John 6:25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
Saturday afternoon I came home from the grocery store (a Saturday tradition) and after carrying bags inside started getting ready for my second tradition on Saturdays. Since Bible club and computer-tutoring ministries keep me away till dark a few hours each weekend are reserved for playing with the kids. A few weeks ago this included frisbee, football, and wheelbarrow races (which I didn’t participate in).
I always get excited about Saturday night because those games give awesome opporutnities to build Gospel-bridges into their lives, and allowed me to share Christ more than once.
I quickly put the groceries away and got out my tennis shoes but then the boom-boom truck came up the road, and I knew there would be no games that night.
The boom-boom truck (not sure what it’s technically called) is a large truck that blasts rap music loud enough to be heard three streets over. Last Saturday it came over for an impromptu “concert” at the local square which is less than half a mile from my house. On days like that its impossible to get sleep, much less share Christ 😦
My first response to the boom-boom truck was frustration since it meant I wouldn’t be able to minister to the children (I did take the picture above and then ran back home). The fact that booming rap music made it hard to read or concentrate didn’t help my mood. But slowly I went from anger to sadness…sadness for a culture of people who gathered from all around for something that couldn’t satisfy.
Christ in John chapter six has compassion on the multitude who listened to him teach and fed 5,000 with a little boys lunch. Sadly instead of believing in Jesus as God’s Son the crowd wanted to make Him king (thinking they would never have to work for food again 6:15). The next day they searched for Jesus till they found Him on the other side and asked why He left (6:25) but only because they wanted more bread (6:26-27). They basically rejected the Bread of Life that offers eternity in Heaven (6:35-36) for something temporary.
As Christians, we realize the Unsaved around us reject Christ for temporary satisfaction through things like the boom-boom truck. And this should make us angry, but it should also burden our hearts because one or two days later the happiness will be gone, and they will need another visit from the boom-boom truck.
And that’s why I hate to hear the boom-boom truck
- it’s bad enough that they blast music filled with profanity
- And play it loud enough for people three streets away to hear
- And usually, keep it going until midnight
- The worst part is it tells children and adults who I share the Gospel with all they need is the world’s bread
As the music started up a boy came by and asked for a Bible story, while we read Scripture I noticed his lips were moving, but not to the words on the page. It took a moment to realize as we read the Gospel of Mark this child was singing along with the rap music down the street.
As he was offered the bread of life…he chose bread instead
It’s easy to blame the boy but honestly, I feel sorry for him because he has grown up in a culture that says the world’s bread can make you truly happy. As a Christian, I am called to not only denounce the boom-boom truck, however, but explain Christ offers something so much better.
As a Christian, I am called to not only denounce the boom-boom truck, however, but explain Christ offers something so much better.
Johnhwilburn.org 