While reading John’s gospel one comes across this sad comment:
“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him”(John 6:66).
“Turned back” is literally the phrase, “they went away to the things that were behind,” or as we would say, “they went back.”
This is the opposite of following Jesus forward—this is following Jesus backwards. What would cause Jesus’ followers to leave him and go back where they came from?
Jesus had been giving his disciples some “hard sayings.” They could not fathom the depth of their meaning, and what they did understand seemed to run counter to their expectations of Jesus claiming to be Messiah.
He confronted some of his followers by going straight for the jugular vein: “But there are some of you that do not believe”(John 6:64). It is hard for us to fathom that people actually followed Jesus day by day but still did not believe!
But this narrative in John raises for us a stark question:
Am I following Jesus forwards or backwards?
This had to be a hard day for Jesus. But this is the risk that love and freedom takes. He mentored for them day after day what the kingdom of God was all about. They had their ideas. When those disciples walked away, Jesus turned to the twelve and asked them, “Do you wish to go?”
It is hard to pour your life into someone—praying, caring, supporting and guiding them in the ways of Jesus—and then watch them just walk away. For me, as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, my heart is heavy for those I know who have chosen to walk away.
May God give us the grace and gentleness toward those who choose to follow Jesus backwards!
In Christian love, Curtis
“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him”(John 6:66).
“Turned back” is literally the phrase, “they went away to the things that were behind,” or as we would say, “they went back.”
This is the opposite of following Jesus forward—this is following Jesus backwards. What would cause Jesus’ followers to leave him and go back where they came from?
Jesus had been giving his disciples some “hard sayings.” They could not fathom the depth of their meaning, and what they did understand seemed to run counter to their expectations of Jesus claiming to be Messiah.
He confronted some of his followers by going straight for the jugular vein: “But there are some of you that do not believe”(John 6:64). It is hard for us to fathom that people actually followed Jesus day by day but still did not believe!
But this narrative in John raises for us a stark question:
Am I following Jesus forwards or backwards?
This had to be a hard day for Jesus. But this is the risk that love and freedom takes. He mentored for them day after day what the kingdom of God was all about. They had their ideas. When those disciples walked away, Jesus turned to the twelve and asked them, “Do you wish to go?”
It is hard to pour your life into someone—praying, caring, supporting and guiding them in the ways of Jesus—and then watch them just walk away. For me, as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, my heart is heavy for those I know who have chosen to walk away.
May God give us the grace and gentleness toward those who choose to follow Jesus backwards!
In Christian love, Curtis
