Sunday, September 22, 2019

Is Any Merry? Does Your Cup Runneth Over With The Joy Of The Lord? Let Them Sing Psalms - Part 2415

"The Jews then murmured at Him, because He said, "I AM the bread which came down from heaven." And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that He saith, "I came down from heaven?" Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, "Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 

It is written in the prophets, "And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He which is of God, He hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believes on Me hath everlasting life. I AM that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6)

As we learn here, this discourse was problematic for the Jews because these did not want to believe that Jesus was the I AM from the Old Testament. Indeed, they pointed to Joseph the carpenter as support. "Is not this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?" How often do we do the same, when we refuse to understand that this same Jesus whom ye have crucified is both Lord and Christ? (Acts 2:36) God Himself clothed in sin-prone flesh (as a Son) but without sin. (I Timothy 3:16)

"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)

Is this not what was happening here in John 6, when the Jews would not accept that Jesus was the bread of life -- which came down from heaven? If we continue in this chapter -- John 6, we see Jesus the Christ elaborating about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. Towards the end, Jesus says to His audience, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63)

But not everyone could accept Jesus' teachings here. In fact, so much so that Jesus asks His disciples -- will you leave also? Remember, these were the same people who were diligent enough to go searching for Jesus -- when their bellies were hungry. Or, in today's terms -- when there is a specific need. But doesn't Jesus want us to cleave to Him every day; searching the Word for this living bread which came down from heaven? This same living bread who loved His creation so very much that He would endure the cross so that we could have abundant life in Him!

"Hear ye Him!"

For when we eat of this bread -- Jesus, the bread of life -- we eat thereof and not die -- because He gave His life for the world. His arms outstretched so that we would willingly respond to His love and mercy -- the Light of the world.

Indeed, in this current dispensation of grace, His Name is JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23)

Stand in the offering plate.

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