NEVER SATISFIED

"So they asked him, 'What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see and believe in you? What will you do?'" -John 6:30

These words came from the people of Israel less than 24 hours after Jesus fed five thousand people with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread and then walked on water. What more could they ask for? These people had seen and heard about all that Jesus was doing yet they were still unsatisfied and unwilling to believe or follow him. In alot of ways we're no different today.

We know all about Jesus, we've read about his miracles and have even seen the power of God radically change the life of somebody we know, yet we're still wanting more. We have questions about God and doubts about him that we use to excuse our unbelief or lack of following through with what God asks us to do. "If only I knew the answer to question X" we say, then I'll believe and give my life to him. If we want to be his disciple we must follow him like his disciples did.

The apostle Peter first met Jesus on a fishing trip. He and his buddies had been fishing all night with horrible luck when Jesus walks up and asks to go come on board. Peter agrees and upon meeting Jesus calls him Rabbi, or master, out of respect as was the custom when speaking to a Jewish teacher. As the men push out into the deep water, Jesus tells them where to cast their nets and orchestrates a record catch. Catching two boats of fish during daylight hours was unheard in those days since fish could easily see the bulky nets coming and avoid being caught, but not with Jesus. Peter and his buddies had witnessed not only a record catch but a miracle and they knew it. Luke 5:8 tells us that after all this happened, Peter fell to his knees in front of Jesus and said, "Get away from me LORD I am a sinful man." Notice that Peter no longer calls Jesus master, now he calls him Lord. Because of all that happened that day, Peter and his buddies "left everything and followed him" (Luke 5:11).

Peter didn't see much but he knew something special when he saw it. He wasn't the brightest of guys but he witnessed enough to know that no man could do what Jesus had done and that he had to be the Son of God. When will that reality fully set in with you and I? It seems to me that some of us have barricaded ourselves deep into a room full of doubts and what ifs for the sole purpose of keeping Jesus out. We lock all ten locks on the door and pile twenty pieces of furniture behind it. Each lock to us is a doubt and each piece of furniture an unanswered question about God.

How is refusing to follow Jesus until all doubts are settled and all questions answered any different than the Jewish people refusing to believe until they witnessed another miracles? How much more information does a person need? I say all this because I think doubts and questions are part of faith which the Bible says is required for any man to please God. If faith is part of life, that means we'll never have ALL the answers and there's no way around it. My fear is that some of us will spend our entire lives locked away and barricaded from the amazing truth and life of Jesus that lies just opposite the door we refuse to open.

In revelation 3:20 God says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Jesus is knocking, what will it take for you to open that door and consider the evidence that he's real? What will it take for you to invite him in?

Somehow we all have to make sense of this world. I find is hard to explain the complexity and wonder of creation without thinking that there's a God. I find it hard not to believe that the Bible is true given it's historical accuracy and numerous fulfilled prophecies that point to divine inspiration. I find it hard not to believe that Jesus really did live, die on a cross and rise from the dead given the large number of people that have voluntarily gone to their death for their belief. Some might say that people of many faiths die for what they believe, but not voluntarily. Suicide bombers and the like die because they believe their action proves their dedication and will ensure them a better place in heaven. Early Christians and even some believers today die because they have experienced the incredible power of God in their lives and they know he's real.

How will you make sense of the world? Jesus said in Luke 12:48 that, "To whom much is given, much will be expected." You and I have been given amazing resources like the internet and thousands of books that we can use to make sense of Jesus' claims and the possibility that he might be real while people of other countries do not have access to such things. Based on Jesus' words, I feel confident that when the time comes to stand before God's throne, both will be judged accordingly and much more will be expected of you and I. When will you unlock the door, examine the evidence for Jesus and do some investigating?

I hope that when you do you'll fall to your knees like Peter, overwhelmed by the greatness of our God. I hope He will be more than just a master to you, but your LORD instead, and one who is worth following even if it means leaving everything else behind.