Do you think Jesus thought he’d lose followers because of what he was saying? Jesus’ words suggest he anticipated that not everybody would be able to handle the truth he was revealing. While it grieved him, it didn’t stop him from sharing. These were important words that needed to be said about who would be his true followers.
I couldn’t help but think of a current-day application. For those of us on social media, for years, the push was to get as many followers as possible to “prove” our likability and authority. Now, it seems that people follow and unfollow each other all the time simply because they don’t agree with each other. Jesus experienced that when his disciples began deserting him because of what he was saying.
Did you find it odd that Jesus asked, “Does this offend you?” Clearly, it did. Jesus knew his words were difficult concepts to grasp. He knew that following him would be hard. Understanding God has never been easy, but Jesus was now uncovering some of this mystery here. Jesus knew his words would be disruptive, but he didn’t soften the message or try to be “politically correct.”
It was as if Jesus was trying to weed out his followers on purpose. I suppose it’s like posting about religion or politics on social media these days. Those can be divisive topics. You are likely to offend somebody with your views. I post mostly about Jesus or the Bible, because I am not ashamed of the gospel. Like the apostle Paul stated in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”
Remembering that Jesus was upfront and transparent with his followers is a good example for us. His message was the truth, not opinion. He gave his followers a lot to think about. He challenges all of us.
What do you think Jesus meant when he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”? For me, since Jesus has said that we need to accept Jesus and believe he is God’s son, then it is the knowledge we are given from God that helps us make that choice. We choose Jesus because God has first chosen us and revealed his truth to us. What an honor and privilege!
Will you abandon Jesus? Like Peter, we can say, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” We don’t need to be afraid we’re going to offend each other when we are speaking Biblical truth. The way we present it makes all the difference. Pray for openings and the right words at the right time.
Let’s pray. I believe in you, Lord, and trust you with my life. Forgive me for being timid about sharing my faith in the past. Help me to do a better job of being a good representative of you and your love for mankind. Thank you for your transparency in sharing your truth and for the understanding you are giving me. May I always look to your help when reading hard passages. Guide my steps this day closer to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
