Jesus Is The Bread Of Life-2

Our conclusion to Jesus Is The Bread Of Life confronts us with the question of our commitment to Him.

Jesus Is The Bread Of Life-2

Continued from Jesus Is The Bread Of Life

When my brother was a teenager, he worked a couple tomato harvests in California. He worked on a truck that followed behind the picker, called a "sorter". It took too much time for human pickers to decide which tomatoes would be kept and which wouldn't, so everything got picked automatically (including snakes and slow rats). The sorters would cull the tomatoes, keeping the ones that met their size, shape, and color requirements. Everything else, the "culls", were thrown out.

We're so used to everyone having a "right" to everything in our modern culture, the concept of meeting some criteria seems offensive and unfair. But that's just what Jesus does in this episode. He sets the standard, in this case, to eat His body and drink His blood. Then, each person could decide if they would meet the standard or not. It's not clear if the disciples who stayed knew he didn't mean literal body and blood. Because of that, this Scripture is still "culling" people who don't believe today. This isn't arbitrary! Each one decides if they believe or just want to be served. The "culls" remove themselves as soon as the cost of discipleship is known. One sad thing about many modern churches is, by doing everything for the people, they rob them of the cost of following Jesus and the opportunity to truly decide they're called by God.

The call of Jesus: "…he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Mt 16:24
You decide: Are you one of the called or one of the culled?

http://www.web-church.com is devoted to letting people pay the cost of following Jesus. Our Online Christian Discipleship School forces people to read, interpret and answer questions about Scripture at least 16 hours before they graduate. By the way, if you disagree with anything we say or do, please tell us; but if you want us to change, show us in the Bible. Our E-Home Fellowship church "Gathering" concept forces people to be hosts and share what God's doing in their own lives, rather than be served some professional's relationship with God. All this forces the non-committed to cull themselves and allows the called to partake of the body and blood of Jesus personally and fully.

3. The Committed: The "culls" committed to what they believed. Vs 66 "…many of His disciples…no longer followed Him." The "called" committed, as well. Vs 69 "We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." Many have taught this as a depressing time in the ministry of Jesus. I disagree! As a full-time servant in the Church for over 10 years, I can tell you the most exciting times for me have been when the dead branches and suckers have been pruned away, leaving only those who are truly part of the Vine (Jn 15). After the pruning is always a miraculous harvest because all the Vine's energy is focused on fruitful growth. That makes it very exciting when hardships arise, causing people to "jump ship". We can get excited and "count it all joy". Instead of asking "why me" we can say, "praise God it's me that hung." We can stand up and "Consider it pure joy" Ja 1:2, because "…he who stands firm to the end will be saved." Mt 24:12-13

Dear Lord, When hardships come, give us the faith to stand with you. Help us to consider it joy. Give us the courage to stand up and look those who remain in the eye, and know, these are the called. Keep our minds focused on your goal of bringing people into a life-changing relationship with you. Help us to focus on you instead of food or any other distraction. Instead of consumers of religious services, let us consume you.

It would be great if you decided, as a commitment to remain in Him, to take communion with as many of the "called" as you have around. Just pause the tape and get something to represent the body (like bread) and the blood (like juice), and I'll lead. Dear Lord, thank you for breaking your body for us, so that we could become your body. (take the bread) Thank you for pouring out your blood for us, so that our sins could be forgiven and we could live forever in you. (take the juice) Help us to remain in you and let you live in and through us.

Jesus Is The Bread Of Life-2

I'm honored that you've allowed me to be a part of your Christian life. Please return often for fellowship, study and prayer. Thank you very much for visiting.

Love & Hugs,
Glen

Our conclusion to Jesus Is The Bread Of Life confronts us with the question of our commitment to Him.