Hello, my “Walking with Jesus” friends on this Tuesday,
How do you handle it when someone offends you by what they have said to you or about you? Can you imagine God asking humanity: “Does My truth offend you?” Did you know Jesus said those words to a group of people, including His 12 disciples, when Jesus was explaining a deep and controversial truth to them?
This event is found only in John 6 and we began looking carefully at Jesus’ words several days ago. Why? Because if we’re going to walk with Jesus and learn from Him we can’t ignore things Jesus said which might be hard to understand or even offensive!
As we’ve seen in the past few days Jesus was challenging the people by His claim to be “the heaven-sent bread of life.” (John 6:33,35,48,51) Jesus had really confused them when He challenged them to consider what He meant when He said eternal life would be found when they ate of His flesh and drank of His blood! (John 6:53-58) Hopefully you understood the detailed explanation I gave you yesterday of Jesus’ controversial words.
Those who heard Jesus were befuddled and seeing their confusion Jesus asked them: “does this offend you?” (John 6:61) Then before they could respond Jesus added: “Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven where He was before?” Once again you and I have an advantage over those present with Jesus that day. Do you hear Jesus once again declaring with absolute certainty that He came to earth from God’s Presence in heaven and He would return there?
We know the history of what the Gospel records tell us happened to Jesus after His death by crucifixion; His burial; His resurrection and His 40 days of multiple appearances to His friends. Remember? (Acts 1:3) We know that Jesus ascended back to heaven from the Mount of Olives, in full view of the disciples and others. (Acts 1:9-11) But, of course, when Jesus spoke these controversial words in John 6, those who heard Him could not imagine such a miracle as Jesus’ ascension!
Jesus continued speaking strong words, shocking words to those people: “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe. This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father enables them.” (John 6:63-65)
Do you understand that here Jesus is beginning to explain the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a person who believes the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is genuinely born again by the Spirit of God?
John tells us in verse 64 that Jesus was also giving a first glimpse to His 12 disciples, that Jesus knew the future and how they would each respond to that Passover/Easter weekend yet a few months ahead of them. Jesus knew brash, bold Peter would deny Jesus; and deceitful Judas would betray Jesus; and all of them would run from the Garden in fear as Jesus was arrested. (John 18:1-27) Jesus was beginning to help these people understand the battle which rages for every human heart.
John tells us from that conversation many who had been captivated turned away and left Jesus. They simply could not comprehend or accept what He was saying to be God’s truth. Again, I ask us this question: How do you and I respond to something God has said which challenges our understanding of God or our perception of right or fair? What is the role of the Holy Spirit of God helping you understand God?
1 Corinthians 2:14 challenges us with these words: “The person without the Spirit of God does not accept the things that come from God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit of God.”
John tells us Jesus turned to His 12 disciples as He and they watched others walking away, and Jesus asked them: “Do you want to leave also?” (John 6:67) It was Simon Peter who boldly responded: “To whom shall we go, Lord? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God!“ (John 6:68,69)
I wonder if that moment seemed to be frozen in time as these 12 ordinary guys, and Jesus, a very ordinary looking man, stood face to face contemplating such profound words. How could it be… ordinary Jesus was in fact GOD incarnate. God the Son, come from heaven to earth?
John tells us Jesus responded with one more shocking thing to abruptly close this conversation: “Then Jesus answered Peter by saying, ‘Have I not chosen all of you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.” (John 6:70) I have no doubt that statement hit them all like a tsunami wave! Years later as John was recording this incident, as led by the Holy Spirit, he added this commentary: “Jesus meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, would later betray Jesus.” (John 6:71) Pause!
As Jesus looks at you and me today, does He know absolutely everything that will happen, everything we will ever think, say or do, from this moment for the rest of our lives, till the day we die? YES!!! And is Jesus committed to love you and me, and draw us into His purposes even if He sees darkness, doubt even despair in our hearts? Oh YES, my friends, YES!!!
And for that reason we pause right here, looking for a last time at this remarkable scene and asking the Holy Spirit to help us understand all Jesus said and especially help us understand the unwavering plan of God to offer redemption, rescue, life change and eternal life to EVERY person on our planet, right now, and until He returns!
That calls for a response from me and you and all of us. What rises up inside you right now as an expression of gratitude to Jesus? I urge you to take time right now and express your heart to Jesus as Peter did.
There are some great “lessons learned” notes below that will help you and of course a great worship song that will draw you to Jesus in worship, and I’ll be here waiting for you tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: John 6:60-71.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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