When the Going Gets Tough
By: Pastor Todd Crofford
"From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.'" -John 6:66-69 NIV
Do you remember the old adage? When the going gets tough, the tough… stay! Ok, I know that's not how the expression goes, but it is how our faith should go. In today's text, Jesus's hard teaching is leading to mass defection. So many are turning back that Jesus asks His disciples if they are making plans to leave as well.
I love Peter's response. It's as if he says, "Lord, once someone has been with you, what else could compare?"
I wish everyone saw it that way.
Few things break my heart like seeing a dad, a mom, or a whole family just disappear from the church. I always wonder why. I know I am a pastor and if you want to accuse me of just touting the party line - so be it, but I have yet to see anything worth walking away from Jesus.
Beware that the offramps from the road of life are often subtle - busyness, wealth, or other loves grow while we let our spiritual fervor die out. Other times our departure is very decisive - we simply refuse to obey what he commands. In the end, the payoff is poor, but the cost is steep.
If somehow you are reading this and are half out the door, or even if you've been long gone - Come back. I promise there is a warm welcome waiting from Jesus and from us!
By: Pastor Todd Crofford
"From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.'" -John 6:66-69 NIV
Do you remember the old adage? When the going gets tough, the tough… stay! Ok, I know that's not how the expression goes, but it is how our faith should go. In today's text, Jesus's hard teaching is leading to mass defection. So many are turning back that Jesus asks His disciples if they are making plans to leave as well.
I love Peter's response. It's as if he says, "Lord, once someone has been with you, what else could compare?"
I wish everyone saw it that way.
Few things break my heart like seeing a dad, a mom, or a whole family just disappear from the church. I always wonder why. I know I am a pastor and if you want to accuse me of just touting the party line - so be it, but I have yet to see anything worth walking away from Jesus.
Beware that the offramps from the road of life are often subtle - busyness, wealth, or other loves grow while we let our spiritual fervor die out. Other times our departure is very decisive - we simply refuse to obey what he commands. In the end, the payoff is poor, but the cost is steep.
If somehow you are reading this and are half out the door, or even if you've been long gone - Come back. I promise there is a warm welcome waiting from Jesus and from us!
Posted in The God I Never Knew
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After a very long time away from God and the church, I have found my way back. And there is nothing, NOTHING, that will cause me to walk away from Him, only TO Him. Amen.