Don't Miss the Point

A minister decided that a visual demonstration would add emphasis to his Sunday sermon.

Four worms were placed into four separate jars.

The first worm was put in a jar of alcohol.

The second worm was put into a jar of cigar smoke.

The third worm was put into a jar of chocolate syrup.

The fourth worm was placed into a jar of good clean soil.

At the conclusion of the sermon, the Minister reported the following results:

The first worm in alcohol- Dead.

The second worm in cigar smoke- Dead

The third worm in chocolate syrup- Dead.

The fourth worm in good clean soil- Alive.

So the minister asked the congregation- What can you learn from this demonstration?

A little old lady in the back quickly raised her hand and said, "As long as you drink, smoke, and eat chocolate, you won't have worms!"

Why is this story funny? It's funny for two reasons: One, the little old woman completely missed the point of the sermon. And two, her conclusion was ridiculous and actually opposite of the one intended.

Let's go deeper. She missed the point because she interpreted the story from a natural perspective. The minister was attempting to prove a spiritual point through a natural example and she never left the natural. And naturally, pun intended, her conclusion, if actually followed, would have resulted in grave consequences.

Jesus experienced a similar situation when he was teaching to the crowds recorded in John 6 and the consequences were anything but funny.

I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."

52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?" John 6:48-52

Jesus was using a physical example to illustrate a spiritual principle. The Jews who heard Jesus' words were stuck in the natural and the result was arguing and confusion. They completely missed the point of the story. Are you using natural thinking, logic and reason, to try to solve your problems and still finding yourself confused? If you are, you are doing the same thing the Jews and that little old lady from the opening story did. You are stuck in the natural. The problem is not your husband, your boss, lack of finances, or poor health. Look beyond those and ask God to show you the spiritual realities and conditions beyond what you see in the natural Paul says, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Ephesians 6:12

A physical solution will not solve a spiritual condition. Albert Einstein said it well, "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." The same applies to the Christian life. The thinking and actions that got you into sin will not and cannot get you out of sin. According to Ephesians 1:17 ask the Holy Spirit to give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation concerning your struggle. The Holy Spirit will reveal to you the reality of the situation and then you will know how to proceed.

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