A Question That Demands an Answer

            There are some questions that are hard to answer. 

            When my mother asked, “George, did you take the last cookie?  You know you were supposed to save that for your father,” I usually found myself tongue-tied.  When my high school basketball coach asked, “George, are you happy with your playing time,” I said nothing, having been taught by my parents to respect your elders, even, for instance, when you weren’t happy with the number of minutes you spent on the basketball floor.  Or when members of my former congregation asked me, “You’re not going to take that call to that church in Arizona, are you?” I just smiled, not wanting to acknowledge that I was planning to take that call to that church in Arizona, Life in Christ.

            But there are questions that demand an answer.  We find one such question in St. John’s Gospel, chapter six.  Jesus has had something of a verbal sparring match with a large crowd of Galileans.  Many in the crowd believed that a person had to do good works to become righteous before God.  Jesus taught them that faith in the One whom God had sent was what was needed.  Many who stood at the edge of the sea of Galilee believed that the promised Messiah would come down from heaven accompanied by great signs and wonders.  Jesus taught them that the Messiah had already come and was ready to give them more than just a wonderful meal of bread and fish.  Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never be hungry and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

            By the time Jesus had finished, John reports that many of the Lord’s disciples found this teaching hard to swallow.  They said, “This is a hard teaching.  Who can accept it?” Then John gives us the sorry news: “From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.”

            As Peter, James and John and the rest stood and looked at the backs of those who were returning to their homes, Jesus broke the silence with a simple question.  But it was a question that demanded an answer: “You do not want to leave too, do you?”

            Simon Peter gives an answer for the ages, the answer that every follower of Jesus Christ wants to have on their lips: “Lord, to whom shall we go.  You have the words of eternal life.  We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”

            We know that the 12 disciples failed Jesus on more than one occasion.  They were often slow to act on the faith they had in the Lord.  But on this occasion, Peter answered with trusting faith.  Why would he and the others even think about following anyone else  ?  They believed that Jesus’ words gave life, everlasting life.  Jesus’ words had the power to forgive sin.  His words could change a hard heart into a soft one, beating with faith and trust.  Yes, Jesus’ teachings could be challenging and hard to understand.  But Peter and the other disciples were certain of one thing – there was no other teacher or priest or emperor who could give them what they wanted and needed the most.  The disciples wanted to know that they were right with God and had eternal life.  Jesus’ words were filled with the Spirit and with life.

            This week someone may ask you why you believe in Jesus or why you go to church or why you take your faith so seriously.  If you’re not sure how to answer, use Peter’s answer.  You, too, can say, “Who else would I put my faith in?  Jesus has the words of eternal life.”  That’s the best response to a question that really demands an answer.  

From a "Wake Up With the Word" radio devotion