Nov 27 – A Hard Teaching!

“This is a hard teaching; who can accept it?” (John 6:60)

There are easy teachings and there are hard teachings. Both are beneficial. Teachings about Jesus bringing comfort, performing miracles, giving freedom, or wiping away your tears—these are easy to accept.

But when Jesus says, “If anyone wants to follow me, let him take up his cross daily and follow me” or “Enter through the narrow gate”, that is a hard teaching. It challenges us to surrender our will and submit ourselves to the will of God.

It is joyful to hear what God has done for us and will do for us. But it seems difficult to know what we must do for Him.

Moses brought in the law of justice, while Jesus brought the law of grace. Which is harder to follow—the law of justice or the law of grace?

The law of justice says, “Do not commit adultery.” Jesus made it even harder: looking at a woman with lust in the heart is already committing adultery in His eyes.

The old teaching says: “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, life for life, whereas the new teaching says: “If someone strikes you on your right cheek, offer the other cheek also.” This is truly a hard teaching! When Jesus preached this, many of His disciples turned away (John 6:66).

Even Apostle Paul faced immense struggles in his ministry. Yet he could write, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? … Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:36,39).

Beloved, for those who truly love the Lord, nothing is too hard. No difficulty can separate us from His love.

Verse for further meditation: “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many; but the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14).