Why Jesus?

Why Jesus?

John 6:51-59, “⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” ⁵² Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” ⁵³ Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” ⁵⁹ He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.”

This scripture is very troubling for many people today and was very troubling for those who followed Jesus. Some Christian faiths believe that when they take communion they are actually partaking of the flesh and blood of Jesus. I am not going to argue with anyone about their beliefs when they profess Christ as Lord. Not what this is about. The question is why Jesus? You see even those who had known Jesus personally and had walked with him could not understand what he was talking about here. John 6:60, “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Now these people had been with Him they had seen all the miracles that he had worked. He had not many days earlier feed 5000 men with a boys sack lunch. But this was so different to them that many walked away even after Jesus explained it.
John 6:61-65, “⁶¹ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶² Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! ⁶³ The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. ⁶⁴ Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. ⁶⁵ He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” We must be led to Jesus by the Holy Spirit God draws us to His son that is why time and time again I have stressed we pray for the lost in our lives only God can truly bring someone to salvation. But like I said not all who followed Jesus understood what he taught. So many turned away John 6:66, “From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.” You know it is easy sometimes to question why we follow God and His Son Jesus, Life still seems hard and terrible things happen but I have to agree with Peter. John 6:67-69, “⁶⁷ “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. ⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” Let me tell you this is the truth no other religion in the world does the person call themselves God or make claims to the fact no other religious characters have worked the miracles seen and reported in scripture. To be honest even today the use of we have seen that when we use the name Jesus things change. I read this from Dr. Norman Geisler, “So I will cast my Lot with Him—not the one who claimed wisdom, Confucius; or the one who claimed enlightenment, Buddha; or the one who claimed to be a prophet, Muhammad; but the one who claimed to be God in human flesh. Before Abraham was born, I am! [John 8:58] – and proved it.” C.S. Lewis once explained that Jesus was either a stark raving Lunatic or He was the Son of God. He saw no example that Jesus was crazy but many examples of Godly power throughout his ministry. So I ask you that same question Why Jesus? For me He is the only answer he has seen me through so much and I have seen just the mention of His name change things so like Peter, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” [John 6:68b] I will be praying for you and asking the Holy Spirit to move on you today in ways that will assure you of your calling. Have a blessed day in the Lord.