“From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.
‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that You are the Holy One of God.’” —John 6v66-69 NIV
Who else?
“From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.” —John6v66 NIV
“Some people, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things coming and choke the word making it unfruitful.” —Mark 4v16-19 NIV
“When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask Him, ‘Are You the One Who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’” —Matthew 11v2-3 NIV
“Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of Me.” —Matthew 11v4-6 NIV
“On hearing it, many of His disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’ Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, ‘Does this offend you?’” —John 6v60-61 NIV
when things don’t
‘“You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve.” —John 6v67 NIV
“Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that You are the Holy One of God.’” —John 6v68-69 NIV
“The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life [providing eternal life].” —John 6v63 AMP
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” —John 14v6 NIV
What were you looking for when you came to Jesus to begin with?
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us.” —Romans 8v35, 37 NIV
“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand.” —John 10v27-28 NIV
To who else are you going to turn if you turn away from Jesus?
Discussion Questions
In John 6:60, the disciples said, “This is a hard teaching; who can accept it?” Have you ever found yourself struggling with something Jesus teaches or something God allows in your life? How do you handle those difficult moments?
Follow-up: How can leaning into God’s Word help you navigate those challenging teachings?
The sermon touched on how complications in life, like pain and unmet expectations, can cause us to drift from Jesus. How have complications in your own life either drawn you closer to or pushed you further from God?
Jesus asked the Twelve if they would leave too. How do you think God views our moments of doubt or frustration? How can we build a deeper relationship with God that can withstand life’s inevitable complications and disappointments?
When facing trials, it can be easy to think about walking away or turning to other things for comfort. What are some ‘alternatives’ you’ve been tempted to lean on instead of Jesus? How does the truth that “only Jesus has the words of eternal life” help reframe your perspective?
Peter’s declaration, “We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God,” came after many had turned away. How does this statement resonate with you personally? What does it look like to choose Jesus over all other options, especially when following Him gets hard?