In my quiet time yesterday I was in John’s Gospel, and read through chapter 6. Jesus is moving full-speed ahead in his ministry, as we witness him developing a large following. He feeds well over 10,000 people, and then continues to work with and teach his disciples as people follow him wherever he goes.

Then, in the last half of the chapter, the flavor of Jesus’ message radically shifts with some hard words which cause the Jews to struggle. He makes statements like,“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” (6:53-54) It is not surprising that “many of his followers turned back and no longer walked with him.” (6:66)

Why did Jesus make this statement, knowing he would lose much popularity as a result? I believe it was because popularity and being followed by the crowd was so utterly unimportant to Jesus. What he cares about are people’s souls, and following Jesus is not for those who just want to “go along with the crowd.”

Two thoughts for us today:

1. Christianity is quite popular and convenient in America. Are we followers of Christ because that is what the “crowd” is doing, what we grew up with, what our social group is connected with? Or do we follow Christ because he alone has “the words of eternal life,” knowing that Christ alone is “the Holy One of God,” as Peter testified in 6:68-69?
2. As we follow Christ, and share the Gospel, in our growth groups or in relationships with others, do we back away from the hard sayings so that Christ’s message will be more palatable? Issues of sin, guilt, hell, confession, repentance and obedience may not be popular, but they are a vital part of the Gospel and must not be overlooked. Jesus set a pattern for us to follow by preaching the whole truth, and we must follow in His steps.

Please join me in praising God for the message Christ preached, and the message he has committed to us, a message that is foolishness to some, but life and a fragrant aroma to those who know Christ. (1 Cor. 1-2)

Pressing on for the glory of our King,
Eric