“On hearing it, many of His disciples said, this is a hard teaching, who can accept it?” (John 6:60 NIV)
When Jesus teaches something tough, we have two choices. We can turn away and go our own way OR we can accept it and make the necessary adjustments.
The crowd and His disciples faced just such a choice just after the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus had performed the picnic miracle, retreated into the wilderness, reappeared and walked across a choppy lake and then proceeded to preach on what could be construed as cannabalism if you weren’t familiar with the concept of communion.
**We tend to bring our worldview to the Bible, so this text about eating His flesh and drinking His blood really weirds us out as Americans, but the original audience was well-versed in both the sacrificial system and the passover meal. Which, it’s noted at the beginning of chapter 6 that Passover is quickly approaching; the coming seder was already a preoccupying plan in their hearts. I wonder if the concepts weren’t anywhere near as appalling as the admission of of His messiahship. Jesus had very clearly associated Himself as God’s Son, sent to do His will. Certainly, we see comments about “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” (vs. 52) but people don’t begin to leave the synagogue and disregard the teaching until verse 66, after the messianic exposition is complete.**
Whether weirded out by the perception of cannabilism or appalled by His declaration of Sonship, the synagogue cleared out. Jesus lost a lot of disciples that day. But He wasn’t surprised. He had seen it coming. He knows who will believe and who will betray.
“For Jesus had known form the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.” (John 6:64 NIV)
What about us? What do we do when we hear something hard from Jesus?
If you haven’t yet, you will. I look back at my years of discipleship and recall many tough instructions:
“Follow Me.”
“Repent and turn from your sin.”
“Open your home.”
“Share My cup.”
“Forgive them.”
“Let him go.”
“Pray for your enemy.”
“Give that up.”
When I hear hear teaching, it tests the depth and resolve of my love for Christ. I have to decide all over again whom I will serve. Who is Lord of my life? Is it comfort, safety, self? Or is is Jesus Christ? Does His word offend me, or does it affect me? Put me out or perfect me? Do I believe, as Jesus said, that the flesh counts for nothing? That the Spirit alone gives life? Will I walk out His truth even if I disagree?
Jesus knows who will believe and who will betray. He knew amidst His disciples and He knows about us. We read the Word and recognize that there are only two choices when it comes to Christ’s teaching: believe or betray. There’s no in between, no indecision, no Medium Place to spend eternity. We believe in or betray our Lord with every word, every action, every reaction. Our life is a series of responses to His Lordship. And sadly, it seems the majority will betray.
“From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.” (John 6:66 NIV)
Jesus is going to ask us to push through hard teaching with Him and our response to His request will determine our destiny. The truth is; we are always free to go. He forces no one to follow. But at the same time, there is a beautiful and rare blessing in choosing to stay, in choosing to obey.
The disciples who stayed on with Jesus after this miracle and subsequent teaching stepped closer. They saw stuff. They were with Jesus through the rest of His ministry, through His toughest days on earth. They saw more miracles, but they also saw hardship, persecution and profound betrayal. They walked with Jesus through His darkest hours in Gethsemene; or at the very least they fell asleep nearby. They witnessed His unlawful arrest, the sham of a trial, His forty lashes and consequent crucifixion. They sobbed at His open grave and wondered at it’s emptying a few days later. They encountered Him resurrected and then witnessed His ascension, just as He said they would in verse 62. Then they experienced His power flood through their flesh on Pentecost.
A ‘yes’ in obedience to Christ’s teaching is a ‘yes’ to a more intimate life with Him. The compliment sons and daughters are pulled closest, they are let in on the Father’s will. And while obedience often requires a very high price tag, (consider the Son’s compliance with His Father) it also affords a nearness that cannot be achieved by any other means. Obedience obtains a front row seat to what God is doing. It won’t be easy or comfortable, but demanding and exhilarating and entirely worth any cost we may pay.
It’s my prayer today, that when hard teaching happens, our response would be that of Simon Peter:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of life. We have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:69 NIV)
Believing and knowing begets obedience. Simon Peter acknowledges that Jesus is Lord, meaning He is the authority in his life, over all life. What Jesus says, we do, whether we like it or not. If we are opposed, uncomfortable, even put out, we assume we are wrong and we follow the Word fully in spite of our feelings. We remember that there are only two responses to Jesus: belief or betrayal. We choose to believe and know, to obey the truth that He is Lord.
Lord, help us follow You even into hard teachings. Train our hearts to traipse after You, discontent with anything less than intimacy. Strengthen our resolve to obey, today and every day. Amen.