Only the Hungry
Jesus delights in having spiritually hungry children around him and is ready to pour out the riches of his kingdom on those who come to him in need.
The video is a sermon by Basilio Schlink titled 'Only the Hungry.' Schlink emphasizes that Jesus loves to have spiritually hungry children around him, those who are in need and lacking in every area of their lives. He compares this to the joy Paul Readinger, a co-founder of their sisterhood, experienced in helping those in need during the time of hunger and poverty in Germany after World War II. Schlink encourages the audience to come to Jesus as hungry children, asking him for the things they are lacking, and to write down all their needs. He assures them that Jesus is the bread of life and will provide for all their needs, both spiritual and material.
Full Transcript
God lives and works today. What a joyous message! But who can experience his reality? Not the rich and satisfied, but the poor people, who are lacking everything. Listen to the following meditation by Basilia Schlenk called, Only the Hungry.
In John 6, verse 35, Jesus says, He who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. In other words, Jesus likes to have spiritually hungry children around him. That is, those who need much, he loves especially.
Why? Simply because they are in such need. I'm reminded of Paul Reidinger, one of the co-founders of Our Sisterhood. How happy it made him to help those in need.
At the end of World War II, because it was a time of hunger and poverty in Germany, it brought him all the more joy to be able to visit us and surprise us with a gift of food. And when he saw our joy and delight, his whole face would beam. This is just a weak human illustration.
But consider the joy of our Lord Jesus when he has many spiritually hungry children. On them he can pour out the riches of his kingdom. When do we bring joy to Jesus? When we're spiritually hungry.
That is, needy in every area of our lives. Our Lord Jesus and the Heavenly Father don't enjoy looking at sad, unhappy children. This grieves God.
It's true that he sometimes has to chasten us and make us sad, but he only does this in order to free us from sin, which would cause us deepest misery. Nevertheless, it's his greatest joy to be able to give us gifts, not to chasten us. And his joy is doubled when he sees our happiness.
Therefore, we must ask ourselves today, do we make Jesus happy by coming to him as hungry children who are lacking much? Do we ask him for the things we are lacking? Write down sometime everything that you need. And write down beside these items, Jesus says, If anyone hungers, let him come to me. I am the bread of life.
These words apply to all of our needs, even our material needs. When we practice coming to Jesus now, we will also experience his help in future times of trouble. Then we will experience that Jesus truly is enough.
In him, we have everything we need. Therefore, don't look to the left or right, trying to imagine how the help will come. Look to Jesus and he will supply your every need.
This program by Basilia Schlink has come to you from the Little Land of Canaan. If you would like a free leaflet by the same author, please write to God Lives and Works Today, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85028-4099. That's God Lives and Works Today, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85028-4099.
God bless you.
Sermon Outline
- I. Jesus likes to have spiritually hungry children around him
- A. Those who need much, he loves especially
- B. He can pour out the riches of his kingdom on them
- II. When do we bring joy to Jesus?
- A. When we're spiritually hungry and needy in every area of our lives
- III. God's greatest joy is to give us gifts, not to chasten us
- A. He only chastens us to free us from sin
- IV. We must ask ourselves if we come to Jesus as hungry children who are lacking much
- A. Do we ask him for the things we are lacking?
Key Quotes
“Jesus likes to have spiritually hungry children around him.” — Basilea Schlink
“In him, we have everything we need.” — Basilea Schlink
“When we practice coming to Jesus now, we will also experience his help in future times of trouble.” — Basilea Schlink
Application Points
- We must ask ourselves if we come to Jesus as hungry children who are lacking much and ask him for the things we need.
- Practicing coming to Jesus now will help us experience his help in future times of trouble.
- In Jesus, we have everything we need, and we should look to him for help rather than trying to imagine how it will come from elsewhere.