Reading
SAA Notes
Grumbling seems to characterise God’s people in every age. It was a problem in Moses’ day too. What marvellous truths does Jesus disclose about Himself, about faith. Why did people find these hard?
SJA Notes
* Father God, please soften our hearts to hear Your word to us today.
“Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
What a hard word this is to understand!
The people listening to Jesus said the same thing,
“When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?'”
Jesus is the Heavenly Man.
Jesus is the God’s Word _become flesh_.
Jesus shed His blood, a washing of salvation, an offering, a sacrifice – For there can be no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood.
Why does Jesus speak like this?
Jesus said things that people could not listen to, they couldn’t handle the ideas and concepts in Jesus’ words.
Are we softening the good news because we are worried people will turn away?
Look at what happened here,
“After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.”
This is Jesus, and He said things that offended even His own disciples so that they no longer walked with Him!
What is this?
“This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”
Can we listen to what Jesus says?
From the first word of Genesis to the last word of Revelation – Is God’s full word our delight?
Jesus is pointing us to the spiritual realities, not the earthly shadow.
Let us wrestle with this word from Him today.
* Dear God,
Please help us understand Your word today.
Amen.