John 6:59-69 (NRSVue)
59 He said these things while he was teaching in a synagogue at Capernaum. 60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” 61 But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But among you, there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning, who were the ones who did not believe and who was the one who would betray him. 65 And he said, “For this reason, I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.” 66 Because of this, many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Let us Pray - O God, enlighten the minds that know you, empower souls that love you, and strengthen within us the desire to seek your presence - bless the words of my lips and the meditations of our hearts. Breathe into us discernment and understanding. We ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN.
The gospel reading for today shows that every action leads to certain outcomes, either positive or negative. In the Gospel of John, Jesus’ recent teachings cause and signify a shift in the way people react to him. It represents the moment when the majority of those who gathered to see him decide to walk away from him, including many who had been his devoted followers from the start and had considered themselves his disciples. His teachings were and still are radical—so radical that some walk away.
Until now, Jesus has enjoyed widespread popularity. He was celebrated in Galilee and hailed as a hero from Bethlehem. Known as a miracle worker, stories spread about how he once saved a wedding by turning water into wine and healed a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years. It was well known, up till now, that Jesus displayed great wisdom by seeing into a woman's heart and giving her newfound hope. Ultimately, he demonstrated his closeness to God by miraculously feeding over 5000 men, women, and children with just five loaves and two fish.
Now, after he explains that everything he has done is a sign from God meant to inspire belief, and after teaching people, some with personal lessons (think woman at the well), they leave him. They forsake the one who demonstrated the power of God and said to each other, "This teaching is too difficult and intricate - who can comprehend it?”
Indeed, Jesus’ teachings are difficult to accept. Without complete submission to His will, it is challenging for anyone to believe that eternal life comes through Him. But is this why people leave him? Is this the reason that most of his disciples walk away? Or, as Jesus says after they had all crossed the lake to Capernaum, "Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me not because you saw the signs but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” (John 6:26)
Jesus inquired of his followers about their intentions, as he was aware that they were seeking an effortless path. Following the contentious teachings that contradicted the crowd's conventional understanding of the world, religion, and God, some departed, while others remained.
Today, I pose the question: Considering what Jesus preached and the sacrifice he was willing to make to impart it to you, what are you willing to sacrifice for it? How committed are you to living by Jesus's teachings? What can you offer God?
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The grace and kindness of God are truly exceptional gifts we do not fully comprehend. He formed us in his own likeness and entrusted us with the responsibility to nurture, appreciate, and take pleasure in this world. God has also granted us complete freedom to act as we choose — to love as we wish, to live as we desire — without intervention or limitation. The workings of God are truly wondrous.
God causes his sun to shine on both the wicked and the virtuous, and he sends rain upon the righteous and the unrighteous. He looks after all that has been created, providing everyone with ample opportunities to make amends. And in return?
In return, God’s simple desire is, in fact, that you come to love Him with all your heart and all your soul. To love Him with all your strength and all your mind -- and to love others as you love yourself.
God has always made it possible for us to approach him, to be with him, and to enjoy his presence. God generously and freely gives to us without asking for much in return, only that we accept his gifts and strive to follow the path he has shown us. This is the path revealed to us in the law and the prophets and in Christ, whom we follow as THE example of true love. We are called to be steadfast in our commitment, avoiding doublemindedness and the hypocrisy that so many in the world accuse us of.
It is not much to ask, especially when you consider the stakes. When you consider what God freely offers us and what the other side, the dark side, offers us—when you consider Peter's question, "To whom else can we go?" I think we grasp that there is mortal food, which never fully satisfies, and that there is spiritual food that endures eternally.
Something within us desires spiritual nourishment, but unfortunately, something else causes us to lose our desire and focus. I can see two reasons for this: I have experienced it like you. On the one hand - we are often not hungry enough; we have not been truly tested and challenged and realized that there is no solution within us or within our human knowledge and, undoubtedly, the human establishments that can satisfy us spiritually. On the other hand - all too often, it appears that what we genuinely desire is a complimentary meal - a physical meal - sustenance for today - enjoyable moments without sacrifice - and indeed - if we can obtain it effortlessly - we'll also accept that thing known as eternal life.
This is a problematic situation some enter without realizing it- a problem for those who think in terms of the world. “I live a good life, I do good things, I am a good person, I have said the prayer, I have gone to church, I must be saved, I did all the right things. - For many who are "believers," this kind of belief with their minds, but not with their hearts, is the only thing they grasp. This is a religion of excuses.
Jesus told his disciples, just before he ascended, “…signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” And many “believers” will quote that as proof of their salvation, but they forget to quote the verse before it because again Jesus gives us his condition, “The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned.” If you do not have a personal relationship with God, if you do not seek, first, divine guidance, none of the outward goodness will get you over the finish line.
Too frequently, we encounter individuals with faith-based words firmly established in their minds but lacking conviction, passion, and commitment in their hearts. They display the external appearance of faith but lack its essence and power.
In Lübeck, Germany, a cathedral from 1173 stands. Inside this sizeable Gothic church is an inscription from an unknown poet that reads:
“Ye call Me Master and obey Me not, Ye call Me Light and see Me not, Ye call Me Way and walk not, Ye call Me Life and desire Me not, Ye call Me wise and follow Me not, Ye call Me fair and love Me not, Ye call Me rich and ask Me not, Ye call Me eternal and seek Me not, Ye call Me gracious and trust Me not, Ye call Me Noble and serve Me not, Ye call Me mighty and honor Me not, Ye call Me just and fear Me not. If I condemn you, blame Me not.” (Lostpine 2024)
Christ had an All-or-Nothing Message for those who followed him around Judea—a message about receiving life—or not receiving life, a message about commitment— a commitment that does not compromise but holds tight for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, and not even death will break this bond.
Some might say at this point - this is not fair; this is not “good news.” But let’s slow down and think about it in non-bible terms. My high school science teacher once told me that, in fact, some things are absolute in life. - Statements are either true or false. There is either light or no light; electrons have motion, a positive or negative spin. An electrical circuit is either open or closed. As Jesus points out in the gospel of Matthew – “Whoever is not with me is against me.” (Matthew 12:30). Jesus is absolute because what he offers is absolute. You either seek him, or you do not. There is no walking the fence of salvation.
We are not meant to be individuals who only choose to follow Jesus when it aligns with our beliefs. We are meant to be in the presence of the Lord and to support Him - and to receive His blessings - during favorable and challenging times - during the ever so short uncomplicated moments - and during the trying epochs that seem to stretch for eternity. The scriptures never demonstrate any regard for those who, when circumstances do not meet their expectations, give up and leave - as was seen in today's gospel reading with Christ, it is either/or. Because our commitments matter, and some more than others.
Let me tell a story:
The year was 1924, the city was Paris, and the Olympic games were quickly approaching. The favorite team for gold in the four-person canoe race was the US team. One member of the team was a young father-to-be named Bill Havens. As the Olympic games drew near, it became clear that Bill's wife would give birth about the same time that Bill would compete in Paris.
In 1924, there was no red-eye flight from Paris to the United States, only slow-going ships. Well, Bill faced an epic decision: Should he go to Paris and risk not sharing this time with his wife, or should he withdraw from the team and remain behind? Bill's wife knew how hard he had worked the past three years and insisted he go. For Bill, this was the culmination of a life-long dream. Clearly, there was only one decision he could make. Bill decided to withdraw and remain with his wife so that he could be with her when their first child arrived. Bill considered his commitment to her a higher priority than going to Paris, a life-long dream or not.
In short, the 1924 US Olympic Canoe Team clinched the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Much to everyone’s surprise, Bill's spouse was late going into labor; she was so late that Bill could have participated in the event and made it back home in time for the birth of their son. People expressed their disappointment for Bill, but he expressed no remorse. He emphasized that his commitment to his wife and family was paramount then and remains so. But the story doesn’t end there.
The child, who was born to Bill and his wife, was named Frank. Twenty-eight years later, Bill received a telegram from Frank, who was in Helsinki, Finland, where the 1952 Olympics were being held. The telegram read as follows:
"Dad, I won. (stop) I'm bringing home the gold medal you lost while waiting for me to be born. (stop)" (Innes 2024)
Frank Havens was on the 1952 US Olympic canoeing Team. He had just won the medal his father had dreamed of winning. The tale of Bill Havens serves as an example of the sacrifices one makes to honor a commitment to a loved one. In a way, it is a testament to the kind of unwavering commitment that God demonstrates to us through Christ—undoubtedly, it also underscores how we should reciprocate that commitment.
Some people in the 6th chapter of John leave Jesus because they want “a free lunch” and not some vague-sounding spiritual food that would do nothing for their hungry guts. They cannot believe that God would do this through a person as plain as Jesus—through someone they knew and had grown up with. Others left because what Jesus said upset them; it clashed with their understanding of the world.
To them - the spiritual could not be contained in the profane - the common - the familiar - but must always be accompanied by smoke and fire and lightning and thunder and other grand displays.
Still, some left because they understood exactly what Jesus was saying, and they did not want God to be that close to them. Rather than let God live and work through them, their independent nature proved detrimental. Like so many today, they did not want to give control of their lives over to God because they thought that God, for some reason, might ask them to do something they didn't want to do.
Are you following Christ? Or are you physically present but spiritually distant from Him? Are you devoted to Him? Or are other matters consuming most of your time and energy? Does your TV schedule or social media scrolling leave no room for prayer? Does your passion for the upcoming sports season take precedence over listening to God's word? Does your ambition hinder you from caring for your family, whom God has given you to love?
Do you keep God at arm’s length until you find yourself in self-made trouble and seek rescue? Until you want a favor and believe you need to please Him first? Does spending on material goods prevent you from giving a full tithe to God? The first part of all God's people's income He asks to be used in His service.
Jesus calls for our unwavering commitment; he calls us to remain loyal to him just as he remains loyal to us—throughout the highs and lows of our lives. When Jesus makes this request, he does not compromise. He does not soften his message to make it more palatable for us. In this story, he does not chase after those who walk away from him. He does not distort the truth to prevent his disciples from leaving him. He even offers his closest disciples the choice to leave.
What Jesus does is proclaim what he came to proclaim; he comes to offer to us, as God has always offered us, a choice—the choice to live with him—in his care and under his love or to live without him and without the peace, joy, and strength that a relationship with him offers.
We who admit that Jesus is the Holy One of God, we who understand, as Peter understands in our teaching, that there is no one else to whom we can turn. We will observe Christ coming back in the same manner he departed - in the clouds - and His victory will be absolute! Blessed be in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! Amen
Works Cited
Innes, Richard. 2024. Articles > Marriage and Family: > First Things First First Things First. August 20. https://actsweb.org/articles/article.php?i=1506&d=2&c=3.
Lostpine. 2024. www.lostpine.com. August 8/20/2024. https://lostpine.com/home/shadows/echoes-from-lubeck-cathedral/.
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 2022. NRSVue Holy Bible with Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
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