"Where Would We Go?"

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Somehow we enlightened modern Americans think we’re the only ones who’ve ever been offended by Jesus.

In fact, Jesus has always been offensive.

Now, it’s true that Jesus offends different cultures in different ways. But, it’s very clear that Jesus has been offensive since the very beginning.

(Why else would they have wanted to kill him?)

After Jesus has driven off lots of his followers because of his offensive statements on eating his body and drinking his blood (seriously, he said that!), he turns to the Twelve and asks,

“Are you going to leave, too?”

I love Simon Peter’s response:

“Where would we go?”

What else is there? Where would we go, if we left?

Politics?

Socialism?

Hedonism?

Commercialism?

Career success?

New Age philosophy?

Eastern spirituality?

Where would we go?

Jesus is life. And there’s nothing else.

 

Today’s Scripture

John 6:60-71

Bread of Life

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There are whole libraries to be said about this passage, but I also think the basic meaning is clear:

food and drink are things that become a part of who you are.

When Jesus is saying that he is the bread of life, he is saying that his followers need to incorporate him into every part of their lives.

 

Today’s Scripture

John 6:25-59

Pickled Fish

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Apparently, they were probably pickled fish. The “two small fish” that the boy had? The word John uses here to tell us about the miraculous feeding of the 5,000 is a word that implies that they were probably small, pickled fish, meant to be eaten as a side dish on small barley cakes.

There’s something about that detail that makes the story vividly real to me.

A small boy with two little pickled fish….

I love Andrew’s question, when he presents the five barley loaves and the two small fish to Jesus:

“But what are they among so many"?”

Chances are you feel you don’t have enough today:

  • not enough time;

  • not enough money;

  • not enough influence;

  • not enough love;

  • not enough patience;

  • etc.

In the face of THAT, how is what I have enough?

The answer: even what we have is enough when we give it to the Lord.

What do you need to put in the Lord’s hands today?

 

Today’s Scripture

John 6:1-15