Now when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” (v. 15)

Luke 4:1-13 and Matthew 4:1-11 tell us that the top priority in everyone’s life is food and wealth and power that secure food. From birth, people need to work for their food. As soon as we can, we get a job or jobs to prepare for our retirement. We are slaves to food and money. All humans need food to maintain physical life. God cursed the ground after Adam’s rebellion and we all have to work hard to feed ourselves. People go after idols that they think can give them food and wealth. They also need to work for their idols. They do not realize that they are slaves.

In the last 100 years, we experienced an abundance of food. But now we face the consequences of our greed. Climate change is real and threatening our lives. We eat toxins every day because soils, rivers, and oceans are contaminated. We eat to die. What the prophets in the Bible tell us is not far from what the scientists say.

The first sounded, and there was hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. (Revelation 8:7)

It is not that God foresaw all the calamities we are about to face and wrote them in the Bible. The destruction of the earth is God’s decree. God actively destroys the earth and people as we read Zephaniah 1. Yet, humans have brought calamities just as the Bible tells us. Humans have no control over nature although we think we do. Instead, humans destroy everything out of greed. On top of this horrible sin, they deny the existence of God who created all things.

For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21)

I want to think that Christians are different from those unbelieving destroyers. But I know we Christians are the same. We all go after wealth and prosperity. None of us can say that we have nothing to do with climate change. We ourselves brought this calamity. We, like the unbelievers, have no vision of the coming kingdom. Churches are after money. They are happy as long they have people donating money.

Joshua 7 tells us about an Israelite called Achan who rebelled against God and the cursed valley of Achor where Achan, his children, and all his belongings were stoned and burned. He did not believe that God would provide necessities for him. So he became his own god and took what did not belong to him. For the same reason, Judas Iscariot rebelled. As an Israelite, he was supposed to believe in God and love Him. But he hated God. Likewise, there are many Christians who hate God.

Although everyone deserves eternal death, God shows His mercy and love to those He chose before the foundation of the world. God does not save us because we have great faith. He knows that we have little faith. It is impossible to believe in Him unless the Holy Spirit enters us and makes us born again.

“Sharon will be a pasture land for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for My people who seek Me. “But as for you who abandon the LORD, who forget My holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune, and fill a jug of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will bow down to the slaughter. Because I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not listen. Instead, you did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.” (Isaiah 65:10-12)

God saves us from the curse of the old covenant. His kingdom is free to those who love Him. Everything is free in the kingdom because we are no longer slaves but children of God. We do not work for our food. Our Father wants His children to seek His kingdom and righteousness. God provides us with food out of His love. The real food is Jesus Christ.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. (Matthew 6:33)

For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. (John 6:55)

Love (agape) is the fulfillment of the law. Love is the foundation of the kingdom. Love is the eternal law. Any Christian who boasts of their faith and deeds should be silent. The saints confess that we are no worthy servants and rely on God’s total grace.

I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)