Devotional -May 10, 2004

Many people followed Jesus because of the miracles and some because they were just plain curious. If anything new and exciting was going to happen, it would likely be wherever Jesus was at the time.

We're a lot like those who ran after Jesus in those days. If someone is healed, we like to hear how it happened and should supernatural activity be said to be following someone's ministry, we really want to see that. Similarly, many people follow a preacher wherever he goes like his call to preach is their own.

Changing a church membership to stay under the influence of a godly man, is not necessarily a bad thing except it calls to question the reason for going to church in the first place. We should be following Jesus and not a man. And we should do so, not to hear a message but to work within the family of God wherever we are.

Those who sat down to listen to Jesus after chasing him down were quite taken back by his words that day. They wanted to see more miracles and hear more exciting things he had to say. It's like they wanted to hear a good sermon, but Jesus asked them to consider why they were there, who called them and what would they do next? It's tough when a sermon moves from nice platitudes and poems to a challenge to accept responsibility for what you've heard.

"Believe" is a word that by itself falls short of pleasing God. So many believe, but their belief has not affected their attitude or actions. It seems they've never moved from hearing God's word to "doing" God's word. In short, believing in Jesus is no doubt important, but if you're belief stops short of obedience to His word, what have you really accomplished?

You've heard the word of God, but what are you going to do about it? It was a good question then and it's a good question now. It offended them and it will likely offend you if you believe that listening to what God says is a substitute for doing it.

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( 1Sa. 8:1-9:27 Jn. 6:22-46 Ps. 106:32-48 Pr. 14:34-35 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society