Daily D – John 6:5-6
John 6:5, 6
When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. (NIV)
When Jesus looked out and saw that a large crowd had arrived, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread to feed these people?” He said this to stretch Philip’s faith. He already knew what he was going to do. (MSG)
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Jesus already knows what he is going to do. Can you correctly anticipate what it will be?
How can you learn to think like Jesus?
Step One is probably to stop thinking Jesus agrees with us on everything.
Step Two is probably to pay attention to what Jesus said and did in the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Step Three might well be to ponder what Jesus said. What was the context? Who was with him when he said it? What situation was he addressing? What happened after he said it?
What other questions come to mind?
Jesus invites Philip to think with him in verse 5. As NorthWood Church’s Paige Langford pointed out a few weeks ago, Philip answered a different question from the one Jesus asked. His answer is found in verse 7.
Do you ever answer a question Jesus didn’t ask instead of the question he did ask?
Let’s not be too hard on Phil. He was thinking along with Jesus. He wasn’t, however, thinking like Jesus.
How can we think like Jesus?
Thinking like Jesus requires a different perspective. It also requires immersion. This is not the immersion of baptism, but instead an immersion into the words and ways of Jesus. The best way to learn a new language is to immerse yourself in a place where only that language is spoken. The best way to learn to think like Jesus is to think along with him day by day in the gospels.
In addition to The Bible Recap reading plan I am using this year, I read from Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John each day as well. I want to think with Jesus. I want to think like Jesus. I want, as the Apostle Paul calls it, the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).
There are many revolutionaries today. There is nothing more revolutionary than the words and ways of Jesus. He is not limited to the narrow worldview of any one particular group. He is not limited by heritage or hate. He is not captive to any nationality. He is not the sole possession of any political expression. He is an equal opportunity offender to any kind of ideology that does not seek God’s highest and best for all people everywhere.
It’s time we learned to think like Jesus. It’s time for full immersion into his heart and mind, his will and ways.
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I will immerse myself in Jesus so that I may learn to think his thoughts and anticipate his next moves so that I can join him in what he is doing to extend his kingdom of hearts and minds.
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Our Father, I want to have the mind of Christ. Reshape my thinking and reasoning. Deeply integrate your truth and wisdom, your will and your ways in my life. Amen.
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