Jesus has a way of
getting right to heart of a matter with an upfront honesty that leaves no
doubts as to what is in His mind.
Case in point, John chapter six.
He had fed thousands of people that day in a situation where if He had
not worked a miracle they wouldn't have eaten at all. They were impressed.
Then Jesus started
speaking about following Him and discipleship and the selfless living of those
who might call Him LORD. He used
graphic terms that were very taxing to the brain. He said, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves" (John 6:53). Eat His flesh and drinking His blood,
what's that about? He said,
"He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will
raise him up on the last day" (John 6:54). Then He adds, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood
abides in Me, and I in him" (John 6:56). Hard words to take, aren't they? Go ahead; admit it.
When the people heard
the words that day they "withdrew and were not walking with Him
anymore" (John 6:66). They
knew Jesus was talking about total commitment, about a way of life where they
emptied themselves of themselves and committed to Jesus everything it meant
for them to be who they were.
They loved Him when He
worked miracles that fed them good food.
They didn't like it so much when He called them to live in Him so
closely, so fully, that He became the very source and nutrition of their lives. Let the miracles flow and the people
were there, but when they ceased flowing the folks were no where to be
seen.
Why do we follow
Jesus? Because He works miracles
that make us feel good or because He is who He is? Jesus calls us to follow Him because of who He is. Miracles may or may not happen. Everyday, without exception, Jesus is
LORD. May God help us to be so
captivated by who Jesus is that if miracles don't happen we still live, caught
up in the glory of this One who is LORD.
Catch the glory and LIVE!
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