Are You Hungry As A Duck?
Sunday Morning, 03-24-13
Palm Sunday Message
Text: John 6:35-40
Joh 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Joh 6:36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
Joh 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Joh 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
Joh 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Intro:
• Last Sunday Before Easter = Palm Sunday
• Palm Sunday = Jesus rode into Jerusalem
• All the people Worshiped and Honored Jesus as “King” (Luke 19:38)
“Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.”
• Clamored for His attention, whatever it took
• Many sermons preached on this today
As most of you know by now I’m not one who preaches what is expected just because it’s this day, or that special occasion. It is continually my prayer that I bring you what God would have you hear.
With that in mind, the only similarity to the things I just mentioned about Palm Sunday is the eagerness, the zeal, the desire the multitude had in worshiping Jesus as King and Lord. Let me illustrate…
(1)
Yesterday we went to Medi-Park Lake to feed the ducks. It was amazing to watch the kids throwing bread out to the ducks, geese, and whatever other critter wanted to eat the bread. It was no less amazing to watch the ducks chase after the bread and crumbs tossed their way. Some would duck under the neck of another. Others would jump/fly up to try and catch it before it even hit the water…so they could be the first to taste and get a bite.
As entertaining as it was to watch these lively little birds, it got me thinking that we could learn a great lesson here.
They were hungry, and they went after what would satisfy that hunger.
So, the question I pose to you this morning is this.
“Are you hungry as a duck?”
Let’s read our text and maybe it will start to make more sense.
Turn with me please to John 6:35-40…
(Read Text)
Are you hungry enough to come to Jesus? Do you know what that means?
It means…
Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
(2)
Just like those ducks going for the bread…it did not matter to them if Mother Duck was going after the same morsel they were, if they got there first it was gone! We need to be like that in a way. Jesus was not saying to “not” love your mother, father, brother or sister. What He IS saying is to NOT love them MORE than HIM!
It means what it says in verse 38…
“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”
Jesus is saying that sometimes when you love Him more than ANYTHING, you’re going to have to face what that means. Not always are our families all pleased and in favor of our commitment to Jesus. You get labeled as “fanatic”, “goody two shoes”, “intolerant” etc, etc…
If you don’t face this (carry your cross) you are not worthy of Him.
Unlike the ducks though, we don’t grab all we can so the others can’t…we get all we can of Jesus so we can share the “Good News” of how He has helped, and satisfied, and healed…
Matthew 5:6 tells us…
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they
shall be filled.”
Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Jesus is telling us we shall be filled.
You need to be hungry as a duck.
The only way we receive this filling is from the true bread…Jesus Christ.
In our passage in John 6 Jesus is telling those around Him to not be satisfied with a temporary fix for their spiritual hunger, they can have an eternal fix for their hunger…Jesus Himself!
Are you hungry???
Close as the Spirit leads….
(3)
