The Lord neglected His own need of satisfying His physical thirst so that He could take case of someone else’s spiritual thirst. Within the same context He is now neglecting His need for food to teach His disciples what their greatest hunger should be. What do you hunger mostly for? Admittedly hunger is a blessing from the Lord to ensure that we stay fed and have the energy to function. With our physical hunger we develop an appetite for different kinds of foods. People grow up enjoying certain food groups, depending on how their "palates were touched."

Before processed baby foods were available, mothers as they would wean their babies, would chew the food for the baby. She then would place the food on her finger and touch the palate of the baby creating an appetite hoping that the baby would eat and enjoy that food.

As a traveler to different countries I observe how different cultures have different food taste. Many time the hostess would show concern if I did not have an aggressive appetite for her favorite dish. The food was great I am sure, but my palate had not been previously touched to allow me to enjoy it as such. Spiritually our appetites for different things are produced by what we allow to touch our palate. For this reason extreme care should be exercised when raising our children making sure that they are touched only by that which is pure and wholesome.

When first looking at the spiritual and practical applications that I could make in regards to one’s appetite, it seems that the applications for hunger would be very similar to that of thirst. Yet I am sure that the Lord has these two basic needs of the appetitive nature in our text for a different purpose. Certainly there are some similar applications that can be made, but may we notice the shades of difference as well.

While Jesus was ministering to the woman at the well the disciples were looking for meat (John 4:8). They may have excitingly made their journey back to where Jesus was while thinking that they had found His favorite food. The response that they received surely was not what they expected. Jesus chose to use this opportunity to teach a valuable lesson on the subject of "spiritual appetite."

May we notice the disciples as they returned with the meat.

I. THEY RETURNED WITH THE MEAT. v. 31; cf. v. 8

"Master, eat." These are the words that introduce this section. Certainly the disciples were wanting to please the Savior. They wanted Him to look at the food and commend them on their excellent food choice. At least this is what I would have wanted. This did not happen, not because the food was not acceptable but Jesus wanted to show them that there was a satisfaction that he had that was even greater than their food. More than that, He wanted them to know that He had something that was of greater "sustenance."

When thinking of thirst the key word is probable "sustenance." This does not mean that food does not give satisfaction, for it does. But the primary purpose for food is for the sustenance that is necessary "for survival."

While the disciples were away they were busy finding food that they thought would be enjoyed by all if there search was true to human nature. Have you even been with a group of people near the dinner hour? You began to discuss and even become obsessed with the subject of food. For that period of time nothing else in the world seems to matter. Everything else is blocked out.

Now get the picture, the disciples were likely caught up just like this. After all, the appetite for food is one of the strongest appetites that man can have. Yet while they were anticipating a feast after their return to where Jesus was, Jesus was preoccupied with other concerns. Even as the disciples exhibited a strong desire for their scheduled dinner, Jesus had a greater desire that was eternal in nature. He called it his "meat."

II. HIS REFUSAL OF THE MEAT vv. 32-33

I am a married man knowing what it would be like letting my wife slave in the kitchen preparing my favorite meal and come in later telling her that I found something better, some where else. I would be in trouble.

The emotions were probably the same on the part of the disciples as they would have been by my wife. Jesus said unto them, "I have meat to eat that ye know not of" (v. 22). This is not to say that Jesus was disregarding nor was He unappreciative of what the disciples had done for Him. Jesus would have done nothing that would have been sinful or inconsiderate.

There was something, however, that was of greater importance to Jesus than just drinking or eating. He had a different kind of appetite that took his mind off of anything pertaining to His body. He had as His consuming desire a determination to see His Father’s will accomplished. Within the framework or doing His Father’s will was there a desire to see souls come to salvation.

He was conveying to His disciples an example of where their strong desire should be found. Even today we need to question our appetites. We desire and hunger after so many things that do not impact our lives but for only a moment of time. We seem to forget the eternal values.

III. THE REVELATION ABOUT HIS MEAT vv. 34-42

Christ reveals that His meat is in doing and finishing the work that His Father had given Him to do. He senses the urgency of doing this. The time of ministry is so urgent that it must not be put off. He told the disciples, "say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest" (v. 35). Notice the phrase, "Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields." The eyes, though not absolutely necessary, play a very important part in our making choices as well as in creating our appetites. The eyes see and communicate to the brain that which is placed before us. We look and in our observing we began to select that which we desire from the "buffet" that is spread out before us. Those who prepare the food know that there are certain qualities that should be expressed to help guide a person in making his selections.

I recently spoke to a gourmet chef asking him to describe some of the ways of making the food more appealing; this is what he told me: "As a gourmet chef I have been trained not only to prepare food for the purpose of making it palatable to the taste but also appealing to the eyes. One method for achieving this is a process that we call blanching. To blanch food means to place fresh vegetables in hot boiling water for varying periods of time, then removing the vegetables and placing them in chilled water. By doing this, it helps the vegetables to retain their fresh, crisp appearance without compromising the color.

Another technique to make the meat more appealing to the eye is a technique called basting. This involves taking a marinate, or its own juices and brushing it back on top of the meat allowing those juices to brown and give flavor.

With desserts there are a number of techniques such as sifting, glazing, icing, etc. which add color and personality to a particular dish making it more attractive to the palate and the sweet tooth."

When the Lord said, "look on the fields," it was as though He was saying, "Let this be your meat; let this be what satisfies you the most!" The Lord’s meat was doing the Father’s will and finishing His work. As we look on the fields, we must desire a harvest of souls more than we would desire rich food from the scrumptious buffet. He tells us there is a rejoicing that comes for the sower and the reaper (vv. 36-37). This joy comes from having a faithful appetite for the souls of man. The appetites should not require some spiritual gourmet chef creating an illusion to attract us to the souls of man. The fact of souls without Christ should be enough. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have such a strong desire to see souls saved that we would much rather be busy witnessing than eating. The Lord dealt with thirst and hunger within the same context, may we remember from this that He was contrasting two positions.

The position of the wayward, wicked soul thirsting for living waters which pictures the lost person; the position of having an appetite or desire to see souls saved pictures the saved witness.

May we have the same desires as our wonderful Savior!