And some of the disciples turned away

Pastor Carol Grace ♦ August 28, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

John 6:53 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. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 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. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 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. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

When you hear something that either makes no sense to you, or perhaps it is the exact opposite of what you have understood, what is your reaction?  Do you attempt to understand or broaden your thinking, or do you dig your heels in, clinging to the dogma that makes you comfortable?

Jesus tells the men gathered in the Synagogue that in order to follow Him they must eat of His flesh and drink of His blood.  We as Christians celebrate the Lord’s Supper not just to remember what Jesus has done. We place ourselves in that upper room two thousand years ago so that we know, understand and believe that there is a cost to following Jesus.  We accept that the cost may be great, but the reward is so much greater.

Had you been in that Synagogue, would you have been one of the disciples who turned away, or would you have been faithful to the end?

PRAYER: Father, help us to cease our grumbling, to determine we will not be offended by the gospel of Jesus Christ, but that we will be the disciples who are faithful to the end because of your grace and your mercy.  Amen.