Following Christ For The Right Reasons

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
John 6:66

Hard sayings have a way of quickly thinning the ranks of lukewarm followers. In John 6 Jesus cut straight to the heart of the matter: “You are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill” (John 6:26).

Is it because of what you think Jesus can do for you that you call him “Lord”—or because of who he is?

As James Stalker comments, wrong motives for following Christ often flow from faulty expectations about Christ.

WALK WITH JAMES STALKER
“Jesus had heard of the tragic death of John the Baptist and immediately hurried to a desert place with his disciples to talk over the event.

“When moved by compassion for the helpless multitude, Jesus performed the stupendous miracle of feeding five thousand. The effect was overwhelming.

“The crowd became instantaneously convinced that this was none other than the Messiah. Having only one conception of what that meant, they endeavored to take him by force and make him a king, that is, force him to be the leader of a messianic revolt.

“It seemed the crowning hour of success. But to Jesus himself, it was an hour of sadness and shame.

“This was all his work had come to? This was the conception they had of him? Were they to try to determine the course of his future action instead of humbly asking what he would have them do?

“They were looking for a ‘bread king’ who would give them idleness and plenty, mountains of loaves, rivers of milk, every comfort without labor. What he had to give was eternal life.”

WALK CLOSER TO GOD
“No one can come to me unless the Father … draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day” (John 6:44).

Father, draw me to Jesus, that I too may know the one who is the resurrection and the life, and that I may find my satisfaction in him, the bread of life. Amen.