Who Will Listen To It?

[Christsfreeservant]

Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?” ​

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As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.” (John 6:60-61,66-71 NASB1995)​

In context, Jesus had just miraculously fed a large crowd of about five thousand people with just five barley loaves and two fish, and there were even leftovers after everyone had eaten. The crowd continued to follow Jesus, to seek after him, because he had fed them. So Jesus taught them not to work for food that perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life. And then he told them that He was the bread of life, and that was the bread they needed eat, and then they would have eternal life with God.

He went on to talk about how they needed to eat of that bread, to eat of his flesh, and to drink of his blood, which means to partake with him in his suffering in death to sin, followed by walks of obedience to his commands. It means to be in fellowship with him, in participation with him in his suffering, and to be raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness, in the power of God (see the previous writing, “For The Life of The World”, posted in Daily Devotions).

But those who were following him, because he had fed them, they found his words to be difficult, and so many who had been following him withdrew from him and were not walking with him anymore. And so Jesus asked his 12 disciples if they wanted to go away, too. Peter replied that Jesus had the words of eternal life, and that he was the Holy One of God. And then Jesus responded by announcing that one of the 12 was going to betray him. And by that, he meant Judas Iscariot, who did betray Jesus to death.

Now this is where many people are today, as well. Many profess to be followers of Christ, but only because of what they believe he has done and will do for them. But they have not denied self and died with him to sin, and they are not now walking in obedience to his commands. For they believe that they don’t have to, that nothing is required of them other than a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, which they believe guarantees them heaven when they die. And so they turn their hearts away from the truth.

For the truth that Jesus taught, more metaphorically in this Scripture, but much more plainly in others, is that to come after him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow him in obedience to his commands and in accord with his ways he has planned for us to live. For if we hold on to our lives of living in sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if we lose (die to) our old lives of sin, to follow him in obedience, then in him we have the promise and the hope of eternal life (see Luke 9:23-26).

They may not walk away physically, as did this group of followers of Jesus, and they may continue to claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and heaven as their eternal destiny, but yet they deny him by their lifestyles. For they reject his teachings in order to follow after the ways of their sinful flesh. They reject the truth to follow a lie, for the lie allows them to keep living in their sin and in disobedience to our Lord without consequence. But one day they will have to stand before Jesus in judgment, and for all who continued in deliberate and habitual sin, for them heaven is not their eternal home.

So don’t be one who professes Jesus with your lips but who betrays him with your heart and with your sinful practices and with your disobedience.

Gospel:[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

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Who Will Listen To It?
An Original Work / August 28, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love