Those words appear in John 6:68. The context makes them stand out significantly, for Jesus had been attracting crowds who were listening to each word that He spoke, with many giving indication that they were so captivated that it was their intention of becoming one of His disciples.
We are accustomed to people giving a sense of approval to Jesus and His teachings, but when it comes to actual commitment, the numbers dwindle with such rapidity, that one wonders if they were threatened or finally came to a realization of choices demanded of them. The people obviously loved the idea of serving under a king, and their benefits, but to follow one who would ultimately be crucified; that is a different matter! It says that many of these so called “disciples, withdrew”. (v66)
Jesus approached those who remained, the twelve in particular; “Do you want to go away also, do you?” (v67) Basically, these are the individuals who would suffer martyrdom ultimately.
Peter, the one who seems to give me a springboard time after time, asks the question that we wrote earlier: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that YOU are the Holy One of God.”
I have watched, all too often, those who walk away and refuse to believe what Jesus has declared. In most cases, they have head knowledge but the “heart” has not been touched; they refuse to bend the knee and bow before the Monarch of the Universe, JESUS CHRIST! To turn one’s back on the person of the Christ of Calvary reveals what one really thinks about HIM.
Until one narrows their thinking to “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that YOU are the Holy One of God,” and act upon that belief, you remain un-prepared for eternity future and have, like those who have “withdrawn” from Jesus!
A friend of years past, Bruce Parker, wrote the following:
GOD CAN DO IT
I believe that God can do things man can’t do at all
That He can displace mountains, cleave the rock for waterfall
Without limit is the power that He gives thru boundless grace
And this comes when Christians seek to live in Christ’s abiding place.
Abide in me, my words in you, then ask for what you will
My hand is not yet shortened and my voice is not yet still
For trusting Christian nobodies, I’ll see this promise thru
Yes, a simple faith will make my power available for you.
But in this very modern age of see, and then believe
That doubts and fears and wonderings make faith hard to receive
Hating every evil way but loving every sinner,
The promise of our blessed Lord is: Every saint a winner.
Man’s Faith in man is not the way to massive mountains move
But prayer, His Word and witnessing will all the Scripture prove
That God is just the same today as He has always been
And obedience bring miracles as Christ resides within
So if you have a wavering heart, a mind obsessed with worry
You trust His love and watch the devil leave you in a hurry
Now is God’s time for all the saints to take Him at His Word
And let this power work thru us till this whole globe is stirred.
ETCetera 