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  • Many of His Disciples Left Him – John 6:66

    Many of His Disciples Left Him – John 6:66

    Updated August 21, 2023

    At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.

    John 6:66  

    Walking away from Christ

    Here is a Gospel commentary you might not consider Good News.

    It looks like the church is walking away from Jesus Christ. And church leaders do very little to take the ‘controversial Gospel’ of Christ Jesus into a world which has long ago walked away from God.

    “Many christians walk away from the church.  Biblical preaching is too confrontational for our daily lives.

    Roger@talkofJesus.com

    Many churches accommodate worldly sin as accepted doctrine.  Such preaching and failure to separate the Holiness of Christ’s Church from the sins of the flesh is NOT Biblical.  The atheist pulpits expect no miracles; nor will they be prepared for the Last Day.

    “The Bible is confrontational. Religious institutions as Temples of tradition will be torn down by the same crowds they once accommodated.

    Roger@TalkofJesus.com – August 20, 2013 A.D. (soon to become the ‘common era’)

    a Challenge of the Gospel of John

    Yet what happened to Jesus?  

    The crowds rejected Him.  

    The Religious establishment remained for a time, then the Temple fell [A.D. 70], as had its religious leaders long before.  

    Jesus did not strike down the Pharisees (as political Caesars do each other). Or did the Son of the Most High God take over the Temple.

    Rather, He became our Sacrifice on its Altar.

    the Chaff of ‘christian’ Unbelievers

    What would cause the unthinkable thing of disciples turning away from Jesus — the so-called faithful to turn away and desert our Lord Jesus?

     To back up a little in John’s Gospel, Jesus said:

    63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

    64 But some of you do not believe me.”

    Men and women followed JESUS when it was 'the thing to do.' The number of Jesus' disciples multiplied again and again. But when their KING would not seize their imagined National Throne for the country of God most looked for another savior.

    Do you believe Christ Jesus? 

    He does not say that is doesn’t matter what you do.  What we do as witnesses of Jesus as Lord of our life matters greatly.  However, nothing we do – no acts which merit praises of men – can accomplish anything to save our soul from hell.

    Remember the miracle of feeding the 5000?  

    They would have made Jesus King right there on the spot.  But our Lord fled.

    Most leaders of a 21st c. church (unlike the Lord Jesus) would taken credit for their miracle, make certain to collect the offering and most likely fail to mention God, the Bible or Jesus Christ.

    The crowds of disciples found and followed Jesus.  

    “Give us more miracles – show more of  this Kingly power” —

    Isn’t that is our typical human response (rather than thankfulness for God’s provision and blessing)?  

    No more miracles; no more disciples.

    We'll find another religious leader for our kingly church vision.

    Is the Christ of the Cross GOOD NEWS?

    John 6;

    41 Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said,

    “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

    51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

    52 Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant.

    “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.

    53 So Jesus said again,

    “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day.

    Gospel of John 6:53b-54 ASV

    Do you, dear believer, murmur and complain that Jesus isn’t doing much for Christians in these last days?

    “Lord, to whom would we go?

    67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked,

    “Are you also going to leave?”

    68 Simon Peter replied,

    “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

  • Nostalgia

    Nostalgia

    Do you remember this?  I had a little record player with a lid for my 45’s.  I loved to listen to music when I was growing up.

    My parents gave me a record player for 33 1/3 albums for my 16th birthday (1966).  I still have some of the old 45’s, albums and a box set of classical music I used to listen to as I went to sleep.

    Like many young men and women I wrote various journals (diaries), poetry, and essays of things on my mind. As a music lover I also wrote lyrics and composed and arranged music as well.

    Most of the old letters, journals and writing is long past pitched in the trash.  Some arrangements and writing remain in my files as nostalgia for occasional memory of days past or as orphaned children never seen or heard by the audience for which they were created.

    My favorite orphaned instrumental work is an orchestration of “Piano Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra” for symphonic band.  I could not convince my few friends directing bands with the ability level for the technique this work requires to give it a listen.  The only time I heard it in part was in draft stage by the Gainesville High School Band, but its director at the time was dying of cancer.  Another favorite is an orchestration for symphonic band of the Widor Organ Toccata.

    My favorite orphaned lyric of my own is “Pray,” set to Erik Satie Gymnopedie No. 2, I first heard performed by Blood, Sweat, & Tears.  (Yes, I think I still have the album & a disconnected turntable backed away in boxes.)

    The opening lyric is:

    “Help me when I don’t know what to do…  Pray.

    My favorite orphaned poem was “The Little Orange Man,” written about the AAA crossing guard.

    “On a corner in Canton stands a little orange man,

    With a little orange cap and a little orange vest…”

    I don’t remember the rest.  This orphan is lost.

    I write many short essays, commentaries and especially witness of Biblical exposition, most which receives little notice.  Earlier this year I wrote and read a serial short story of 14 episodes that I have had in mind for a serial post on my blog. (Stay tuned. It’s titled: A Picture of Heaven.)

    I have not written anything of the magnitude of my current book manuscript.  God planted a story in my heart last year which must be retold. God willing, you will hear much more about it in 2014.

    It seems that authors need a platform for marketing our books… therefore; this site of witness for Christ Jesus came about in the form of http://talkofJesus.com for a voice from the pew.

    As part of my witness for Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, I include my personal blog with occasional thoughts; but it’s not about me, it’s about Jesus.  Look for most of my writing outside of my personal blog.

    May the Lord bless you as a reader and follower. I embrace your comments and posts.  Pray also for me, especially for the salvation and return to Christ by many of my own beloved family.

    Roger Harned, a voice from the pew

     

  • #Share Follow Me – Jesus

    #Share Follow Me – Jesus

    FOLLOW ME – The Social Networking of Jesus

    Luke 5:

    10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

    Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

    27 Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth.“Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

    “Jesus followed no man.  Yet in just three years our Lord connected to thousands and convinced many followers.

    I’ve been giving much thought and listening to considerable advice recently about how to reach readers who also follow Christ.  This is crucial for Christian authors.

    IF we seek followers of Christ to read our book (or our blog), where will our journey take us in three years?

    (Jesus must have had a plan and strategy for Jews and gentiles to receive the gospel of the Cross before the sacrifice of the Cross.)

    How did He do it?  What was His strategy?

    Although Jesus followed only God, our Lord pursued faithfully those who sought to follow him.  Matthew, Zacchaeus, Mary Magdalene, a Samaritan woman at the well and Nicodemus are just a few examples.

    Jesus was connected to a Mentor Circle.  (You know the other Two.)

    His Followers, Apostles, Paul, Timothy and others all built their churches in the same way – Mentors from the One original AND Followers of each new closely connected group of believers.

    His followers he then added and pursued any who followed with love for their souls.

    Therefore my intent is to follow some of your wise counsel from our inner circle of Christian authors. Yet my advice to us:

    “Walk among the circles of our READERS.  Show them Christ.  See who will follow.

    Do you have any specific directions for us?

    Please comment. AND please… #SHARE on http://talkofJesus.com AND share our community of Christian Social Witness for Jesus Christ. #FOLLOW us on your SOCIAL PAGES.   May our Lord bless you.