The Amazing Depth of God's Saving Grace

The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?” (John 7:32-36).

Jesus had just explained to the crowd of followers that the key to understanding His words and knowing Him as the Savior was within the heart. To mature from Christ follower into Christ’s disciple one had to have a wholehearted desire to know the truth. He confronted the crowd with the truths that He was both Son of God and Son of Man. Everyone knew He was the son of Mary and Joseph and hailed from Nazareth. He was also the Son of God who sent Him from heaven into the world. The crowd of followers had two reactions to His words. Many believed Him and became disciples… “Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, ‘When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?’” (John 7:31). Others rejected Him… “The chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him”. Jesus demonstrated His sovereignty over this situation as well as the entire mission He came to fulfill… “So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come” (John 7:30). He showed compassion even on those who sought to arrest Him. He paused and addressed them. He confronted even His enemies with truth that could make them disciples. In reaching out to those who came against Him Jesus revealed the amazing depth of God’s saving grace!

We all know someone like the Jews that resisted Jesus. We all have chief priests and Pharisees in our lives. They test our faith. They challenge our witness. They rejoice whenever we slip up in our walk with Jesus. They resist and thwart our efforts to share the gospel with others. We may unconsciously avoid contact with them and the thought of spending time with them repulses us. We often purposely avoid speaking about our faith in their presence just to keep the peace. If we’re honest, we have to admit that we may have given up hope of ever bringing them to faith in Christ. But deep in our hearts we know, God has not given up on them.

The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to teach that in His sovereignty God has chosen those He intends to spend eternity with… “Even as He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Ephesians 1:4). God reveals His glory when He exercises His mercy and grace in saving anyone… “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:4-6). The same Spirit moved the same apostle to teach that God wants everyone to know the truth… “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4). God does not use the standards for saving people that we might expect… “The LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). When we get to heaven we may be very surprised by whom God has saved and brought into eternity… “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Here on earth it is our great privilege and responsibility to be part of God’s soul saving and disciple making work… “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). But because we don’t know who God has chosen, we must be courageous and diligent to share the gospel with everyone… “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). Whether they appear to us to be friend or foe of Jesus, God’s love should compel us to share His good news with them… “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

As we grow up into Christ we become more earnest in sharing His gospel with everyone because we are blessed and compelled by…

The Amazing Depth of God’s Saving Grace.

Truth that Transforms

Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.”  So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?” (John 7:25-31).

The Holy Spirit inspired the apostle John to give us a glimpse into the struggle that was going on in the hearts and minds of the crowd of Jesus followers. Why are they trying to kill Him? Why are they powerless to stop Him? We know He is the son of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth, so how could He be the Christ? No one knows where the Christ comes from. But look at the signs He has done. How could He not be the Christ? The Word made flesh knew all that was in the hearts of everyone in this crowd. He was very intentionally stirring up these questions in order to confront these followers with truth that could make them disciples. John recorded evidence of this intentional confrontation… “Yet many of the people believed in him”. Through Christ, God presents the world with truth that transforms.

Jesus confronted the crowd of followers with the truth that they know Him… “You know me, and you know where I come from”. They knew Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Mary and Joseph. They knew the man Jesus. But their knowledge was limited. Indeed Jesus was a fully human being, born in Bethlehem… “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2). He was raised in Nazareth… “And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene” (Matthew 2:23). But this was not the whole truth about who Jesus was.

Jesus also confronted the crowd of followers with the truth that they did not know Him… “He who sent me is true, and him you do not know”. Jesus was and came from God… “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God…  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-2; 14). Jesus was fully God. He was begotten of the same substance as God… “And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’” (Acts 13:32-33). But the problem for many in the crowd of followers was that they did not know God, the source and the presence of the Christ who stood before them… “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).

There are two keys to knowing God. First, God is sovereign. That means He decides how, when, and where to reveal Himself to us. The Spirit of Truth teaches that God reveals Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ… “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation...For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Colossians 1:15-20). God earnestly desires to be known to us through His Son… “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4). But the second step is just as essential as the first. To know God we must believe… “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Jesus confronted the crowd with truth in order to provoke a response of faith that would transform them from followers into disciples, and on this occasion… “Many of the people believed in him”.

As we grow up into Christ we thank Him for revealing God to us by confronting us with…

Truth that Transforms.

It's All about Motive

About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment” (John 7:14-24).

After Jesus pointed out the importance of timing to His brothers, The Spirit of Truth moved John to record that He arrived at the temple in the middle of the feast. There would have been a full house in the temple in the middle of the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles). Our Teacher focuses our attention not on the content of Jesus’ sermon, but rather the response of the audience to His teaching. The point of this passage is that Jesus taught before both religious leaders and all the people. He was about to reveal some very important truth about the living water that He will offer to His true disciples… “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”’” (John 7:37-38). But before He revealed this impeccably timed declaration of truth, Jesus diligently prepared the hearts of His followers to understand and grasp it. We see here that once again He compelled the crowd to mature from followers into disciples by reflecting on the condition of their hearts because the primary difference between followers and disciples of Christ was a matter of the heart. For true disciples of Christ, it’s all about motive.

Are you a follower or a disciple of Christ? Both followers and disciples like to be where Christ is. They go to church, Bible studies, fellowships, conferences, and concerts. They sing the songs and hymns and they listen to the preaching and teaching. But followers remain unchanged by the truth that bounces off their hardened hearts… “Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.’  For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed” (Matthew 13:14-15). Upon hearing the same teaching, true disciples are increasingly transformed into the image of their teacher… “Everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). What makes the difference? What is the secret to spiritual growth that moves us from the crowd of followers into the inner circle of disciples? Jesus’ response to this crowd reveals this precious secret.

The Jews who should have recognized Jesus as the Messiah acknowledged that His teaching was special… “The Jews therefore marveled”. They confirmed that Christ’s teaching did not come from their established, officially accredited academies or universities… “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” Most of the crowd judged His teaching to be false because it did not come through officially recognized authorities. But others in this great crowd of followers wanted to believe His words were true. They seized upon His declaration that the source of His teaching was God Himself… “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me”, they desired to know and do the will of God… “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God”, and they desired to see God glorified… “The one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true”. Today’s scripture teaches that true disciples are changed by the word of God because the motive of their hearts is to hear from God, to know and do His will, and to see Him glorified.

As we grow up into Christ our hungry hearts are changed by His word because for true disciples…

It’s All about Motive.

Christ Always Shows Up

But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him (John 7:10-13).

Jesus told His brothers that it was not time for Him to make a public appearance in Jerusalem. Thousands of Jews would be gathering in and around the city for a major feast… “Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand” (John 7:2). This festival commemorated the forty years of journeying from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the land of promise… “All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 23:42-43). Jesus knew it was time to visit His children in Jerusalem, but it was not time for a public appearance. Now it was time for the Son of God to make this trip to Jerusalem “in private”. It was time to show His disciples in every age that until His final appearance in glory, whenever we call on Him, though unseen by the temporal world, Christ always shows up.

We all have times when we ask God, where are you? It may be in the midst of a very personal crisis. It may be when we’re praying for a very public tragedy or event. We declare to the Lord, this would be a great time for you to show up and do something incredible! We echo the words of His brothers when we challenge Jesus to grant a sign or a miracle that the world could not miss… “For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world” (John 7:4). Jesus will be faithful to His promise to always show up… “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). But Jesus knows the secret and hidden things within the hearts and minds of people… “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man” (John 2:24-25). So when we call on Him, Jesus will always show up; sometimes in private, sometimes publicly.

In today’s text we see that Jesus showed up privately in Jerusalem during the feast of booths or tabernacles. He moved about unrecognized among both disciples and unbelieving Jews. His incognito presence allowed the people to talk freely about Him. Everyone knew about Him because of the signs (He purified the temple), miracles (He healed a man at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath), and the crowds that followed Him everywhere. As they talked about Him they all fell into two camps. Some said “He is a good man”. Others said “He is leading the people astray”. Jesus later revealed that both were correct. Because He is God incarnate, He is good… “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18). Jesus also taught the He was leading believers in a new direction, away from a life of selfishness and sin into a life of sacrifice and service… “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). Jesus was calling disciples away from the emptiness of religion and into the fullness of fellowship and service with Him… “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also” (John 12:26). As He covertly moved about and mingled with the crowd, their hearts were opened and their motives were revealed even as they spoke secretively because of their fear of the Jews.

Jesus did eventually show up publicly as the long awaited Messiah... “And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, ‘Who is this?’  And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee’ (Matthew 21:10-11). His public entry into Jerusalem would provoke a very public response from all who witnessed the event. His next public appearance on earth will likewise compel a final public testimony from everyone, everywhere… “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:31-32).

As we grow up into Christ we enjoy His private presence and anticipate His public return, knowing…

Christ Always Shows Up.

Working on Heaven's Clock

After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him. Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” After saying this, he remained in Galilee (John 7:1-9).

Jesus was teaching a way of life for His disciples. He was preaching the kingdom of God and actively engaged in healing the sick and delivering the oppressed. But all that time, while a large crowd of followers continued to grow around him, his closest relatives were absent. Eventually His brothers showed up and joined the crowd of followers, but they dared not get close to Him. When they finally approached Him, it was not to learn more about Jesus, but it was to interrupt him and to draw him away from His great ministry. The wanted Jesus to reveal Himself to the crowds that would gather in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. In His response Jesus remained consistent in His efforts to make disciples of His followers, and even of His brothers. He confronted them with the naked worldliness that consumed their hearts. He was not on the world’s timetable. He was working on heaven’s clock.

Most everyone who has ever needed a miracle knows what it’s like to wait. We pray and wait, pray and wait, and then we pray and wait some more. In the waiting we are faced with discouragement and distraction. If God hears our prayers why doesn’t he respond? Our adversary places opportunities to run away from the crisis. We are tempted to seek a worldly solution to our problem. But it is in the waiting that we learn to overcome the world and we get to know the Savior better. In the waiting we learn to discern the difference between God’s timing and the world’s timing. In the waiting we may draw nearer to Christ, discover His deeper purpose, and mature from Christ follower into Christ’s disciple.

Waiting on the Lord tests our submission to Him as our ultimate authority. Waiting is not necessarily resignation from all activity. Waiting is often submission to God's better plan. Waiting on God means that all of our life is brought under God's sovereignty and direction. There is plenty of witness in the scriptures that taking matters into our own hands never ends well. Consider Abraham and Sarah with Ishmael and Saul's disobedience when he assumed the role of a priest. The Holy Spirit inspired the prophet Isaiah to warn Israel against looking to Egypt for help… “’Ah, stubborn children,’ declares the LORD, ‘who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!  Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame, and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation’” (Isaiah 30:1-3). The Teacher exhorts us to follow the Lord’s timing and plan with an illustration delivered through the same prophet about walking in the light of our own fire… “Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches! Walk by the light of your fire, and by the torches that you have kindled! This you have from my hand: you shall lie down in torment” (Isaiah 50:11). The Spirit of Truth compelled David to wait for the Lord to fulfill His promise to remove Saul and make him king of Israel. The same Spirit inspired David to encourage us to follow his example… “Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land” (Psalm 37:34). The Holy Spirit promises to help us when we choose to wait for the Lord’s best… “For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness” (Galatians 5:5). Finally, Jesus instructed His disciples to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit before beginning the work of fulfilling the great commission… “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).

As we grow up into Christ we learn to wait for the Lord’s best as in every circumstance we are…

Working on Heaven’s Clock.

The Words of Eternal Life

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him (John 6:60-71).

The disputing and grumbling of the Jews was contagious. It spread even among the disciples and began to infect their hearts and minds. That’s why the Holy Spirit, our Teacher, exhorts us to guard our hearts… “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23) and transform our minds… “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2) in order to prevent the infection of the world from establishing a stronghold in our soul. Jesus tells the disciples that they have not anything yet. As growing and maturing disciples they will see their Teacher ascend back into heaven! Then Jesus explained that the words He shared with them are not received in the flesh. His words “are spirit and life”. His words were not for everyone, but Jesus showed His disciples two keys to understanding and grasping the words of eternal life.

If we are honest we must admit there have been parts of the scriptures that do not make sense to us. There are truths in God’s written word that do not agree with the more familiar wisdom of this world. But truth seekers can also confirm that in His time, the Holy Spirit reveals God’s truth to diligent disciples as we mature in the faith. The Spirit revealed two things that are necessary for disciples who desire to feed on and abide in the words of Christ.

First, those who want to be nourished by the words of Christ must have a spiritual hunger. To grasp and be changed by God’s truth one must be born again, or born of the spirit… “Jesus answered him, ‘truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God… unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:3-6). When we are born again we receive the Holy Spirit and He creates a hunger in us that can only be satisfied by the truth of God’s word… ““It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). The Spirit empowers us to consume God’s truth in order to grow and mature as disciples of Christ… “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12). The spiritual truth of God’s word makes no sense to the carnal man… “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). The fact that we hunger for and understand spiritual truth is evidence of the second key Jesus taught in today’s text. He taught that “no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father”. Desiring and grasping spiritual truth is evidence that God is drawing us to His Son… “Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me” (John 6:45).

As we grow up into Christ His Spirit creates and satisfies within us a great hunger for…

The Words of Eternal Life.

True Disciples Living Because of Christ

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum (John 6:51-59).

The Jews added disputing to their grumbling after hearing Jesus’ challenge to graduate from follower to disciple by embracing His truth. To help them further along on this troublesome journey of maturing faith He gave them an illustration. He taught that the life of His disciples was impossible unless they “eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood”. This was an even harder saying for them to grasp. They are not alone. Throughout the ages Christ followers have “disputed among themselves” over the meaning of these words. There is agreement that Jesus Christ the Lord spoke and taught these words, but there is great disputing about the truth He expressed here. When we surrender our tightly held preconceptions and allow our Teacher, the Holy Spirit to lead us to the truth behind these words of Christ, we will discover how to become true disciples living because of Christ.

Jesus command to eat His flesh and drink His blood is a very difficult command to follow. Perhaps you’ve pondered these words in your heart. Many Christ followers avoid wrestling with the truth of these words and blindly follow the teaching of their local church or denomination. But earnest truth seekers are always hungry for the Holy Spirit to personally reveal the truth behind Jesus teachings. When we consider that Jesus spoke these words to a large crowd of followers in His effort to harvest a group of true disciples, we will discover what He meant by this teaching.

The Spirit of Truth leads us to another scene in the life of Christ for extra insight into the truth of today’s teaching. In today’s text Jesus described Himself as food and drink for true disciples. We are reminded that He also described Himself as a vine with branches in another teaching moment. This other moment was not spent with a crowd of followers. It was Jesus intimately teaching His disciples. Jesus promised His disciples more truth and understanding than He offered the crowds of followers… “And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, ‘to you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables’ (Mark 4:10-11). Diligent truth seekers can expect to glean understanding into today’s text by studying what Christ taught His closest disciples in more intimate settings.

Once, while alone with His disciples, Jesus challenged them with another hard command to abide in Him just as a branch abides in a vine… “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). He explained that to abide in Him, true disciples had to let His words abide within them… “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). He taught them to abide in His love… “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love” (John 15:9). He further explained that it was by obeying His words that true disciples might abide in His love… “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love” (John 15:10). Here the Spirit of Truth reveals that eating His flesh and drinking His blood means to feed on and obey His words and to be immersed in His love. This should be the goal of every true disciple of Christ and it glorifies God and produces fruit, maturing us, and impacting the lives of others… “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). This is how fruitful disciples are known to Christ and to the world we live in every day.

As we grow up into Christ feeding on His word and drinking in His love, we become…

True Disciples Living Because of Christ.

Embrace His Truth

So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:41-51).

Jesus identified Himself as the bread of life that came down from heaven. Many in the crowd believed His words and wanted more of Him… “They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always’” (John 6:34). But others in the crowd whom John identified as Jews grumbled about Him. These two groups of Christ followers were so close together in the same crowd, yet they were so far apart in their understanding of Jesus. What they believed about Him would separate them in the days to come as well as in eternity. In the immediate future, the believers who followed Jesus would become disciples. They would be called Christians as they embraced His teaching and became part of His church. They would turn the world upside down as they shared His gospel with others… “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also… and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus” (Acts 17:6-7). Meanwhile, the unbelievers who followed Jesus, whom John simply called Jews, would remain critical and blind to the truth He revealed through His words and the signs He performed. They would remain Jews because their hearts were veiled by their idolatrous theology and tradition… “But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away” (2 Corinthians 3:14). Disciples are followers who reject deceptive tradition and embrace His truth.

These Jews were probably religious leaders and they grumbled for two reasons. First, they could not accept that Jesus came from heaven because they believed they knew the facts about where Jesus came from. As far as they knew, He came from Joseph and Mary. Either they had not heard the story of Christ’s miraculous birth… “And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God’” (Luke 1:35) or they rejected the veracity of that report. They formed their opinion about Jesus Christ based upon false information gathered by their religious traditions. Jesus confronted them often… “You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8).

 There are many Christ followers today who, like the Jews, follow church traditions but do not earnestly seek God’s truth in the scriptures… “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). They do not seek the Holy Spirit to lead them to the precious truth of the scriptures… “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). These Christ followers are saved because they prayed a prayer of faith, but their lack of hunger for “the bread that came down from heaven” testifies against them and keeps them from becoming true disciples of Christ.

Second, the Jews believed God was too holy to be clothed in sinful human flesh. They clung so stubbornly to the theology of God’s holiness that they could not see the beauty of God’s love. God is holy. When it comes to sin, God is a consuming fire… “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24). But when it comes to sinners, God is a loving Savior… “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us” (Titus 3:4-5). The Jews could become disciples only if they replaced studying Christ with loving Christ.

As we grow up into Christ we mature as disciples as we reject the traditions of man and…

Embrace His Truth.

Saved by Grace

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:35-40).

Jesus answered the emotional request from the crowd… “Sir, give us this bread always” (John 6:34). He answered with a declaration of truth… “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst”. He was clear, Christ is the manna. He is the One who came down from heaven and gave His life for the world that we might have life. That is salvation. He is the Bread that we are to feed upon constantly so that we might grow spiritually. But some of the crowd did not get it. So Jesus patiently explained what He meant when He called Himself the “bread of life”. In His explanation Jesus revealed more truth. He spoke about the relationship between election and free will here as He began to unveil the truth that we are saved by grace.

First Jesus stated a truth about election… “All that the Father gives me will come to me”. Then He stated a truth about free will… “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out”. Both truths are true. They do not contradict each other. The Father gives men to Christ, but men have to come. And the ones that come are the ones whom the Father gives to Him. Truth seekers recognize these two truths but cannot reconcile them without the help of the Holy Spirit. We don't know how or why God chose us, but the evidence that He chose us is our ability to discern and respond to the truth of the gospel.

The Holy Spirit, our Teacher helps us understand the mystery or tension that exists between election and free will because He loves to guide us into God’s truth… “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13). The Spirit revealed the truth about election through the teaching of the apostle Paul… “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:13). Jesus confirmed the truth about election… “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). He also taught that many of those who followed Him could not believe in Him unless His Father had chosen them… “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (John 6:65).

This is a difficult truth unless we consider it in light of the truth that all are sinners… “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We should be amazed that God has chosen even one of us to be saved… “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). The fact that some in the crowd of His followers believed in Jesus is evidence of God’s grace. Paul was inspired by the Spirit of Truth to affirm that when a sinner repents and believes in Christ, God’s grace is revealed and glorified… “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love  he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,  to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:4-6). The fact that anyone can understand and respond to the truth of the gospel is evidence that God’s grace has already quickened them and given them life to believe in Christ… “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6).

As we grow up into Christ the fact that we believe, love, and serve Him is the evidence that God has chosen us and has quickened us to be…

Saved by Grace.

Two Kinds of Bread

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always” (John 6:25-34).

Don’t you admire the tenacity of Christ’s followers? This crowd was mostly poor Jewish farmers and fishermen. There was a sprinkling of religious leaders in their midst. When they realized Jesus had crossed over the Sea of Galilee, they jumped into a few boats and journeyed across the Sea of Galilee to find Him. The Holy Spirit shows us here that Jesus had the kind of spiritual discernment that confirmed He was God incarnate. He confronted these eager followers with a heart–exposing declaration. Their real motivation for following Him was revealed as He invited the Christ following crowd to become His disciples by choosing correctly between two kinds of bread.

It’s probably not common among Christ followers to reflect on the reasons why they are following Christ. The spiritual disciplines of regular worship, fellowship, Bible study, and prayer can too subtly become habit if we don’t pause from time to time to examine why we do what we do. Do we go to church because it’s Sunday, because we need the blessing of some good Christian music and preaching? Real disciples go to church because it’s a meeting with the Lord on His special day. They don’t demand that this meeting feels good or that God gives them something for coming to His house. How many Christ followers read their Bible and pray because they have some deep question or urgent need? Real disciples create and maintain a daily sacred place where they meet with God and allow Him to set the agenda and speak what’s on His heart. A disciple’s prayer in the sacred place begins as a response to the revelation and character of God, and then includes requests that have been shaped by the word and presence of God. What makes the difference between a Christ follower and a disciple? One of the things is a hunger for the bread of God that is greater than hunger for the bread from the world.

The bread from the world, like water from a well, satisfies hunger and thirst only temporarily… “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14). Jesus taught His followers that God will provide food for their daily needs in this life by reminding of how God provided manna for their ancestors in the wilderness… “Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness”. He taught His disciples to trust God through prayer to provide their daily food… “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). They were not to be consumed with concern about the bread of the world… “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’” (Matthew 6:31).

While Christ followers are concerned about temporal things, Christ’s disciples seek eternal things, like His kingdom and righteousness… “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). The truth Jesus illustrated here in Galilee was spoken by Moses in the wilderness and repeated by Christ to the devil… “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

As we grow up into Christ hunger for the “bread of God” grows as we learn the difference between…

Two Kinds of Bread.

Encourage Others to Seek Jesus

On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus (John 6:22-24).

Today, the Spirit of Truth directs our attention to the crowd that was left behind. They discovered that both Jesus and the disciples were gone, but there was no natural explanation for how the Lord caught up to the disciples. The night before there was only one boat there and they saw that Jesus did not get into that boat with His disciples. He had retreated up the mountain while they entered the boat. We do not yet know why they were seeking Jesus. We only know that after experiencing the miracle that fed their hungry stomachs they were looking for Jesus. When they discovered that He was not there, they could have given up and returned to their homes. Other boats from Tiberias came near and they jumped into the boats and headed toward Capernaum. Why Capernaum? Perhaps it was because they learned that Jesus lived in Capernaum… “And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali” (Matthew 4:13). Perhaps it was because they knew the disciples went there and they believed that Jesus would be wherever His disciples were… “When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum” (John 6:16-17). The Spirit does not reveal the reasons why the crowd chose to cross the Sea of Galilee, but He does teach truth seekers here about how to encourage others to seek Jesus.

When we became a disciple of Christ, He rearranged our priorities. Near the top of the list is the command to make disciples… “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). How are you doing as a soul winner and disciple maker? Many simply don’t know how to get started in this precious work.  We learn today that Jesus started His disciple making work by drawing a crowd and inspiring them to follow Him. In today’s text the Teacher reveals three divine ways Jesus drew crowds.

First, Jesus met the practical needs of others. This is how Jesus demonstrated His love. Paul urged the young pastor Titus to exhort disciples to imitate Christ by meeting the needs of others… “And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful” (Titus 3:14). Without responding to the urgent needs of others, the disciple’s life will be unfruitful. The Spirit moved John to echo this truth in one of his letters to the church… “If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:17-18). When we serve others we show the love of God, and we attract a desperately needy crowd to Christ.

Second, Jesus performed miracles and signs to confirm His divinity and to attract crowds to follow Him… “The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign” (John 12:18). He gave His disciples the power to perform crowd gathering signs too… “He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. Luke 9:1-2

Finally, the crowd followed the disciples. They were close to Jesus, embraced His truth, and loved each other. Disciples abiding in His truth and freedom still attract others… “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Disciples sharing His love still attract others… “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Diligent disciples lift Christ up and He attracts others to Himself… “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32).

As we grow up into Christ abiding in His truth, trusting Him for miracles and signs, and loving others we will become fruitful disciples who attract crowds and…

Encourage Others to Seek Jesus.

Peace in the Storms of Life

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.  When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going (John 6:15-21).

Jesus allowed multitudes to witness many of his miracles, but for this one he chose a select few that He called disciples. These would have to learn to patiently trust him. These would have to learn to endure trials. These would know him more intimately than others… “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). The storm did not arise out of nowhere. As Creator and Sustainer of the world and everything in it, Jesus planned and executed this storm... “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17). This storm was for the benefit of these selected disciples… “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Jesus would use this storm to show the disciples something new about their relationship to Him. His disciples would learn that as long as they looked to the Savior they would find peace in the storms of life.

Today we see Jesus revealing again that He was both God and man… “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). In withdrawing from the crowd that wanted to make Him their king, Jesus revealed that in his humanity He was tempted in just as we are… “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).  In rejecting the will of the crowd in favor of surrendering to God’s will, Jesus taught the disciples by how to choose God’s will over the temptation of the world… “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). He lived out the very truth He taught His disciples to pray for… “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). The Spirit inspired John to remind the church to choose the will of God over the ways of the world in one of His letters… “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:16-17). The first step toward experiencing the peace of God in the storms of life is to resist the world’s temptation and diligently pursue the will of God.

In walking on the water Jesus demonstrated that He is God… “I and the Father are one” (John 10:22, 30).  He illustrated the important truth that as Creator of the natural world He rules over its fickle elements…  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3). In coming to them, calming the storm, and instantaneously delivering the disciples to their destination, Jesus assured His disciples that He would always be near them to care for them… “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). He exhorts His disciples in every age to look to Him in the storms of life… “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by” (Psalm 57:1). The second step toward experiencing the peace of God in the storms of life is to let them move you closer to Christ.

As we grow up into Christ looking to Him in the tempests of this temporal life, Jesus will provide…

Peace in the Storms of Life.

The Bread of God

“After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself” (John 6:1-15).

Even though He challenged the crowd to move beyond simply following Him and to become a disciple, many continued to follow Jesus because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. He withdrew from the crowd and He went up on a mountain to spend some intimate time with a few special followers. These followers loved Him so much they were willing to leave the crowd behind to get away with Jesus and to learn more of His truth. These He called true disciples… “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). But the crowd was relentless and soon they approached Jesus again. He noted with compassion that they were hungry and he saw this as an opportunity to feed the crowd and identify Himself to His disciples as the Messiah and the Bread of God.

Physical needs are very prominent and difficult to ignore. We know when we are hungry, hurting, or need healing. Where do you turn when you are confronted with a physical need? Do you count on the paycheck to cover the expenses of your home and the food on your table? When you are sick or injured do you run immediately to the doctor or drug store? Physical needs challenge our belief that God is sovereign and in control of our world…  “The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19).

When confronted with a physical need we are challenged to believe that God is aware of our every need… “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8). God allows physical needs in our lives to compel us to bring our needs to him in prayer… “As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!” (Psalm 40:17). The Spirit of Truth moved Paul to teach that God loves to bless His children by meeting their needs. When God gives us even more than we ask for He receives glory… “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21). When Jesus miraculously provided food for His followers He identified Himself as the Son of God who provided bread for the children of promise in the wilderness… “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven” (John 6:32). At the same time Jesus identified Himself to His disciples as the Bread of God… “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:33).

As we grow up into Christ our faith grows as He meets our every need and reveals Himself as …

The Bread of God.

From Christ Follower into Disciple

“And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” (John 5:37-47).

Jesus addressed the crowd of followers here. Diligent truth seekers will see how He confronted His followers here with some truth that might transform them from being mere followers into disciples of Christ. Through the ages many have used the terms Christ follower and disciple interchangeably is defining what it means to be a Christian. In fact, it has become popular today to prefer the term Christ follower over the more religious sounding term disciple. However, the Bible uses both terms and so did Jesus. The Greek word akoloutheō is translated follow and it means to travel in the same way with or to accompany. In contrast, the Greek word for disciple is mathētēs and it means learner, student, or pupil. There was a vast difference between those who gathered around and followed Jesus and those who were serious about learning from and about Him. In today’s text, our Teacher confronts us with the challenge to mature in the faith and to be transformed from Christ follower into disciple.

Jesus described the condition of many who followed Him here. They had many different reasons for being part of His crowd. I wonder sometimes how many Christ followers are in the church because of His miracles, because they want to be part of the crowd, or because they hope to catch Him or His church doing or saying something wrong. Jesus acknowledged that among His followers were those who never heard God’s voice, though God has spoken often in the past and speaks today through His Son, the Living Word… “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1-2). There were also those who have never seen God’s form, though God has appeared often in the past and appears today through His Son, the Living Word… “And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:9-10). Finally there were those who did not have God’s word abiding in them. Jesus revealed the reason they did not receive His word or see Him as God’s Son was because of the dull condition of their hearts… “Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.’ For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them” (Matthew 13:14-15).

Jesus revealed that many of His followers were deaf, blind, and unable to grasp His word or believe in Him. Then He taught that the reason many remained followers instead of maturing into disciples was because God was not their first love… you do not have the love of God within you.  Jesus taught that if God is our first love, we will diligently seek and find Christ in the scriptures, instead of selfishly seeking eternal life… You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life… and we will live for the glory of God and not man… seek the glory that comes from the only God.

As we grow up into Christ if we keep Him as our first love and diligently seek Him in the scriptures, the Holy Spirit will reveal more of Christ to us, and He will mature and transform us…

From Christ Follower into Disciple.