Valentine’s Day is just like any other day in this household. The only difference is the presence of chocolates. I’ve never been to Bulgaria, but I like how their truffles taste. The Dollar Tree started to carry them a few weeks ago leading up to today. I wish they sold these all year long. I actually prefer these seven-count boxes for portion control’s sake. Chocolates… sweet and pleasing to the palate. If all we ever want to hear is nothing but the feel-good verses of Scripture, we would end up missing out on the full counsel of God, which can ultimately lead believers to hold to and justify unrighteous stances.
Many Disciples Turn Away
53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, 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 eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats 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 he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
John 6:53-68
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5
Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it? – An example of this would be Matthew 10:37, “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” This plainly means “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ (Matthew 22:37).
Everything else is secondary. Anyone who does not want to hear this will put their loved ones above God and will end up abandoning their faith because they misunderstood the order. People who apostatize for this reason usually end up justifying unrighteous lifestyles that their friends or loved ones practice even though they know it is against God’s Word.
Does this offend you? – Not everything in Scripture is offensive, but the world system is always offended by the truth. If you purposely avoid “offending” people just by simply leading them to a specific passage in Scripture, you need to consider the cost. The hour is late to just play church.
“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Acts 5:29
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe. – “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” – 1 Corinthians 2:14
Only those who have the Spirit will stay the course no matter how hard it gets. Those who end up abandoning the faith when hard times hit only came for the truffles, so to speak.
“Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.”
John 6:26
“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”
Revelation 3:11