15 June 2011
Sorry folkes, I got out of sequence and somehow got a week in front of myself!!! This week [day283] I go back to John chapter 6.
Sorry folkes, I got out of sequence and somehow got a week in front of myself!!! This week [day283] I go back to John chapter 6.
Mid-week reflection
Based on Scripture Union, "The Bible in a Year." Day 283
John chapter 6
Consider
Who could forget a picnic organised by Jesus?
The opening verses of chapter 6 of John's gospel describe the feeding of the 5000, the only miracle to be recorded in all four gospels. A crowd of people follow Jesus because they had seen "the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick," [verse 2]. They are further convinced that someone great is in their midst when they are all fed "as much as they wanted" [11] from the snack box of a boy. Why, you may ask, does God not perform more miracles? Surely that would generate more devout Christians!!
Not so! This episode demonstrates how fickle faith can be that is based on miraculous deeds alone. The crowd were impressed with Jesus' power and had personally benefited from it. Next they want to apply it to further their own ends and "make him king by force," so that he would use his great power to overthrow the Romans. But Jesus has no intention to rule over an earthly kingdom. He wants our loyalty for reasons other than his ability to improve our well being with his amazing deeds.
Notice toward the end of the chapter how shallow is the loyalty of some of the crowd when "many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him." [verse 66]. Perhaps this explains why Jesus used miracles so sparingly and why he often instructed those who had been direct beneficiaries oh his power to keep it to themselves.
What counts in the end, is a relationship with Jesus based on trust, forgiveness and especially love. It is the words of Jesus rather than his wonders that demand devotion, so that with Peter, in verse 68, we can say, "Lord, you have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
Reflect
John chapter 6
Consider
Who could forget a picnic organised by Jesus?
The opening verses of chapter 6 of John's gospel describe the feeding of the 5000, the only miracle to be recorded in all four gospels. A crowd of people follow Jesus because they had seen "the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick," [verse 2]. They are further convinced that someone great is in their midst when they are all fed "as much as they wanted" [11] from the snack box of a boy. Why, you may ask, does God not perform more miracles? Surely that would generate more devout Christians!!
Not so! This episode demonstrates how fickle faith can be that is based on miraculous deeds alone. The crowd were impressed with Jesus' power and had personally benefited from it. Next they want to apply it to further their own ends and "make him king by force," so that he would use his great power to overthrow the Romans. But Jesus has no intention to rule over an earthly kingdom. He wants our loyalty for reasons other than his ability to improve our well being with his amazing deeds.
Notice toward the end of the chapter how shallow is the loyalty of some of the crowd when "many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him." [verse 66]. Perhaps this explains why Jesus used miracles so sparingly and why he often instructed those who had been direct beneficiaries oh his power to keep it to themselves.
What counts in the end, is a relationship with Jesus based on trust, forgiveness and especially love. It is the words of Jesus rather than his wonders that demand devotion, so that with Peter, in verse 68, we can say, "Lord, you have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
Reflect
- On those times when you wanted God to do something for you. Perhaps you have prayed for God to intervene in quite a desperate situation but feel that your prayers have gone unanswered.
- On the words of Jesus which spaek of eternal life and promise that in the end all will be well
- That in the business of life that you find time to hear the words of Jesus.
- For the ability to listen without distraction to the words of Jesus.
- To allow those words to echo in your mind, to wash over you and change your life.
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