November 4

Where's the Beef?

A few of you might remember the Wendy's commercial from the 1980’s. A couple of sweet old ladies are examining their hamburger. They look at the hamburger's large bun, and the lady who looks for more than just the obvious had a very penetrating question "Where's the beef?" She knows that there is more to a hamburger than just the bun. She wanted to know not where the externals were, but where was the internal, where was the thing that makes the burger satisfying, Where's the beef?

We live in a culture where people who are busy from birth to death. And for the masses of people they will go through life with their daily agenda filled with activities and projects. And one day they might just pause and reflect on life. During this moment of reflection they know that there is more to life then what they are experiencing, there has to be more than just the big bun externals. These people are struggling to find life, to find meaning and satisfaction. When you break it down, they are asking the same question of life that the Wendy's lady was asking: Where's the beef?

If Jesus were speaking in the vernacular of the 80’s he would have addressed the issue of the beef. We would have heard him say "I am the beef". I am the part that supplies that fulfillment, the satisfaction to life. Let’s break down the words of Jesus we read today,

John 7:37-39 “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Jesus starts with the word “IF.” This means not everyone is aware of their thirst. Not every one is conscious of the longings of the soul. There are many people who are going through life thinking that all is fine. Jesus didn't ram his satisfying water down anyone's throat. He offers it as a free gift.

The source of this satisfaction is Jesus himself. Jesus says we must “come to him and drink”. The drink is a personal relationship. It is not religion, it is not a big house, fancy car, having stuff, it is having Jesus. Finally he talks about a stream of living water from the Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit filling, empowering, guiding, direction and changing us, we will never find satisfaction.

So the question for today, “Are you experiencing this living water promised by Jesus?” If your life is dry today and you sense there must be more to life than what you are experiencing. Come to Jesus and drink from his living water.