Chapter 4 Of Ravi Zacharias Jesus Among Other Gods

Consuming the Wrong Food Do not love the world or anything in the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of the God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17 The number one struggle which leads to sin is desiring things of the flesh and giving into physical cravings. Chapter 4 of Ravi Zacharias’ Jesus Among Other Gods addresses this topic and shines light on who we should truly crave. Ravi first introduces the topic setting the scene in the book of Matthew. This is where Jesus uses food as an example to show the importance of coming to him. Secondly,
Ravi expresses that all this time we have been consuming the wrong type of food, instead we should focus on spiritual food. Thirdly, Ravi highlights that physical food is important, but we should follow God and put him first above all else. Matthew 26:26-28 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Why did Jesus use food out of everything else in the world as an example of people’s need for him? Ravi says on page 91, “By contrast, in a very simple way Jesus drew the real need of his audience to that hunger which is spiritual in nature, a hunger that is shared by every human, so that we are not human livings or human doings but human beings. We are not in need merely of a superior ethic, we need a transformed heart and will that seek to do the will of God.” Jesus knew that people needed food to survive, yet he also knew that people didn’t understand their need for Jesus was just as imperative. When we eat, we will eventually get hungry later. However, Jesus offers us a different type of food, food from his body, his teachings, his truth, and this food will forever keep us full. Our soul and relationship with God needs the nutrients of truth and promise that Jesus
gives. Even though Jesus has made the importance clear to us, we still are only concerned with fleshly desires. We are constantly consuming the wrong food. Ravi explains on page 83, “Jesus took pains to show them that their preoccupation with bread as the primary purpose and expression of enjoyment of life had seriously displaced both what bread was meant to do and what life was meant to be. In our high-paced living, this truth does not sink in with any greater ease than it did in ancient Palestine. With all our ingesting and consumption, our hungers are still so many and our fulfillments are still so few. Must we not think about that? Is that not in itself an indicator that our hungers are displaced?” Our hungers have been displaced since day one in the Garden of Eden. God doesn’t want his people to be concerned with things of the world, he wants us to find fulfillment in him. Our purposes and goals in life are no longer aimed towards God, but rather on personal aspirations. Jesus’s sole message isn’t to tell us to starve ourselves from physical food.
He wants us to live, be healthy, and treat our bodies like temples, if we pursue him with passion. Ravi encourages on page 84, “The only way one can realize life while one lives it is if he or she realizes that life is not a matter of nutrition alone but of a greater hunger that is beyond words and food.” Why does the bible talk about fasting? The prominent point of fasting is to put aside desires of food or other fleshly things and turn that focus to God. Ravi also says on page 85, “If I am to be fulfilled, I must pursue a will that is greater than mine-a fulfilled life is one that has the will of God as its focus, not the appetite of the flesh.” God wants us to enjoy food, since it is his creation. However, he does not want us to turn our focus askew from him. On page 87, Ravi points out how food can be helpful if we use it correctly. Food can be a means of fellowship, to celebrate, to please and show creativity. Jesus used food bread and wine specifically to depict his sacrifice of dying for us and saving us from sin. He intertwined food and our relationship with him so that we may understand the depth. Ravi says on page 91, “Our greatest hunger, as Jesus described it, is for a consummate relationship that combines physical and the spiritual, that engenders both awe and love, and that is expressed in celebration and
commitment.” If a regular person came up to a group of followers broke bread and said, “take and eat this is my body,” and handed them a cup and said, “drink this is my blood shed for your sin,” they’d be classified as insane. However, the man who said these words was not a regular man, he was the son of God. Jesus uses food as an example to show that he is the Bread of Life and fleshly bread will not suffice. Ravi points out that we as humans are consuming the wrong food, and he doesn’t just mean the issue of processed foods. He means our focus has shifted from God to our fleshly desires. God is not asking us to stop eating altogether, but to remain steadfast in him in all that we do. Some capstone verses that exemplify God’s purpose for us are, Psalm 34:8 (Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.), Colossians 3:1-2 (Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated high at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.), 1 Corinthians 10:31 (So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.)