The Vision (1.19.18): Lord, to whom shall we go?

Note: Devotion taken from last Sunday's sermon on John 6:59-71.

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked with him no more (John 6:66).

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life (John 6:68).

Reading this, you are left to ask: Which kind of “disciple” are you going to be?

Are you going to be the type who follows for a season, looking to get your stomach filled, but who then turns back when you don’t get everything you thought you were going to get from Jesus?

Or, are you going to be the type who says, Lord, if we did not have you, to whom else would we go? You have the words of eternal life.

The false disciples say, Jesus we can’t follow you!

The true disciples, however, say, Jesus we can’t NOT follow you. We have no other choice. We have no other option. We have no one else to whom we can turn. You are not one option among many for us. You are the only option for us.

The skeptic asks: How can you possibly follow Jesus? We say: How can we NOT follow him?

There is a saying among those called to ministry: If you can do anything else, do it.

This statement can be modified and applied to all believers: If you can follow anyone other than Jesus, follow him. But if you see in the Lord Jesus Christ the only one you could possibly follow, if you can’t NOT follow him, then follow him.

Profess your faith in him among men as Peter did: “And we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:69). Profess your faith in obedience in baptism as the Ethiopian Eunuch did: “And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37). Finally, live for him who died for you.

Grace and peace, Pastor Jeff Riddle