GOSPEL READING : John 6:51-58.
A true Copy of Jesus!
“Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.”(John 6:57, NIV)
Jesus’ teachings about Eternal Life was a key doctrine the Jews needed understand in depth. But, how can man overcome death and live eternally? The superficial knowledge the Jews had about the RESURRECTION needed also to be made clear and understandable.
When He fed the countless crowd at the other side of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus just wanted themselves discover that a few hours later, they would be hungry and need food again. That food was not eternal food. Jesus the Son of Man offered Himself as a sacrifice for men’s sin. The same Jesus, the Son of God, is the Living God, Immortal, who dwells eternally in the believer’s life and allows him to overcome death while securing life for him. Feeding on Jesus is nothing else but feeding on His Word.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)
Do we need to live eternally? Here is the way: “Let us feed ourselves on Jesus, the Word of God.” Of course, Jesus presents Himself as the model of living because of the Father and thus invites us to feed on Him and live also because of Him. But this can only be made possible when you and I decide to appropriate Jesus’ words and make of them OUR words, OUR rule in life, OUR hope, OUR wealth, OUR strength, OUR power, OUR ALL!
Wasn’t Jesus right when He reminded the teacher of the Law about the most important commandment, saying: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One; Love the Lord (His Word) with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30), The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself”(verse 31). But haven’t we realized that today’s Christians are making the second become the first, and thus neglect the Word?
Dear Brethren, you and I are all called to be the original copy of Jesus to living because of God and because of His Word. “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher”, stated Jesus. (Luke 6:40, NIV). But is that the case in our lives? In our Churches?
One day, I went to a public secretariat service to have written and printed a document. The lady there typed it correctly on her computer and wanted me verify whether everything I needed was okay. Then she clicked the print button and went through all the required steps to have the document printed starting with one trial copy.
She stood up and went to the printer to make sure the copy was there but, surprisingly, found a white unprinted paper.
– What? She exclaimed nervously, nothing? What’s wrong? The machine was working correctly yesterday evening!
She opened it and checked everything and found nothing wrong. Then She launched another trial print copy. Unfortunately, the same happened, there were no prints at all on the new paper page. She finally decided to unplug the printer and took it away and brought another one. After she had plugged it on to the power source and to the computer, she launched a new trial print.
– Wonderful copy! Wonderful copy! Justin, come and see! Something I don’t know yet was certainly wrong with the other printer.
Yes, something is also wrong with the many spiritual printers the so-called Christians go through. No Jesus’ image, no true Jesus’ love can be seen in their lives. Our habits and customs, our leisure companies and our philosophies could be the broken down printer in our lives. Neglecting to read and meditate the Bible and pray daily could be a fatal, broken down printer in our lives. Lack of repentance and lack of humility, selfish or wealth pride could also be a destroying broken down printer that does not make Jesus appear in our lives.
Even those Preachers who are selling the “Gospel of blessings” in many Churches around the world could be the broken down printer in many Christians’ lives. Whenever I feel not willing to attend Church any more and fellowship with other believers, whenever I can’t remain faithful towards my wife or my husband, whenever I don’t pay correctly my taxes and keep on lying to the Revenue Authority, whenever…whenever…, something is certainly broken down on my spiritual printer. Do I look like the Original Jesus? Do you?
Spiritual unity and love between believers (not between those belonging to a same denomination only), unity in the Spirit and in the Word with Jesus, Unity in the Father, that’s the power and strength and the authority the Church of Christ was given at the Cross when He cried: “IT IS FINISHED!” (John 19:30).
Our concern today is: “Am I really already registered to Eternal Life because of Jesus Christ, the Word of God?” If not, why not step in NOW? NOW is the time to have my, your spiritual printer changed. NOW is the time to have my, your anti-Christian habits and customs and philosophies changed. NOW is the time to have thrown away my, your “DEATH PRINTER” and be given a new one, a “LIFE PRINTER” that will make all of us become “NEW LIVING CREATURES” accepted in heaven and living because of the “LIVING JESUS CHRIST” with “THE LIVING FATHER” forever!
May the Peace of God be with you all. AMEN.
Bishop, Dr Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
An International Ministry of
The Episcopal free Church- Province of Burundi
P.O. Box 197 Gitega, Burundi
Tel: 257 79 877 097
Email: baransajust@gmail.com
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
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