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he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person. …For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

We don’t live with a God who requires specific dietary laws or other pedantic restrictions on day-to-day living in order to follow Him. Being holy is belief in Jesus, it’s keeping yourself free from evil, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, stealing, lying… not petty things about what kind of food you eat or how it was prepared. Jesus is who makes us holy. You can’t be holy by “keeping kosher” without following Jesus, and if you’re following Jesus, your heart won’t produce a sinful lifestyle, follow Him, He’s worth it! 

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Why do we follow Jesus? Is it because of what He can give us, or is it because of who He is? We can fall into the trap of thinking that as we follow Jesus more closely, all our troubles will fall away, or we will get the things we want like a (better) spouse, more compliant children, healing from sickness, or a (better) job. You fill in the blank of what you want… now ask yourself the question “if I don’t get this, do I still trust Jesus?” They wanted to follow Jesus because He had given them bread, maybe we follow Jesus because He’s already headed us once, perhaps He’s already helped us with our marriage… but what if this time is different?

Don’t work for the little things we desire… this life is short, invest in eternity. That doesn’t mean our desires here are (necessarily) wicked, that just means we put Jesus first. Believe in Him.

wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.

If we share the light with everyone, most people won’t receive it. We know that the path is wide that leads to destruction, and maybe that’s why we sometimes don’t share as we should. But we need to! When someone won’t listen to what you say, they aren’t really rejecting you, they’re rejecting Jesus. Don’t take it personally, even if they intend it that way. “Shake of the dust” Taylor Swift was right! Never close the door for them, but sometimes we just need to move along, there are always more people who need the love of Jesus.

When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”

How many times do we think to ourselves “someone should do something…” or “my church really needs a ministry that does…” well guess what… YOU are ‘someone.’ Jesus was teaching, His disciples weren’t ready to do that themselves, and it started to get late. “Jesus, you need to do something!” was their response, and He basically said “well, why do I have you here?” We are the instruments God uses to accomplish His will in the world. The church is the answer for the world. We have been given this ministry of reconciliation. The next time we think “someone should…” let’s remember we are someone. Your pastor, your Sunday School teacher, your deacons, your momma, can’t do everything… we’re all in this together! God has given you everything you need to do everything you’re called to do, and that’s an encouraging idea.