The Secret Ingredient

A Stale Bag of Gummy Bears

Are you a fan of “Chopped”? It’s a reality show on the TV Food Network where contestants try to create a winning dish using a VERY limited list of ingredients. Players whip up a feast with, say, an ostrich egg, two slices of leftover pizza, and a stale bag of gummy bears.

But the premise of the program is really nothing new. Ever hear about the time Jesus challenged His disciples to feed a few thousand folks with just a couple of fish sandwiches (Mk 6:33-44)? But also He gave them a secret ingredient that made it all possible.

(Okay, I need to put all my cards on the cutting board. One, I have NEVER seen a single episode of “Chopped.” Ever. Two, I can’t cook. Fixing a PB&J is a culinary challenge for me. I don’t want anybody think I’m pretending to be Anthony Bourdain. Are we good?)

Trying to Get Away

Before there’s ever any talk of food, we see a rather crazy scene along the beach in the sixth chapter of Mark. Christ and His crew are trying to get away for some needed R&R. They’re in a boat when the crowd suddenly spots them.

“But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them” (v33). In previous chapters, the author has made it clear that Jesus is no longer just some unknown Carpenter from Nazareth. He’s now a total rock star.

Bursting out of the Boondocks

Think Beatlemania. Cheering crowds. Paparazzi. He can’t go anywhere in public anymore. You can bet restaurants and grocery stores are out of the question. Things have escalated quickly for Joe and Mary’s oldest Son.

Jesus has burst out of the boondocks of Galilee to grab headlines with a spectacular series of miracles, healings, exorcisms, and sermons. People are flocking from everywhere to see Him, hear Him, and touch Him. He’s the hottest ticket around.

As a matter of fact, Christ is probably nearing the peak of His popularity. Why do we think so? We’re about to read the ONLY miracle we’ll find in all four Gospels (Mt 14:13-21; Mk 6:33-44; Lk 9:10-17; Jn 6:1-13). An incident getting so much ink must be a big deal, don’t you think?

Who Is This Guy?

Just about everybody in Mark’s Gospel is trying to figure out just who He is. Oh, there are plenty of opinions. Could He be one of the great heroes of the OT like Elijah making an encore (Mk 6:15)? The local Roman ruler comes up with the cockamamie idea that Jesus is actually John the Baptizer back from the dead like some sort of zombie prophet (Mk 6:16).

Evil spirits never have a doubt that they’re up against anyone but “the Holy One of God” (Mk 1:24; 5:7). However He has plenty of doubters. His own mom and closest family members think He’s gone looney (Mk 3:21). Folks in His hometown don’t think He’s anything special (Mk 6:1-4).

Who Does He Think He Is?

Religious power brokers have all sorts of issues with Jesus. Can you believe He actually has the gall to forgive people of sin (Mk 2:6-7)?!? Who does He think He is…God?!? (Boy, are they gonna be surprised!)

And have you seen who He’s hanging out with? There are all sorts of reports of Him partying with the dregs of society (Mk 2:16-17). No self-respecting Sadducee, Pharisee, or scribe would be caught dead hanging out with those losers.

The Hero from Heaven

He refuses to play by any of their self-righteous rules and regs (Mk 2:18, 23-23). The religious elite eventually see Jesus as a such a threat that they accuse Him of playing for Satan’s team (Mk 3:22).

It turns out that His own cousin John is the only one who’s got Him figured out. Before Herod Antipas chops off his noggin, the Baptizer believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Messiah, the long awaited Hero sent from heaven (Mk 1:7-11).

The Original Low Speed Chase

So when folks see our Savior and His disciples in the boat, they chase them down the beach. While they may not know exactly who He is, they know one thing for certain. He can help them. John tells us it was “because they saw His miraculous signs as He healed the sick” (Jn 6:2).

In case you didn’t already know, motorless boats make terrible getaway cars. I don’t care if you’re paddling like crazy and there’s a stiff wind filling your sails. You’re only going so fast. Forget O.J. in the infamous white Bronco. This is the original low speed chase.

Calling an Audible

It’s at this point that Christ calls an audible. Remember, the original plan was to get away for a little rest and relaxation (Mk 6:31-32). The Lord takes one look at the desperation of the people and His heart breaks.

“Jesus saw the huge crowd as He stepped from the boat, and He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (v34). How huge? We see a little later it’s several thousand people.

The Compassion of Christ

Christ’s compassion exceeds the size of the big crowd.The word we translate as “compassion” (Gr. σπλαγχνιζομαι/splagchnizomai) comes from the Greek root word bowels or intestines. It’s actually where we get “spleen.” In other words, Jesus is moved deep inside by what He sees lakeside.

We saw it earlier in Mark when His godly guts churn as He meets a leper (Mk 1:40). He has the same emotional reaction just before He feeds another big hungry crowd a little later (Mk 8:2).

Jesus’ Heart Breaks

Gospel writers make a point of telling us how our Savior repeatedly responds compassionately to the people He meets. Like when He heals two blind guys (Mt 20:34). His heart breaks when He sees a grieving mother going to bury her son (Lk 7:13).

It’s at the core of His story about the good Samaritan (Lk 10:33). From his prison cell in Rome, Paul feels for his friends back in Philippi “with the tender “compassion” (Gr. σπλαγχνιζομαι/splagchnizomai) of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:8).

Too Much Valium?

Don’t make the mistake of thinking Christ is some expressionless religious robot. That’s sort of how He’s portrayed in some movies. Almost like He’s popped too much Valium or Xanax.

He has feelings. Deep feelings. He cries (Jn 11:35). He gets angry (Mk 11:15-16). He laughs. Where do we see that in Scripture? I’m not sure you can convince me that His point about walking around with a 2x4 in my eye came from His passion for woodworking (Mt 7:3-5).

Jesus’ Gut Reaction

Jesus cares. No one’s heart breaks more than His you’re going through hard times. It’s a big part of what it means for Him to be Immanuel or God with us (Is 7:14; Mt 1:23). Our Savior is both 100% God and 100% Man 100% of the time. Only God Himself is capable of pulling off this mathematical miracle.

Here’s the big idea. The Son of God’s gut reaction is compassion. Always was. Always is.

Sheep without a Shepherd

What got to Jesus this time is how the crowd had nobody looking out for their best interests. “They were like a sheep without a shepherd” (v24). That’s a First Century way of saying no one’s leading them or protecting them.

A couple of thousand years later, it’s really no different. Without a shepherd, we wander aimlessly. We let culture, peer pressure, and our personal desires determine where we go and what we do.

Sitting Ducks

Without a shepherd, we’re each easy marks for all sorts of predators. We might as well draw a target on our chest and call every one of our enemies so they’ll know we’re a sitting duck.

An Ancient Idea

This is an ancient idea. We actually see it more than a thousand years before Jesus. When Moses realizes he’s going to die, he asks God to give His people a new leaders so they “won’t be like sheep without a shepherd” (Num 27:17).

God Gets Involved

Another time, God blows His holy stack because of Israel’s selfish leaders. He tells Ezekiel, “My sheep have been scattered without a shepherd” (Ezek 34:5). That’s when Yahweh He must get personally involved in leading and protecting His people.

“I will rescue My flock…I Myself will search and find My sheep…I will find My sheep and rescue them…I will bring them back home…I will feed them…I will give them good pastureland…I Myself will tend My sheep…” (Ezek 34:10-16).

The Great Shepherd

It’s the same divine Caretaker King David sings about. “The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews My strength” (Ps 23:1-3).

Jesus pulls no punches and makes it clear He’s that very same heaven-sent Hero. “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep” (Jn 10:11). How good? Well, the writer of Hebrews takes it up a couple of notches when writing about “our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep” (Heb 13:20).

Caring for the Crowd

The Son of God wastes no time providing the people with guidance. “So He began teaching them many things” (v34). Once again, Jesus unpacks the truth of God’s love for them. It’s a mega-theme in Mark’s Gospel to this point (Mk 1:38-39; 2:13; 4:1-34; 6:2, 6).

Despite His original plans for some time away with His team, Jesus spends the rest of the day caring for the crowd. That’s when some members of the Twelve decide the people don’t have to go home but they can’t stay here.

It’s Been a Long Day

“Late in the afternoon His disciples came to Him and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it’s getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat’” (v35-36).

It’s been a long day. A VERY long day. The boys pull the Boss aside and give Him some advice. Jesus, we’re not sure if you’ve noticed but it’s getting dark and we’re in the middle of nowhere. We’ve got nothing so the best thing is tell them to leave.

Here’s a little tip. Think twice anytime before telling the Lord what to do. As the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, He’s got this. He’s been running the universe long before I showed up. I need to be listening and obeying. Christ doesn’t need a consultant.

Back to Disciples Again

A couple of interesting points about verse 35. First of all, the apostles of Mark 6:30 are suddenly back to being disciples again. Is that a result of getting too big for their apostolic britches?

Notice their description of this “remote place” (v35). It’s the same Greek words the NLT translates as a “quiet place” twice earlier (Mk 6:31-32). Sometimes ερημος/eremos describes a wasteland or desert. But it also can mean a lonely, quiet place of solitude.

First century writers also use the same term when talking about a pasture for grazing livestock. This piece of land isn’t tilled for farming. Keep that idea in your hip pocket. We’ll get back to that in a moment.

You Feed Them

If we flip over to John’s Gospel, he tells us this is actually a conversation with one disciple named Philip (Jn 6:5-7). Jesus asks Phil what he thinks they should do. But the Lord already had a plan. Let’s just say it’s going to be a teachable moment.

“But Jesus said, ‘You feed them’” (v37). Wouldn’t you give anything to see the look on their faces when He said this? You have GOT to be joking, Jesus! “‘With what?’ they asked. ‘We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!’” (v37).

The disciples comeback absolutely drips with sarcasm. They take a wild guess that the cost to feed the crowd at 200 denarii. In that day, a denarius is what a blue collar worker earns in a day. It would take one guy working more than six months to come up with that kind of cash.

You Can’t but God Can

Remember, the boys are fresh off their first assignment without the Savior (Mk 6:12-13, 20). He gives them a great chance to put into practice what they’ve learned along the way. Hint: It’s NOT about you. It’s ALL about what Christ can do THROUGH you.

How do you and I react when Jesus gives us a seemingly impossible assignment? What appears to be a lost cause may actually be an opportunity for God. The next time that happens, do what you can and ask God to do the rest. As Mike Lee likes to say, “You can’t. But God can.”

Doing Due Diligence

Maybe they’re hoping He would say, “Just kidding. I’ve got this.” But Jesus isn’t letting them off the hook. He keeps pushing them to make it happen. “‘How much bread to you have?’ He asked. ‘Go and find out’” (v38).

Before we jump to any conclusions, we need to do our research. He wants His disciples to do their due diligence. Look around. Ask around. You might be surprised what God has already supplied.

The boys didn’t even know what they didn’t know. They hadn’t checked to see what people may have with them. Just so you know, a little with Jesus is WAY more than a lot without Him. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Getting off Our Blessed Assurance

Over and over again, our Savior works through us to help others. That’s why He calls the church His body. We’re His hands and feet to accomplish His mission of meeting people’s needs.

It’s the convicting message of Matthew West’s song “Do Something.”

People living in poverty

Children sold into slavery

The thought disgusted me

So, I shook my fist at heaven

Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”

He said, “I did, yeah, I created you.”

If these lyrics don’t get us off our blessed assurance to do something, we’ve got problems.

Taking Inventory

After checking with the big crowd, the boys report back to the Lord. “We have five loaves and two fish” (v38). It kinda reminds me of the scene in “Apollo 13” where the engineers dump everything the crew has on board to work with onto the table.

John tells us how Pete’s brother Andrew finds a little boy who brought his lunch (Jn 6:8-9). Chances are it’s what we call today St. Peter’s fish, a variety of tilapia.

Little More than a Lunchable

The fourth Gospel also specifically says these are small loaves of “barley.” It’s the cheapest bread, only eaten by the poorest of the poor. Not exactly fresh artisanal loaves from that trendy new bakery.

In essence, they have what amounts to a couple of fish sandwiches. It’s little more than a Lunchable. Something tells me, the disciples aren’t exactly feeling optimistic at this point.

The Green Grass of Galilee

But that’s not stopping Christ. “Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred” (v39-40). “Green grass,” huh? Here in the rolling meadows near the Sea of Galilee, the Shepherd is about to feed His flock.

It Doesn’t Add up

You have to wonder what’s going through the heads of His disciples as they organize the people into various groups to eat. You don’t have to be a math major to realize two fish + five loaves + 20,0000 people just doesn’t add up to dinner.

That’s because they’re leaving out the Secret Ingredient that makes a miracle out of a kid’s meal. A healthy heaping of the Son of God. “Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them” (v41).

An Attitude of Gratitude

The great chefs all have their favorite items to add to recipes. Everything from peanut oil to pickle juice. But that’s nothing compared what Christ cooks up in the kitchen. It’s why David sings, “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Ps 34:8).

Jesus lifts His face toward His Dad and blesses the humble meal. Flip over to John’s version and he tells us that our Savior “gave thanks to God” (Jn 6:11). Instead of griping about what He doesn’t have, He thanks His Father for what He does have. I think we could learn a big lesson when it comes to an attitude of gratitude.

The Ultimate Giver

The Lord begins with the bread. “Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, He kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people” (v41). Mark’s choice of words here is fascinating.

When he writes about how Jesus “kept giving,” the author uses a from of the verb describing a continual, non-stop distribution. He keeps giving and giving and giving and giving. We really shouldn’t be surprised. God is ultimate Giver. He gave His Son who gave His life for us (Jn 3:16).

An All-You-Can-Eat Seafood Buffet

If you think what Christ did with the bread is big deal, you ain’t seen nothing yet. “He also divided the fish for everyone to share” (v41). A pair of tilapia suddenly becomes enough for everybody.

Are we making more of this than we should? Did Jesus provide just a bit of finger food? A handful of hors d’oeuvres? A sort of Galilean tapas? Nope. “They all ate as much as they wanted” (v42). The Lord transforms extremely limited resources into an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet so big that it would make the folks at Red Lobster nervous.

A LOT of Leftovers

If that’s not crazy enough, there are leftovers!! “And afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish” (v43). Somehow, someway, they end up with more food after the meal than they had when they started. That’s a LOT of Tupperware!

This is what happens when Jesus is the Secret Ingredient.

A Sellout Crowd at the Garden

Just how large was this seaside picnic? “A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed” (v44). As if 5,000 hungry folks aren’t enough, that’s just the number of men in the crowd. Jesus feeds their families too! We’re talking about at least 15,000-20,000 people…a sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden!!

Shining His Light through Cracked Pots

We need to remember that the Lord loves to do amazing stuff in and through His followers. He transforms our piddly possessions into mammoth miracles. We simply give it to Him and allow Him to do what He does best.

Each time Christ calls us out of our comfort zone, it’s a chance for Him to take center stage. I mean, if I can do it all by myself, how does that point anyone to Him? He loves to shine His light through cracked pots like you an me (2Cor 4:7).

Give it all to God no matter how little you have. Let Him use it. Let Him use YOU. 

Jesus is the Secret Ingredient.

©2017
Jay Jennings

Cooking in God's Kitchen

“If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed” (1Tim 4:6).

Great cooks become great cooks because they have a great love for great food. They love it and want to share it with others. You know their names. Wolfgang Puck. Anthony Bourdain. Bobby Flay. For heaven’s sake, the TV Food Network dishes them up 24/7/365. 

A couple of thousand years before Gordon Ramsey threw his first kitchen tantrum or Guy Fieri ever drove up to a diner, drive in, or dive, Pastor Timothy was serving up delicious portions of God’s Word to the followers of Jesus in Ephesus. In a letter to his spiritual son, Paul encourages Tim to serve up the same scrumptious Gospel meals he grew up eating. “If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed” (v6). God’s grace isn’t just great tasting, it’s great for you.

This is a big change from the junk food the Ephesian believers have been getting recently. Instead of the truth about who Jesus is and what He’s done, a team of false teachers has been cooking up all sorts of unhealthy garbage (1Tim 1:3-4). Myths. Speculations. Worthless ancestry research. These lying hucksters have intentionally lied to folks about self-salvation by subtraction (1Tim 4:1-3). Don’t get married, they say. Avoid certain foods, they say. In other words, live the monk life. Yeah, doesn’t sound very appetizing to me either.

After giving the boot to the spiritual con artists, Paul tells Tim to get the people of Ephesus back to on a nutritious diet. He’s to “put these things before the brothers” (v5). A lot of scholars have their undies in a bundle over just what “these things” are. Are they the things in the preceding verses (1Tim 3:16-4:4)? Are they the things mentioned once we get to chapter 5? I say both. Tim is to fill their plates with “these things” we read all throughout the letter. 

Don’t make the mistake of thinking the apostle is leaving the ladies out of the loop here. Most translations simply say “brothers” or “brethren.” This was first century language for every believer in the fellowship. What a great reminder that we’re aren’t a social or civic club like the Elks or the Kiwanis. We’re a family. God’s family. Through the work of our ultimate Big Brother Jesus, God has adopted us as His sons and daughters. 

Paul sees the importance of basic nourishment for God’s people. The ESV translates the Greek verb hupotithemi as “put.” But there’s a bit more to it than that. It’s a compound word that literally means to “under (hupo-) lay (-tithemi).” It pictures placing under or laying down something. The term carries the idea of basic instruction and foundational teaching. Tim needs to rebuild the church and must start with a new foundation. It’s first things first. Back to the basics. From a spiritual nutrition standpoint, this is the bottom of the Food Pyramid. 

It’s imperative to have a strong foundation to your faith. Know who Jesus is. Know what He’s done. We’re trusting in the fact that He lived the perfect life we failed to live. We’re trusting that He died the death for our sin we should have died. We’re trusting that He rose to the new life we don’t deserve. Those are the footings of our faith. Trust in Christ and His completed work. 

When a pastor like Tim cooks up regular meals using the meat of solid teaching, he “will be a good servant of Christ Jesus” (v6). “Servant” (Gr. diakonos) paints a picture of an attendant, minister, and helper. Earlier, Paul uses the same word describe a deacon (1Tim 3:8,12). It also describes a waiter who serves food and drinks. Back in the very first church, the apostles needed hardworking dudes full of God’s Spirit to make sure everybody was getting food (Acts 6:3). The man from Tarsus sees Pastor Tim as the attentive server delivering the needed nourishment of God’s Word to the church. 

Tim has been “trained in the words of the faith of the good doctrine that you have followed” (v6). So maybe you’re not exactly buying all these food images. Well, check out what Paul says here. In the original language, “trained” is the verb entrepho. It means to nourish or feed oneself on needed sustenance. That’s why it is sometimes translated as nurture or rear. You’ll only find this word in two places ancient Greek lit. Here in Paul’s letter to Tim. Also in one of Plato’s writings. Just another reminder that the apostle was VERY well read. You could say he was a voracious reader. See what I did there?

Paul reminds his protege that he’s grown up at the training table of God’s Word. Now he’s to prepare meals for the followers of Jesus in Ephesus. In the sequel to this epistle, the apostle reminds Pastor Tim of this again. “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ” (2Tim 3:14-15).

Every follower of Jesus should have the taste for God’s Word. It shouldn’t just be limited to teachers and preachers. Let’s regularly read the Bible. Study what God has to say. Meditate on His truth. Remember, this isn’t to fill your head with all sorts of facts and figures. It’s to deepen your relationship with the One who came to your rescue. 

A pastor fulfills God’s call on his life by preparing and delivering scriptural meals to the followers of Jesus that are doctrinally nutritious. Like a great chef, Tim has a passion for the food found in God’s Word and he can’t wait to share His goodness with believers. Messages and Bibles studies are like trips to the training table. Lots of protein. Packed with nutrients. It’s spicy and anything but bland. If you love to eat it, make a point of learning how to prepare it. Who knows, you may be the next great chef in God’s kitchen.

Recipe for Gospel Stew

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (v5-7).

My wife Deb likes surfing on Pinterest. The big reason is to find new recipes. Here in the opening chapter of his second letter, Peter includes the recipe for a delicious new Gospel Stew. He lists all the ingredients for a dish that will not only allow us to fully explore what our salvation is all about but to really get to know God in a deep and intimate way. It’s not really all that complicated. Your key basic ingredient is faith. Start emptying the cabinets of the various components. Go ahead. Dump it all in there. Stir it all together. Let the stuff simmer. And the end result is love. A delicious Gospel Stew.

Pete begins with faith and finishes with love. Always begin with your faith in Jesus. This is the trust in who He is and what He’s done that you and I could never do. He lived the perfect life that I totally failed to do. He died the death for my own sin that I should have died. He rose to a spectacular new life that I in no way deserve. I’m trusting in what He’s done. I place my faith in who He is. This is not so much about the strength of my faith but the strength of the object of my faith. It’s not about gritting your teeth and making yourself believe harder. This is trusting in the most trustworthy One. Jesus. The Rock. So the basic ingredient is faith. Dump in all in. Everything you’ve got.

When we’re done cooking, the result is a scrumptious crockpot that tastes of love. Pete uses the Greek word agape. This is the love that Jesus and His boys talk about constantly in the New Testament. It’s so much more than a warm, fuzzy feeling. It’s so much more than doing something for someone whenever you feel like it. This love is a choice. This love is a decision. It’s a love that does. Love in action. Christ proved His love for you and me by dying in our place while we were still rebels against God’s kingdom (Rom 5:8). Talk about an incredible choice. What starts with faith in Jesus ends in love. Love for God. Love for others. Love that gets me outside of myself.

OK, let’s get started on the stew. With all my faith already in the pot, Pete tells me to grab every bit of  “virtue” I can get my hands on. This is the Greek word arete, which means excellence, goodness, valor, uprightness and character. The apostle is talking about the power to do the right thing. MacArthur says this is the God-given ability to perform heroic deeds. Kinda like when the Wizard of Oz proclaimed the Tin Man as a “Good Deed Doer.”  We read the very same word to describe God’s excellence back in verse 3. One of the great ways to express your faith in what Jesus has done for you is do something good. So how much virtue should we put in the pot? All of it.

Our next ingredient is “knowledge” (Gr. gnosis). There are a LOT of Greek words that get translated as “knowledge.” This one describes correct insight and understanding. This is truth properly comprehended and applied. It’s understanding by virtue of experience. The term is even a way to talk about an intimate relationship with a person. Just before listing the ingredients for this Gospel Stew, Pete tells us that God has already given us everything we need to live a life that brings Him glory. That happens “through the knowledge of Him who called us” (1:3). The former fisherman is talking about Jesus. Take everything you know about Jesus, everything you’ve experienced as a follower of Christ, scoop it all up and put it in the pot. All of it. 

Let’s double check what we’ve got so far. Faith? Check. Virtue? Got it. Knowledge? It’s in there. 

The recipe then calls for “self-control” (Gr. egkrateia). This is the exercise of complete control over one’s desires and actions and mastery over one’s passions. The King Jimmy Bible calls it “temperance.” It’s from a word that literally means “inner force” or “holding oneself in.” It was used of highly trained athletes who were in complete control of their bodies. Pete’s buddy Paul wrote that “self-control” is clear evidence that God’s Spirit is working in your life (Gal 5:22-23). Before Jesus got ahold of me, I had very little discipline. But a very peculiar thing happened after He saved me. I started to have the ability to say “no” to a variety of activities that were destructive and began to say “yes” to those brought glory to God. The irony of “self-control” is that I’m not really controlling myself. God guides me and gives me the strength to do it. So make sure you get all of the God-given “self-control” in the cabin and put it in the pot.

Let’s see, Pete then says to add “steadfastness” to the stew. This is hupomone, which means patient endurance and perseverance. This is unswerving loyalty despite difficulties and testings. A capacity to bear up under difficult circumstances It literally means “a life underneath.” In other words, this is hanging tough when something very hard is pressing down on you. It should come as no shock that Jesus is the perfect example of a living godly life under pressure. He kept His eyes locked on His mission of coming to seek and save the lost. He was steadfast in His life-long journey to the cross. God grants us perseverance when the pressure builds. The folks on the receiving end of this letter know all about perseverance under pressure. Pete’s first note to them was all about godly suffering in ungodly persecution (1Pet 1:6-7; 4:19). Open up every can of “steadfastness” you have and add it to our stew.

Let’s see what’s next. “Godliness” (Gr. eusebeia). Pete’s talking about a godly life expressed as good deeds. This is a life of reverence and respect towards my Creator and Savior. A life in constant view of God. So here’s the deal. Do the things I say and do truly reflect that I’m a follower of Jesus? Am I obedient to His commands? Do I make Him famous with what I do? Do I live my life as an act of worship to God? Let me be totally transparent with you. I fall miserably short on the “godliness” scale. But what I do have, I’m going to scrape it all together and put it in our pot of Gospel Stew.

Now stir in “brotherly affection.” The Greek word is philadelphia. Nope, he’s not talking about the city in Pennsylvania. This isn’t cream cheese. And while a Philly cheesesteak always sounds good, let’s stay focused on our Gospel Stew. This is the love expressed among family members. And in this case, Pete’s talking about the affection between followers of Jesus. Just before He went to the cross, Christ gave His crew a crucial command. Love one another. Believers’ sacrificial love for each other would show the world that we’re His followers (Jn 13:34-35). Dump the entire bag of “brotherly affection” into the pot.

Last but not least we add “love” (Gr. agape). The final ingredient will be the dominant flavor in our Gospel Stew. As we said before, this is a deep love with an outward expression. A love that does. A love with legs. As the guys in DC Talk say, “Love is a verb.” What exactly does it look like? Well, Paul devoted an entire chapter to it. When it doubt of what love looks like, flip over to 1 Corinthians 13. It’s the kind of love God has for us. It’s the kind of love we’re to have for each other. Jesus Himself said that every last bit of the Old Testament hangs on the twin principles of loving God and loving others. My friend Ross Turner used to talk about reaching up and reaching out. You have to do both. Reaching up in our love to Jesus must be done while we’re reaching out in love to those around us. 

Let’s review the recipe for Gospel Stew and make sure we’ve put everything in.

Faith. Check.

Virtue. Check.

Knowledge. Check.

Self-control. Check.

Steadfastness. Check.

Godliness. Check.

Brotherly affection. Check.

Love. Check.

Now, take a taste. Any good chef wants to know if what they’re making is any good. Does it taste like love? Perfect!