John 6:60-71 (NIV)
Read By: Anna Li
Jesus has shown himself to be the new prophet, surpassing Elijah, Elisha and Moses in power. He has declared himself to be the new manna--the ultimate bread from heaven, sent by God the Father to give eternal life to the whole world. And he has given a hard teaching to his followers -- that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood to be united with him and to be counted in the future resurrection.
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1. Can you think of a time when you’ve been challenged by a hard teaching of Jesus? Have you ever wrestled to the point where you’ve considered no longer following Jesus?
2. As people were turning away from following Jesus because of this hard teaching, Jesus said to his disciples, "Do you want to leave too?" Peter answers, "To whom shall we go?" What about you? As we wrestle with what it means to follow Jesus in the midst of his hard teachings: loving our neighbors, caring for the poor, seeking first his kingdom… What alternatives do you entertain, and how do they really compare to Jesus?
3. Jesus says that no one can come to him unless the Father has enabled them. We can hear this as a harsh reality, or a tender recognition of the cost of following Jesus… In what ways might you need to ask for help from the LORD when it comes to following Jesus.
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