A BALONEY SANDWICH

After the resurrection of Jesus, Peter talked the other disciples into going fishing with him. You can read about it in John 21:3. Well, they didn’t catch anything but early the next morning they saw someone on the beach with bread and fish on the fire.

Incredibly it was Jesus, our resurrected Lord, who had fixed breakfast for them. Jesus told them how to make a record breaking catch. When they all got to the shore he told them in John 21:10 to bring some of their fish they had just caught and put it with his.

Bob Benson, was the son of John Benson who created the largest Music Publishing house in the world in Nashville. He was our friend and his son Bob was in the ministry. In a wonderful book called “See you at the house” Bob tells a story that is perfect for this Bible story. He recalled an old fashion Sunday school picnic.

He said as a young boy, he came home at the last minute and rushed into the kitchen to get his stuff ready. All he could find in the refrigerator was one dried up piece of baloney and just enough mustard in the bottom of the jar so he got it all over his knuckles trying to get to it. He pasted that brick together and tore out for the picnic.

When it came time to eat he sat at a table and spread out his sandwich. The lady next to him was a wonderful cook and she had fried chicken, baked beans, potato salad and homemade rolls, sliced tomatoes, pickles and celery. Then in the middle of that she had two big chocolate cakes with icing so thick you could have build a house with it.

She leaned over to him and said: “You know Bob, we just love baloney sandwiches. Why don't we just put it all together?” He made a feeble protest and said he couldn’t—all the time eyeing the fried chicken and chocolate cake.

After a little urging he gave in and sat there eating like a king when he came like a pauper. Bob said it finally dawned on him that God was saying that same thing to him. “Let’s take what you’ve got and what I have and put it together.” Bob said, that’s a bargain of a lifetime.

You know, there are lots of people who are running through life clutching their dumb bag with that stale baloney sandwich. They are half-starved and yet hanging on for dear life to “their” baloney sandwich. They are saying: “God’s not going to get my sandwich! No sir...this is mine.”

Well, when you can’t stand your tasteless and tough baloney sandwich any longer just remember - it doesn’t have to be that way. God doesn’t need your sandwich, but you need his feast. It’s such a great blessing and joy to share with God and all the folks around us. Remember, you’ve been invited to something better.

John Benson built the biggest religious music company in the world in Nashville Tennessee. (Benson Publishing Company) He was a multimillionaire and at the top of the music business.

He invited us to come to his house one morning when someone had stolen Maggie’s song. He fixed that problem and was very kind to us. His son, Bob Benson, felt called to the ministry. He wrote this story in a book he published called “See you at the House.” He died in his early thirties.