Who else shall we follow?

For the full context of this post read John 6: 1-70

The Bible records amazing miracles of Jesus and the ways in which the crowds followed him. It also records schemes from those that hated him, lonely retreats, and some crazy things that Jesus said. John 6 records all of these things beginning with Jesus feeding the crowd of five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. Following this miracle Jesus sent his disciples across the lake and withdrew on the mountain by himself which was something he was known to do. When he finished his time of prayer and solitude, Jesus walked on the water across the lake to catch up with the disciples. After all of this Jesus began saying some crazy things!

Followers were perplexed by the miracles Jesus performed. They wanted to know who he really was, and they began asking Jesus questions. Jesus told the followers that he was the “bread of life” and that “whoever believes in him would never go thirsty” (John 6:35). Those who heard this statement understood the overtones as claims to deity. The Jews began to grumble about this. Whether Jesus knew what was being said and was irritated by it, or whether he was trying to make his point even more known, Jesus took his statement one step further.

53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53 - 58)

Eating and drinking are used as a metaphor for faith in the Bible, so these words could be understood as Jesus first claiming deity by stating “I am the bread of life” and then advocating that people must have faith in him by stating that “unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life.” Regardless, Jesus’ statement is gross and it’s gory. It was gross and gory in Jesus's day as well and many people stopped following Jesus because of his statements. As crowds left, Jesus asked the disciples if they wanted to leave too, and Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” (John 6:68).

We are living in uncertain times. The Covid-19 pandemic adds to other worldwide events such as terrorism, poverty, trafficking, and drug epidemics which are rampant. In our current chaos, it is easy to question God. It is easy to doubt that he cares, or even exists. When I am searching for answers and praying that God would make all things right, the words of Peter ring in my mind, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” I will never be able to explain the sovereignty of God and I may never understand God’s working in all of this, but I do know that even in the midst of sorrow and uncertainty, God has never failed me. I do know that when posed with the choice to have faith in Christ during this time or to walk away, like Peter, I have to say, “Lord, to whom else shall I go?”