Hard Stuff Jesus Said – John 6:60
When many of His disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”
John 6:60
Let’s examine some hard sayings of Jesus.
I. Eat My Flesh and Drink My Blood - John 6:54
Vs. 60 is in part a response to this portion of scripture
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 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 6:52-58
- It’s probable that the Jewish leaders will fully misunderstood Jesus at this point.
- He just explained that the bread was His body that would be given as a sacrifice for the life of the world(John 6:51). They willfully twisted His words to imply something bizarre.
- Bread of life is a metaphor. Bread from heaven is a metaphor. Living bread is a metaphor. Bread of God is a metaphor.
- It’s not surprising that Jesus extends the bread metaphor to His actual, soon-to-come, sacrifice on the cross.
The crucified and risen Jesus must be received and internalized – or there is no true spiritual life, no eternal life.
- His sacrificed life is food and drink for the hungry and thirsty soul.
- When we receive and internalize Jesus Christ, Him crucified for us, we truly abide in Jesus, and He in us (abides in Me, and I in him).
- Such radical statements offend many and in part this was Jesus’ intent.
- In response to those who twisted His words and meaning, He made the metaphors stronger, not weaker.
- He refused to back down from the truth: I am the bread of life, and the substance of that bread is His sacrifice on the cross.
The actual flesh and blood, the human life of Christ, was given for men.
Think about it - in eating and drinking, a man is not a producer but a consumer. He is not a doer or a giver; he simply takes in.
- He who eats this bread will live forever: Jesus offers us heavenly bread for eternal life, but we must receive
- Faith in Jesus is not compared with tasting or admiring, but with eating. Jesus says that we must have Him within us and we must partake of Him.
- Seeing a loaf of bread on a plate will not satisfy our hunger.
- Knowing the ingredients in the bread will not satisfy our hunger.
- Taking pictures of the bread will not satisfy our hunger.
- Telling other people about the bread will not satisfy our hunger.
- Selling the bread will not satisfy our hunger.
- Playing catch with the bread will not satisfy our hunger.
- Nothing will satisfy our hunger and bring us life except eating the bread. He who eats this bread will live forever.
II. Hate Your Father and Mother – Luke 14:6
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26
- In the ancient times, the term “hate” was frequently employed to denote the preference of one thing over another.
- In the larger section of this passage Jesus is talking about the cost of following Him.
- While salvation is free for us to receive, there is a cost associated with following Him.
- In verse 27 Jesus says that if we follow Him, we must pick up our cross (an instrument of death) and follow Him.
- When a person carried a cross in Jesus’ day, no one thought of it as a persistent annoyance or symbolic burden.
- To a person in the first century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by crucifixion. To carry a cross was to face the most painful and humiliating means of death human beings could develop.Quote: Two thousand years later, Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. In Jesus’ day the cross represented a torturous death. The Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of crucifixion (see John 19:17). Bearing a cross meant one was about to die, and that one would face ridicule and disgrace along the way.
Therefore, Jesus’ command to “take up your cross and follow Me” is a call to self-sacrifice. One must be willing to die in order to follow Jesus. Dying to self is an absolute surrender to God.
After Jesus commanded cross-bearing, He said, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:25–26).
Wherever Jesus went, He drew crowds. Their view of who the Messiah really was, and what He would do, was often distorted.
- They thought the Christ would immediately usher in the restored kingdom (Luke 19:11).
- They believed He would free them from the oppressive rule of their Roman occupiers.
- Some hoped He would continue to provide free lunches for everyone (John 6:26).
- Jesus’ statement that following Him requires taking up a cross made people think twice about their motivations and level of commitment.
In Luke 9:57–62, three people seemed willing to follow Jesus. When Jesus pressed them, however, their commitment was shown to be half-hearted at best. Let’s take a look.
57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:57-62
- They failed to count the cost of following Him. None were willing to take up their cross and crucify upon it their own interests.
- Jesus’ apparent attempts to dissuade people from following Him surely limited the number of false converts and insincere disciples (see John 6:66).
- God seeks “true worshipers [who] will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23).
- Jesus’ call to “take up your cross and follow Me” serves to screen out the disingenuous and double-minded.
Are you ready to take up your cross and follow Jesus? Consider these questions:
-
- Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your closest friends?
- Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
- Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your reputation?
- Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?
- Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?
- In some places of the world, these consequences are a reality.
- Notice the phrasing of the questions: “Are you willing?”
- Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean all these things will happen to you, but the disciple of Christ must be willing to suffer loss.
- Are you willing to take up your cross?
- If faced with a choice—Jesus or the securities of this life—which will you choose?
- Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, and even your very life if need be for the cause of Christ.
- Bottom line of this passage: if we want to be a disciple of Jesus we must submit everything to Him.
- This message stands in stark contrast to the message of the church culture today.
- Remember – “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Matthew 16:25).
III. Sell What You Have (Luke 18:22)
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Luke 18:22
- Jesus spoke the following to this one man, in light of who the man was and what he said. This was a specific word for a specific man, yet in principle it has application for all.
- Mark’s account adds something here. Mark wrote: Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him (Mark 10:21). The response of Jesus to this man was said in love – no doubt. Jesus perceived that he was misguided and empty. One might say that this man had climbed to the top of the ladder of success, only to find his ladder leaned against the wrong building.
- Though the man seemed to have everything – riches, an outwardly righteous life, respect, and prestige - Jesus could still say to him, “You still lack one thing.”
- The man thought he had everything,but he did not have eternal life.
- Instead of challenging the man’s fulfillment of the law (He said all of these things I have kept since my youth), Jesus challenged him to put God first; to fulfill the law to love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength(Deuteronomy 6:5).
- In saying, “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21) Jesus challenged the man to love God more than money and material things.
- The man failed this challenge. Essentially, this man was an idolater: he loved money and material things more than God.
- Jesus asked the ruler to give up his money because He could see money was an idol. Do you have idols in your life?
- He asked him to give it to the poorbecause He could see that he didn’t love others the way he should.
- The call to forsake everything and follow Jesus is a call to put God first in all things.
We may make two mistakes here:
- To believe this applies to everyone, when Jesus never made this a general command to all who would follow Him, but especially to this one rich man whose riches were clearly an obstacle to his discipleship.
- To believe this applies to no one, when there are clearly those today for whom the best thing they could do for themselves spiritually is to radically forsake the materialism that is ruining them.
Jesus simply called this man to be His disciple, in saying, “Follow Me.”
- He used similar language in calling many of His disciples (Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; Mark 2:14). Jesus simply called this man to be His follower.
- For thisman it meant leaving behind something he had set his heart upon.
- He became sad - The other gospels note that the man went away.
- In other words, when he heard Jesus’ radical call to discipleship he in essence said, I can’t do that. I can’t make that sacrifice. I guess I’m going to hell.
Here is a principle: God may challenge and require you to give something up for the sake of His kingdom that He still allows to someone else.
IV. Turn the Other Cheek – Matthew 5.38-42
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. Matthew 5:38-42
- Yes, but how are we to respond to those who show no remorse for sins committed against us?
Answer: "Then Peter came up and said to him, 'Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times'" (Matthew 18:21-22). In other words, true forgiveness does not have a maximum threshold that cannot be exceeded.
- Okay, what about that passage in Leviticus?
Answer: “Eye for an eye; tooth for a tooth,” found in Leviticus 24:17-21 was instructed by God for the judges of Israel to use as a method of administering fair and equitable criminal justice. However, the religious leaders of Jesus' day twisted it as a weapon to enable a man to execute personal revenge.
- Aren’t they getting what they deserve.
Answer: "Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all" (Romans 12:17).
- The call to resist retaliation is a powerful instrument of grace God allows us to grant one another when we choose love over hate.
- The choice is not easy though, for the world would convince us that in order to find peace in the midst of a storm, we must take it upon ourselves to self-protect and ensure justice is served.
That is why John reminds us, ”Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17).
- Our primary purpose in life is to do the will of our Father in heaven who calls us to walk in His Word and live the Gospel out in our daily lives.
- Quote: We are to discern every situation through prayer and petition so as to not enable or justify sin in others, but in wisdom apply love where love is the most illogical choice we could ever make in order to save others from eternal destruction.
19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
- What Jesus teaches goes far beyond retaliation itself, transcending our perspective to one that identifies the opportunity before us to make radical choices contrary to our fleshly inclination.
- He flipped the script and encouraged His followers to choose love and forgiveness over retaliation as a method of reconciliation.
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).
V. Love Your Enemies – Matthew 5:43-47
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Matthew 5:43-47
Loving your enemies starts within:
- Before you can show any outward display of loving your enemies there must first be an inward transformation.
- In other words, if you can’t love someone who is against you, the other person is not the problem.
- When you reflect on Jesus’ life and character, He demonstrated how much he loved those who were against Him.
- Remember when He was on the cross, He said: ...“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” – Luke 23:34
- This can only flow from a heart that has been transformed by the love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Let me remind you of Stephen. Here is how the Bible described him:
“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.” – Acts 6:8
- If you are familiar with his story, eventually he was stoned to death for preaching the truth to the Sanhedrin. You can read the whole story in Acts 7.
- Consider the end of the story (sorry for the spoiler alert if you never read it):
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. – Acts 7:59-60
- Why was Stephen able to do this? Because he was a man full of the Holy Spirit.
- His life had been transformed on the inside. If there ever was a real-world way to love your enemies on display, this was it.
Let’s think about how to love your enemies (Yes, even across a political divide.)
- As Christians, we have really made a mess of our witness and testimony when you consider the political arena.
- Not because we have a political viewpoint, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The problem is we don’t allow someone else to have a different viewpoint.
- A different political view has been made the equivalent of a declaration of war.
- If you really want to show the love of Christ, stop letting political differences divide you. Recognize that we, as Christians, are united under the cross and when it is all said and done there will only be one King of Kings and one Lord of Lords.
- I promise you, He will not be sitting in any political office.
Flip the Script and Respond with Kindness
- Honestly, there are some people who just won’t be very nice or kind to you.
- When you come in contact with these people and they show you hate, you respond with love and kindness. A good rule of thumb is to just follow what the Bible says: As I mentioned earlier:
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. – Romans 12:17
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – Romans 12:20-21
Let’s think of a few real-world examples. Try some of these things and it may catch people off-guard and could leave them wondering about the source of your kindness.
- To the annoying co-worker (you know the one I am talking about) when you’re going out to buy lunch, ask them if they would like anything and buy it for them, your treat.
- Here’s another thought, when their birthday comes around, give them a birthday card. Don’t send an email—actually go to the store and buy one.
- The point here is that regardless of who that enemy is... you must respond differently than they expect and, more importantly, than what you really want.
- This is what it means to flip the script.
- Ultimately, remember we represent Christ. Sometimes it takes a long time to recover your witness after that—and some never do.
Also, you should pray for those who persecute you.
- The other part of loving your enemies is praying for them.
- Now, you might be saying: it’s bad enough Jesus says I have to love them... now I have to pray for them, too?
- Are you absolutely certain your Greek translation is right? Again, the answer is yes. Here’s why. There is a higher purpose.
- It is what Jesus displayed on the cross.
- It is what Stephen displayed when he was being stoned.
- They were more concerned about the eternal than the temporary.
- If you will remember that everyone who persecutes you has an eternal destination waiting for them, you will pray for them.
- By the way, don’t pray for God to get them; pray for grace to love them, forgive them, and show kindness to them.
When it comes to real-world ways to love your enemies it will take some thought, some work, and a whole lot of the Holy Spirit.
VI. There is a Place of “Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth” – Matthew 13:41-43
41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. - Matthew 13:41-43
- Jesus is describing something that will take place at the "end of the age" during a time of judgment on the earth.
- This is part of His explanation of the parable of the weeds. (Matthew 13:36).
- This end-times sorting is represented by the time of harvest, when the farmer's reapers will gather all the weeds that have grown up with the wheat to be bundled and burned (Matthew 13:24–30). Jesus has explained that the reapers in the parable represent His servants, the angels.
- Now Jesus says directly that He, the Son of Man, will send these angels to gather out of His kingdom all "causes of sin and lawbreakers."
Now He adds what will be done with them.
- They will be thrown into the fiery furnace, a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:42).
- Jesus often used this language to describe the eternal fate of those who do not repent of their sin in order to be included in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:22; 8:12).
- He is describing the experience of God's judgment on those who do not come to His kingdom through faith in the Messiah. We commonly refer to this as “hell”.
Let’s think about some common myths about hell:
- Hell doesn’t really exist.
- All we need to know is that Jesus talked about it as a real place. It’s an eternal destination of suffering and separation from God for those who reject Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23).
- Hell is a party and the devil is your wingman.
- The Bible describes hell as a place of suffering and disconnection from God. Satan isn’t anyone’s friend; he’s an enemy who tries anything to destroy you and your relationship with God.
- Hell is only for really bad people.
- One sin is enough to deserve hell. Sin is a violation of God’s perfect holiness. It is rebellion against our holy God.
- God would never let a “good” person go to hell.
- Romans 3:1-12 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
Following Jesus isn’t only about avoiding hell, but if you don’t follow Jesus you are going to hell.
VII. I Am the Only Way – John 14.6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
- Jesus said many things that people could not understand.
- Even His own disciples had difficulty in understanding Him.
- Many times those who were following Him followed Him no more because of the things He said were too hard to understand.
- John 14:6 is the most exclusive thing Jesus ever said.
- Often today we breeze by this. To the first century listening ears this was an inflammatory statement.
- Unless of course you believed He was God.
- For those that didn’t believe this was severally offensive.
- Jesus is claiming that every other way that claims to lead to life/eternity is false. He is the only way.
- This is a claim that we must still wrestle with today as we live in a culture that proclaims many ways to get to heaven.
- Jesus doesn’t leave room for that.
What was once a mystery becomes plain to a person once the Holy Spirit opens up their understanding.
Only God can reveal this mystery of Who Jesus is. “The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:26-27).
This Hope of Glory is our ONLY HOPE.
Three Questions to consider:
- What has it cost you to follow Jesus?
- Have you completely surrendered your life to Him?
- Are you READY to take up your cross?
Church, would you agree with me that we need Revival?
Note the signs of revival in Acts 2:
- Emphasis on Jesus (Acts 2:36). ...
- Repentance (2:37-38). ...
- A passion for prayer (2:42). ...
- Hunger for the Word (2:42). ...
- A burden for the lost (Acts 2:40). ...
- Increase in the number of people coming to faith (Acts 2:41, 47)
