Rebellion – Nothing New

We have been working our way through the life of Jesus. We have not always been in order but close. So far Jesus ministry has been centered around the sea of Galilee.

He has been healing and raising. He has been teaching and preaching. He has been doing mighty wonders of amazing miracles. He has walked on water. He made water into wind. he raised the dead. He has made people walk and fed them when food seemed to be a thing of illusion.

But not all of His teaching has been easy. For example, He said you must be born again. He said that He has water that will make you never thirst again. And the latest is he said I am the bread and the wine You must eat and drink of me, referring to the gift of salvation that comes only through Jesus Christ death on the cross and the life giving gift of the Holy Spirit

But it is hard to understand

And this is where we find this passage today

With a turning point for Jesus and his ministry

John 6:60-71

John 6:60–71 CSB

Therefore, when many of his disciples heard this, they said, “This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?” Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, asked them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you were to observe the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? The Spirit is the one who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some among you who don’t believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning those who did not believe and the one who would betray him.) He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted to him by the Father.” From that moment many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus replied to them, “Didn’t I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.” He was referring to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, one of the Twelve, because he was going to betray him.

Pray

When it first says disciple it isn’t directly talking about the 12

With all that He is doing other people had joined him in following Him around. Jesus has His circles. Same kind of circles we all form around us of closer and closer people. Jesus has his Peter and John that are closest to him. And his 12. And then it spreads out to other disciples

And they all begin to question what is Jesus saying and doing

Is this just a little too much. Have we been led astray?

They begin to leave

Things were not coming together as they hoped. Many of these people hoped that Jesus would just keep healing and not teach anything, Like health and wealth often does. Many wanted Jesus to lead a revolt against the Roman empire

Things didn’t show up as they predicted and they began to become upset. Jesus then ask the 12 do you too want to leave

It is Peter that answers being the leader of the group. You are God we won’t leave you. But Jesus knows that Judas will betray him already in his ministry. Who knows maybe this is where Judas started questioning. Jesus did choose Judas. Judas worked miracles in Galilee and preached for Jesus. He evangelized villages and brought converts into the fold. Even the other disciples did not detect him. But maybe this is the point in which he started questioning that lead to him betraying Jesus when Jesus gets to Jerusalem and discloses himself as the Son of God He just couldn’t bear it anymore. I don’t know but it is possible

Do the grumbling of the disciples and the rebellion of Judas exist in the Church today?

One could hardly say no

We often don’t want to hear anything new And if we don’t want to hear it we really don’t want to implement it

On top of that we often rebel against God and do things he directly says not to too

We call this sin and often we do it on purpose

Each of us form our own set of religious assumptions and defend them in the name of God

But Jesus and his mission is more complex than any Christian tradition We must always be willing to relinquish our position

To follow Jesus. To say, “Lord, to whom shall we Go? You have the words of eternal life.”

That is not to say we give up our position in the face of Sin

But hold tight to the teaching of God that reached it pinnacle with Jesus

Are you willing to follow Jesus to be faithful?

Are you I have learned all I am going to Jesus has nothing more to show me

The Bible is just old hat I don’t learn anything new when I read it

It was good enough for my parents ….Where is Jesus trying to lead you

Accept Jesus

Pray