Clinging to the Words of Jesus

When I was a young teenager or maybe even younger, the Beatles took the world by storm (compared to other singing groups). At the height of their popularity, John Lennon boasted to writer Maureen Cleave of the London Evening Standard these impulsive and naïve words, “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink…We’re more popular than Jesus now; I don’t know which will go first – rock n roll or Christianity…..Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary.” (March 4, 1966). The risen Jesus Christ continues to build His church among every tribe, tongue people and nation as He said He would. John Lennon….hopefully in his last breaths repented and turned to the only One who could save Him from his sins.

More recently Israel’s leader – Netanyahu – was quoted as saying, “History proves that, unfortunately and unhappily, Jesus Christ has no advantage over Genghis Khan if you are strong enough, ruthless enough, powerful enough, evil will overcome good.”   Netanyahu was trying to make a point about the importance of using military might to fight evil, but his comment shows he has no insight into the reality that Israel is only still on the planet because “everything is held together in Christ” (see Col. 1:17), and He (Israel’s creator, maker and Messiah) is not finished with them yet.

I could give you many other foolish not well thought through quotes about Jesus Christ, but the point is people with earthly power, wealth and influence are known to think they are experts about Jesus when the reality is they have probably never read His words for themselves.

What about you?  Do you tend to just repeat what you have heard others say about Him? If so you are missing out on the most life transforming words ever spoken in the history of the Universe.

Jesus Himself said these words about the words of the living God (which thus are the words of Jesus), “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.” Matthew 4:4.  What is interesting about this quote is Jesus said it to Satan, and Satan ever since has tried his hardest to keep people from discovering the truth and reality that nothing sustains, transforms and gives life like the words of God/Christ.

Dr. Luke in his gospel said this about the people in Jesus’s day, “And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.” Luke 21:38  Jesus’s every word gave life and hope to those who had neither. And thus they did whatever it took to get in earshot of His teaching and preaching.

After Jesus had risen from the dead but before He ascended to re-join Father and Holy Spirit in heaven, He decided to break in on a walking conversation two individuals (one unnamed, the other named Cleopas) were having. After listening to their recounting of Jesus’s “tragic” (in their view) death/murder by the Jewish leaders and Romans (not knowing it was Jesus they were talking to), Jesus broke into the conversation. After rebuking them for being “…slow of heart to believe in all the prophets have spoken”, Jesus then began to explain to them from Moses and the prophets how it all pointed to and prepared the way for Him. When He broke bread with them and blessed it God allowed their eyes to be opened to see that this Man speaking to them was Jesus Himself and at that moment Jesus “vanished from their sight” (see Luke 24:15-30). I love this next verse, which gives their response, “They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32.  Only Jesus Christ can speak to the deepest caverns of our souls and awaken our hard foolish hearts.

Well that’s a little bit from Luke’s gospel. What does the apostle John have to add to this discussion? As we look at a few passages, I need to say that Jesus Christ never sought to wow the crowds. He was after true disciples – transformed lives. There were times where He sensed the crowds were after the wrong things. In John 6 we come across one of those times. So Jesus chose this time to speak some very hard truths that would cut to the chase and make it very clear what following Him meant and required. Much of this long chapter describes this to the point that John soberly states, “Therefore many of His disciples (read followers of various kinds), when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” (John 6:60). Well He didn’t stop there but spoke some more dividing words that caused John to again report their response, “As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.” (vs. 66). 

Jesus knew truth had to do its job. While He I’m sure grieved over the crowd’s unwillingness to embrace truth, He was more concerned about where His 12 chosen disciples would land and how they would handle the dissipating crowds. “So Jesus said to the twelve, “you do not want to go away also, do you?” (vs. 67)  Thankfully, they didn’t or we wouldn’t have the gospel of John. But I want you to hear Peter’s response to this question as he spoke for all of them (except Judas) when he replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.” (vs. 68)  Friends, only Jesus’s words lead us to and enable us to experience the life of God or eternal life. Peter and the other apostles had heard the best of the best of the Pharisees and Scribes and I’m sure some false prophets and false teachers along the way. Only Jesus spoke words that opened eyes, and changed hearts.

OK. One more passage and we need to bring this to a close.

Speaking of the Pharisees, they were increasingly incensed at Jesus’s words of truth and increasingly wanted Him dead. So they sent some of their officers to arrest Him. The officers perhaps at the fringes of another crowd that was more responsive to Him had to listen to Him for a while as they tried to figure out how to apprehend Him without causing a scene – maybe even a riot. Eventually they returned to the chief priests and Pharisees empty handed, who in turn were very displeased, and John records, “…they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” Please listen to and ponder the response of the officers, “The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.” (John 7:46). Never before and never after. Not even close!

Since our college years, Anne and I have prayed regularly for missionaries working among many different nations and people groups and have especially prayed for the church in China. We have read story after story of Chinese believers who have risked their lives, and many who lost their lives, or spent much of their adult years in prison because they so valued the words of Jesus. The same is true of believers in Iran, whose church is one of the fastest growing in the world.

So dear reader, are you wasting your life, listening to men/women’s words whether live on T.V., in print or in song, all of whom are destined to die and rot with worms (unless they are cremated), when you could be listening to/reading the very life transforming, heart warming words of the living Christ??

The Holy Spirit directed me some years ago to read a chapter in the four gospels every day until I die or Jesus returns (it wasn’t my idea). Now when I finish John’s gospel I start reading Matthew and just keep going through them day by day. There is just nothing else like His words! How I wish I had started that habit earlier though I’ve read through the Bible from beginning to end most every year since my college days in San Jose (also not my idea – I blame that on the Navigators). :)

OK. I’ve ranted enough. May you and I be evermore transformed by the pure and priceless words of Jesus.