Following Jesus For What?

John 6:26,27 – “Jesus answered them and said, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.'”

Here’s a scene from John’s gospel. The Lord is responding to a crowd of people whom He had fed on the previous day. These people had actually come looking for Him. However, the Lord exposes their true motives for seeking Him and then announces to them the only meaningful reason for doing so, eternal life.

Surveying the landscape of “Christian” media, one may get the idea that Jesus was overreacting. I mean it would appear to me, that is if the t.v. preachers are to be believed, that God is in the materialism business. He has a plan for my life, is getting ready to bless me and has declared this as “my year!”. And all this leads to me having more money, more property, surprise checks in the mail, cancelled debt, etc. etc. Millions of people are being led to believe that these are legitimate things to seek God for and, as a matter of fact, are the abundance of the abundant life that God promises. 

Of course, the t.v. preachers are an easy target. But in reading these verses of scripture it occured to me that I had some things to consider. What about myself? Why do I follow Christ? Am I any different than the crowd? Sure, I believe Christ for eternal life. And, I mean, as far as material things, I realize that working a job and being responsible with the money is the way to go. But what about the signs or “miracles” (KJV) that the Lord mentions? How fervent am I to see the miracle of salvation happen in the lives of others? What about healings amongst the hurting that announces to them that God is real and then causes those lost souls to seek the only available salvation? Am I just content to consider myself “saved”? Am I apathetic to being used by God for His purposes? Am I concerned at all about the building of His kingdom? Am I comfortable to just eat my own “fishes and loaves” while others starve? In some ways, and at times, (so often I am embarrassed), I think I am. I may have “waxed cold” or grew “weary in well doing” in a sense.

In considering this, I only have one request of you: Pray for me! Pray that I can begin to answer these questions in the negative. That I can have as the passion of my heart, that for which Christ is to be followed. Not just for myself but for others also. And as you pray for me, ask yourself these same questions. You may find that your belly is full from your own “fishes and loaves”.