Book where the Cost was Paid on Calvary
• We trust in a Book that has been written by God Himself
As you eat of the Word of God - Remember to Choose the Best - This is where the Buffet Restaurant get’s most of us in trouble. We most often don’t take the time to choose the best for us, this is why we enjoy the Buffet, we can pick and chose and more often than not, we consistently chose the wrong thing. So Peter reminds us in the text to Remember to Choose the Best. Peter is not suggesting to us that there are some areas of the Bible that are better than others. I believe he is letting us know that there are times that we stay away from areas in the Bible that are better for us based upon what we are going through.
• This is why some can be in church all their life and never develop a Personal Relationship with Christ
• This is why some can be in Church all their life and never experience real Joy
• This is why some can be in Church all their life and never really sell out to Christ
• This is why some can be in Church all their life and still can’t get along with anybody
• This is why some can be in Church all their life and still Cuss and Fuss
• This is why some can be in Church all their life and have No Peace and Joy in their Life
God’s personal revelation sustains us and nourishes us. Jesus himself taught that “ONE DOES NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.” Jesus invites us to receive God’s word deep into our very being and allow it to energize our actions. The Word of God is to your spirit as bread is to your body. When your body feeds on physical food, it produces a Physical Power called Strength. When your spirit feeds on the spiritual food of the Word, it produces Spiritual Power called Faith.
• We need to pay attention to the Word of God
• Use it to be strengthened
• Use it to lighten your path
• Use it to give you the power you need to make the right choices
We must Remember to Choose the Best and stop doing so much spiritual snacking. When we go to the Buffet Restaurant, we go to eat, we don’t go there to snack. But when it comes to the Word of God, we don’t take time for a whole meal. We only want to pop little pieces of God's Word at infrequent intervals - this is why we end up spiritually malnutrition - W want to say things like – I don’t need to go to Church to be saved – I don’t need prayer Service or Bible Study – I study and read the Bible at Home – I can Pray at Home. Then we wonder why we are:
• Weak in our witness
• Feeble in the face of temptation
• Generally lazy toward the things of God
• Not able to control our Tongue
• To be healthy, well-nourished disciples of Jesus, filled with spiritual energy and poised to do His will, we must Choose the Best and Feed on His Word as a daily priority
Man is designed to take in nourishment and grow. But man has the choice of whether or not to take in nourishment. God gave man freedom of will to choose. So man’s growth is dependent upon him choosing to be nourished. If man does not eat or drink he will not be nourished and his growth will be impaired. If man does not hear and receive God’s Word he will not be nourished and his growth will be impaired.
One must accept the strength and the power of the Word in all its fullness. Many read the Word of God, and immediately forget what they just read. They read from a sense of obligation in order to ease their consciences. The precious Word of God isn't permitted to penetrate and do its mighty work. The Bible is your food - your Daily Bread - Heaven’s Strength and Power for you. You need the meat of the Word, not just the letter of the law. Accept the Word in your heart as well as your mind. Just as you can't eat one meal and then feed on the memory of it for several weeks, you can't just remember what the Word says and stay strong in faith. You have to read it. Even if you've read it a hundred times, you need to read it again.
Stopped by to let you know this morning – God has a wonderful spiritual menu designed for our lives. His menu is filled with many entrees that are always new and fresh. What is also unique about God's menu is that He always adapts it in order that we might receive the spiritual food we need. God is a perfect dietician and He has prepared a special meal for every believer.
--If we want to grow we need the nourishment of God’s Word
--The best way of knowing the goodness and the sweetness of the Lord is to Taste and See for yourself.
--Taste of His goodness and put Him first in your life!
--Put the Lord first and you will see that He’s sweet and you will know it.
--Taste and See that the Lord is sweet and He will eliminate all of your worries and anxieties.
--Jesus said in St Matthew 6:31-34 “ Don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too.
--Live one day at a time and Taste and See that the Lord is sweet ?
Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before,
Every day with Jesus, I love him more and more.
Jesus saves and keeps me, and he’s the one I’m waiting for.
Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.
And that sweetness comes to us as we spend time with our Lord in his Word
