John 6:1-3, 35-71 ~ Who can accept it?

John 6:1-3, 35-71

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples.

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 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.


60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

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.”

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

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.”

70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh were you there when they crucified my Lord?
(Ohh, sometimes it causes me to tremble)
Tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed Him to the cross?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the cross?
(Ohh, sometimes it causes me to tremble)
Tremble
Were you there when they nailed Him to the cross?

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
(Ohh, sometimes it causes me to tremble)
Tremble
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

Well, were you there when the stone was rolled away?
Were you there when the stone was rolled away?
(Ohh, sometimes it causes me to tremble)
Tremble
Were you there when the stone was rolled away?

For those who Love Jesus, we picture people interacting with Him in Scriptures. We wonder where we would have been, if we had been a face in the multitudes - like Zacchaeus.

John 6 is a Fabulous Chapter 
                           and Jesus faces these things so we fully - completely - understand - Life does test us.

Intentionally.

God picks challenges for us like He did for His Son. Pastors face challenges with their disciples. Jesus did have challenges for the faithful - aren't we the good guys? Jesus faced grumbling from - the Faithful. 

If you grumble at God, This is Your Chapter.

When we face a problem the first question was ask ourselves - like a bear hunt - can we avoid this? Is it large?

God answers this quietly; remember with me, God spoke quietly to Elijah. 
Or like John's Gospel in the 6th Chapter -

7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

John 6 also includes a wonderful, wonderful "Thank You, Jesus!" part - 

20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

(Father, please let all our problems be solved quickly! Oonce we take You with us in prayer!!! In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen! Amen being in the so be it done in Your Will category. Amen.)


 

And God will let us hang like a loose sail until we -
24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

Then God takes the blessings and asks if they are truly Searching for Him or comfort.
Surely those with loving hearts are looking for Jesus.
And Jesus proclaims HE is God and will follow His Path.
To which, the disciples vote with their feet - this sounds Icky not GLORIOUS.

29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Jesus deals with
Following His own plan - with Wisdom
The faithful having doubt - with Diligence and Determination
The blessing-seekers coast in and out - Give them Time and Space with God believing the Best of His Children.
And Jesus still gets where He is going - Immediately and with Grace

Jesus the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.




Peter stays because - Peter loves Jesus. Nope. Peter philos - pal - loves Jesus. Peter told Jesus and the Words were recorded. Peter hangs in because of Wisdom. Peter sees the road goes much farther than just the road............

Peter has seen the Words of God are Life.

Romans 8:32
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Ephesians 2:4
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.

2 Thessalonians 2:16
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope

 Who can accept it?
... as we answer the challenges He would have us solve. And grow up to go Home to our Father God. In His Grace, we ask His Favor and Mercy to diligently guide and bless us each day. In Jesus. Amen.

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John 6:1-14, 35-50 ~ “I am the Bread of Life"

John 6:1-14, 35-50

6 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 

And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 

Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 

Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 

Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12

 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 

When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”




35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38

 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 

Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ 

Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 

Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 

This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pa pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pa pum pum,
Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum
So to honor Him, pa rum pa pum pum
When we come

We love the heart warming fable of the Drummer Boy. 

There is no need for a fable. There are many written Words of God's people, He came to  came to dwell among, Love and save.

And words written of His life. Egeria was a Galician (Galatians) woman making pilgrimage to the Holy Land about 381–384 A.D.. Her journey, in a long letter to a circle of women at home, survives.

"Not far away from there (Capernaum) are some stone steps where the Lord stood. And in the same place by the sea is a grassy field with plenty of hay and many palm trees. By them are seven springs, each flowing strongly. And this is the field where the Lord fed the people with the five loaves and two fishes. In fact the stone on which the Lord placed the bread has now been made into an altar. Past the walls of this church goes the public highway on which the Apostle Matthew had his place of custom. Near there on a mountain is a cave to which the Savior climbed and spoke the Beatitudes."

In 480 A.D., floor mosaics were added to The Church of the Multiplication, located in Tabgha, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee.

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”

Remember, Jesus was so comfortable, He was sitting with His people. 

Vatican Catacomb Icon of St. Andrew

A real boy brought five barley loaves and two fish.

Recorded for millenniums.

Imagine. What did the boy see for his gift to Jesus?

2 Corinthians 9:7
God loves a cheerful giver!

 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them

Jesus gave Thanks.
Jesus calls us - Beloved.
We know Jesus thanked our Father, the gift of the loaves & fish and His Child.

Luke 6:38
"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Jesus the same yesterday, today and tomorrow!!!
Jesus doing like He always does. 
He has His hands in our lives, 
Jesus - feeding His children and giving out fish and loaves. 
Like Peter in the water, Jesus is hands involved.

 
2 Corinthians 9:6
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.


Matthew 10:42
"And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

Mark 10:32
They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and 
Jesus 
was walking ahead of them. 
The disciples were filled with awe

Psalm 3 ~ You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my Glory, and the lifter of my head.

Psalm 3

O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul,
there is no salvation for him in God. Selah

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4 I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

5 I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.

8 Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people! Selah

Several months ago I went with a friend into their forest at night in a golf cart. We saw eyes. Lots of eyes. What IS THAT???

Multitudes of two to four inch baby bunnies.
Hardly vicious.
 And then they started hopping, we woke them.

When we read about foes, uprisings, enemies, teeth, wicked....

We picture our worst fears and the battles of the Old Testament.

And then on a more serious note, a friend decided to train a beautiful small horse - the horse had tried to impale himself and spent weeks in recovery running in circles, later was constantly tearing at his fence. His owner had trained horses before but this five year old gelding had been deemed untrainable and was now simply miserable in the pasture. A good effort was made and several knowledgeable people worked up a plan for round paddock training and saddle breaking. The horse wouldn't have it and was found mortally wounded. A very sad thing.

For the horse, he had turned his environment to verse 7

Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.

The small horse failed to see past his own ideas and see verse 8

Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people! Selah


What of the good deed?

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight.

What about God and His reaction to a horse too intent on self to see the good around him?

Colossians 1:16
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Jesus, we are told in Revelation - rides a Horse

Revelation 6:2
I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

Isaiah, Genesis and Revelation speak through the Holy Spirit telling us, Heaven as a place the lion rests with the lamb. Elijah and Elisha were given glimpses of this.

Genesis 2:19
Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

God is - just - and- that generous. His mission statement is - To Save the World. His plan...

Ephesians 1
that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Some blessings must be seen with faith. God moving and interweaving the harsher realities of life to His Glory.

Praise God for His mercy, His blessings and His Promises. He daily renews mercies and daily lifts us up. In Jesus, Our Savior. We pray for the comfort of those working towards Good. In Jesus. Amen. 

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Mark 1 ~ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Mark 1

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Scripture for Today Blogspot has been publishing since 2007. This is the first post where a friend has died.

Mary made these scarves for us and that was a beautiful day. Mary told me that day I had enormous changes coming my way and she could see that. Tricia has always had a special place in her heart for Mary. Saying being a widow, or single, is a challenge.

We help each other, listen to one another and I expect, part of my life's greatest joy has come from this group. We discovered the ability to hush each other up and listen to the harder parts of life. Several of us have had a lot of healing from being able to express ourselves.

There is a Word in Scriptures saying - Be still and know I am God.

We did that. We pressed down polite 'don't tell me' and listened. One of us recovered so much from maternal abuse that she went on from a medical condition pressing on her - to find a man who wants to marry her and she is raising a teenager again. Not just existence but Joy.

We did that. We inverted a pecking order and asked all of us to express who we are -

Today, Mary has gone on to be with Jesus.

We did that. We Prepared a way of the Lord. We encouraged, prayed, communicated and even held Mary's comatose hand to pray with her. Later we reasoned, the body may sleep, but the soul is awake. And we would have done more if asked.

What would Jesus say to our group?

“You are my beloved Children; with you I am well pleased.”

For Mary - her time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. He helped her eighty years end rather quickly. We all agreed that suffering is awful. Mary said she was ready - she just wanted to go quickly. Mary knew about repentance and believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Mary will see the 12 pearl gates. She will know the hills and highways of Heaven Isaiah told her about. But mostly Mary will see what she longed to see - Jesus.

How do we know this - our discussions sometimes ran His Course -

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 

Therefore encourage one another with these words.


And this -

1 Thessalonians 4:13
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

I know Mary because we have worshiped Jesus together.

1 Peter 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable
and undefiled
and will not fade away,
reserved in heaven for you, 5
who are protected by the power of God
through faith for salvation

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Colossians 1:24-2:7 ~ rooted and built up in Him

Colossians 1:24-2:7

24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 

28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Colossians 2
1 I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.


Matthew 17:20
20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.




Mustard seed and growing Mustard trees in Napa Valley
 

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Matthew 9:18-26 ~ And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion

Matthew 9:18-26
While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

23 And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.

Raising Jairus daughter by Polenov,adjusted

Romans 4:20-25
No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Jesus was having a day. His 5th recent miracle. And God framed this beautiful day like this:

Except - Jesus' day was difficult. Imagine the Son of God setting forth to save a child's life - and this was a Hard day! Suspicion surrounded Him. Jesus just kept going forth. Jesus could tell who framed His day and what was at hand.


Philippians 2
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,a 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,b being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself

If you are arguing Jesus ordered them to go away - this is still humility - God not feeling the need to perform to the crowd. Not taking intricate time to explain. Instead fobbing them off with authority.  This is God raising up the child and not demanding Honor for this. The ruler was the man who was running the synagogue - not a likely follower of Jesus - yet, still. a child of God in need; Jairus knew Jesus' healing ministry.

Matthew 6:36
He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

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