Daily Devotionals

Devotional: November 23rd

For Reading and Meditation:
     John 6:60-71

The next aspect of Christian uniqueness we consider is the Person of our Lord Himself. "Christianity is Christ," said one great preacher. "He is not just the Founder of Christianity but its very foundation. On Him rests the weight of bringing all men and women to God." It is important to reflect at this point, as John Stott reminds us, that Christians must claim uniqueness and finality only for Christ, not for Christianity. We have to admit that over the centuries things have been done in the name of Christianity of which our Lord would not approve. The historical figure of Jesus and His teaching is the criterion by which everything must be measured. "Jesus Christ," said Bishop Stephen Neill, "is not in the least like anyone else who has ever lived." No one else in history can be compared to Him. You do not select Jesus Christ from rivals; He stands alone. He is not the first of a class; He occupies the category all by Himself. Simon Peter realized this, as we see from the passage before us today. When Christ's followers started to drift away because He began to disappoint the hopes they had of Him, it seems the disciples started reconsidering their position too. Jesus knew what was going on in their minds and broke in on their thoughts with the question: "You do not want to leave too, do you?" (v. 67). Somehow that question seemed to clarify their minds. They saw in a flash His inevitability. Peter answered for them all: "To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (v. 68).

O God, drive this thought more deeply than ever into my soul that there is just no substitute for Jesus. He has no rivals. How glad I am that I belong to Him and He belongs to me. May the wonder of this fact grow and glow within me day by day. Amen.

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