Need Jesus

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.  So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?”   Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.    We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” 
John 6:66-69

These verses follow Jesus’ long discourse about being the bread of life and about eating his flesh and drinking his blood to have eternal life.  We understand this as Jesus’ (or the early church) teaching about what we know as Holy Communion.  For those hearing this teaching for the first time, it was just plain bizarre and sounded like cannibalism.   As verse 66 points out, it was a stumbling block for many of Jesus’ followers, and they decided they had had enough of Jesus.  I can’t imagine what Jesus might have been feeling when he turned to the twelve and asked them, “What about you?  Do you also wish to go away?”  But Simon Peter responds with a powerful statement of faith:  “Lord, to whom can we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

To whom can we go?  There certainly are voices calling for our attention, and there are many self-help books and programs that make promises.  Products guarantee results.  All of these vie for our attention and allegiance, but will they truly satisfy?   They will try to convince us that it is what we WANT, but will they fill us with what we NEED?  Jesus knows what we need even if we don’t, and that is what Jesus offers.  He is offering us abundant and eternal life.  

As Simon Peter acknowledges and professes that Jesus has the words of eternal life, everything previously discussed in John’s gospel is proclaiming that a relationship with God through Jesus Christ is eternal life.  Again, Jesus knows and gives us what we need.  He invites us into a relationship and he promises the gift of eternal life. 

These verses show us that we have the freedom to look elsewhere, but Simon Peter boldly proclaims we won’t find it.  Jesus is the one to whom we can go; Jesus is the one who will provide what we need.  What does that look like in your own life of faith?

Let us pray…. Lord Jesus, without you, we are lost and empty.  Continue to fill us with the words of eternal life so that we may be truly satisfied with your love.  Amen.