Around Halloween, a devil wears a red suit with a long pointed tail, horns on his head, and a spear in his hand.
I've heard people call a mischievous child a 'little devil'.
I don't like either.
Jesus faced 'the' devil in the wilderness.
In John 6:70 Jesus spoke of 'a' devil.
He had been talking to the following crowd about spiritual food rather than the free fish dinner they had enjoyed previously. In the process, He was exposing false motives. The real reason they followed Him was not for Who He is, but for what He could do for them. At least in part....
A profound truth I see this morning is that the Word of God brings life, and it divides.
Some of the people said Jesus' teaching was 'too hard', and left. They stopped following, stopped seeking Him out, stopped listening.
"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. (John 6:67)
I love Peter's answer.
"Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life.We've already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:69 The Message)
But Jesus' response chills me.....
"Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" (John 6:70)
I purpose before God this morning to not just 'look' like a follower of Jesus.
I purpose before Him to be authentic.
