CREDIT: J.M. Luijt
Dear Friends and Family,
In case you hadn’t heard, it’s an election year – an opportunity to vote for those we think best to lead us. Though I take this responsibility seriously, too often I’m forced to decide between the lesser of two evils as candidates rarely align perfectly with my ideal of good leadership. This shouldn’t be a surprise as candidates are human – and thus imperfect.
On the other hand, Jesus wasn’t a politician trying to get our votes. The Son of God spoke the truth in all things. Unlike us and those on our ballots – He is perfect. Yet many people see Jesus like He’s a candidate on a ballot. They hear some things and say, “I like His policies.” Then they hear other things and say, “I can’t support that. I’ll choose another.”
The crowds were behind Jesus 100% when He gave them what they wanted, bread to eat. But when He told them this bread was a sign pointing to who He is and what He truly does, saying, “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink,” (John 6:55-56) they turned away. At this point, He wasn’t telling people to literally eat and drink Him; but to consume His word – all of it, whether they liked it or not – by hearing it, believing it, living it out.
Jesus is perfect. His word, all of it, is truth. We can’t pick and choose the parts we like and discard the rest – like Jesus is a candidate for office. We can’t turn away from Jesus to follow another, hoping they’ll give us life. There’s only one to follow, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68-69) Let us consume “the Word Made Flesh,” letting His word nourish us through this life into eternal life.
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Jim