John 6:60-71 Many Disciples Turn Away
“Therefore, many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
“Therefore, many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” You have to feel sorry for the disciples. Here they’ve been basking in the thrill of miraculously feeding several thousand people and watching Jesus tame a storm on the Sea of Galilee, only to stand and listen as Jesus begins teaching difficult spiritual concepts.
While Jesus is describing himself as being the bread of life and talking about people eating his flesh and drinking his blood, men in the crowd are sidling up to Peter and the other disciples and asking, “Just what does your master mean by all this?” While Peter would love to appear spiritually advanced, frankly, he too is clueless. Peter may be coming up with grand-sounding phrases such as “Just wait and Jesus will explain it all.” But the disciples are just as baffled as everybody else. It’s no fun looking stupid! Some of the disciples are whining that these things are incomprehensible, and Peter is tempted to agree.
“Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” Once more, we see Jesus refusing to water things down. Jesus knows full well that some of those claiming to be disciples are simply camp followers who will desert at the first sign of trouble. Here, the term “disciples” refers to all those who have been traveling around with Jesus during his ministry.
“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
The twelve disciples whom Jesus has chosen might be confused and even embarrassed, but they remain faithful. But these teachings might mark the time when Judas Iscariot begins to distance himself from Jesus. Judas wants to commit himself to a victorious Messiah, not to somebody teaching weird stuff that attracts ostracism from religious leaders.
There are many times in the Bible when large numbers of casual followers disappear while a trusty few remain. In the story of Gideon, Gideon starts out with 22,000 men and winds up with 300, but those 300 accomplish everything God wants them to do. God is far more interested in dedication than He is in sheer numbers.
When the Northern Ethnic Conflict began in Northern Ghana in February 1994, our small clinic had 11 workers. Later, we acquired another 11 workers as Konkomba nurses fled to Saboba, making a staff of 22. We were the only source of medical care for 100,000 Konkombas who had nowhere else to go. We were running this clinic with intermittent electricity from a small generator and no running water. We sterilized everything in a big pressure cooker over a coal pot on the verandah. And God showed up and did miracles. Many of the staff who served sacrificially have gone to be with Jesus, and many more have retired. But those of us who remain can confidently testify that God multiplied our efforts and gave us supernatural strength.
Pursuing God’s Will can be a lonely business. But Romans 8:31-32 tells us, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
Your position may be a lonely one, but if God has sent you there, God can keep you there, and God will be with you to the end of the age.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help those of us in lonely outposts to remember that no matter how many people desert us, You will never leave us or forsake us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment