John 6:60-69, “Many among his disciples heard this and said, “This is tough teaching, too tough to swallow.” Jesus sensed that his disciples were having a hard time with this and said, “Does this throw you completely? What would happen if you saw the Son of Man ascending to where he came from? The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. BUT SOME OF YOU ARE RESISTING, REFUSING TO HAVE ANY PART IN THIS.” (JESUS KNEW FROM THE START THAT SOME WEREN’T GOING TO RISK THEMSELVES WITH HIM. He knew also who would betray him.) He went on to say, “This is why I told you earlier that no one is capable of coming to me on his own. You get to me only as a gift from the Father.” AFTER THIS A LOT OF HIS DISCIPLES LEFT. THEY NO LONGER WANTED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH HIM. Then Jesus gave the Twelve their chance: “DO YOU ALSO WANT TO LEAVE?” Peter replied, “MASTER, TO WHOM WOULD WE GO? YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF REAL LIFE, ETERNAL LIFE. WE’VE ALREADY COMMITTED OURSELVES, CONFIDENT THAT YOU ARE THE HOLY ONE OF GOD.” (MSG)
For those who know me well, know that I am a history buff! And not any particular history, but all of it! I love the origin of things, how they began, how they got started, why, where, when and with whom. However, not all people find themselves to be the history buff that I am. Most people find history absolutely boring. But if you think all American history is boring, you need to check out the greatest American adventure ever – the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Just as America bought the Louisiana Purchase and suddenly owned much of the West, President Jefferson asked Meriwether Lewis to put together an expedition to explore this unknown territory. Imagine 30 men, going where no non-Native Americans had ever gone, seeing what no non-Native American had ever seen – like the Rocky Mountains, animals like antelope and prairie dogs, tribes that had never been contacted. Can you imagine the sheer excitement of going where others haven’t? Seeing what others haven’t? Doing what others haven’t? Experiencing what others haven’t?
Well, it was Captain Lewis who then wrote William Clark and invited Clark to join him saying, “If there is anything in this enterprise which would induce you to participate with me in its fatigues, its dangers, and its honors…” Here was Clark’s answer, “I will cheerfully join you and partake of the dangers, difficulties, and fatigues, and I anticipate the honors and rewards.”
His life was never the same again!
As I first read that invitation to the hardships and rewards of a great expedition, all I could think of was a similar invitation I received from Jesus – and so have you – to join Him in the dangers and difficulties, and the honors and rewards of joining His mission on Planet Earth.
John 15:18-19, “If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you.” (MSG)
Matthew 10:21-23, “When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don’t quit. Don’t cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. It is not success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you’ve run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived.” (MSG)
I don’t know about you, but that is not an invitation that looks all that inviting to me!
But, let’s travel on a little further… John 6, is where we find large crowds following Jesus. However, don’t be fooled into believing they’re willing to pay the price to go where He goes. No, they’re into Jesus as long as He gives them good feelings, miracles, and free bread! Sounds a lot like church folks today if you ask me! Oh we’ll follow Jesus, as long as there’s going to Eventually be a prophecy fulfilled that we finally get to receive the new spouse, new house, new job, new land, new church, new money, new health! But Jesus is not fooled at all! John 6:25-26, “…SO WHEN THE CROWD REALIZED HE WAS GONE AND WASN’T COMING BACK, they piled into the Tiberias boats and headed for Capernaum, LOOKING FOR JESUS. When they found him back across the sea, they said, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” JESUS ANSWERED, “YOU’VE COME LOOKING FOR ME NOT BECAUSE YOU SAW GOD IN MY ACTIONS BUT BECAUSE I FED YOU, FILLED YOUR STOMACHS—AND FOR FREE.” (MSG)
Do you follow Jesus like that? Only for what you can get from Him? Is He only worth following when it’s of benefit to you? Are you following looking to receive ‘stuff?’ Are you following for the blessings and miracles, or out of pure love and obedience? Because if you are at all confused about the purpose for following Jesus and what He’s all about, then just keep on reading…Because next, Jesus decides it’s time to clarify what He’s all about. Chapter 6:51-65, “I’m telling you the most solemn and sober truth now: Whoever believes in me has real life, eternal life. I am the Bread of Life. Your ancestors ate the manna bread in the desert and died. But now here is Bread that truly comes down out of heaven. Anyone eating this Bread will not die, ever. I am the Bread—living Bread!—who came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this Bread will live—and forever! The Bread that I present to the world so that it can eat and live is myself, this flesh-and-blood self.” At this, the Jews started fighting among themselves: “How can this man serve up his flesh for a meal?” But Jesus didn’t give an inch. “Only insofar as you eat and drink flesh and blood, the flesh and blood of the Son of Man, do you have life within you. The one who brings a hearty appetite to this eating and drinking has eternal life and will be fit and ready for the Final Day. My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. By eating my flesh and drinking my blood you enter into me and I into you. In the same way that the fully alive Father sent me here and I live because of him, so the one who makes a meal of me lives because of me. This is the Bread from heaven. Your ancestors ate bread and later died. Whoever eats this Bread will live always.” He said these things while teaching in the meeting place in Capernaum. Many among his disciples heard this and said, “This is tough teaching, too tough to swallow.” Jesus sensed that his disciples were having a hard time with this and said, “Does this throw you completely? What would happen if you saw the Son of Man ascending to where he came from? The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. BUT SOME OF YOU ARE RESISTING, REFUSING TO HAVE ANY PART IN THIS.” (JESUS KNEW FROM THE START THAT SOME WEREN’T GOING TO RISK THEMSELVES WITH HIM. He knew also who would betray him.) He went on to say, “This is why I told you earlier that no one is capable of coming to me on his own. You get to me only as a gift from the Father.” (MSG)
Jesus says in essence, “Folks, this is about giving My life and you joining Me in it. It’s about fatigue, danger and difficulty. It’s about sacrifice, life and death. It’s about blood, sweat and tears. This will be no easy task! This will be hard, trying and painful! It’s not about blessings and miracles, it’s not about selfishness but selflessness. So are you in it with Me?” Their response comes in verse 66, “After this a lot of his disciples left. They no longer wanted to be associated with him.” (MSG)
When Jesus laid out the price, most of those who claimed to follow Him, un-followed Him! And many still do. Which again, reminds me of today’s church. “Lord, I’ll follow you forever!” But then the eviction and foreclosure notices come; the diagnosis comes; the scholarship and grant don’t come; the lights and gas are turned off; you’re passed over for the promotion; the job does a mass layoff and you’re first to go; the marriage of 20 years ends; after waiting for years to get pregnant, and finally it happens, but then so does the miscarriage; you heard God call you to pastor, but the church is now empty; the car is repossessed; your daughter is pregnant; your son is in the gang; your best friend just passed away. What then happens to our “Lord, I’ll follow you forever!”…when times get hard, brutal, discouraging, and painful? And the part that’s most difficult to digest is that it’s not like Jesus didn’t pre-warn us: John 16:31-33, “Jesus answered them, “Do you finally believe? In fact, you’re about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I’m not abandoned. The Father is with me. I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.” (MSG)
Yes, you’ll experience pain, and trials, struggles, hardship, rejection, and hurt, but Jesus says, “Just trust Me, believe it or not, but I’ve already conquered what you’re battling.” And yet, we can’t seem to make it past this flesh of doubt, fear and unbelief. We desire to follow you Jesus, but this level of discomfort and devastation is far more than we bargained for. But, it’s in times like those, that we have to remember that we’re in a great company of survivors who stuck with Jesus all the way! 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, “I’ve worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death’s door time after time. I’ve been flogged five times with the Jews’ thirty-nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I’ve been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day. In hard traveling year in and year out, I’ve had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I’ve been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I’ve known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather. And that’s not the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches…” (MSG)
Now if Paul can endure that and keep on pressing forward with Jesus, who are we to quit? Look what he survived, and without complaint! He didn’t throw in the towel, he didn’t quit, he didn’t give up, he didn’t walk away, he didn’t throw a pity party, he didn’t cry why me. He didn’t act like Moses (Lord, use someone else, I stutter). He didn’t act like Jonah (and go in the opposite direction of his assignment). He didn’t act like Elijah (Lord, just let me die). He didn’t act like Peter (and deny he even knew Jesus). No, Paul stayed the course and arrived at his destination! Listen, you can’t afford to get off track now, just because the ride is a bit more bumpy and longer than you originally anticipated! There’s a crown waiting on the other side of this cross, but you’ve got to endure the pain to get it!
Hebrews 12:1-3, “Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—HE COULD PUT UP WITH ANYTHING ALONG THE WAY: CROSS, SHAME, WHATEVER. AND NOW HE’S THERE, IN THE PLACE OF HONOR, RIGHT ALONGSIDE GOD. WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELVES FLAGGING IN YOUR FAITH, GO OVER THAT STORY AGAIN, ITEM BY ITEM, THAT LONG LITANY OF HOSTILITY HE PLOWED THROUGH. THAT WILL SHOOT ADRENALINE INTO YOUR SOULS!” (MSG)
Being reminded of all Jesus endured just for us is more than enough encouragement to endure to the end! So, don’t give up, don’t turn back, don’t compromise, don’t call it quits, keep pressing as our ancestors did! Hebrews 11:13-16, “EACH ONE OF THESE PEOPLE OF FAITH DIED NOT YET HAVING IN HAND WHAT WAS PROMISED, BUT STILL BELIEVING. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world. People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home. If they were homesick for the old country, they could have gone back any time they wanted. But they were after a far better country than that—heaven country. You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them.” (MSG)
Don’t you want a testimony like that?! As hard as it was, you didn’t give up on God! You stuck it out with Him all the way! And therefore, God is proud of you, and has a crown and a city awaiting your arrival! Now that’s encouragement! So, unlike those disciples that heard the price they would have to pay for following Jesus and therefore decided not to, don’t make the same fatal choice! Don’t miss out on all that God has for you because of a little bumps and bruises along the believers journey! Instead, follow Peter’s lead: John 6:66-69, “After this a lot of his disciples left. They no longer wanted to be associated with him. Then Jesus gave the Twelve their chance: “Do you also want to leave?” Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.” (MSG)
And those few who look at the hardships and still sign on for the expedition are those who will – like the Twelve – change the world and turn it upside down!
Listen to Peter’s words in the Amplified Bible: “Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope]. We have believed and confidently trusted, and [even more] we have come to know [by personal observation and experience] that You are the Holy One of God [the Christ, the Son of the living God].” (AMP) That needs to be our response! “Lord, there’s nowhere else and no one else to go to! You alone hold our hope of eternal life! Yes, this journey with You is painful, but yet, we still believe in You, we’re still confident in You, we’re still trusting You, because our personal observation and experience with You proves You are the Holy One of God, the Christ, the Son of the Living God! How could we possibly walk away from following a leader like that?”
Well saints, right now, Jesus is calling someone who is listening this day to join Him in His great mission, His great adventure, His great expedition. And that someone is you and me! But, like Captain Lewis writing to William Clark, Jesus is up front about the “fatigues and the dangers” and the honors that go only to those who will risk it!
And truth is, you may be hesitating to totally follow Jesus because of how hard it’s going to be. Or you may be contemplating bailing out of what God has called you to do because it’s already gotten harder than you expected. But remember, the easy road never leads to anything that really matters. In fact, Jesus said it leads to destruction. Matthew 7:13-14, “Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.” (MSG). The Amplified Bible says it like this, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.” (AMP)
In a nutshell: Choose what’s cheap and easy and you will choose what’s small and insignificant. Choose to follow Jesus on His road of sacrifice and risk, and you’ll be choosing the excitement and the rewards that only His radical disciples ever know!
So there before you is your Captain’s invitation to join Him in His amazing adventure. It’s a choice between the comfortable and the demanding, the predictable and the unpredictable, a life that matters and a life that doesn’t. And as you consider the cost of following Christ, consider the cost of not following Him. That I assure you costs a lot more! No, it’s not easy, but it’s worth it! Don’t stray now, you’ve come too far with God to get off track! Remain faithful and keep following, He’s leading you somewhere Great!
Don’t give up on your marriage; don’t give up on your family; don’t close the church doors; don’t shut down the business; don’t quit school; don’t avoid church and church folks; don’t sit on your gifts, anointing, talents and skill. As hard as things are, and may get, stay with Jesus the entire journey! Don’t get in the wrong lane; don’t go the wrong way; don’t stop and park and say that’s it, enough is enough, I can’t go any further on this painful road of life. Don’t be like those disciples once times got hard, they took the easy way out and left Him! No, the safest place in all the world is in the Presence and Will of God, let nothing and no one make you believe that you can get that kind of protection and provision anywhere else! It may be tough, but you’re with Jesus! What do you ever have to fear when you’re in the company of the One who death, the cross, and a grave couldn’t keep down?! If He’s with you, there’s nothing that will be able to hold you down either, no matter how heavy the burdens of life get!
Yes, this walk with God is hard, and many days are painful, but never let the cross cause you to lose sight of the crown just beyond it. You have to endure as a good soldier, and what do good soldiers have to endure? Pain, fatigue, enemy attacks, war, and even battle scars, but they stay in it! They endure and fight, and fight to endure! And you will do the same thing!
I know it’s been hard, and I most certainly am not here to tell you that the battle and storm is over, your struggles are ended, your war is done, you will receive no more bumps and bruises! No, we endure to the end! Until that trumpet sounds, we continue to fight and endure, and fight to endure! Just remember the blessings that come with the burdens! You my friend are granted eternal life; a white robe; a costly crown and a heaven as your home, isn’t that worth a few wounds from living in this world?
My friends be encouraged today to stay with Jesus no matter how hard the journey becomes. You’ve come too far with Him to turn back now! Follow Him All the Way!
Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged
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