You Too?

"As a result of this, many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him any more. Jesus said therefore to the twelve, 'You do not want to go away also, do you?' " John 6:66-67

Previous to these verses, Jesus had been telling those who were following along after Him that to truly be His disciples, they must "eat His flesh and drink His blood." Many were offended by these words. Not, as some have said, because He invited them to some form of cannibalism, but because they knew that what He required was a total commitment and devotion to Him. Rabbi's of the day often required a similar devotion from their students. Those who followed Jesus, many because of the good "bread and fishes" He was giving out, some because of His miracles, but all who were present, knew that He called them to total surrender. They would not be their own. They would belong to Him. The bread and fish crowd were surely the first to turn back, followed closely by the miracle seekers. Jesus couldn't have been surprised. Scripture says that He knew what's in the heart of men, and the motives for following Him. Yet, tragically, actual disciples, to this point dedicated to Him, turned away as well. They were willing to follow Him with some or most of their heart, but all of it? No, they couldn't. Jesus spoke a word, words, that asked too much. Commanded too much. So here's the question for us; what word or words might Jesus speak to you that would cause you, in at least some part of your heart, to cease following Him? To turn away from Him? To have Him look into your eyes and with His say, "You too?"

Those who profess to be His disciples can easily read over this passage and think it doesn't speak to us. After all, we, as the old hymn goes, have decided to follow Jesus, and there'll be no turning back. We choose not to dwell upon those things, people, attitudes, habits, dreams, desires, goals, and so on, that He has commanded us to surrender to Him. To make His so that they're no longer ours. These we choose to hold onto, to not give to Him. We see ourselves as still following Him, that we have not turned away. Yet, in one area, and likely more, we have. In that thing or things, we are going our own way. He has spoken a word to us that we've deemed too hard to accept. So we turn back on that point, while convincing ourselves that we're still in step with Him. We tend to look down upon those who turned from Him in John 6, but in truth, they were more honest than us.

We have come into days where lines really are being drawn. Choices must be made as to where we actually stand. The choices will involve sacrifice, a lot of sacrifice. He demands of us everything, everywhere, every time. If we're with Him because of the good bread, we'll turn back. If we're there for the blessings and great works on our behalf, we'll turn back. We'll come face to face with the choice made by Peter and the rest; to whom will we go if we won't go with Him? To whom will you go?

May my choice, your choice, be that of knowing there is no other place of life but with Him, regardless of the cost, and so, we go on with Him. May none of us have to bear the look of sadness in His eyes should we shrink back, turn back, that silently says, "You too?"

Blessings,

Pastor O