Jesus sets up the crowd so they will listen . . .

My mother amazed us when it came to feeding people. On the farm it was common for friends to drop in around lunch time. She usually prepared lunch for 2-4 people, but these drop-ins could bring the number up to a dozen or more. This didn’t faze her. She found ways to feed all of them. Her goal was meeting needs.

Our current church has brunch after the service on Sunday. This ministry started small but now we host between 400 and 500 people. We stack chairs, bring out tables and tablecloths and folks line up to several buffet tables with regular breakfast fare, plus a counter with toast and coffee, and another table for those on a gluten-free diet. This congregation is mostly well-to-do so it is not a charitable event. The main goal is that we can get to know one another as we fellowship over food. Brunch develops relationships. Unity in Christ is our goal for brunch.

Jesus fed people too. John 6 tells of a crowd who followed Him and when it was lunch time, all but one of the five thousand plus hungry people forgot to pack a lunch. The disciples were concerned. Finally, Andrew brought a boy to Jesus with his lunch of five barley loaves and two fishes.

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. (John 6:10–13)

What was Jesus’ goal in doing this? Filling their bellies, or did He have something more in mind?

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 6:14–15)

He was not ready to be exalted, but this miraculous picnic did prepare the people for what He wanted to tell them. The next day the crowd gathered again, seeking Jesus, but He knew their real motive:

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.”

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 6:26–40)

This miracle gave Him opportunity to talk to them about their spiritual need. The rest of the chapter tells how Jesus used the situation to teach them the contrast between “the flesh” and “the spirit” and in doing so He uncovered their failure to understand spiritual realities. But some stayed, including Peter:

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.” (John 6:66–69)

He got it, at least got the part that kept him close to Jesus. He understood that Jesus was the Lord, and that they had no other options.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, so many times I’ve figured out other options. When challenges come, “I can do this” runs through my head far too often. It should be “Jesus will enable me . . . .” Forgive this reliance on the flesh and keep prodding me to walk by faith, trusting You for all that I need, including but not limited to lunch!

Jesus is all I need

An old hymn recites the certainty that Jesus lives. The writer of these much loved lyrics begins with saying: “I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today.” He goes on to say that he knows Jesus lives because he sees “His hand of mercy” and “hears His voice of cheer.” He speaks also of his personal experience with Christ and knows He lives within his heart.

In the teeter-totter of faith, this song is mostly about experience and less about objective evidence. While Christians enjoy and rely on their experience of Christ, some will find that is not enough. Jesus had healed the sick, fed the multitudes, and did many other miracles, but those who saw and experienced these things were still not convinced . . .  

“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.’” (John 6:66–69)

The group of disciples who turned back were in it for what He could do for them. When He described a commitment of faith that involved deeper intimacy, they turned away at this: “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." (John 6:53)

Perhaps the turn-off was due to the practices of pagans who literally did these things. Perhaps it was due to the word He used for ‘knowing’ Him, a word the Bible commonly uses for intimate relations between husbands and wives. In any case, they didn’t understand what He was talking about and were offended and grumbling.

I understand what He said. He is talking about abiding in Him, about Him living in me so that all that I do and the person I am is dramatically and deeply affected. He is talking drawing all that I need from Him, and about a change of life that comes from knowing God and walking with Him. Later, one of the disciples who stayed wrote this:

“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (1 John 2:12–14)

This is abiding. It knows Him, is strong and overcomes Satan. It is an aware life, a life that comes only from Christ — and I know it. I have nothing in myself, only Jesus.

But sometimes I feel like going away because abiding in Christ is both wonderfully easy and helplessly difficult. I like the wonderful part, but get weary of the helpless part. Jesus meets my needs, but not always when I feel needy. He knows best, but I have lots of ‘why’ questions and I want to be strong all the time.

Faith isn’t always about the evidence of personal experience. Jesus lives because the Word of God and historical evidence declares it, not just because I see or feel it. I’d be worried if the latter never happened, but do not worry because the former did happen and cannot change. Public opinion tries by declaring ‘God is dead’ and other such nonsense, but this cannot altar reality. Nor can it change the testimony of millions who do experience the grace of God. Putting the two together is powerful motivation.

Besides, where would I go? Nothing and no one else promises eternal life, or even the assurance of eternal life. Only the Living God does that through the intimacy of saving faith.

^^^^^^^

Jesus, I know that You are always the answer to every need. I also know I cannot go away. Besides the fact that You are all that the Word of God says about You, whatever else I might rely on has already proved itself useless and unable to do anything for me. Only You can satisfy my needs and make me whole. Only You speak the words of eternal life because only You are that life, risen from the dead to prove it. Objectivity aside, nothing else works. You have it all, all that I need and then some. 

Honesty

Years ago, I wrote a very long poem about the importance of honesty. I’d become a Christian and was impressed by Jesus who said, “I am the way and the truth. . .” because my memories still hurt of people who had lied to me.

Later, this conviction about honesty included integrity, not just in others, but in myself. Being the same person on the outside as I am on the inside is high on my priority list. However, I realize the subtlety of trying to make a good impression, of hiding how I really feel for fear people will reject me, even the subtlety of not knowing how I genuinely think and how those elusive thoughts and feelings can affect my behavior.

Jesus knows. It seems to me that this is the biggest reason for a question He asked His disciples. He had just spoken to people who seemed to follow Him regarding their depth of commitment. He included a figure of speech about ‘eating my flesh’ and ‘drinking my blood’ which they took literally and were offended, even repulsed.

“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?’” (John 6:66–67)

Jesus puts similar questions to me, particularly when I am tired, discouraged with my spiritual progress, frustrated with not seeing answers to prayer, or simply fed up with the lack of reward in following Him. Sometimes I have felt like turning back also.

Christian history tells of some who seemed to be disciples of Christ, but they did not stick with it. I know a few of them personally. Does this mean they once believed and were saved only to lose their faith and salvation? I don’t think so. They started out well but became offended at the cost, then left. Of them, the Bible says:

“Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” (1 John 2:18–19)

The theme of 1 John is how to identify true, genuine faith. The description includes love for other Christians and obedience to Christ, but also that endurance lacks in some who follow for a while then fall away. They are “of us” in the first place, and as soon as following Jesus became uncomfortable or too costly, much like those Jesus spoke of in John 6, they turn back also.

In His love for me, every now and then there is ‘check-up’ time. Jesus puts questions to me, not necessarily in these words, but in circumstances, in emotions, in the way I view the life I now have. Is it too hard? Am I tired of giving up what I want to serve others? Are the trials of life no longer a challenge but a pain that seems to be avoidable if I just go my own way?

When I was saved, God restored my power of choice. Without the Holy Spirit, I could not choose to be godly; my only option was sin. After Christ came into my life, His power and presence enable me to say yes to Him and no to sin. These trials and that question really ask if I am willing to keep going on with Him. Love is always about choice and He wants me to follow Him with a willing heart, not because it makes me look good, or is comfortable, or is the ‘thing to do’ or for any other reason except that I love Him.

When a new Christian, I was not so much aware of my own weaknesses and inabilities as I am now. Back then, I could imagine running my own life and being free from the trials of being a Christian. Now, I have to admire the answer Peter gave Jesus. There are no other options:  

“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.’” (John 6:68–69)

The integrity part is admitting the reluctance, those thoughts of running away, the fatigue of following. In all other fields, a ‘perfect’ example or model is to me at first an inspiration, but soon turns into a hopelessly discouraging and unreachable goal. The people who pray with King James English silence me. Those who win every soul they speak to (or claim they do) make me feel like quitting. Those whose teaching methods seem flawless dampen my enthusiasm to share Christ with His people. But someone with integrity enough to admit their fears, failures, and sense of weakness give me a desire to rely on Christ and to give them a hug. If that is the result of their honesty in me, then my honesty to others becomes far more of an important issue than ever.

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, don’t get me wrong. Your perfect example does not discourage me because I know that You are not deceptive or self-deceived in any way; You are sinless and without flaw. Not only that, Your way is not merely to imitate You. Instead, You come into my life and give me Yourself so that I have what I need to persist, to carry on when living for You becomes difficult. Thank You for saving me. Thank You for continuing to save me. Thank You for holding on to me, even when I feel like letting go.