The Day jesus disappointed
In John chapter 6, we find one of the most famous miracles that Jesus performed. In essence, it’s the worlds first Baptist fish fry. In verses 1-15, we see Jesus feed 5000 with a Captain D’s snack pack. It must have been an incredible sight to behold and, I will assume, it would have tasted good too!
However, by the time we get to the end of the chapter we read some of the saddest words on the pages of Scripture. “After this, many of his disciples turned back an no longer walked with him” (6:66). What could have possibly caused so many to turn away after partaking of such an amazing miracle? As it turns out, no breakfast and some hard teaching.
The crowd was back the day after Jesus fed the 5000 and they were hungry again. This time, Jesus refused to meet their physical wants and directed them toward their spiritual need. He tells them, “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they died” (6:49). It’s not difficult teaching to understand. Physical bread, while sustaining life for a time, cannot provide eternal life. Only Christ can. The crowd, however, was having none of it.
They were a group of superficial followers. They followed Jesus for what they could see (spectacular miracles). And they followed Jesus for what he could do for them (physical blessings). They weren’t interest in the spiritual. They weren’t interested in giving up their physical desires to posses eternal life. They wanted a quick and easy meal ticket. When they saw the real Jesus, they were deeply disappointed.
The question we have to ask is, “Would I be disappointed by the real Jesus?” Most of us living abundantly blessed lives, but the call to follow Christ is a call to joyfully abandon all in order to have Him. If He were to withhold some temporal blessing from your life for your own spiritual good, how would you respond? Would you turn and walk with him no more? Take a look at your life today and see if there is any gift that you love more than the giver. Turn that area over to him and enjoy the bread of life to your soul’s satisfaction.