“Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” John 6:69
The second reason why some disciples remain devoted to Jesus is because THEY REACH A FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF WHO JESUS IS (John 6:68-69). After the majority of people in the crowd withdrew from Jesus to walk with Him no more (John 6:66), Jesus asked His twelve remaining disciples, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67). Peter then replied to Jesus,“68 Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:68-69). This doesn’t mean the Eleven were unsure of their eternal destiny or the identity of Jesus up to this point. It simply means that Peter recognized that Jesus was giving them a fuller understanding of eternal life and His own identity. His words had filled their empty lives with eternal life and their lives would never be the same.
But eternal life included much more than going to heaven. It also included a bodily resurrection (John 11:25-26; I Corinthians 15:1-58; I Thessalonians 4:16), future events like the Tribulation and Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 6:1-20:6), eternal rewards for godly living (Matthew 16:27; 2 Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 10:35; Revelation 2:7, 17, 25-27; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7; 22:12, 14), and the importance of witnessing to those who are lost (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 8:11-13; 24:46-49; John 4:34-38; 20:21; Acts 1:8; et al.). And Jesus was so much more than they perceived Him to be when they first believed in Him (John 1-2). He had never done or said anything wrong (John 18:38; 19:4, 6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; I Peter 3:18). He was the Sinless One, the Christ, the Messiah Who had performed miracles that only God could do (John 2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-15; 6:1-21; 9:1-41; 11:1-45; John 20:1-29; et al.). He had fulfilled Old Testament prophecies (Matthew 1:21-23; 2:14-17, 23; 4:13-16; 8:16-17; 12:16-21; 13:34-35; 21:2-5; 26:47-56; 27:35; Mark 14:49; 15:27-28; Luke 4:16-21; 24:44-48; John 12:37-41; 15:24-25; 19:23-24, 28, 36-37; et al.). Their understanding of eternal life and the identity of Jesus had deepened as a result of obeying His commands and following Him (cf. John 14:21).
Even though the twelve disciples watched thousands of people abandon Jesus, they were going to stay with Him because no one else could meet their needs like Christ. Jesus’s words had penetrated their hearts and changed their lives (except for Judas).
What about you? Have Jesus’s words penetrated your heart? Have you come to understand that you are a sinner and that nothing you do makes you deserving of heaven? Do you realize that Jesus died for your sins and rose again, proving that He is God? And have you trusted in Jesus as your only hope of heaven? If not, why not? What is keeping you from trusting Christ alone for eternal life?
And if you have trusted Christ alone for everlasting life, are you growing deeper in your relationship with Him? Is your understanding of eternal life and the Person of Jesus growing deeper or do you think you have learned all there is to learn about our Lord? If you are growing, you know your own failures and weaknesses, and that despite the many times you don’t understand what is happening to you, you simply cannot leave Jesus. In Christ, we have a love that never fails, a life that never ends, a peace that can never be understood, a rest that can never be disturbed, a joy that can never be diminished, a hope that never disappoints, a light that can never be darkened, a strength that cannot be depleted, a purity that can never be defiled, a security that can never be shaken, a wisdom that can never be baffled, and resources that can never be exhausted.
If you have found Jesus to be like that, where else can you go? Who else can measure up to that? You may be a new Christian or an older believer – maybe you are feeling defeated and discouraged. You may be saying to yourself, “I can’t continue as a disciple. It’s too hard. I blow it all the time. I’m going to hang it up.” My question for you is this: “Who else can you go to? Where can you find the answers and resources that you have drawn from our Lord Jesus?” This is what Peter is saying to Christ. There was nowhere else for them to go. Christ was all they had and He was all they needed!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, when much of the world walks away from You shaking their heads, there are some who are not disturbed by this because they are growing in their understanding of eternal life and who You are as a Person. When I look back at all You have shown me and done for me, the thought of leaving You now is foolishness to me. Who else could I go to because You alone have words of eternal life? No other person on earth can guarantee everlasting life to those who believe in him or her because none of them are qualified. They are broken sinners like the rest of humanity. No religion can give eternal life to its followers because they are all man-made attempts to get to God. And they all fall short of that objective. But You my Lord and my God are the REAL DEAL. You claimed to be God and You backed it up with Your miraculous works. You are alive today at the right hand of God the Father. You have conquered sin, death, and the devil and You are seated in a position of great authority and victory! I cling to Your words because they give life and hope and purpose. You have met my deepest needs and now I bow my heart before You because You are worthy of all I have. I love You, Lord Jesus. Thank You for being You! Thank You for Your amazing grace and truth. In Your name I pray. Amen.