Jesus now turns to his twelve apostles and asks if they want to leave also. Is it too much for you like it is for the rest of these disciples? Peter’s answer is a wonderful statement of faith, showing God’s law has been written on his heart. “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 6:68–69) Peter's response is powerful and great. He knew where truth originated! He had heard the voice on the Mountain saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; listen to him!" He had seen Jesus' words change reality and destroy barriers to God's love and truth. Indeed, he knew that there was no one else who had the words of eternal life!
His brave words mean something like this:
"A long time ago we began to follow you. We've watched you up close. Some things you do frighten us because we've never seen anything like it before. You say things that blow our minds. You don't mind offending powerful people. You aren't like any Rabbi we've ever known before. We've looked at the alternatives, and we've figured out that there is no one else who can do what you do. We know you are the Holy One of God. So we've made our choice. We're sticking with you all the way to the end."
For us, too, following Jesus often involves levels of commitment we didn’t expect on the front end. While this matter of “eating his flesh” and “drinking his blood” may be among Jesus’ most difficult teachings in the New Testament, there is no shortage of other difficult teachings. Like Peter and the Twelve, the only thing that will keep us “connected to the vine” is our firm conviction, forged through personal, intimate experience, that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Holy One of God.
Where else are we supposed to go? There is nowhere else to go and there is no one else to go to. Jesus has the words of eternal life. Listen to Jesus is everything. We have listened to the words of Jesus and know that he is the Holy One of God. No one else can satisfy like Jesus. Life is not found anywhere else. True disciples understand this. No matter how challenging Jesus can be, there is nowhere else to go. Jesus is the Holy One of God. Jesus is our only hope.
Other teachers may do good or not, but they will do no great harm so long as they do not keep men away from Christ, nor take men away, nor tempt them to go away. Temptation to this there always has been of some sort. The disciples must have felt it when they were being left in a small minority, especially when those who had a reputation for clear-headedness and learning were mostly in the majority. They must have felt also, as others did, that in the teaching of Jesus there was much beyond their comprehension. From such temptations how were they saved?
I. The disciples’ conviction.
Not by their admiration of His character or of His teaching, nor by their affection for His Person, but by this conviction, ‘Thou hast the words of eternal life.’ His words supplied what had been wanting in the words of man from the beginning. Life—life of soul and body—what is it; will it continue, or will it come to an end? Such questions had weighed on the minds of all generations. Not only this, but we take all life to be that power in soul and body which is always fighting for health, and is itself untouched by decay, untainted by disease or death, so that any one who could tell of life which is everlasting could tell also of palliative or remedy for everything that would cut us off from life. It was no wonder that the disciples, persuaded of this, should refuse to go away.
II. How had the conviction come to them?
For two years they had been with Him, carefully listening and observing. They heard Him speak, as never man spake, such things as they felt in their inmost hearts that all men required to hear. They saw in Him the power to give life, healing all manner of diseases, bidding even the dead arise; they saw that all the powers of Nature were at His command; they saw Him holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, boundless in compassion and love; they saw that all He was, and all He said and did, was in full accordance with what He professed to be; and, above all, those outward facts were crowned by the profound experience of new life and new power in themselves, which had come to them from Him. Before other two years had passed by they had seen and experienced greater things than these, and as they communed with their own hearts, or spake one with another, in their recollections of the past, there would always be the glad thought that they had not gone away.
III. Their conviction may be ours.
Let no one, be he teacher or not, step between us and our portion. Its value would be gladly proclaimed out of the fullness of our own hearts and minds, if we did but give them liberty, and thus and thus would they speak: The teacher and friend I need and long for, who alone can meet my case, is one who knows at least what it is to live in the body, as well as to be tempted through the soul and the body; who could speak to me with the voice of authority about sin and pardon; who could be always with me, and go where I go and stay where I stay; who could see me in the darkness as well as in the light, and see my whole being throughout, for how else could he bring me help? One who could say to me, ‘It is I be not afraid,’ and to the storm, ‘Peace, be still,’ and to the power of evil, ‘Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further’; one who could fathom my perplexities, enlighten my darkness, and never misunderstand me; who could heal the sores of my conscience, rule my passions, and understand the groanings that I cannot utter; one who knows what the valley of death is, and would be with me there, and who can speak for me in the Day of Judgment, and receive me to glory. To whom then shall I go? To whom but to Thee, Lord Jesus? Thou art offering Thyself to us for all this and more, able to save to the uttermost, to the glory of God the Father.
What are some steps that we can take to see Jesus as the bread of life and let God write his law on our hearts? First, pray. Pray to God for a softening of your heart. Prayer is so important to the Christian walk. Pray to God the words a father declared to Jesus. “I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Tell God your weaknesses and your struggles. Second, read God’s word with intent. Mindlessly reading the scriptures will not affect the heart. Take small portions of God’s word. Read those words and reflect on what you have read. Think about how those words affect your life. Pray those words to God. We have to bring the word of God from our eyes to our hearts. This is the only way to see that Jesus has the words of eternal life. It is the only way that we will come to true, saving faith. It is the only way that we will appreciate that he is the bread of life. It is the only way to be taught by God.
In Christ we have a love that can never be fathomed; a life that can never die; a righteousness that can never be tarnished; a peace that can never be understood; a rest that can never be disturbed; a joy that can never be diminished; a hope that can never be disappointed; a glory that can never be clouded; a light that can never be darkened; a happiness that can never be interrupted; a strength that can never be enfeebled; a purity that can never be defiled; a beauty that can never be marred; a wisdom that can never be baffled; and resources that can never be exhausted.
If that is true-and it is!...how could a Christian ever go anywhere else?
Let the world think what it will. Jesus is Lord! By God's grace, we will follow him to the end.
Today's Prayer
Almighty God, thank you for making Jesus so accessible to me. Jesus helps me see the full extent of your love. Jesus helps me more completely understand your message about wanting to redeem me and make me your own. I want to always come to Jesus for truth, grace, refreshment, and hope. There is no other one that I want to be my Lord except my crucified Savior, Jesus. Today, Father, gently confront me in those areas where I have yet to fully yield to your Son's lordship in my life. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
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