How Deep Is Our Relationship With Jesus Christ Our Lord?

How Deep Is Our Relationship With Jesus Christ Our Lord?

Kalaneethy Christopher

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he Lord God created and placed man and woman in the garden of Eden. He came in search of their fellowship each afternoon. One fine day He entered and not finding Adam and Eve waiting for Him, called out to Adam saying “Adam, where are you?” This is in fact the first question of God to humanity as recorded in the first book, the Book of Genesis in the Bible. [Gen.3:9] Hence it is important to every Christian, to ask ourselves the question, ‘Where am I, in my fellowship with Christ the Son of God, who came to the world, in search of me?’

Prophet Ezekiel had a vision wherein he was taken to a river flowing from the temple of God, where the waters were first ankle deep, then knee deep, then loin deep and finally rose to a swimming level. [Ezek 47:3-5].  The waters are referred to as the Holy Spirit flowing from the throne of God who fills the lives of God’s people on earth.  Christians need to go deeper in fellowship with Christ, so that we reach a stage where we flow along with the Spirit of Christ in the Christian walk to be fruitful in the world.

When our Lord Jesus was on the earth walking about in Galilee and Judea, many people followed Him, for many reasons. Some with good but others with wicked intentions. Wherever He entered we find people going after Him for earthly blessings alone or for the blessing of eternal life. He always had a group of Jews following to corner Him and to accuse Him.

As we read John 6: 60-71 there appear many types of disciples who followed Jesus, and left Him for some reasons. John dissects this crowd neatly and we can trace the various groups of followers. It makes an interesting study to help us decipher, our motives for being followers of Christ in this generation.

After we locate ourselves, let us progress to a closer walk with Christ on earth. This is my wish for all of the readers who read this blog! May the Lord help us in this introspection?

Category of people accompanying Jesus

Group 1        [Jn 6:60, 61]      THE GRUMBLERS

Jesus was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum about the living bread which came down from heaven. Soon after the miracle of feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fishes, the crowd started searching for Jesus. He addressed them and taught them saying that the bread they ate is temporal and they should yearn for the eternal bread. He was referring to Himself that people should appropriate His Word and the cleansing power of His blood that was going to be shed on Calvary shortly. He mentioned about eating his flesh and drinking His blood, i.e., appropriating them in their lives. They could not comprehend the Word and said it was ‘hard ‘and ‘offensive’ saying. They decided not to believe in Jesus’ words. It became a stumbling block to them.

These people remind us of the parable of the Sower, and the seeds that fell on ROCKY ground. They were accompanying Jesus with base motives and His words did not take root in their hearts. When the ‘sun’ scorched, it withered away. (Mt.13:20). Grumbling is the sin of the people of Israel which stopped them from entering Canaan. They repeatedly grumbled and the Lord was annoyed. He forgave them ten times and would not stand their folly any longer. By choice they wanted Egypt over the Promised Land!! The LORD gave them up to their desire. Though they left Egypt bodily, Egypt was still in their hearts!! Do we belong to the grumbling flock? Grumbling results from unbelief and dissatisfaction. Let us learn to enjoy the walk with Christ everyday of our lives. We must appropriate Him into ourselves.

Group 2   [v.66]     THE BACKSLIDERS

Jesus found that some of the disciples did not believe His Words. He taught them that the ‘flesh’ profited nothing. Only the spiritual walk mattered. To do that way, one needed to take his teachings deep inside the heart, with faith. If not, we are like the ‘ROADSIDE’ that lent the seeds sown to be stolen by the ‘evil one’, as said by our Lord in the parable of the Sower. (Mt.13:19). When Jesus came to ‘heart problem’, this group of followers chose to ‘go back to their old associations’ (Amplified Bible). They stopped following Jesus anymore. They had ‘unsteady hearts’ and we are warned not to follow such examples. (Hb.3:10).

The church needs to act like the body of Christ. Calling ourselves as Christians would not suffice. The Christian values are more than ‘this worldly’, these focuses on the ‘inner self’ more than the exterior. We need to fix the eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God.   (Hb.12:1, 2; 11:6) .The righteous shall live by faith i.e., the pattern of life is only walking by faith and not going back on that commitment. It is lasting unto eternity (Hb.10:38). We are admonished not to look back, once we start ploughing for the Kingdom of Christ. (Luke 9:62). Jesus Himself told the disciples to remember Lot’s wife, which is applicable through centuries to His church!!

Group 3   [v.63, 67]     THE FAITHFUL/ LOYAL/STEADFAST

When Jesus saw the behavior of His ‘followers’, He turned to the TWELVE and asked them, whether they would also plan to leave Him and cleave to their friends. Simon Peter, the spokesperson, had an amazing revelation. He said that they found the Word from Jesus to be eternal and life giving. They would not leave Jesus. No trading would be done for cheaper things on earth. He had found Jesus to be the ‘Son of the Living God, the Anointed, and the Holy One’. (Jn 6:69). The spirit believes, the soul knows and the body openly declares.

The Twelve were the ‘GOOD SOIL’ in which the seeds sown gave returns a hundred fold. Isn’t it wonderful? This is the revelation of the Spirit to Simon that made him Peter!  No wonder Jesus reinstated and restored Peter even after he denied Him. No one else could understand us better than the Compassionate Lord and Saviour!

Jesus was making another important point. Judas Iscariot, one among the Twelve was being ruled by the Devil. (Jn 6:70). This is a caution served to the Christians, unless we continue to remain in Christ’s love and Words, we can succumb to the evil devices of Satan.(Jn15:4).Being ‘called’ in itself will not guarantee our faithfulness till the end. Our faith has to be seen in the appropriate actions. (Jas2:17).

Would we follow the Master and serve Him till the end? Would we work for the furtherance of the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ? If we are forgiven, restored and redeemed, we need to live for the Eternal, spiritual, unseen Kingdom of Christ our Lord, in the here and now. The world needs to see our lives as the proof for the self emptying love of Jesus. May the Lord restore us to restore lives back to Him now and for an  Eternity with Him? (Hb 10:38,39).

AMEN.

'Just a closer walk with Thee

Grant it Jesus is my plea;

Daily walking close to Thee

Let it be dear Lord, let it be.'