| “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” |
| —John 6:66 |
Have you ever had a situation where someone, or a group of individuals, followed closely what you had to say? At times, they seemed enthralled by your words. They complimented you on your wisdom. They appreciated the knowledge you shared. They seemed to enjoy your company. They made an effort to get close to you, to get to know you better.
But then, you said something or did something and suddenly they left you so quickly that the wind in their wake nearly knocked you over. You were left virtually alone, puzzled why they had left, yet convinced that likely they did not really believe in what you said, or what you did, after all. This is exactly the situation that Jesus found, as recorded in John 6.
Jesus had fed the 5,000 men and even more women and children by blessing the lunch of a small boy: five loaves and two fishes. Then, He had sent His disciples out across the Sea of Galilee (Lake of Gennesaret). A storm had arisen and the disciples feared they would drown. But, Jesus came to them, walking across the water, and He calmed the storm. Arriving on the distant shore and surrounded by a crowd of the people of that region, the disciples asked Jesus a question. And, His response began this marvelous story. However, this lesson is so profound and so powerful, that I find I must let Scripture speak for itself. Here’s this rather long passage from John 6:25-69:
When they (the disciples) found him (Jesus) on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” (Exodus 16:4; Nehemiah 9:15; Psalm 78:24-25)
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
“And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ (Isaiah 54:13)
“Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.
“Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.
“This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.”
For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” 1
How very sad that, faced with the powerful truth from the lips of our Savior, some of His followers could not apprehend it. In response, they turned and walked away. The key verse for this passage of Scripture is found in John 6:66:
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
As we begin another day, let’s determine to accept with joy the teachings of Jesus, especially His hard teachings. This may mean that we will stand out from the world. It may mean that while everyone else in our culture goes in one direction, we will have to go in the opposite direction. While vast crowds turn their backs on God, we will stand firm in His truth.
God did not promise us popularity. Nor did He promise that the world would love us. In fact, He promised just the opposite, as recorded in John 17:14. But, isn’t it better to be loved and accepted by God than loved and accepted by the world? I’m certain I know the answer. And, I think you do, too.
1 As you read this passage, I hope you noticed one of the linchpins of the Reformed Theology of John Calvin, as recorded in Jesus’ own words:“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.” Before the foundation of the earth, God has chosen those who will belong to Himself. In due season, He sends His Holy Spirit to draw to Himself, by irresistible grace, those ones He has chosen. If you are a “Christ’s-one,” at some point in your life, God caused you to learn of the gift He has given you of salvation from sin and eternal life with Him. As a chosen one, you responded to this good news by acknowledging this gift. In this salvation transaction, God has done everything. That’s one of the most beautiful realities about our relationship with God. He reaches out to us and we simply fall into the precious arms of His mercy, grace, and love. |
Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2017
