They Asked Jesus To Leave, And He Did

 The saddest verses in the New Testament are when people told Jesus to leave them.  

THEN ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE GERASENES ASKED JESUS TO LEAVE THEM, BECAUSE THEY WERE OVER COME WITH FEAR.  SO HE GOT INTO THE BOAT AND LEFT.   (lK. 8:37niv)    I was so sad the first time I read this, because Jesus left them.  They made Him go away for working a healing miracle in a violent, insane, demon possessed  man.   Jesus had just healed him, gave him his right mind back and cast out the Legion of demons that was in him.  The people rejected Jesus, this Man of  power, for being merciful to the desperate man.  

     The other verses that saddened me were when many of Jesus followers left Him. FROM THIS TIME MANY OF HIS DISCIPLES TURNED BACK AND NO LONGER FOLLOWER HIM.  (Jn. 6:66)   He had just told them to ..BELIEVE IN THE ONE HE (GOD) HAS SENT.  (v. 29c)  He explained that He Jesus is the bread of eternal life.   And they rejected Him, and left Him.  FOR JESUS HAD KNOWN FROM THE BEGINNING WHICH OF THEM DID NOT BELIEVE.. (Jn. 6:64b)

      Jesus had just done a great miracle for them the day earlier. (Jn.6:1-15)   Jesus prayed to heaven and supernaturally multiplied 5 barley loaves and 2 small fish.   Jesus  fed about 5 thousand men through the power of God.     I figure, their wives, children, and mother-in-laws ate too.  I estimate 20,000 of His followers  were satisfied.  Food was even left over: the divine provision of God.   Barley loaves were the size of biscuits and  Lake Galilee fish the size of sardines.    The next day many rejected Him because Jesus told them not to just seek Him for food, but to seek Him as the Bread of Eternal Life which came down from heaven.

     Once I was in my bedroom praying with my eyes closed.  It was as if Jesus came to me. With my eyes closed I saw Jesus.   I have never seen a person that sad on planet earth.   I was amazed seeing  the saddest Man in the universe.  He is  A MAN OF SORROWS, WELL ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF.  (Is. 53)   He seemed to say to me, WILL YOU LEAVE ME TOO.  Of course not I told Him.  Then I remembered He asked His  Apostles if they were going to leave Him too the day most deserted Him.   So, I answered as Peter did:  NO LORD, WHERE ELSE COULD WE GO, YOU ARE THE ONE WITH THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE. (Jn. 6)  As I gazed at Jesus I knew that He was very sad when they left.  I realized He wasn't sad for Himself.  He was sad for them because they would not be with Him in heaven.  It makes Jesus very sad.