February 1

JOHN 6
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
– John 6:60-65

JOHN 6 THE SPIRIT IS THE GIVER OF LIFE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
As we live in this world, our nature automatically takes over us
Only when we believe in Christ will it change our hearts
We will no longer follow our flesh which craves for the carnal
But we will now be led by God’s Spirit who shows us what is eternal.

Why do you think the disciples had a had time listening to what Jesus was saying here? The Greek word used here is “skleros” which doesn’t mean hard to understand but hard to accept. Many believers find it hard to receive the truth that comes to us through God’s word. It is not just that our minds cannot fathom what is being said but that our hearts are usually unable to accept what is true. Because we live in a fallen and corrupt world, our minds and our hearts are not automatically designed to worship God but to fit in the standards that the world demands. This is a result of the original sin of Adam and Eve.
We are all cursed to follow the sinful nature but Jesus Christ came to give us a clean slate to restore us to the original purpose of humans. We were created to give glory to our Maker. When Jesus died for us on the cross, it was to bridge the gap that was created when our first parents sinned. The ultimate sacrifice of Christ will remove that curse over all those who will believe in the Son so that they can be reunited with God the Father and resume that relationship He had with us which was interrupted by the original sin.

REFLECTION
• Why is it important for believers to constantly walk in the Spirit?