#37 Bible Based Nutrition and What Jesus Teaches us About Food (Body Wholeness Part 4)

This week at Crowd Church, Dan Orange (who admits to a serious cheese and crackers habit) looks at how we think about food. Rather than seeing nutrition as another thing to stress about or fail at, what if our meals are opportunities to marvel at God's creation and provision?

Dan's journey started not with a divine revelation but with a prod from his doctor - high cholesterol and triglycerides that were "through the roof." But what began as a health scare turned into a deeper understanding of how God designed food and our bodies to work together in beautiful harmony.

Your Body is Not Your Own

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us:

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own. You were bought with a price, so glorify God in your body."

The key phrase? You were bought at a price. Past tense. It’s a done deal. Which means that this isn't about earning God's favour through perfect nutritional balance, but instead it’s about stewarding a gift that's already been given.

Marvelling at God's Creative Process

Dan got us thinking about God's design process when it comes to food. It's not just fuel - it's art, variety, pleasure, and provision all rolled into one.

Consider the humble egg - versatile enough to become scrambled eggs, meringue, or custard. Or wheat, which transforms into bread, pasta, beer, and countless other foods. And fruit? A spiky pineapple, a banana with its own packaging, and a watermelon that grows perfectly for hot climates where people need hydration.

"God could have made us just like cows and all we ate every day was grass - just simply fuel. He didn't make us like that. He gave us choice. He gave us brains to cook and create."

Finding Balance Without Obsession

When Dan's doctor gave him the choice between medication or lifestyle changes, he chose to learn about nutrition. Using a simple app to track his food intake, he discovered something profound - God has provided everything we need in the variety of foods available to us.

But here's the crucial bit: this isn't about perfection or restriction. Dan still enjoys chocolate - he just keeps fun-size bars in the fridge now. As he puts it, "Self-control is a gift of the Holy Spirit, but why make things harder for yourself?"

The result? Dan lost weight, his cholesterol normalised, and perhaps most importantly, he stopped snoring (Lisa, his wife, in particular, appreciates that one).

Being Stewards of Creation

Genesis 1 reminds us that we're made in God's image to be responsible for the earth and everything in it. This includes:

• The animals we eat and how they're treated

• The soil our food grows in

• The impact of our food choices on others

Dan was careful not to prescribe an organic-only diet or any specific diet. Instead, he encouraged us to consider our choices prayerfully. Sometimes, small changes can make a big difference - smaller meat portions one day, and better quality the next.

Conversation Street: When Nutrition Gets Real

During Conversation Street, Matt Edmundson brought up something churches rarely discuss - gluttony. Not in terms of body shape or size, but as eating in a way that no longer glorifies God, where food has control over us rather than us honouring God through our food.

The test? If you can't fast from something, it might have become an idol. As Matt pointed out, "I'm really good at fasting broccoli" - but when God calls us to fast, it usually costs us something.

The Community Connection

Perhaps one of the most beautiful insights was about the connection between food and community. Matt challenged us: "When was the last time you had someone around for dinner?"

Food in scripture is consistently a pivot point for community:

• Jesus ate with everyone from religious leaders to tax collectors

• The early church ate together constantly

• The word "companion" literally means "one you share bread with"

Dan shared how summer barbecues have become their way of building community, especially as it works better for their daughter, who struggles with indoor noise. Matt added that some of his best community moments have been over an Asda pizza - "It's not the best pizza in the world, but it's about the people, not the perfection."

The Bread of Life

Dan saved perhaps the most profound point for last. In a world where bread has become the dietary villain - the carb to avoid, the gluten to fear - Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life."

"The thing that Jesus says he is, the world says perhaps it's not good for us."

This isn't to shame anyone with genuine gluten intolerance. But it's worth noting that in the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus took bread, blessed it, and everyone ate their fill. When Jesus provides, he provides abundantly.

Your Next Step This Week

Here are practical ways to honour God with your nutrition:

1. Say grace with fresh eyes - Before your next meal, take a moment to truly look at your food and marvel at God's creative design.

2. Make one small change - Whether it's choosing fun-size chocolate bars or adding more vegetables, start somewhere manageable.

3. Invite someone for a meal - It doesn't have to be fancy. Focus on the community, not the complexity.

4. Ask God about your relationship with food - Is there anything that needs to change? Any area where food has too much control?

5. Try fasting - Not to punish yourself, but to put things back in their proper place.

A Different Perspective

Dan reminded us that when Jesus was tempted in the desert, he responded to Satan's challenge to turn stones into bread with, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

Food is good. We need it to live. But to truly live, we need the Word of Go— and John tells us that Word is Jesus Himself.

So whether you're tracking calories, going organic, or just trying to eat a bit better, remember this: "Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

It's not about perfection. It's not about earning God's love through your food choices. It's about recognising your body as a gift already bought at an infinite price, and choosing to honour the Giver through how you steward that gift.