What’s So Different About Jesus? Part 1: Consider Jesus’ Teachings

Background Passage: John 6:22-71; 9:1-41; 20:1-31
Today’s Focal Passage: John 6:66-69

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. 68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

Confucius Say

Obedience to Christ could be summed up in the statement, “I do and I understand.”

Many people want that statement to be different. We’d rather it read, “I understand and I do.” We’d like for the teachings of Christ to be easier to comprehend and simpler to employ. In today’s passage from John, Christ has just finished informing those assembled at the synagogue in Capernaum that they were to eat his flesh and drink his blood, share in His life in order to receive eternal life. Perhaps it isn’t until we have shared in Christ’s life, His suffering, His love that we won’t fully understand his teaching. Maybe it’s not until we reach the eternal afterlife He promised that we’ll comprehend the ways of our Lord. For many, that’s too much to ask; too long to wait. No matter how fine the print, we’d like all the information up front. The real issue lies with the fact that Christ’s teachings weren’t meant to just be pondered and studied. They were intended to be followed and with doing comes understanding.

Paul, in his instruction to Timothy (1 Timothy 4:6), told the young minister that he would be “nourished by the words of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.” Our faith in Christ and His teaching is only as certain as our willingness to follow. Perhaps understanding Christ and enjoying the life-nurturing benefits of His teaching comes in obedience. When we say to Jesus, “You alone have the words of eternal life” but then spend our time looking for life elsewhere, we’re left empty and confused. But when we acknowledge Christ with our lips and our lives, wisdom and understanding are ours for the taking.
o What parts of Scripture do you find to be particularly difficult?
o How can you experience greater understanding of who Jesus is and who He has called you to be?
o How can your life be a better example to unbelievers of what it’s like to live by faith and understand God because you do what His word says?