A wake up call to the church…
Where’s Jesus?
“After his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.” (John 7:10) Why did Jesus say He wasn’t going, and then go anyway?By not going He meant not going to publicly announce His arrival.The brothers were challenging Him to publicly declare Himself.To confont and stand up to the religious and…
Jesus’s family still silencing Him?
“For even his own brothers did not believe in him.” (John 7:5) In this chapter we see how people responded to Jesus and His message.This comment about His brothers reminds me of Joseph and his brothers.They wanted to expose him as a liar, and looked for a way to silence him.Jesus’s brothers know that Jesus will…
Words full of the Spirit and life!
“The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.” (John 6:63) It is not just words that make a difference, but the Spirit and life in those words.Wedding vows are nothing apart from the willing spirit of the one making them.And their words are just words until they bring them to…
Taste and see!
“For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.” (John 6:65) These words sound gross and barbaric, if you only read it literally.Jesus is once again using extreme language (hyperbole) to make a point.God’s love is not just an idea or concept, it is very real and tangible.Israel needed physical food and water…
Sensing the Father’s heart in Jesus
“Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.” (John 6:45) The Father-heart of God is constantly calling out to us to come home.This is true for everyone, whether they realize it or not.Some people are desperate to find their way home, but they don’t know the way.Some people, like the Jews,…
Anyone that is hungry may come!
“Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35) Jesus talks about “coming” and “believing” as the same thing.Many people came to Jesus, does that mean they believed in Him?Yet the religious leaders came too, and they did not believe.The difference is in how they came:…
Working WITH, LIKE and FOR Jesus!
“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (John 6:27) The food Jesus is talking about is not eternal life.This food starts in this life, with endures into the life beyond.Eternal life is a gift Jesus gives, but this food is…
Eager to have Jesus in my boat!
“Then they were willing to take him into the boat…” (John 6:21)
A different kind of king!
“Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” (John 6:15) Jesus proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God!And yet, when the people wanted Jesus to make Jesus king, he withdrew.Notice that it was ‘by force’ that they wanted to do this.They began…