The Life of Peter: John 6:53–71
“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 yourselves. 54 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 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 eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; 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 difficult statement; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? 62 What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and 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 it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.[1]” (John 6:53–71, NASB 95)
On Sunday, Eric continued our Life of Peter series with "To Whom Shall I Go?" He shared his journey from a works-based faith rooted in his Lutheran upbringing to a profound understanding of salvation by grace alone. Through this challenging passage, where many disciples turned away from Jesus, Eric emphasized three key truths: Jesus calls us to believe in Him for eternal life, Jesus calls us to lean in when it's hard, and Jesus calls us to trust Him as the giver of life. Using the powerful illustration of a father holding his child's wrist at the zoo rather than just holding hands, Eric demonstrated that our security comes from Jesus holding onto us, not from our ability to hold onto Him. Peter's response—"Lord, to whom shall we go?"—becomes the defining question for every believer when faced with difficult teachings or circumstances.
On Sunday, Eric continued our Life of Peter series with "To Whom Shall I Go?" He shared his journey from a works-based faith rooted in his Lutheran upbringing to a profound understanding of salvation by grace alone. Through this challenging passage, where many disciples turned away from Jesus, Eric emphasized three key truths: Jesus calls us to believe in Him for eternal life, Jesus calls us to lean in when it's hard, and Jesus calls us to trust Him as the giver of life. Using the powerful illustration of a father holding his child's wrist at the zoo rather than just holding hands, Eric demonstrated that our security comes from Jesus holding onto us, not from our ability to hold onto Him. Peter's response—"Lord, to whom shall we go?"—becomes the defining question for every believer when faced with difficult teachings or circumstances.
Discussion Questions
- Eric shared how he grew up believing that Christianity was about performance—attending the right schools, dressing up for church, and passing confirmation tests. How would you have answered the question "What does it mean to be a Christian?" during different seasons of your life? How has that understanding evolved?
- Jesus uses the metaphor of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, which Eric called a "hard saying." The disciples found this scandalous and confusing. What teachings of Jesus do you find most challenging or difficult to understand? How do you respond when you encounter these "hard sayings"?
- Eric emphasized that salvation comes through believing in Jesus alone, not through our works. He noted that our human nature seeks some credit and struggles with getting "something for nothing." Where do you see yourself still trying to earn God's favor or add to what Jesus has already done?
- Many disciples left Jesus when His teaching became difficult, but Peter and the twelve remained. Eric noted that you can be a believer without being a disciple, and you can be a disciple without being a believer. What's the difference, and where do you see yourself in this distinction?
- The illustration of the father holding his child's wrist (not just the hand) at the zoo powerfully demonstrates how Jesus holds onto us. How does this alter your understanding of security in your relationship with God? When have you "let go" but discovered Jesus was still holding on?
- Peter's question, "Lord, to whom shall we go?" came after witnessing Jesus feed 5,000 and walk on water, as well as after hearing challenging teachings. When circumstances become difficult or God's ways seem unclear, where are you tempted to turn instead of to Jesus?
- Eric mentioned that following Jesus led to persecution and death for the disciples, yet they asked, "To whom shall we go?" What does this teach us about following Jesus in our comfortable culture? How can we prepare for the costs of discipleship?
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