Daily Reflections on Jn. 6:60-69 (Choices, Choices, Choices)

It had to be a weird moment. One day the disciples are enjoying the adulation of the massive crowd as they strolled through their midst picking up the leftovers from the feeding of the 5,000 and the next day they were trying to slink into the background as Jesus confronted the hungry mob looking for seconds. I've always wondered what was going through the disciples mind as Jesus proclaimed that He wasn't giving the people anymore bread; that if they wanted bread or manna from heaven, they were going to have to eat His flesh and drink His blood.

I have kind of a wild imagination, but my guess is that the disciples were thinking to themselves or even talking among themselves something like, "Man, He's ruining the whole thing. Why can't He do that Sermon on the Mount thing. He really awed them then. He's even dissing their hero, Moses. Come on Jesus, you're killing us here. Lighten up. Eat my flesh and drink my blood, give me a break. Surely you can come up with something better than that."

This whole passage has caused me to do some thinking. What kind of bread are most people choosing today. If Jesus is the bread of life, what kind of bread do we reach for on a daily basis. Seems to me that many people reach for their own plain white bread. It's a staple at most households. But metaphorically speaking, I have a tendency to butter my own bread. I'm not reaching for Jesus. I'm perfectly capable of providing for myself. In fact, I'm going to prove to you Jesus that I belong with you. Everything is based on us, trying to prove our worth to ourselves, to others and to God. It's really about performance. But the problem is how much is a enough to please God or others or even myself.

Others seem to choose an alternative bread. They reach for the whole wheat variety. Now this is different. It's not mainstream. But it's ultimately still about buttering my own bread. I can try meditation, self help, organic, or whatever, still is about proving my worth through my efforts. That's still a form of performance in a different package.

Then there's the pumpernickel eaters. Now that's really unique. This is the "I just want my freedom" connoisseur. I don't want any rules. I'll just want to do things my way, how I feel. I want to approach people, God, everything based on my own feelings, desires and wants. Unfortunately, this isn't very unique and it certainly isn't free. It's really costly. You can choose to do whatever you want, you just can't choose your consequences. If everyone did whatever they wanted when they wanted it'd be total anarchy, total chaos. God isn't interested if fakes or shows. He's all about authenticity. But unless you do things His way, you're out of luck and you're hurting yourself and others too.

Next in the bread line are the rye takers. Not rye in the sense of humor, but rye in mindset. "If I could just get into a new environment, then things would be better." "If I could just get a new husband or wife, then things will be better. If I could just get a new job...If I could just get a new house, car, etc....If I just had different parents...If I was just in different circumstances...If only...If only...If only." And so the beat goes on. The problem with that thinking is that wherever you go, there you are. You haven't changed. You're still the same person, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. The only person who can give you a new life, make you a new person is Jesus.

My favorites in the bread section are Raisin Bread lovers. I say favorite, because I think this really is where many people are, especially those who claim to be followers of Christ. These are the individuals who decide that since God is love, that I can disobey Him in just this one area, that tastes so sweet, and get away with it. God's gonna forgive me for this. It's only one area and I'm not hurting anyone. Sin always affects others. It damages your reputation. It prevents you from ever knowing what God could or would do with you if you'd only surrendered to Him completely. You drive that little wedge in that keeps you from growing deeply with Him.

Jesus said that He was the bread of life. He is the manna or bread from Heaven. He said to eat His flesh and drink His blood. That may seem difficult in this world, but it is the only way to life now and life eternal. The crowd walked away. The disciples were thinking about walking away. And when Jesus asked them if they wanted to go too, Peter said, "Lord, where would we go? You alone have the words of eternal life. You are the Holy One, the promised one, the Messiah, the answer from God."

God, there is certainly a lot of bread to choose from in this world. But I choose the Bread of Life. I could choose another type of bread, but I know it wouldn't be satisfying. There's really only one choice that leads to you and life. I'd be back for you. And although following you is sometimes extremely difficult, I still choose you. I want to consume you. I'm hungry for you.

Daily Reflections on Isa. 61:1-2, 10 (Release Feels So Good)

Jesus strolled into his hometown synagogue with His building prominence. He had been making quite a name for Himself throughout the region with His teaching. He was asked to speak out of courtesy or perhaps curiosity. After all, He was the son of a carpenter turned rabbi. He asked for the scrolls from Isaiah and began to read from chapter 61, "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD." Then He told the crowd listening, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Jesus' proclamation about this Himself and this passage tells us that this chapter is prophecy about promise of God's Messiah. Not only did Jesus make this assertion, the religious leaders and others in the synagogue believed this passage was about God's Deliverer as well. They were so incensed by Jesus' claim to be the Messiah that they wanted to throw Him off a cliff.

If everyone in Jesus' day understood this passage to be about God's promise to deliver His people, then it only makes sense for us to interpret these verses in light of God's promise. Look again at the words Isaiah uses; bring good news to the afflicted, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. They are promises regarding the victory Jesus brings to our spiritual state.

The message of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection is good news to us who are struggling in our own humanity. He brings hope for those who have no hope. He releases us from the burden and captivity of our sinful nature. The favorable year of the Lord is a reference to the Year of Jubilee when all debts were forgiven and things restored to the original owners. The favorable year of the Lord is symbolic of God's forgiveness of all our debts, sins, or as the KJV Bible says, trespasses.

If this passage is about the deliverance God brings through Jesus, then the garment of salvation and the robe of righteousness referred to in verse 10 is a direct parallel to Galatians 3:27 which says, "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." When I accept Christ and are baptized into Him, God puts on us the garment of salvation or the robe of His righteousness. That means that when God looks at us, He no longer sees our guilty, sinful lives; He sees Jesus. No wonder God remembers our sin no more.

God, thanks for doing for me what I can't do for myself. I'm trapped in my own sinful, corrupt, human nature. There's no way out except for you. Thanks for healing my spirit. Thanks for opening the locks to the fetters that hold me down, that enslave me. Thanks for your wonderful forgiveness. Thanks for the renewal and restoration.

Daily Reflections on Eph. 5:1-10 (True Freedom)

It was 1776 and on this date a group of statesmen gathered together to sign the Declaration of Independence from British rule. They set the course for a new, independent nation. That course would mean sacrifice and struggle and determination. Forging out a new democracy would be a challenge. This newly conceived democracy ultimately would become the pattern for freedom throughout the world. These visionaries broke the current mold of thinking and pursued a lifestyle unknown to the culture of the day.

Since the foundational days of the U.S. of A., successive generations have sought not only to follow the dreams of their founding fathers, but to flesh out the implications of those dreams. In many respects, Paul is urging followers of Christ to do the same thing, to live out the dreams and aspirations that God in Christ has for His people. As His children we are called to live by a standard that is antithetical to the world's lifestyle. Not that God calls us us to live above the world's level with a condescending attitude, but rather with the ambition of calling others to a higher plain.

The path of sin leads to tyranny and oppression. The Bible refers to it as being slaves to sin. Although many people think that if they accept Christ as Lord and Savior of their life, they will have to give up their freedom. It's just the opposite. People can choose to do whatever they want to do, but they can't choose the consequences of their actions or sin.

Paul says that Jesus is the only true path to freedom, that the Spirit of Life/Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and death. Is the path to freedom easy? Not really. It came at a high cost, the life of Jesus. It takes courage, boldness, determination, self-sacrifice to follow Christ. Without that attitude and spirit, the U.S. wouldn't exist today. It took some gutsy people to pull that off. In a sense The Church is a new nation, a chosen nation according to Peter, that is set apart to fulfill God's purpose to bring true freedom to the world. We can't do that by following the old path.

God, I want to be a freedom fighter. I want to follow the example set by my forefathers of faith. Rising above the status quo of the world takes a sense of commitment and determination and empowerment that only comes from your Spirit. Fill me. Mold me. Empower me. I want to live to please you, God.