Loyalty/Disloyalty, Follow Jesus no matter what!

Loyalty/Disloyalty, Follow Jesus no matter what!       

Kelly Durant  July-28

    

John 6:48-68

48 I am that bread of life.49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever 59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 

Loyalty is something that money cannot buy! It is what everyone wants but what few want to give! Loyalty will chose that which costs you everything over that which is easy!

When I was a teenager I did sporadic work for Mrs. Thomas, a woman who was kind hearted to all the unemployed teenagers in the neighborhood. I would rake her leaves, paint her houses, repair her roofs, etc. and 2 times I recall she sent me to the other side of town to buy some pricey brooms from a strange little store that mostly sold brooms. It turned out that this store only sold items made by blind people. She was a loyal customer and bought items from them every year because she obtained satisfaction knowing that she was helping someone by investing in them, and not in some other rich chain store. 

It cost her more, but take a closer look, her loyally, along with that of others, were giving blind people dignity and keeping them employed!

The scripture today is Jesus representation on how we must take Him in totally, as we take in bread, to really be a part of Him! Of course it was with the last super with his disciples that He consolidated this new pact in his body, the bread, and his blood, the wine, and it was then the disciples fully understood this teaching. There are so many aspects to this particular passage, but today we will focus in on loyalty.

In scripture (vs 66) we find that Jesus at one time had many disciples, but after this teaching, they all left except the 12! Where did these disloyal ones go? To follow the Jews again, to follow John the Baptist? To just be unhappy and faithless? If they would have remained loyal they could have been relieved it was not as their carnal minds had imagined!

It really doesn’t matter where they went because they no longer made history, they lost their connection with the truth, and most probably their salvation, or eternal life, because they were offended by Jesus truth!

Imagine, all of these disciples saw His miracles, they had heard all of his teachings, they probably were proud to boast that they were followers of the newest wave, at how Jesus was so popular. But now, what happens when his teaching no longer makes them feel good? What happen when a certain sermon suddenly makes Him unpopular?  Their loyalty is out the door, and Jesus makes it clear they never believed in Him in the beginning. (vs 64)

Notice in verse  68, (read) Peter, despite how he even denied the Lord later, was loyal deep inside! He knew only Jesus had the real message, the whole truth, even when his truth was not clear to understand, even when everyone was deserting, he remained loyal. He later died for Jesus as the rest of the disciples! There is no more loyalty that exists than that!

And in verse 64, Jesus also knew who would betray Him, even though Judas did not leave at that time, that he had already left in his heart, he was no longer a loyal follower, and imagine how Judas has to live with himself eternally for what he did!

Today, some secret societies, some mafias, some political venues will demand your loyalty by you swearing a death oath, so they can kill you if you become disloyal to them and that is how Satan’s system works! He wants to own your body, soul, and mind or else! Loyalty to him comes with threats, intimidation, and cruel oppression.

Jesus is the opposite of that! With Jesus anyone is free at any time to leave the faith, but there is no other one to go to except to the ones on the dark side. Those on the dark side kill, rape, and steal and even eat sacrificed human flesh and drink real blood. They will suffer the eternal flames of hell for their wicked deeds! It is in the news that this old practice has not gone away! 

Jesus proved with the last supper to all the world that no flesh or blood except His could save and empower. Jesus with bread and wine proved that God is not sadistic, He only wants us to trust that He is in control even when we feel very uncomfortable. God tests our loyalty repeatedly, and I have decided to keep on trusting no matter what, and you? 

Those that remain loyal to Jesus all their lives inherit a crown of life and live forever in a heaven filled with other people who are loyal like they are. 

Throughout all time those who are loyal to God, despite sufferings, despite not understanding everything about doctrines, teachings, or their own life’s events, despite maybe even getting killed by Satan’s people, get to live forever in heaven where all tears are wiped away forever.  

Have you decided to remain loyal to Jesus no matter the cost? By being loyal, by proclaiming Jesus you will get persecution, embarrassment, brief moments of confusion, and rejection by some of your family or community, but later you will see how it is worth it all! Jesus feeds our bodies and spirits from His own self and gives us peace of mind, and eternal life! Trust Him and stay loyal! And after you leave this old tired body and go into a new resurrected one you will be thankful and praise Him forever in heaven!