The whole idea of living in such a way as to provoke an entire people group to jealousy is a lot of work. It’s good work, and it’s God’s plan, but where do we start.

First, we eat.

Jesus told a crowd that they should labor for the food that endures to eternal life. They asked, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” This is a huge question.

Jesus answered, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29).

Believing in Jesus is where we start. We ourselves must be believing in Jesus. He likened the believing to eating bread and then said He is the bread. We must eat Him. First, we eat. He likened believing to abiding in Him. “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Believe in Christ. Don’t have faith in your faith. You don’t have enough faith to change the world, let alone to have eternal life. Keep your faith in Christ.

So we gather at this Table every week to eat and drink. First, we eat. We eat because we have the Lord. Through Him we can do all things. He is the bread of life. We must feed on Him by faith and drink His blood in belief. He is true food and true drink.

There is a lot to talk about, plans to make, daily deaths to die, work to do. The work of God is to believe, and because we believe we work. So first, we feast in believing joy.