Abide

Read: John 6:59-71

Apparently, the statements of Jesus turned a lot of people off because they were still thinking with carnal minds. They wanted bread, so Jesus said they had to eat his flesh and drink his blood, something obviously disgusting. Even this disturbed the disciples. Given this, Jesus asks if they took offense at it and explains that he spoke the words in Spirit, such that the one’s with spiritual ears could understand. Jesus also asks them, what if they saw him ascending to where he was before – by implication, heaven. The problem apparently has to do with the fact that had they seen him in his ascended form, they would have probably have rejected him even more so. Being a man seems to make Jesus more approachable, and using human terms to communicate spiritual truth seems to make spiritual truth more understandable. In any case, there would be those who would not believe and one who would betray Jesus.

Jesus explains the matter that the ones who understand him are the ones who the Father grants. From John 6:46, this is in the context of drawing with a struggle. God is, in a manner of speaking, dragging people to himself, but only a few. At this point, Jesus was not drawing all men to himself, as this would happen after he was lifted up (John 12:32). But even as this point some of the ones be drawn were struggling against him and would not believe, so they left Jesus. When Jesus asks if the Twelve is they wanted to leave, they do not. Peter asks a rhetorical question: “To whom shall we go?” For they knew Jesus had eternal life. Jesus had even chosen the 12 and was drawing them, even though he knew that one was going to betray him.

Jesus is trying to get the attention of people then, and he is still trying to get the attention of every man. Sometimes, the tactics are loving and filled with compassion – such as feeding people. Other times, they seem disgusting or shocking. Whatever tactics God uses to get ones attention, there are going to be some who struggle to understand and some that will not believe. Christians who are delivering the message should not feel discouraged for this. It is God’s job to draw them, not the messengers. The messengers job is to simply be obedient and deliver the message. The messenger can take great joy when one does believe (Luke 15:6-7)!

Lord, many won’t believe, but help me to rejoice when one does believe!