To whom shall we go?

In John 6, Jesus performed the miracle of feeding about five thousand people with five loaves and two fish (John 6:1-13). After witnessing this great miracle, many people continued to follow Him. However, Jesus knew that some were seeking Him only because they had eaten the bread and were physically satisfied. He told them, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” (John 6:27, NKJV).

Later, in the synagogue at Capernaum, when the people returned to Him, Jesus taught that He was the Bread of Life and that whoever comes to Him shall never hunger, and whoever believes in Him shall never thirst (John 6:35). Christ was teaching the people that He alone could give eternal life. Physical food can satisfy the body for only a short time, but only Jesus can satisfy the soul forever. He later said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51, NKJV).

Sadly, many people were offended by His teachings because they were unwilling to accept the sacrifice and commitment required to follow Him. They were not ready to deny themselves in order to follow Jesus Christ. They said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” (John 6:60, NKJV). The Bible says that many of His disciples “went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66, NKJV). They were willing to follow Jesus when miracles were being performed, but they were unwilling to remain when His teachings challenged them to change their lives.

When Jesus saw that many of the disciples had left, He turned to the twelve apostles and asked, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67, NKJV). Peter answered with great faith and conviction, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68, NKJV). Peter understood that Jesus alone is the source of salvation. There is nowhere else to turn for eternal life. The world cannot save us, and human wisdom cannot save us. The Bible says, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, NKJV).

Many of us are like the disciples who left Jesus. When things are going well, we are happy to walk with Christ in the Christian journey. But when things become difficult, we begin to turn away from Him. Many people today walk away from Christ because they do not want to give up sin or deny themselves. When the Word of God exposes our sins, we become offended instead of allowing the Word to correct and transform us. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23, NKJV). This is true discipleship. We must deny ourselves of worldly pleasures and sinful desires in order to follow Jesus faithfully.

Beloved, following Christ is not always easy, but it is the only path that leads to eternal life. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, NKJV). Like Peter, we must remain faithful to Christ no matter how difficult the journey becomes. When trials come, when temptation arises, and when the world tries to pull us away from God, we must remember this important question: “To whom shall we go?” and the answer is always “JESUS.”

If you are not yet a Christian and are still deciding whether to remain in the world or follow Christ, I encourage you to become a follower of Jesus today. The world cannot save you, but Jesus can, and He is ready to save you today. Believe in Him (John 8:24), repent of your sins (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 17:30-31), confess Christ (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 8:37), be baptized for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:15-16), and be added to the church of Christ (Acts 2:47). Make the decision today and come to Jesus, for He alone has the words of eternal life.

Thanks for reading, and may God richly bless you.

Stay blessed,

Frank Obeng Addae