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Kevin E Beasley's avatar

Bro! This was a fabulous article! I restacked it, and because of it, I am going to add you to my recommended list!

Also sharing on my Facebook because you spoke to the heart of most of the legit Jesus followers I know. The only ones who wouldn't feel this way are the ones who have passively accepted a church culture from their families and haven't wrestled with their own belief system!

This reminds me of the story where Jesus recognized that he had gathered a large following, and many of them were following for what they could gain from him, or out of FOMO of the latest religious celebrity. He turned, looked at them, and basically said, "If you want to get all of me, you have to eat my flesh and drink my blood."

Dude! That's a crazy thing to say for a preacher amassing a following! Jim Jones kinda stuff. He was looking for those who would continue to follow him even when he said something that went completely against their own comfort or understanding.

The very next verse says, Many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.

This is my favorite part! Then he turned to the 12 and asked, What about you, are you going to turn away too?

Then Peter famously said, "Lord, to whom would we go?"

It's obvious here that these 12 who left EVERYTHING to follow him didn't "like him" at this point, or at least didn't like what he said. They even told him so!

BUT, they continued to follow even though he hit a nerve with their ability to REALLY embrace what he was saying. That creates a tremendous amount of tension, doesn't it!

Well, the good news is that HE REWARDED them for continuing to follow even when they didn't "like" what he said. A few days later, He revealed to those who stayed true to him what he was referring to. He introduced them to COMMUNION, and he let them in on the secret of what it means to eat his flesh and drink his blood.

God rewarded them for following even when it didn't make sense. Can you imagine knowing that you were able to take part in the very first communion and that 2,000 years later Christians around the world would still be practicing what you witnessed with your own eyes the first time it was practiced!!

God rewards us when we follow him, even when we don't like him! And he rewards us in ways we can't even predict, ask, or imagine!

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