John 6:56-69 Total commitment

John 6:56-69: Total commitment

A hen and a pig were walking down the street when they passed a church the sign out front of the church read that the topic of the sermon was 'how can we help the poor'. The hen said to the pig, "I know we could give them a ham and an egg breakfast". But the pig protested saying, "that would require just a little contribution from you but from me, it would require total commitment".

In our reading from John 6:56-69 Jesus finally draws a line for his followers. This passage is actually the dividing line for the rest of the Gospel of John.

Up to this point following Jesus had been a buzz. It was exciting and exhilarating, they had seen miracles on almost a daily basis. They had seen the blind see, the lame walk, they had seen thousands fed with a few loaves and a couple fish.

But now it seems the party is over.

They now face the challenge of what they really believe.

Jesus’ words makes them face the hard questions of their faith.

What do they really believe?

Can they really accept Jesus not just as a rabbi, or prophet or hero, or even as Messiah but as the very source of life itself. Can they accept Jesus as God?

Are they really willing to totally commit their lives to Christ? And turn their backs on all the other things they have been seeking life from.

For every true believer, every true follower of Christ there is a moment of decision. You know whether or not you have ever made this decision. Because it changes everything.

I remember when I was confronted with these same questions. The same question the crowd asked:

"This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?"

Am I willing to accept the claims of Christ?

The same questions Jesus raised.

He asks: Are you offended by what I’m saying? The Greek word here is the word is the word that means scandalize or stumbling block.

Faith in Christ is loaded with beliefs that seem ridiculous to the secular culture in which we live. Eating flesh, drinking blood, The incarnation of Christ, The crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Christ. Many people see Christians as superstitious, weak minded people who believe in ancient myths.

Because our the foundation of our faith is not logic, it is Spirit. The Life of Christ is a supernatural thing that transcends the material.

Are we willing to commit ourselves to Christ?

The Disciples are also faced with another soul searching question. Why are they following Jesus?

Are they offended by Jesus saying that he must become the only source of life for them,

Are they really willing to go all the way? To totally surrender and trust Jesus completely with their lives?

People love to try and make Jesus fit into their schemes and plans

Throughout history people have tried to make Jesus fit into their system.

In history, there are always groups that want to retain the idea of Jesus, the idea of love, the idea of eternal life, whereas the Gospel of John and the New Testament emphasize that God became a real, live human being in the flesh of Jesus of Nazareth and stated clearly that HE ALONE was the way.

What Jesus is saying is totally irrational to the person who does not have faith.

“This is a hard saying” They say, This is pretty far out there, Some are probably thinking Jesus has lost his mind. The crowds that have been following him fall away, then those who were actually his disciples begin to fall away.

Until only 12 are left. And Jesus asks them point blank. “Aren’t you going to leave too?”

I imagine at this point the disciples are seriously considering it. I mean it looks like the party’s over, they could go back to their old lives, their comfortable surroundings, family and friends.

But Peter speaks for them all. “Where can we go, you have the words of eternal life. Or in other words. You’ve ruined us for anything else.”

Every other teacher, every other prophet everyone we will ever meet will not be abel to hold a candle to you.

This is the point in their lives when they truly made their total commitment to Christ.

The motivational Speaker Tom Flores says. “Total commitment is paramount to reaching the ultimate in performance.”

But if we are honest would we say that we are totally committed to Christ?

Or do we have a string of conditions attached. I will be committed as long as I’m happy.

I will be committed until something better comes along or until the Vicar makes me mad or until its not convenient to my lifestyle.

See up to this point the disciples were conditional followers.

They were the Fair weather faithful. In reality up to this point they didn’t even know who they really were. Because it is our commitments that define us.

There are so many people who are lost to themselves. I remember talking to a man who had decided to leave his wife so he could find himself. I told him that it wouldn’t work, because no matter where he went he would still be the same lost person. Because It is only though our commitments do we discover who we really are.

When I was young I wanted to play guitar. If you have ever learned to play guitar you realize that it is a painful process. You have to really want to do it and push through the pain and practice. You will never know your potential if you don’t commit.

This is true for all of us, what we say yes to and what we say no to is what defines us. This is what Jesus was doing in Capernaum that day. He was helping his disciples focus and begin to understand who they were created to be.

Who are you created to be? Are you satisfied with who you are? Are you satisfied with what you have spiritually? Do you feel lost?

Are you truly committed to Christ? To drawing your life, your identity and your purpose From Christ?

We see in our gospel today many of those following Jesus that day walked away, except for 12. Jesus asks them, are you going to leave too?

But they were ruined for anything else. They knew that compared to Jesus every other speaker, teacher, prophet would fall pathetically short. Ad the crowds walked away Their response was, “Where can we go? You have the words of eternal life”

As we watch the world we live in walking away we are faced with the same question. Will we leave too? What is our response?