Series: Committed
Message: Acceptance
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira
Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 60:6-12.
Read: John 6:22-59 — Read the Message paraphrase, and note 1-3 insights/questions that arise.
Reflect: Some have suggested that Jesus's remarks to the crowd were not fair (John 6:26-27), that they were too harsh or even impolite. But what Jesus is pushing the community to understand has consequences for all time. His words, while often great or challenging for the community, are in fact also challenging for eternity. As N. T. Wright in his book John for Everyone shares:
Here his charge against the crowds is that the "sign" of the feeding (are you still counting the "signs"?) is meant to lead you to the true food: the food the son of man will give (verse 27), the food which is Jesus himself (verse 35). What matters is not just what Jesus can do for you; what matters is who Jesus is (p. 79).
Which is part and parcel of the multifaceted proclamation of the Gospel. The Gospel is about us. It is about salvation. It is about redemption and reconciliation. It is about restoration of the planet and the Universe. It is about recreation. It is about community. It is about harmony. The list goes on . . . but ultimately, it is about revealing the character of God, For us to grasp that truth, we have to accept and embrace the fact that Jesus is God—that the Trinity work in perfect harmony with each other. That is the reason for so many of these “I Am” statements. Each one speaks to a new approach to understanding who Jesus is. When you embrace that, you understand God and when you grow through the Holy Spirit, you find the power of the Trinity transforms your life.
Recalibrate:
Respond: Pray for the Spirit to lead you into Truth.
Research: How would you explain or share your view of Jesus to someone who is not a Christian?