HOST: Michael Whitworth
SPONSOR: Logos Bible Software
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” 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.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.
In today’s thought, I want to focus on the words of Peter in response to Jesus’ question, “Do you want to go away as well?” Peter quickly responds, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life...” At this point in his relationship with Jesus, Peter did not fully understand Jesus’ mission or his place in it, but there was one thing that he understood very clearly: there was no one else on earth—no Jewish leader, no teacher, no prophet—who could offer him what Jesus could: eternal life. Though the way might be rough at times, though Jesus’ teachings might sometimes be difficult to understand or swallow, Peter was committed to following Him. There was nowhere else and with no one else that he wanted to be. There are still many people who walk away from Jesus because He asks more of them than they are willing to give. If only we too could be convinced that there is nowhere else to go and no one else to go to who can offer what Jesus Christ offers: eternal life.
What are some of the reasons people leave Christ today?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!
