Choices

In college, most majors have some very difficult classes in the freshman year that separate those who are serious about and capable of learning their particular major from those who are not. By the end of the freshman year, a large number of students have changed majors or some even drop out. It seems that the teachings in John 6 are separating those who are serious about following this particular Rabbi from those who are not. “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’” John 6:60 And then, “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” John 6:66

Jesus asked the 12 that were chosen, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” John 6:67

I am very much alive in the flesh. If you pinch me, I’ll at least jump if not more. This is the world I live in every day. I’m real. I need sleep. I get hungry. I get thirsty. I need the bare basics: food, shelter, sense of well being.

But Jesus says, “The flesh counts for nothing.” More completely, he says, “The Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” John 6:63 But my flesh screams at me every morning when I get out of bed and stumble toward the coffee maker. How can it count for nothing? All day long, my flesh lives and breathes. It goes to work, it spends time with family, it works around the house, and it visits with neighbors and friends.

Each day when I get up, I choose between life in the spirit and life in the flesh. Am I going to yield to my fleshly desires or am I going to follow the Rabbi. Actually, these decisions are going on all day. Jesus encourages us that his teachings are life.

I like Peter’s response, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:60 Ahhh! Here is the thought that helps make the decision more clear – the word ‘eternal’ in front of life. So I can choose to live for the here and now, or I can choose to live for eternity. Where am I going to put my energy today? In preparing for eternity or in getting through today?

There is another word to consider as well. What is it I believe concerning this Rabbi. Is he the ‘Holy One of God,’ the Messiah? If I believe he is the Messiah, then I am going to do everything in my power (and his) to learn what he is teaching. I am going to choose to be his disciple and follow him.

This, then, is the turning point. Either I am going after him with everything I have including life itself, or am turning away because I don’t have the guts to go on or I don’t believe he truly is the Messiah.

Today, I choose to go after him – to seek him with all my heart, all my mind, all my soul, all my strength! I want my life to count for more than 60-90 years of just going through each day. I want it to add up to eternity!