Former Blackout Artist

“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.” – John 6:66-69

Say what you will about Peter’s knack for speaking his mind sometimes without thinking. But his response to Jesus here in the 6th chapter of John brings us to the heart of the Gospel of Christ. “Lord, to whom shall we go?”

Immediately following Christ’s crucifixion, I wonder if Peter maybe had a flashback of this exchange with Jesus that day as he and his fellow disciples had fled the scene and hunkered down in a safe house on the outskirts of town. If so, he was most certainly confronted with having to consider an answer to his own question, and undoubtedly many more to follow.

But as for this day, there was no turning back. While the others who had a terrible time understanding spiritual metaphors and became offended at Jesus for saying things like “I am the bread of life” and “whoever eats of my flesh” and “whoever drinks my blood,” Peter understood what Jesus was saying. But most importantly, Peter believed every word of it.

I can only imagine the thoughts going through Peter’s mind as Jesus turned and asked them if they would like to leave too.

“If we left you, Jesus, where would we go? To whom would we go? That day I first met you, that morning you came onto my boat and told me to throw the net to the other side… Do you remember what I said to you after hauling in all those fish? I said, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.’ But you didn’t go away. And you have never left me. So, no. I’m not going anywhere. You have the words of eternal life. Why would I want to leave?”

So in those few words, and speaking on behalf of the rest of the disciples, Peter had essentially reaffirmed his faith and commitment to Jesus.

• He acknowledged Jesus as his Lord.
• Despite the hardships and challenges, he acknowledged Jesus was worth going through all of it.
• He valued spiritual matters, the word of life, over the material desires, unlike those who turned away.
• He identified Jesus as the Messiah, and recognized Him as God (the Son of the living God).

“We have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Isn’t this true for every person who comes to know Christ as their Lord and Savior? Something changes. We may not completely understand how it happened. But it happened and we realize it has happened because we’re no longer the same as we were before it happened (whatever that “it” was). God, through His loving and merciful gift of grace, found us, just as He had found Peter, James, John, and all the other disciples. He came to us, right where we were. For some of us it was at a church. For some of us it was in a hospital. Or sitting in our car in the driveway and wondering how our lives became such a mess. How do we explain this great mystery? How do we explain no longer wanting to go to the bar to get drunk with the coworkers on Friday nights after work? What are we to make of the new choices of music we find ourselves listening to, or the stuff we’re now watching on television? Or the books we’re reading? Or the new friends we’re making? Or the many other choices we make that reflect a radical, godly shift that is taking place in our lives?

There’s only one explanation. It is the work of the living God!

“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” – John 6:37-40

Some stayed, many left. What about you? Is what Jesus claims too hard a teaching for you, too? Or are you ready to give away the things you cannot keep for the one thing you can never lose?

Questions Worth Considering

1 Reflecting on what Jesus said in John 6:37-40, how does the assurance that “all that the Father gives me will come to me” impact my understanding of God’s sovereignty in the process of seeking and finding a relationship with Jesus?

2 In light of Jesus’ promise that he will lose none of those given to him by the Father, how does this assurance influence my confidence and trust in Christ’s ability to sustain my faith and guide me through life’s challenges?

3 How does this truth – that everyone who believes in Jesus will have eternal life – inspire us to share the message of hope with others and actively participate in the mission of drawing people into a relationship with Him?