Living Stones – Saturday, October 7, 2017
The words are life
John 6:68-69
But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Throughout John’s Gospel account we see Him presenting everything in the context of life. John gets his hook on life from Jesus himself. Jesus established that His whole purpose for being here was that men might have life.
This issue of life must be examined because the call to come to Jesus to have life is made to those who are alive and not to those who are dead. So, how can the living be called to come and receive life?
The living can only be called to life if life is more than just living, more than just being alive. We know that many are alive but are dissatisfied with their lives. Economists talk about the quality of life that we are able to enjoy on the available resources, and politicians always promise that, if we place them in charge, they will significantly improve our quality of life. So we understand that there is life and then, there is life.
When Jesus talks about life, of course He, also, is concerned about our quality of life, but He means more than that – He said in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Jesus is calling us to a place where our lives are lived above the hurly-burly of living. We know that we are often so consumed with living that we lose sight of life. The challenges of living, the money worries, the debt, the neighbours, the job, all of these living challenges tend to distract us from life.
We who are in Christ, have an abundant life, we are in relationship with the God of the universe who created all life in the first place, and who gives true life and an everlasting life. Our minds should be there, and we should respond to living from the position of eternal life. We should not be using living now as a perspective on real life.
We must also understand eternal life because, at the resurrection some will be raised to life and some will be raised to judgment/condemnation! John 5:29. In this, Jesus is the only way to real life, abundant life, and life in fellowship with God. A life that is well beyond living this life, an eternal life.
We were created for eternal life – fellowship with God for eternity, Solomon said it this way “He has put eternity in their hearts.” Sin, however, eroded this possibility. Jesus came to restore to us this eternal life with God.
Peter understood very quickly that real life is not the temporary action hanging out near Jesus. Peter grasped that his life, real life, everlasting life was at stake. Peter grasped that there were no real options, Jesus was it. Peter was prepared therefore, to make a lifelong exclusive commitment to Jesus.
Think on these things:
- How would you characterise the quality of life that you are living now?
- Are you are often so consumed with living that you lose sight of life?
- Do you ever think of your life in eternal terms?
Prayer focus:
Let us pray today that we would have an eternal perspective from which to view the life that we are living now.
In His Grace
Pastor Alex
