“It Is The
Spirit That Gives Life”
So Jesus
said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of
Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and
drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for
my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and
drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me,
and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your
ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live
forever.” He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at
When
many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can
accept it?” But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about
it, said to them, “Does this offend you” Then what if you were to see the Son
of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the
flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But
among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew
from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that
would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no
one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”
Because
of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So
Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered
him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of
eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of
God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is
a devil. He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he,
though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
John 6:53-71
Why do
we think that God’s call is necessarily upwardly mobile? Why wouldn’t He send
His best workers to labor for a lifetime in some small place? Aren’t there
people in obscure places who need to be evangelized and taught? God is not
willing that any perish.
Jesus
cared about the individual as well as the masses. He taught large crowds if
they appeared, but it never bothered Him that His audience grew smaller each
day. Jesus pressed on with those the Father gave Him.
We live
in a culture where bigger is better, where size is the measure of success. It
takes a strong person to resist that trend, especially if he or she is laboring
in a small place. Size is nothing. Substance is
everything. Whether you are pasturing a small church or leading a small Bible
study or Sunday school class, serve them with all your heart. Pray, love, teach
by word and example. Your little place is not a steppingstone to greatness. It is greatness. Little is much when God is
in it.
Our Daily Bread – January 24, 2009