Where Else Can I Go?
After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 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 one of you is a devil?" He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was to betray him. John 6:66-71, RSV.
All good things on earth come to an end sooner or later. For a time the multitudes flocked after Jesus. They couldn't get enough of Him. Many were excited at His miracles. Others had come to be baptized by His disciples--so many that it had been an embarrassment (John 4:1-3). Jesus could hardly escape the press of the people. And it merely got worse after the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6:1-15. At that time they attempted to make Him king.
But Jesus had different ideas and dismissed the crowds. And then He gave that talk about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, claiming to be the bread of life.
That was too much. The beginning of the end was already in sight as many of His followers "drew back and no longer went about with him." Some of them had begun to see more clearly where Jesus was headed. After all, you can't challenge the authorities time after time and expect to get away with it. They could recognize that He was destined for disaster.
They followed Him willingly as long as the loaves and the fishes were plentiful. Seeking what they could get out of it, they had gone after Him for purely selfish reasons. But, they were not interested in following a person who didn't have enough sense to take the kingship when it was offered to Him.
And then there was the first foreshadowing of the dark side of Judas. He had his own ideas about helping Jesus move in what he considered the right direction.
In the light of the changing times, Jesus asked the 12 if they would forsake Him also. Peter's response is a classic: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."
That answer has sustained me many times as things have gotten difficult and even church looked like a mess. Like Peter, I did not understand everything, I was not happy with things, and I couldn't see into the future. But I did know one thing for certain: that Jesus and faith in Him made more sense than anything else. Where else could I go? I have never been sorry that I stuck with Jesus through the bad times as well as the good.
After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 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 one of you is a devil?" He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was to betray him. John 6:66-71, RSV.
All good things on earth come to an end sooner or later. For a time the multitudes flocked after Jesus. They couldn't get enough of Him. Many were excited at His miracles. Others had come to be baptized by His disciples--so many that it had been an embarrassment (John 4:1-3). Jesus could hardly escape the press of the people. And it merely got worse after the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6:1-15. At that time they attempted to make Him king.
But Jesus had different ideas and dismissed the crowds. And then He gave that talk about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, claiming to be the bread of life.
That was too much. The beginning of the end was already in sight as many of His followers "drew back and no longer went about with him." Some of them had begun to see more clearly where Jesus was headed. After all, you can't challenge the authorities time after time and expect to get away with it. They could recognize that He was destined for disaster.
They followed Him willingly as long as the loaves and the fishes were plentiful. Seeking what they could get out of it, they had gone after Him for purely selfish reasons. But, they were not interested in following a person who didn't have enough sense to take the kingship when it was offered to Him.
And then there was the first foreshadowing of the dark side of Judas. He had his own ideas about helping Jesus move in what he considered the right direction.
In the light of the changing times, Jesus asked the 12 if they would forsake Him also. Peter's response is a classic: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."
That answer has sustained me many times as things have gotten difficult and even church looked like a mess. Like Peter, I did not understand everything, I was not happy with things, and I couldn't see into the future. But I did know one thing for certain: that Jesus and faith in Him made more sense than anything else. Where else could I go? I have never been sorry that I stuck with Jesus through the bad times as well as the good.
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