God's Abundant Blessing Now and Forever // An Abundant Life in Jesus, Part 4

Many people are prepared to accept that God exists, even that He has the ability to bless us – or at least bless other people. But when they look at their own lives, well the reality doesn’t appear to match up with the promise. What’s going on here?

 

The Blessing of Here and Now

I sometimes think that Jesus would have benefited from the services of a good Public Relations consultant - you know, a spin doctor to dress up some of the difficult messages He had to get across. Take this one for instance: Matthew chapter 16, verses 24 and 25:

Jesus told His disciples, “If any want to become my followers let them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it and those who lose their life for my sake, will find it.”

I mean, that picture of a cross is a brutal one. It’s a picture of being nailed to a cross and dying a gruesome death.

If any want to become my disciples then let them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.

I mean, "Give me a break! Who wants to follow someone like that? I want to be healthy, wealthy and wise. I want to live on easy street! Take up my cross?? You have to be kidding me." Yes, Jesus could have used the services of a good P.R. consultant to get some spin on His message – to make it more palatable. No wonder it says in John’s Gospel that many turned away from Him. Have a listen: John chapter 6, beginning at verse 63:

It is the spirit that gives life; and the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that would not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one comes to me unless it is granted by the Father.” Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.

Yep, Jesus definitely needed a spin doctor. And you know something? I so often hear people speaking about Jesus – whether it’s a preacher preaching or a person telling me what Jesus is doing in their lives and what I hear is not about this gritty, authentic Jesus who was prepared to lose followers, in a world where the measure of a Rabbi’s success – a key performance indicator, if you will – was the number of followers or disciples he had.

But Jesus was prepared to lose followers because He wouldn’t play by the world’s rules. He never let them squeeze Him into their mould. You know, they were looking for a Messiah; a King like David; a powerful warrior to raise up an army and drive the Romans out of this, their Promised Land.

That’s what Israel was believing for, when Jesus came on the scene. After He miraculously fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, the crowds wanted to grab Him and appoint Him King. Can you imagine that? He has been wandering around out there in the fields, speaking to and wooing the crowds, performing some amazing miracles, here he is – this obscure carpenter from Nazareth … Nazareth of all places; “Does anything good come from there?” And finally, Jesus hits the big time! He is pulling some serious crowds! Finally, they recognise how good He really is and they want to make Him King. Woo hoo!! So what does Jesus do? John chapter 6, verse 15:

When Jesus realised they were about to come and take him by force to make him King, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

He withdraws! "Jesus … Jesus, what’s the matter with You? You’ve made it – success at last. What are You doing?" He didn’t need just a spin doctor; He needed a couple of good strategic planning consultants, as well. And He continued His journey … His inexorable journey