Kingmaker

(You can listen to the audio commentary by double clicking here http://hometown.aol.com/traqair/Todaysdev.mp3 or by downloading the emailed attachment - if you get a page full of symbols, just click on the link again)


John 6: 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.


They were motivated by greed, not by love. Jesus had satisfied their stomachs; they didn't need Him to look after their souls. All they wanted was a king who could feed an army; they weren't interested in one who could save their people. Those hungry spectators on the hillside had found what they were looking for – a messenger of God who could nourish their bodies. They weren't searching for a suffering servant or a spiritual leader; all they desired was a provider of a feast and a fulfiller of their wants.


But Jesus wasn't buying into any of it. He wasn't about to become their genie, or even their king. First and foremost, He answered to God and not their wishes. He had taken pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, like lemmings without a leader. He fed them because they were hungry, and not because He wanted to be their king. If Jesus had accepted their crown that day, He would have had to perform the same miracle three times a day to keep up with their wants. But if He ever stopped the food chain, they would have turned on Him, dethroned Him, and abandoned Him. If He didn't give them what they wanted, He would have no right to be their king.


That’s why Jesus left them. That’s why He withdrew to another mountain by Himself. He needed to be alone with God. He needed to get away from the people. He needed to avoid the temptation of stardom and celebrity status. The mob was trying to confer on Jesus the very same things that the devil had tempted Him with in the wilderness – power, popularity, and prestige. It looks so simple on paper, but Jesus was a man. It must have been very difficult to give up that crown, that control, and that acclamation.


I guess the question we need to ask ourselves is this: is Jesus our King simply because He caters to our needs and helps us fulfill our goals? Or is He our King because we want to be His servants and seek to do His will?


Prayer: Lord Jesus, our faith is just as fickle as those who were on the mountainside with You. When our needs are met, our beliefs are strong; when our wants are fulfilled, You are our undoubted king. Forgive us for being full of greed and guile. Help us to serve You and not enslave You. Keep us from making You into what we want, instead of doing for You what You require of us. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.