Anybody Hungry?

Something about holiday gatherings and seem to go together back. We often hear somebody say during the holidays. I am stuffed.

What about spiritual hunger will today Alastair beg takes us to a well-known song composed by Jesus. Mother Mary for a message.

He's titled anybody hungry. Well I almost hate to say turn to Luke chapter 1, because I'm going to do precious little with it to tell you the truth I bides you should probably have it open and at least to see that I have chosen for our text this morning. Not even a varus but just a piece of of errors in the verses 53 and the phrase which we going to consider in somewhat topical manner is he has filled the hungry with good things.

If I were to guess the one thing that none of us is suffering from this morning after the week that we have spent is hunger. And yet, during the past few days you like me will of Herod. These statements or you will have made them. People saying in welcoming somebody to their home. I hope you have brought your appetite with you or I could need another thing in each case the question or statement is in direct relationship. Of course, to physical hunger and that clearly is not on the mind of Mary here in this song that she sings the circumstances that give rise to it are enough to start our hearts and at the same time to stretch our minds because it is the Annunciation. Mary will be the mother of the Messiah, the son of God, and that announcement has been made to her in Nazareth by the angel Gabriel and all that is contained in the text of the we haven't read my soul magnifies the Lord, I would like to make just three observations in passing concerning the song and the first is this that it is a biblical song. It pays a deference. If you like to the song and for Samuel to which Hannah saying and it is making frequent reference to Old Testament passages of four of the phrases, and one that is our phrase is paint directly out of the sun.

This then helps us to get some kind of a picture of Mary herself. I think I am often tempted to see Mary is sort of dropping down out of nowhere and and it all begins with this, but of course she had a life before this she must be of the sing this song and use all of the Scripture because her growing up years were filled with the songs of the Old Testament were filled with the Psalms of David that she would be aware of the promise that is rooted in Genesis 3 that she would be aware of the fact that it was through the seed of Abraham, the Messiah would come and all of that lies at the backdrop to the song she sings it is then a biblical song. Also, it is a personal song.

It is uniquely personal. In fact, the first four verses are make that very very clear. Dante my soul my spirit looked on me all generations will call me. He was mighty as done great things for me so that there is a uniqueness to the song in terms of the personal engagement with Mary herself, but at the same time. What is personal to her is personal just in a way that is true of. If you like a general principle of what is true of God and his dealings with men and women as my third observation that the song is typical.

It is typical in a general way of the experience of every Christian believer, otherwise it would be really no reason for us to sing the song we would say, why would we ever sing the song because it was a song about a unique individual. In response to the fight that she was going to bear the Messiah, will you see that it changes from the from the first person adverse 50 and his mercy sings Mary is for those who fear him from generation to generation. In other words, she looks back over her shoulder in the song and when you see her saying, for example, he has shown strength with his arm. You think of him bringing his people out of the bondage of Egypt and she looks forward in the awareness of the fact that generation after generation will be the beneficiaries of the mercy of God's mercy is known by those who fear him who reverence in who come to him as he has made himself known.

So with these three passing comments less than come just to the phrase that we've taken for the morning. He has filled the hungry with good things. Once again, let me say three things. First of all this is the hunger of the human heart. In the Bible the word heart and the word soul often in the same way is used. Not all of that muscle that is pounding away just now and keep in each of us alive, but in terms of if you like the control center of our very being, so that it involves both our minds are intellects. It involves our emotions and it involves our will and it is because of that the heart is then used by way of expectation in terms of our response to God. Now the phraseology that I said emerges from the Psalms. Our phrase here comes from Psalm 107 in verse nine, the psalmist says for he satisfies the longing soul and the hungry soul he fills with good things will presumably Mary as she sings out realizes that she is singing out again what she is known from her childhood. He is the one who satisfies the longings of our hearts is the one who fills those who are hungry with good things and the surrounding context is a picture of the human condition that man and women wonders aware in desert spaces and hearing. The psalmist says in the don't know where they're going or wandering here there and everywhere I wander, hungry person a thirsty person a restless person. That's the picture that is the backdrop and in the context of that.

The psalmist says what Mary no sex.

He fills the hungry with good things.

The second thing to say is that this hunger of the heart is a hunger that only God can satisfy with that is the case why is it that men and women aware of that hunger being told that God is able in himself, and only in himself to satisfy that hunger.

Why is it that men and women are not turning in their droves to God. To see all God satisfy the longings of my heart.

Will the answer to that. The short answer to that is that our hearts are diseased, that our hearts are actually from our birth, antagonistic to God that are natural thoughts and desires are not for him, or to submit to him or to honor him but like Adam and Eve in the garden to believe the lie to go our own way and to seek satisfaction and everything other than himself. Note you may not actually accept that but I think you will be prepared to recognize that if you don't want to look into your own heart. But look around you. You will see that this is the story of 21st-century America. The attempt that is being made on a daily basis by men and women by young people by Boys and Girls Club to satisfy our longings with everything but God himself to satisfy along as with everything, but God himself. CS Lewis in the weight of glory observes that in that trilemma men and women in seeking to satisfy themselves with what he says and is a long time ago with drink, and with Saxon with ambition, he says, in our endeavor to fill that vacuum in that way, we are far too easily pleased.

He said he says essentially sick were going for soft options to try and take care of that trilemma and then you remember his illustration where like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he can't imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. This will do so.

What were carting the devil's bargain quote Joni Mitchell again from Woodstock. What is that believing the lie that what God wants to do is to deprive us that the Bible is somehow another set up so that if you get into it and squeeze you down will close you out it will end your exist is the life that was a lie in the garden, God doesn't want you to have that she's depriving you know he wasn't was the perfect plan know he fills the hungry with good things in these the only one who does. Here's a final quote from CS Lewis. For now, I never for this is from Pilgrim's regress. I never saw this before you have to think this one out, but it's very good. What does not satisfy when we find it was not the thing we were desiring.

We thought that was what it was. But when we got we realized it wasn't in this trilemma. Mary sends her saw. She says of God, he fills the hungry with good things and is the only one who does so is the hunger of the human heart.

God is the only one who can fill that hunger and thirdly and finally only in Jesus only in Jesus do we find the answer to our deepest longings, longings, what you long for the good work.

Longing for Psalms automatically.

There is a word in German. Actually, for it that does not translate to a single word in English.

It's the word since that's SCh and SU CHD. For those of you immediately want to Google and see if I'm telling the truth. And this is what it is. It speaks to the issue of an internal longing for somewhere someone or something and it is actually expressive of the longing of our hearts, thoughts and feelings about aspects of our life that we that we know are unfinished, or they are in themselves imperfect and at the same time that Dan is coupled with an intense yearning for an idea, alternative experience is all wrapped up in this some severe standby that is an unfinished project that is an imperfect goal. What am I going to do and must be somewhere someone out there somehow another residence at a very very mundane and trivial level. We could honestly say that if we never had the notion of the word. Surely the few days after Christmas and the prospect of new year.

Our ideal territory for discovering the reality of this.

Think about it at a very mundane level, we may already feel robbed by the fact that Christmas was over and so fast. All of that endeavor to get to it. An hour left with ribbons and wrapping and returns happy memories.

True yes, but why did Christmas go so quickly. Wasn't something that we set how, just slipped out. Our good friend my big brothers. I call him Cynthia Ferguson is honest enough in one of his books to identify this very issue in his own young life growing up in Glasgow on the night of Christmas day when all of the festivities were over, and when it was time for bed. He writes I used to get my presence in the paper and wrap them up again in the whole that the magic of the day would last until the 26th. It never does because that's not where the magic is the magic of CS Lewis says, is the deeper magic from before the dawn of time that little phrase the dawn of time is the opening line of our closing song which will come to just a moment or two, chosen because the song states very clearly how in Jesus we have one who has saved completely. All who draw near to God through him well.

How would that happen.

How does that happen to see what needs to happen is God has to do something, and God is the one who to the initiative with Mary, and God is the one who takes the initiative with each of us is what he does.

First of all, he illumines our minds or if you like. He opens our spiritual eyes so that passages that we've known for 100 years or things that we've only just discovered, but could make no sense of it all suddenly come to light and he illumines our minds by the truth of the gospel that we no longer need to try and work our way up to some acceptance with God because there is in Christ and righteousness which is credited to us through faith in him, so he illumines my mind to the truth of the gospel. He then comes and sets me free from the bondage of my heart to my own sinful endeavors. He washes clean my inordinate affections, and inwardly.

Then he motivates me to live in the light of the truth of his word to discover that his law is actually for me in Christ, a pathway to freedom rather than a bondage. In other words, he works in such a way that I might love what he loves. That actually does sound a bit like a transplant doesn't it almost sounds like a whole new birth while it is a whole new birth. That's why Jesus said to Nicodemus, Nicodemus, let's just cut to the chase, unless a man is born again, born from above.

He can see the kingdom of God is something God does he response to her cries when we are honest enough and humble enough to acknowledge it, you know that's the real issue and whether cyclones hunger is the indispensable condition of spiritual blessing. Those who have no consciousness of need.

Those who are complacent and to respond by saying I'm just not hungry. He sends them away. He fills the hungry and sends the rich away empty is not a comment on the amount of money in your bank balance is a picture of the notion of self-sufficiency. It is a picture of the notion of complacency. So the person is no fine and want to go and continue chase my dreams. Thank you for sharing this with me. I realize that your very strong view on this that this hunger of the human heart is answered solely in God and that he does this through the person of his son the Lord Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit. I get all of that. Thank you very much. And maybe I'll see you again next year.

I'm just not hungry anybody hungry Jesus said I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger whoever believes in me shall not thirst. Fascinating really is not bread and water that actually luxury items, no essential for living and actually essential for dying to anybody hungry and final word to the children who sat through all of that and try to understand at least some of it I think you probably got the part about our friend, wanting to rewrap his Christmas presents because no matter if you got the thing you wanted deep down he still sailed dear white, I feel the way I do, because the thing that you want to GC that you thought would make you really really happy.

Cannot do that and so is a wonderful opportunity to say to Jesus. Jesus you're the one that can make me happy you're the only one who can fill my heart, I want you to come and do that for me. I want you to come and live in me and the only reason you'll do that is because God has hastily opened your eyes you can do that and go home in the car. Tell your mom that's what I'm doing today Whitfield in his journals many years ago, writes on Christmas Eve or if there is only one soul who will trust in Christ tomorrow then it will be happy Christmas indeed. Who knows trusting in Jesus for salvation. Salvation that is the most wonderful gift we can receive any time of the year.

Today's message is titled anybody hungry you're listening to Truth for Life with Alistair Begg the gift of salvation that Alastair just mentioned is something we can earn on our own, and Alastair is here to give us a brief comment on that today to explain how the teaching on Truth for Life works in the lives of listeners all around the world. Alastair thanks Bob, we were just reminded that unless the spirit of God opens our eyes to his truth. We can even see his kingdom and God has ordained his word in such a way that this happens and that of course is why we teach the Bible on a daily basis.

Truth for Life.

Recognizing that the spirit of God.

Does the work of God in the life of God's people. It isn't actually a day goes by when we don't get a letter or an email from someone saying just that. They like to thank us for the program for the free online teaching to let us know that God has proven himself evident in their life since they've been listening and you probably won't be surprised to learn that this year we've been receiving more mail than ever, but only from the United States but with her from listeners in Australia and South Africa, India, Japan, to name just a few. And all of them writing to tell us how much they have come to rely on the word of God that is come to them through Truth for Life, particularly during this pandemic. So let me pass along their gratitude to you and also remind you the Truth for Life is 100% listener fund that you're giving that brings Truth for Life to this very large and growing global audience. Every day, and as you know, this time of the year is vitally important to us.

We rely on you to get in touch to make a generous donation so that we might be able to continue to do the same work in 2021 Bob will tell you how you can do that today. Thank you, thank you, Alastair. You can support the work of the gospel through Truth for Life 2021.

By giving a much-needed year-end donation today simply give online right now@truthforlife.org/donate or you can call us at 888-588-7884 when you do we want to invite you to request a book titled exploring the Bible together. This is a family devotional plan that takes you through selected readings from Genesis all the way to Revelation.

Over the course of the year, you can request exploring the Bible together when you give by tapping on the image you see on the mobile app or you can request it online a Truth for Life.org can also call us to donate at 888-588-7884. Finally, if you're looking for a way to share God's word with others in the year ahead. Consider a Bible that we just added to our store. This is a complete ESV Bible comes in a soft cover and it's priced so you can give it away Bible is available for purchase from Truth for Life for just two dollars you'll find it online@truthforlife.org/store or you can place your order when you call 888588788 by Bob Lapine. Be sure to join us tomorrow as we consider what Jesus and the apostles believed about the Bible. The Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life with the Learning is for Living