Jesus has just finished feeding the five thousand.
Jesus is not the Savior they are looking for
After seeing the miracles the people believe that Jesus is the Messiah, which He is. The Messiah has come to overthrow their oppressors, heal them, set them free, and give them a new life. They take this to mean that Jesus will overthrow the Romans, take away physical diseases, make them the new earthly rulers, and change their circumstances. Jesus did not come to do this, so He refuses to allow them to make Him King.
Jesus did come to overthrow their oppressors, but the oppressors were their own sin natures. Jesus came to heal them, but their biggest problem was sin not physical disease. Jesus came to set them free, but their slavery was not to the Romans but their sin. Jesus came to give them a new life, but their problem was not their circumstances, it was that they were dead in their sins. Jesus was the Savior, but He was not the type of Savior they were looking for.
Jesus submits Himself to the Father
In refusing to allow them to make Him King by force, Jesus is submitting to the Father. Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. However, He sets the perfect example to us of submission to the Father. He dares not use the flesh to accomplish the Father’s purpose. He chooses instead to submit Himself to the Father and let the Father move in His own way and time.
Jesus is here showing us the life that pleases God. It is a life that does not seek to use God’s power for our own purposes; it is the life that seeks to be used by God for His purposes. We must surrender our rights, positions, etc. to the Lord and allow Him to bring things about in His own way and time.
We tend to be like the Jews
We live in a day where, like the Jews, we seek to use Jesus’ power for our own agenda. This is sometimes political, it is sometimes within our homes, and it is seen in many facets of our lives. It is especially seen in the prosperity Gospel where Jesus’ power is used to make people enjoy their lives this side of eternity. However, this is not the Gospel. Jesus came to save us from ourselves and our selfish ambitions.
We must have the life of Christ
We need Jesus to save us from ourselves. We need His life of total submission to the Father. We must learn of Him to give up our rights and submit to His will.
Application
Will you surrender your rights and life to Jesus Christ?
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