Saved for Satisfaction
16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Matthew 14:16-21
Why did Jesus come to earth? To save us right? For sure, but what does that mean? For instance, does Jesus just come to wash our sins away? He does that, but that’s not all He came to do.
You see it here in Matthew 14.
Jesus is posing as a new Moses. Unlike Moses who has to ask God to give the people something to eat. Jesus Himself provides the bread and the meat to the crowds.
But notice verse 20. I don’t think that’s just a throwaway line. It’s significant of what Jesus came to do. He came to save us not just from our sins, but from the terrible ‘dissatisfaction’ of doing life without Him.
The truth is life without Jesus is a pale shadow of what life was meant to be like. Now I know, there’s plenty of people without Jesus who seem not just a bit happy, but really happy. You can ignore what’s missing with the right mix of the world’s pleasures. But the Bible says (and eternity will prove) that life without Jesus is ultimately going to be a big disappointment.
That’s because you were made to enjoy God. Not just the idea of God. But actually enjoy knowing and relating to God. It’s there in Genesis. God made us to dwell with Him. It’s there across the Old Testament. God continually makes a way for His presence to be among us.
Now, He has come into the world to save us. Not just from our sins. But saving us so that we can relate to God again. So that we can enjoy His presence in our life. That is the path to true satisfaction. Regardless of whether you have the means to access the right mix of the world’s pleasures.
Jesus didn’t just come to save us. He came to save us into true satisfaction through and in Him.
Today:
Pray:
17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Matthew 14:16-21
Why did Jesus come to earth? To save us right? For sure, but what does that mean? For instance, does Jesus just come to wash our sins away? He does that, but that’s not all He came to do.
You see it here in Matthew 14.
Jesus is posing as a new Moses. Unlike Moses who has to ask God to give the people something to eat. Jesus Himself provides the bread and the meat to the crowds.
But notice verse 20. I don’t think that’s just a throwaway line. It’s significant of what Jesus came to do. He came to save us not just from our sins, but from the terrible ‘dissatisfaction’ of doing life without Him.
The truth is life without Jesus is a pale shadow of what life was meant to be like. Now I know, there’s plenty of people without Jesus who seem not just a bit happy, but really happy. You can ignore what’s missing with the right mix of the world’s pleasures. But the Bible says (and eternity will prove) that life without Jesus is ultimately going to be a big disappointment.
That’s because you were made to enjoy God. Not just the idea of God. But actually enjoy knowing and relating to God. It’s there in Genesis. God made us to dwell with Him. It’s there across the Old Testament. God continually makes a way for His presence to be among us.
Now, He has come into the world to save us. Not just from our sins. But saving us so that we can relate to God again. So that we can enjoy His presence in our life. That is the path to true satisfaction. Regardless of whether you have the means to access the right mix of the world’s pleasures.
Jesus didn’t just come to save us. He came to save us into true satisfaction through and in Him.
Today:
- What brings you most satisfaction in life?
- Do you feel satisfied with God? Do you find His satisfaction in knowing Him?
- What worldly pleasures might affect your satisfaction in God?
Pray:
- Praise the Father that He offers us satisfaction in Himself.
- Give thanks for Jesus who gave His life that we might be satisfied.
- Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others find your deepest satisfaction in Jesus.
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