Bible League: Living His Word "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God." Jesus told the crowd of Jews that was following Him that they must believe in the one the Lord had sent, that they must believe in Him (John 6:29). The Jews had a problem with this. They had a problem with the belief that Jesus was the one sent from heaven, that He was something more than a mere mortal. They asked, '"Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"' (John 6:42). Many of the Jews that had been following Jesus turned away from Him that day. This prompted Jesus' question to the Twelve in our verse for today: "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Peter answered that Jesus had the words of eternal life. Jesus had the words that would save anyone who believed them from eternal death and destruction. Peter knew that if Jesus' words were true, then you can't just walk away from Him, you can't just ignore Him. Peter said they could not walk away because they had come to believe that Jesus was the one sent from above, that He truly was "the Holy One of God." They had been enabled by the Father in heaven above to come to Jesus and believe in Him (John 6:65). Although Jesus' life and ministry testified to the truth of His claim, it still took a special work of the Father to enable them to believe. Indeed, it takes a special work of grace from the Father for anyone to believe. Once the decision is made, once the belief comes about, however, you have only one option. You have to stay with Jesus and follow Him. You can't go back to where you were, you can't follow someone else, you can only take up your cross and follow Jesus, wherever that may lead (Matthew 16:24). There may be trials, troubles, tribulations, and persecutions, but it doesn't really matter. For if the Father has enabled you to believe in Jesus, then there is simply no other place to go. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingEzekiel 32, 33 Ezekiel 32 -- Lament over Pharaoh and Egypt NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Ezekiel 33 -- Ezekiel the Watchman; News of Jerusalem's Capture NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 Peter 1 1 Peter 1 -- Peter Praises God for His Manifold Grace; Be Holy, for I Am Holy NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.Insight Why is it so tempting to “love pleasure rather than God”? Pleasure is something we can control; God cannot be controlled. Most pleasures can be obtained easily; love for God requires effort and sometimes sacrifice. Pleasure benefits us now; the benefits of loving God are often in the future. Pleasure has a narcotic effect; it takes our minds off ourselves and our problems. Love for God reminds us of our needs and our responsiblities. Pleasure cooperates with pride. It makes us feel good when we look good in the eyes of others. Challenge To love God we must lay aside our pride and our accomplishments. Have you chosen to love pleasure, or to love God? How do you know? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Isaiah 33:21 The glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams.Broad rivers and streams produce fertility, and abundance in the land. Places near broad rivers are remarkable for the variety of their plants and their plentiful harvests. God is all this to his Church. Having God she has abundance. What can she ask for that he will not give her? What want can she mention which he will not supply? "In this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things." Want ye the bread of life? It drops like manna from the sky. Want ye refreshing streams? The rock follows you, and that Rock is Christ. If you suffer any want it is your own fault; if you are straitened you are not straitened in him, but in your own bowels. Broad rivers and streams also point to commerce. Our glorious Lord is to us a place of heavenly merchandise. Through our Redeemer we have commerce with the past; the wealth of Calvary, the treasures of the covenant, the riches of the ancient days of election, the stores of eternity, all come to us down the broad stream of our gracious Lord. We have commerce, too, with the future. What galleys, laden to the water's edge, come to us from the millennium! What visions we have of the days of heaven upon earth! Through our glorious Lord we have commerce with angels; communion with the bright spirits washed in blood, who sing before the throne; nay, better still, we have fellowship with the Infinite One. Broad rivers and streams are specially intended to set forth the idea of security. Rivers were of old a defence. Oh! beloved, what a defence is God to his Church! The devil cannot cross this broad river of God. How he wishes he could turn the current, but fear not, for God abideth immutably the same. Satan may worry, but he cannot destroy us; no galley with oars shall invade our river, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. Daily Light on the Daily Path Luke 8:21 But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."Hebrews 2:11,12 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, • saying, "I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE." Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. John 15:14 "You are My friends if you do what I command you. Luke 11:28 But He said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it." Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. John 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. 1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 1 John 2:5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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