John 6
October 26, 2014

One of my favorite verses is in John 6.  It's probably a fairly random verse... 6:60 says "this is a hard teaching, who can accept it?"
I remember it because one of my early observations in the faith was that Jesus isn't going out of his way to talk people into sticking it out with Him.   He is doing incredible miracles and speaking the truth everywhere He goes..but he really isn't pleading with anyone to believe him.   This passage is the case and point.   He says something fairly radical, okay, it's absolutely true speaking figuratively, but radical nonetheless.   He tells the crowd that they have to eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to gain eternal life.     If I had been there that day, I think I would have been convinced that He was crazy.   I probably would have left....I don't know for sure.

Jesus doesn't say "wait a minute folks, let me explain".   I have to do that sometimes or I risk people walking out on me.   I have to explain myself.   But Jesus spoke in riddles and parables and didn't explain it to anyone except his disciples.....and they didn't always understand.

Sometimes the Lord asks us to do things that don't seem to make sense.   He asks us to turn the other cheek, for instance.  What does that accomplish?   And walk a second mile?  That makes no sense.   And don't even get me started on praying for enemies...and forgiving people that harm you.

And the Lord doesn't spend a great deal of time explaining why we should do this.  He did it for us, and we are expected to do it for others.  Period.    Sometimes God will ask us to change jobs  (He asked me).   It didn't seem to make sense at the time, but looking back it makes perfect sense.  

You see, that's the real point.   Do we really trust Him to lead us in the correct path?   Jesus turned to His disciples after several hundred people walked out on Him and said "how about you guys..are you leaving too?"    They chose to stay because they were convinced that He was the prophesied Messiah.

Are you convinced?   If you are, then you won't have any trouble doing whatever it is that He asks.   Even if it's to feed 5,000 people with a little boy's lunch, or come walking to him on the water.



PR