Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.
The Words of Eternal Life
"After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." John 6:66-69
The passage we dealt with yesterday was a difficult one - too difficult in fact for many of Jesus' disciples. Let's face it: if you've been reading along with us, you already know that Jesus says some very difficult things. He asks some things of us that we do not want to give. He is not simply the peaceful, long-haired, big-hearted hippie that a lot of people think He is.
I know many people who once followed Jesus and no longer do. Some of them didn't want the "rules" anymore. Some of them liked some of the things Jesus said, but not all of them. Some of them didn't like other people thinking they were unintelligent for believing in God. I'm sure most of you know people too. Following Jesus is hard sometimes.
So what's the response? Let me tell you, there are definitely days that I feel like what Jesus asks is too much. When I wonder if it's worth it or not. I think the disciples that stayed probably felt much the same way. I'm sure some of them felt EXACTLY the same way as the people who left. So why did they stay? Peter's statement is so, so good: "Where would we go? You have eternal life and You are God! How could we go somewhere else?"
And that is the key. If faith in Jesus was about feeling good, I probably would have been gone a long time ago. Don't get me wrong: most of the time following Jesus is a joy, but there are sometimes when it feels like the whole world is falling down around you and you wonder why in the world you're following Jesus if He doesn't stop this kind of thing from happening. That's when Peter's statement needs to become your own. Where would I go? You are God. How could I leave the source of life? What would I run to? Jesus never promises that life will be easy, but He is God and He is good. And that changes everything.
The Words of Eternal Life
"After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." John 6:66-69
The passage we dealt with yesterday was a difficult one - too difficult in fact for many of Jesus' disciples. Let's face it: if you've been reading along with us, you already know that Jesus says some very difficult things. He asks some things of us that we do not want to give. He is not simply the peaceful, long-haired, big-hearted hippie that a lot of people think He is.
I know many people who once followed Jesus and no longer do. Some of them didn't want the "rules" anymore. Some of them liked some of the things Jesus said, but not all of them. Some of them didn't like other people thinking they were unintelligent for believing in God. I'm sure most of you know people too. Following Jesus is hard sometimes.
So what's the response? Let me tell you, there are definitely days that I feel like what Jesus asks is too much. When I wonder if it's worth it or not. I think the disciples that stayed probably felt much the same way. I'm sure some of them felt EXACTLY the same way as the people who left. So why did they stay? Peter's statement is so, so good: "Where would we go? You have eternal life and You are God! How could we go somewhere else?"
And that is the key. If faith in Jesus was about feeling good, I probably would have been gone a long time ago. Don't get me wrong: most of the time following Jesus is a joy, but there are sometimes when it feels like the whole world is falling down around you and you wonder why in the world you're following Jesus if He doesn't stop this kind of thing from happening. That's when Peter's statement needs to become your own. Where would I go? You are God. How could I leave the source of life? What would I run to? Jesus never promises that life will be easy, but He is God and He is good. And that changes everything.
RSS Feed
