John 8:31-36

“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” vss. 31-32

It seems to have been easy for Jesus to attract a crowd. Wherever he went people gathered around to hear his teaching and watch him heal. Scriptures tell us they came by the thousands, robbing him of rest and occasionally forcing him to flee. They were curious…but they didn’t stay around. By the end of his ministry the numbers had dwindled and there were only a few followers with him on his final journey to the cross. Jesus says in today’s text that it’s those who remain who will receive the blessings of discipleship. This is a hard truth, one that’s hard to hear in our world of quick fixes and easy solutions. We’d like to get all that Jesus has to offer in a few lessons or maybe a couple of years of confirmation. But that’s not how it works! There isn’t a fast-track to freedom. He says, “If you continue in my word..” That’s more than learning a few bible verses and moving on to something else. It means hanging in there with him for a lifetime! Freedom comes in the course of the journey, a gift that we receive on the way, a gradual release from the bondage of sin, and self-knowledge that brings perfect peace.

Thought for the Day: What does it mean to continue in the word of Jesus?