Scripture

Then Jesus told them, “I will be with you only a little while longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. You cannot go where I am going.”

Observation

People are starting to discuss whether Jesus is the Messiah. Some people say that he can’t be the Messiah because they know where He was born, and the Messiah is supposed to just appear. Others say that Jesus must be the Messiah because of the number and types of miracles He has performed.

The Pharisees try to have Jesus arrested, but this cannot be done because it is not yet the right time. Jesus tells them He will be with them a little longer, and they cannot go where He is going.

Application

Jesus is warning the Jewish people that He will soon be leaving, and if they do not believe in Him they will not be able to follow Him.

He tells them straight out that He will return to the Father. They will not be able to follow Him there because they do not believe in Him.

It is puzzling that they take away from this the meaning that Jesus is going to a foreign land. They could not hear the message that Jesus would be going back to the one who sent Him.

There is a kind of blindness that comes from unbelief which twists the gospel around and skips over God’s grace. The words “You must be saved” get applied to other people. The statement that “All have sinned” must relate to that person over there, not to me.

We need Jesus to be the light that comes into our eyes so that we can understand and see the whole gospel.

Unbelief is dangerous because it not only prevents us from believing but also closes our eyes to the fact that we are not believing.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, be the light that opens my eyes to see your glory. Where I have fallen into unbelief, show me and give me faith to follow you. Amen.

Scripture

“Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgement.”

Observation

Jesus stays away from Judea because He is aware that the Jewish leaders are plotting to kill Him, and the time for Him to die has not yet come. His brothers, at this stage unbelievers, persuade Him to go to the Feast of Tabernacles.

Jesus goes to the Feast secretly, but half way through He starts preaching. He addresses the hostility He receives for healing on the Sabbath, pointing out that children are circumcised on the Sabbath to keep the Law. Therefore healing on the Sabbath is justified.

Application

It has always been an issue for human beings that we can be easily deceived by appearances. This goes right back to Eve who saw that the fruit was pleasing to the eye and desirable for gaining wisdom. The prophet Samuel warned that “Man judges by the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.”

This false and deceptive form of judgement is particularly true in the visual and feelings generation. If it feels good, it must be right. If somebody speaks passionately they are judged to be correct.

Jesus tells us to stop judging by mere appearances, and instead make right judgements.

The world tells us to go with our heart, but the Bible tells us the heart is deceitful above all things.

We must not judge anything or anybody by how they appear, but only against the Word of God. This is true wisdom.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for your Word which is the true measuring rod for all things. Help me to not judge by feelings but only by what you say. Amen.

Scripture

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Observation

Having heard the words about eating Jesus’ body and drinking His blood, many of Jesus’ disciples start grumbling among themselves.

Jesus responds to this by saying that His words are spirit and life. This is the reason why people can come to Him by the grace of God.

Many of His followers turn away. Jesus as ks the Twelve, “Aren’t you going too?” Peter says, “Lord you have the words of eternal life.”

Application

There are many people who start the christian journey, but fail to follow through to the end. In this passage, people stop following Jesus because they are offended by His words.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus tells us there are three broad reasons why people fail to move on- cares of the world (money, family, jobs etc), persecution or difficulties in life, and satan stealing their faith before the word takes root.

The true disciple hangs on through tough times- whether spiritual battles or physical troubles.

Peter sums it up: “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

I don’t always understand why the Lord allows things to happen the way they do. At times, the Lord feels distant, and I am clinging to Him out of stubbornness.

But where else would I go? Who else or what else can give has the ability to give meaning and purpose to my life? Nobody else can give me eternal life.

So I hang on even when it doesn’t make sense. Eventually I see things in the right perspective again and it all starts to make sense- or at least I can trust Him that it makes sense.

Prayer

Where else would we go Lord? To leave you is to turn my back on eternity. Thank you for the gift of salvation. Please help me to cling to you when life gets difficult. Amen.

Scripture

“Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Observation

The Jewish people begin to grumble because Jesus had said, “I am the bread that comes from heaven.”

Jesus now points out that God gave their forefathers manna from heaven, but those people all died. If anyone eats from the bread that Jesus gives, they will live for ever.

The bread is His flesh. To have eternal life we must eat His flesh and drink His blood.

Application

To a Jew, the idea of cannibalism in any form was abhorrent. This was the worst form of pagan sacrifice. When Jesus starts teaching that they must eat His flesh and drink His blood to gain eternal life, this was deeply offensive.

Of course, Jesus is speaking in symbols here, not literally. He is referring to the bread and wine of Communion. He is saying that we must celebrate His death and take that into our being. If we receive His death in this way, we will receive His life for eternity.

He is also making a distinction between the Old Covenant represented here by manna, and the New Covenant in which God Himself is our sustenance.

The Old Covenant was limited in its effectiveness, but the New Covenant in Christ’s blood is unlimited in its effect.

The ancestors ate the manna, and while it was good for daily food, they still died. Those who eat the Body of Christ, who feast on him, are raised to eternal life.

This promise is not just for a limited group of people in a particular place and time, but for all people from all nations for all time.

How great is our God!

Prayer

Thank you Father for the gift of eternity. Thank you for the privilege of living under a better covenant, a covenant in which Christ is the bread of heaven. Amen.

Scripture

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Observation

The crowd find Jesus on the other side of the lake. Jesus tells them they are only looking for Him because of the bread they ate. Jesus tells them that hey must work for food that endures, not food that spoils.

He goes on to tell them that it was not Moses who gave them food from heaven, but the Father who gives the true bread of heaven.

Jesus is the bread of life. Anyone who comes to Him will not go hungry or thirsty. The Father’s will is that everyone who comes to Jesus will have eternal life.

Application

Jesus is the bread of life. He brings us all that we need for fulfilment in this life and in eternity.

Every form of physical food is good for a short time. It meets a need for a while. Soon we find ourselves needing more.

Only Jesus feeds us for eternity. He meets every spiritual need that we have and will have in the future. When I feed on Him, I know that He will bring me to eternal life.

It is not just about what happens when I die. It is also about this life. People get excited about all kinds of fads and fashions. They think that travelling the world will fix the emptiness inside, or the latest food trend will fill their need, or playing sport. These things are temporary and cannot offer any spiritual nourishment.

Jesus gives us true purpose, a true reason for living. He is the bread of heaven who gives us abundant life.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, fill my spirit. May I look to you and to you alone to be my food and source of life. Amen.