John 6:67-71
Jonah
I’m sure
most of you are familiar with the story of Jonah. Along with Noah’s Ark, David
& Goliath it’s one of the first stories we learn about the Bible as
children. Anyone we’ve ever met named Jonah we’ve said “Hey! Jonah, how’s your
whale?” or something similar. If you’ve been here long enough you just thought
“Well technically it’s big fish not necessarily a whale”.
A story in
the Old Testament; Jonah was an Israelite whom
God had called to be a prophet but who refused to accept his
divine mission and left on a sea voyage instead. God then raised a great storm
as a sign of his anger with Jonah. The sailors, realizing that Jonah's
disobedience had caused the storm, threw him overboard in an attempt to save
their ship. Jonah was saved from drowning when he was swallowed by a “great
fish.” He lived for three days inside the creature, after which the fish
“vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.” Thankful that his life had been spared,
Jonah took up his prophetic mission.
The story is
about our attempts to run away from God when we find His will to hard to
follow. That’s been a theme of the last several wed nights. It continues
tonight as we finish chapter 6.
67 Then
Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go
away?”
68 But
Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words
of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know
that You are the [a]Christ,
the Son of the living God.”
70 Jesus
answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one
of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke
of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who
would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
Jesus fed
the multitudes, and everyone rejoiced! Jesus calmed the storm, and everyone rejoiced.
In fact, they loved Him so much they wanted to make Him King! Whether He wan ted
to be King or not. Things are going great! Then not so much. Everyone turns on
Him once He no longer gives them what they want. Last time we ended with John
6:66 “From that time many of His disciples went [a]back and walked with Him no more.”
We pick up tonight immediately after that.
Jesus said
to the twelve, the disciples as we know them, “Do you also want to go away?”
The disciples are being given an out. Everyone else, the crowd, the religious
folk, the other disciples not included in the twelve. They have all left and
the implication is that they left never to return. It’s easy to follow the
crowd.
In a series
of famous experiments conducted during the 1950s, psychologist Solomon Asch
demonstrated that people would give the wrong answer on a test in order to fit
in with the rest of the group. In Asch's famous conformity experiments, people
were shown a line and then asked to select the line of a matching length from a
group of three. Asch also placed confederates in the group who would
intentionally select the wrong lines. The results revealed that when other
people picked the wrong line, participants were likely to conform and give the
same answers as the rest of the group.
Jesus is
given them the option to leave as well. I can hear the heartache in his voice.
However, I hear it differently these days than when I heard it when I was
younger. I’ve always heard the pain and loneliness in His voice when He said
it. Now I also hear the pain is deeper than anything I’ve ever experienced. He
doesn’t just feel abandoned. He knows their futures. He knows all of them
individually as He made them. He knows every trial and tribulation that they
will face for the rest of their lives. He also knows that He won’t be there to
comfort them in the midst of it because they have chosen to walk with Him no more.
Hell isn’t hell because of the flames, the lake of fire, or demons and torture.
It’s Hell because it is eternal separation from God.
We spend a
lot of time in prayer specifically requesting for changes to external
circumstances. I support this. I think we should be pray about all things
without ceasing. We typically pray for external circumstances to change in our
favor, to make our lives easier. Sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn’t. How
often though, do we pray for hearts to change? For our hearts to change? How
often do we truly say “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done?” Seeking God as a
means to an end, with that end being our own personal happiness, will always
lead to disappointment.
The
disciples choose wisely! I related to Peter! Always ready with an answer.
Sometimes he’s right sometimes he’s wrong but always speaking up! Peter has the
most beautiful response “to Whom shall we go?” It is not where but whom.
It’s easy to
call out Idols of wood and stone, material possessions. Just as frequent as
when we make Idols out of people. The people that left where did they go? Whom
did they turn to next? Maybe friends, family, politicians. Based on the last
reported results about half of us are happy with the election and half not so
much. Anyone that places all their hope in a human being is going to be
disappointed though.
68 But
Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words
of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe
and know that You are the [a]Christ,
the Son of the living God.”
Speaking for
the twelve, Simon Peter gave a wonderful statement of faith. He recognize Jesus
as Lord. He recognizes Jesus as worthy regardless of the difficulties it will
cause. He recognized the value of the Kingdom of God and spiritual things over
the temporary desires of this life. Most importantly he recognized Jesus as
Messiah. He recognized Jesus as the Son of the living God. This of course isn’t
the same Peter who would right so eloquently of the Lordship of Christ in 1
& 2 Peter. However, this is a profound pronouncement of faith none the
less.
70 Jesus
answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one
of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke
of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who
would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
Weird answer
honestly. Why not say? Thanks so much! I love you guys! I appreciate you
sticking around. He says “one of you is a devil.” None of them had a clue which
one it was at this point. Keep in mind it’s unlikely Judas had decided to
betray Jesus at this point since Jesus was only halfway through His earthly
ministry.
When the
crowd turns on you it’s one thing. When it’s people close to you it’s another. You
twelve. So small a number. Out of such a multitude as follow for the loaves and
fishes, it is to be expected there should be apostates; but when the number is
so small, chosen in such a manner, then it becomes every one, however confident
we may be we must be vigilant that we not give way to the schemes of the devil.
When we run away from God like Jonah we give place to Satan. It is wise, as well as
necessary, to beseech God continually to strengthen what He has worked in us.
Failure to do so finds many Christians blaming themselves for those trials and
afflictions of spirit that arise from unbelief - Spurgeon
No comments:
Post a Comment