Sometimes following Jesus feels like signing up for something without reading the fine print. At first, it sounds exciting—hope, forgiveness, new life. But then you discover that Jesus isn’t selling comfort. He’s offering Himself.
That’s what happened in John 6. Jesus had just fed thousands with bread and fish. The crowd thought they found their miracle worker, their free food provider, maybe even their political liberator. But then He said something that shocked them: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life in yourselves” (John 6:53, CSB).
That was too much. John tells us many walked away. They wanted a king who gave them what they wanted—not a Savior who demanded their trust, their obedience, their lives.
And then Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, “Do you want to go away too?” Peter’s response has always stuck with me: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68, CSB).
That’s the heart of faith. Not that we always understand. Not that it’s always easy. But that we know—deep down—that no one else has what Jesus has.
Faith Isn’t About What We Want
We’ve built a culture that treats faith like a vending machine. Put in your prayers, church attendance, maybe even your tithe, and expect blessings to come out: health, wealth, success, no problems.
But Jesus never promised that. He promised life—and life isn’t the same as ease. He told His followers: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, CSB).
The problem is we don’t really want that kind of faith. We want control. We want God to bless our plans, rather than surrendering to His.
Choosing Jesus Daily
Faith isn’t a decision you made once years ago—it’s a decision you make every day. Every morning, Jesus asks the same question He asked His disciples: “Do you want to go away too?”
And every day we’re tempted to say yes. Politics promises salvation if we just elect the right leader. Money promises security if we just have a little more. Comfort promises happiness if we just avoid the hard stuff.
But all of them will fail us. All of them will leave us empty.
That’s why Peter’s response is so honest: “Lord, where else would we go?” We don’t have it all figured out. We still wrestle with doubts, fears, and failures. But we know this—Jesus is the only one worth following.
Following Jesus Will Put You Out of Step With America
In the first century, saying “Jesus is Lord” meant saying “Caesar is not.” It was radical. It was dangerous.
Today, we don’t face lions in arenas. But if we’re actually following Jesus, we will be out of step with our culture—including American Christianity.
Because let’s be honest: much of American Christianity has stopped looking like Jesus. We’ve traded His way of humility and service for the way of power and politics. We’ve shouted about sin while ignoring our own greed, pride, and lack of compassion. We’ve demanded prayer in schools while neglecting prayer in our homes. We’ve asked Jesus to bless our nation while refusing to let Him bless our neighbor through us.
It’s idolatry dressed up as religion. And it’s killing our witness.
Following Jesus means something different: denying ourselves, forgiving enemies, loving those who can’t pay us back, serving instead of being served. That’s not just countercultural—that’s counter to much of what passes for Christianity in America today.
What Staying With Jesus Looks Like
So what does it mean to say, “Lord, we’re staying with You”?
- It means worship and prayer matter even when church feels small.
- It means trusting God when His ways don’t make sense.
- It means letting Him reorder our priorities—less scrolling, more serving; less worrying about who’s in the White House, more asking what He wants in our own house.
- It means loving people—the forgotten, the broken, the ones who can’t give us anything in return.
That’s what abiding in Jesus looks like. It’s not flashy. It won’t win you elections. But it will shape you into someone who looks more like Him.
Where Else Would We Go?
Following Jesus isn’t easy. Sometimes it’s confusing. Sometimes it’s unpopular. Sometimes it asks for more than we think we can give.
But where else would we go? Who else loves us like He does? Who else died for us? Who else rose again to give us life?
No politician. No billionaire. No influencer. No corporation. Only Jesus.
So maybe today’s question isn’t whether faith is easy. It’s whether Jesus is enough. And if He is, then the answer to His question is the same one Peter gave: “Lord, we’re not leaving. We’re staying with You.”
Closing Prayer
Gracious God,
We confess that we chase after comfort, control, and power instead of You. Forgive us for putting our hope in leaders, wealth, or distractions that can never give life. Teach us to abide in Jesus each day. Give us courage to follow when it’s hard, faith when we don’t understand, and love for others even when it costs us. May our lives point not to ourselves, but to the One who has the words of eternal life.
Amen.
The Rest of the Sermon 