Saturday, January 21, 2006
Flat Out of Options
After the miraculous feeding of the five thousand near the Sea of Galilee, the men marveled at the works of Jesus. They thought that Jesus was the prophet who would come and change everything. This was the Messiah who would save Israel. Immediately, their desires and imaginations started to run wild. Jesus perceived what the crowds were thinking. He knew that they would come and seize Him. They would try to make Him king by force. But this was not the will of God.
Even though the people would follow Him if He simply gave the word, Jesus refused to give into the temptation of power or the will of the crowd. He dismissed the crowd and departed into a mountain to be alone. Jesus knew that the crowds were impressed. But He did not come to win the admiration of men. Jesus came to do the will of His Father.
By walking away, Jesus modeled for His disciples what is important. Jesus showed them to not be swayed by public opinion. A true disciple must answer to a higher authority - the voice of God. Impressed by the food that Jesus provided, many followed Jesus to Capernaum. They had their fill and wanted more. They desired a kingdom of feasts, prosperity and blessing.
Like people today, they came to Jesus because of what He could do for them. The crowds wanted to see what Jesus would do next. They expected for something greater than just one miraculous feeding. They wanted a new kingdom designed to their desires. But Jesus sorely disappointed the crowd.
At what could have been the moment that catapulted Jesus to greatness in the eyes of the crowd, Jesus destroyed any such fantasies. Jesus spoke harsh yet truthful words. He challenged the people's notion of Messiah and God's Kingdom on earth. This was even difficult for the twelve disciples to swallow. But they did not dare leave their Rabbi.
When the people first saw Jesus after He walked on water, they inquired how he had gotten on the other side of the sea. If Jesus had wanted to impress the crowd even further, he could have done so. Instead, He refused to give them what they wanted - even greater signs and miracles. They wanted the glory of God without having to pay the price of faith.
Jesus challenged the people because they saw the miracles and still did not believe. They were there because they lusted for more goodies. They wanted even greater signs. They wanted more free lunch. Jesus encouraged them to seek the meat that lasts forever not just the temporary delights of the physical world. Jesus called the people to seek "meat which endureth unto everlasting life." The people then sought a formula or instructions. They wanted to know how they could do the works that would please God. Jesus took the focus off themselves and put it on His work. Jesus said, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."
Jesus' words and previous miracles were not good enough. They wanted something more. The people wanted Jesus to outdo what "Moses" had done. But Jesus was not there to amuse or impress the crowd. He was there to do the will of His Father. Jesus aptly pointed out that God not man provided manna from heaven.
All true acts of divine power come from God not man. While God may choose to use man, the power resides with God alone. Jesus went on to declare Himself as the bread of life that has come down from heaven to give life to the world.
It can be real easy to read over this section and miss the significance. Jesus declared in the above statement that salvation belongs to more than just the Jesus. The bread of life exists to feed the world.
The Jews of Jesus' day thought of the Messiah as a leader who would restore the Jews and establish a Jewish, earthly kingdom. Jesus challenged their prejudices and preconceived notions. Also, Jesus said that He came down from heaven. This was hard for the crowd to accept because they knew His family. The reality of what they knew in their mind kept them from believing what they sensed within their soul.
Jesus very words struck at their religious traditions and beliefs. The thought of eating human flesh would have been just as repulsive then as it is today for most people. Jesus said that they would have to drink of His blood. Eating or drinking blood was prohibited by the law according to Leviticus 7:26-27. But Jesus spoke of His work on the cross not physical drinking His blood. The common people could not see the spiritual truth behind the physical mystery of Jesus' words.
Jesus declared to His disciples, "I am that bread of life." This was the first of Jesus' great "I AM" statements. Jesus contrasts Moses' manna and the bread of life. One is temporary, the other is eternal. One is physical, the other is primarily spiritual. One is by experience, the other comes by faith.
Jesus did not say these controversial statements in secret. No, He proclaimed them while teaching in the synagogue. Jesus took the pulpit and said stuff that nobody else would have ever dared to say. Many people said they could not follow this teaching or understand it. Jesus asked his disciples, "Does this offend you too?" Jesus said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."
The crowds focused on the flesh while Jesus was trying to point them to the truth as revealed by the Holy Spirit. Many walked away from Jesus at that moment. What could have become the launch pad to His "ministry career" ended up costing Him many followers. Even His twelve closest disciples did not know what to think. Jesus asked if they would leave Him too. Then Simon answered, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." Simon went on to declare that they believed Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Notice the words of Simon. The twelve had come too far and seen too much to turn back now. They were sure of Jesus' identity. And although the words that Jesus spoke were hard, they were flat out of other options. Jesus spoke the words of eternal life. When Jesus spoke, things happened. When Jesus spoke, life sprang forth. When Jesus spoke, eternal hope came to those who received His teaching.
Simon's response reveals the true heart of many disciples today. The words of Jesus are difficult now just as they were back then. Christ's teaching does not always cause warm fuzzies. It can be as violent and disturbing as a sword in the gut. Yet, it remains the only option to those who desire eternal life.
Even though the people would follow Him if He simply gave the word, Jesus refused to give into the temptation of power or the will of the crowd. He dismissed the crowd and departed into a mountain to be alone. Jesus knew that the crowds were impressed. But He did not come to win the admiration of men. Jesus came to do the will of His Father.
By walking away, Jesus modeled for His disciples what is important. Jesus showed them to not be swayed by public opinion. A true disciple must answer to a higher authority - the voice of God. Impressed by the food that Jesus provided, many followed Jesus to Capernaum. They had their fill and wanted more. They desired a kingdom of feasts, prosperity and blessing.
Like people today, they came to Jesus because of what He could do for them. The crowds wanted to see what Jesus would do next. They expected for something greater than just one miraculous feeding. They wanted a new kingdom designed to their desires. But Jesus sorely disappointed the crowd.
At what could have been the moment that catapulted Jesus to greatness in the eyes of the crowd, Jesus destroyed any such fantasies. Jesus spoke harsh yet truthful words. He challenged the people's notion of Messiah and God's Kingdom on earth. This was even difficult for the twelve disciples to swallow. But they did not dare leave their Rabbi.
When the people first saw Jesus after He walked on water, they inquired how he had gotten on the other side of the sea. If Jesus had wanted to impress the crowd even further, he could have done so. Instead, He refused to give them what they wanted - even greater signs and miracles. They wanted the glory of God without having to pay the price of faith.
Jesus challenged the people because they saw the miracles and still did not believe. They were there because they lusted for more goodies. They wanted even greater signs. They wanted more free lunch. Jesus encouraged them to seek the meat that lasts forever not just the temporary delights of the physical world. Jesus called the people to seek "meat which endureth unto everlasting life." The people then sought a formula or instructions. They wanted to know how they could do the works that would please God. Jesus took the focus off themselves and put it on His work. Jesus said, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."
Jesus' words and previous miracles were not good enough. They wanted something more. The people wanted Jesus to outdo what "Moses" had done. But Jesus was not there to amuse or impress the crowd. He was there to do the will of His Father. Jesus aptly pointed out that God not man provided manna from heaven.
All true acts of divine power come from God not man. While God may choose to use man, the power resides with God alone. Jesus went on to declare Himself as the bread of life that has come down from heaven to give life to the world.
It can be real easy to read over this section and miss the significance. Jesus declared in the above statement that salvation belongs to more than just the Jesus. The bread of life exists to feed the world.
The Jews of Jesus' day thought of the Messiah as a leader who would restore the Jews and establish a Jewish, earthly kingdom. Jesus challenged their prejudices and preconceived notions. Also, Jesus said that He came down from heaven. This was hard for the crowd to accept because they knew His family. The reality of what they knew in their mind kept them from believing what they sensed within their soul.
Jesus very words struck at their religious traditions and beliefs. The thought of eating human flesh would have been just as repulsive then as it is today for most people. Jesus said that they would have to drink of His blood. Eating or drinking blood was prohibited by the law according to Leviticus 7:26-27. But Jesus spoke of His work on the cross not physical drinking His blood. The common people could not see the spiritual truth behind the physical mystery of Jesus' words.
Jesus declared to His disciples, "I am that bread of life." This was the first of Jesus' great "I AM" statements. Jesus contrasts Moses' manna and the bread of life. One is temporary, the other is eternal. One is physical, the other is primarily spiritual. One is by experience, the other comes by faith.
Jesus did not say these controversial statements in secret. No, He proclaimed them while teaching in the synagogue. Jesus took the pulpit and said stuff that nobody else would have ever dared to say. Many people said they could not follow this teaching or understand it. Jesus asked his disciples, "Does this offend you too?" Jesus said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."
The crowds focused on the flesh while Jesus was trying to point them to the truth as revealed by the Holy Spirit. Many walked away from Jesus at that moment. What could have become the launch pad to His "ministry career" ended up costing Him many followers. Even His twelve closest disciples did not know what to think. Jesus asked if they would leave Him too. Then Simon answered, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." Simon went on to declare that they believed Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Notice the words of Simon. The twelve had come too far and seen too much to turn back now. They were sure of Jesus' identity. And although the words that Jesus spoke were hard, they were flat out of other options. Jesus spoke the words of eternal life. When Jesus spoke, things happened. When Jesus spoke, life sprang forth. When Jesus spoke, eternal hope came to those who received His teaching.
Simon's response reveals the true heart of many disciples today. The words of Jesus are difficult now just as they were back then. Christ's teaching does not always cause warm fuzzies. It can be as violent and disturbing as a sword in the gut. Yet, it remains the only option to those who desire eternal life.
