If you will recall, last Sunday we concluded a multiple week look at Jesus’ discourse about him being the bread of life come down from heaven. If we were going to sum up our last two Sunday’s into one concise statement, it would be something to the effect of, “The only thing that allows us to enter into the kingdom of God is our union with Jesus Christ. Our religion, our church attendance, not even our good works will in-and-of themselves allow us to enter into heaven.” The truth of the matter is that it is far better for us that this is the way that things are. The less we have to do with our salvation means that more (in fact all) is done by God. I’m thankful for the fact that my salvation doesn’t depend on anything that I do or don’t do. However, this doesn’t really make it any easier for us to understand and grasp fully. After all, our natural inclination is to think that if it is something that pertains to us, that our actions ought to be what determines the outcome. We think that we ought to at least have a say-so in the matter at hand, but as we said last time, it is all about Jesus and what Christ has done on our behalf. And if you will recall, Jesus didn’t sugarcoat it. He simply said that he is the only way to the Father, the only way to heaven.
His disciples heard what he said and quite honestly many of them didn’t really like what he had to say and thought that it was too harsh. I think that we can identify with their sentiments, because as I mentioned earlier, it isn’t exactly what we think we would hear. Look at Jesus’ words in the second half of verse 61, “Do you take offense to this?” To fully understand what Christ is asking the disciples here we must differentiate between two similar, yet very different, principles. We have to distinguish between taking offense to something and giving or committing an offense. My sweet wife tells me from time-to-time that I have no filter. By this, she means that I say things that come to mind without any regard for how they will be received. I don’t mean anything by saying what is on my mind and I’m not trying to be hurtful; it just happens. I don’t understand why someone would ask for my opinion and not want my complete honest opinion. It doesn’t make sense to me. However, that does not mean that people have not taken offense to things that I have said. Why, there are people who have taken offense to things that I have said from the pulpit as I have tried to expound upon God’s word. We really cannot control whether or not someone takes offense to what we say, but as Christians, we are commanded not to give offense, not to violate people or do them harm. We can say or do the exact right thing sometimes and yet people will take offense anyway. When we call a sin a sin, there is a good chance that we are going to offend the guilty party in the process, but that doesn’t mean we are wrong. There has never been anyone more honest and forthcoming than our Lord and Savior. Nothing that he said was ever with the intention of causing someone to be hurt or offended, but that didn’t stop it from happening. I shudder to even guess at the number of people who took offense to Christ’s message during his earthly ministry, but that didn’t make what he was preaching any less truthful.
As our text continues on we see Christ ask, “Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.” Christ is asking his disciples if they would be any less offended by his words if they were to see the true glory of the Son. Sure, they may be offended and have some sense of doubt while he is a man living on this earth, but if his ascension were to take place at that very moment; wouldn’t all the doubt be washed away? Of course it would, and there would be no questions left about whether or not what he was speaking is the truth. Now, we know that his ascension does occur, just not right now. Jesus goes on to tell these people why they are having such doubts and it is because of their perspective. They are corrupted by the flesh. When he says that the flesh is no help, he is really saying that the flesh is a hindrance. He is saying that it is only by the power of God that we can come to see the true meaning and true understanding of what he is trying to tell us. We saw this very same conversation back several months ago when Jesus spoke with Nicodemus in chapter 3 of this gospel, when Jesus told Nicodemus that the flesh cannot produce spiritual fruit. If we think that we can understand the things of God without the help of God then we are mistaken. For these disciples this day, they must rely upon Christ to give them the truth. For us today, we must rely upon the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts and minds and reveal the truth to us. That’s why before our reading of God’s Word each Sunday, we pray that the Holy Spirit will illumine our minds, open our eyes, and allow us to see the fullness of the glory of God held within Scripture.
Jesus then goes on to speak about the truth that is found within the words that he is speaking and that the Spirit makes real for us this day, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe. This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” You see, for us to fully understand and know God, and I’m not talking about knowing all there is to know about God, it takes God himself. I’m talking here about knowing without a doubt that He is real and that He is ever-present in our world. I’m not saying that when we are Christians that we understand all of what Scripture says with 100% clarity. If that were the case, then we wouldn’t really need folks like me would we? If we understood all of Scripture just by becoming a Christian, then there would be no need for preachers and teachers of the Word. The word would be fully understood once someone became a Christian. However, the truth of the matter is that the Christian life is a process. It is a process that is not completed until that time that our Father calls us home. I don’t care how long you are a Christian, how much you study, or how much you try to do the “Christian thing”, it is an ongoing process. Not only is it an ongoing process, but it is a difficult and painful one at that. That’s why it is such a great thing that a) it isn’t about what we do, and b) it wasn’t up to us in the first place. Remember, it is God who has called all of His children to Him and it is God who will see them through their time on this earth until they enter into His presence.
Jesus watched as many false disciples left at the hearing of these words. It reminds us of how many times there are those in this life who claim that they want to know Christ and say that they long for him, but when things become difficult or their faith requires a difficult choice, they turn and walk away. Well, Jesus puts that to the disciples that still remain, “Do you want to go away as well?” Then, Peter answers with one of the greatest confession of the Christian faith that we find in Scripture. “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.” Peter doesn’t deny that Jesus’ sayings were hard, but he also acknowledges that Jesus’ words were words of life. The Twelve have no other place to look for life other than in Jesus Christ, and neither do we.
Are you ever tempted to leave? When the Christian walk becomes difficult and seemingly too much to overcome what goes through you head? As much as I hate to admit it, I have been at this point many times in my life. No, I have never quit on the Christian faith, but I have been at the point where I wanted to. As much as I hate to admit it, I was already in ministry when the weight of a million different things fell upon my shoulders and trying to live as a Christian during the midst of such a storm nearly broke me. It wreaked havoc on my health, my lifestyle, and my family. However, where would I go if I left? After all, it isn’t as if Christianity is just one of many acceptable and viable options when it comes to faith. Christ is the only option, the only way to the Father, the only way to heaven. I’m not going to find words of eternal life in any other religion or tradition. I’m not finding the words of eternal life anywhere other than in the One who gave His life that we might live. No matter how hard the Christian life may be, and make no mistake about it, it is hard; there is nowhere else that we can look outside of Jesus Christ. We will be beat up, knocked down, and seemingly crushed by the weight of the world around us, but we must keep our eyes fixed upon the cross; for it is our only chance of salvation. Because of the sacrifice made by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ upon the cross, we have an everlasting hope that conquers all. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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