When
we think of Jesus on the cross, we are drawn to think: “What are the reasons for what He has done
for us, why did some make fun of Him while others cried, and what was it like
for Him on that Good Friday?” Our text
from Matthew speaks of a darkness which “came over all the land,” and what
follows that description is a quote from Psalm 22. These are fairly familiar words to many of us. We think of He who loved us before we loved
Him, and we should never forget this.
But this Sunday, I would like us to spend some time focusing on the
responsibilities that we, who receive this love, have. For this perspective, we look at John chapter
6:25-40. I would encourage you to read
all of John 6 before Sunday morning, and then as you read Matthew 27:45-50, ask
yourself: what is my responsibility in receiving Christ’s love.
·
The Old Testament speaks of “darkness” several
times. Look up Amos 8:9 and Joel 2:31 to
get some idea of what the theme of “darkness” is in these passages and ponder
if there is any similarity to what we read in Matthew 27.
·
When reading through John 6, look for the
perspective which the people of that day had, and the perspective Jesus
had. What was the perspective from the
side of man and his responsibility to receive what God offers, and from the
perspective of God and His sovereignty to accomplish His saving purposes? Were they the same perspectives?
·
Do we see any similarities in John 4:15 (the
woman at the well) to what we read in John 6?
·
In John 6:35 Jesus says, “I am the bread of
life. He who comes to me will never go
hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” What type of hunger and thirst was he talking
about, and does this mean we will never hunger and thirst again? And if we do hunger and thirst, does this
mean we have failed to understand our responsibilities in receiving Christ’s
love?
I
would appreciate your prayers for me as I finish my thoughts this week seeking
to find God’s Word, and I thank you for the invitation to be with you. See you Sunday.
