John 6:60-71
Jesus Has the Words of Eternal Life
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)
John 15:1-17
Jesus on Telling His Disciples to Remain in Him
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “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. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Jesus had many followers of His leave Him after He told them that He is the Bread of Life and that the Spirit gives life; and our flesh counts for nothing...Jesus teaches us in His Words—that they are full of the Spirit and life...Yet many of His followers did not believe even after seeing miracles and hearing His Words...Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who the one who would betray Him...He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has enabled them.”...After sharing this with many of His followers, they would turn back and no longer follow Him....Everyone who heard and saw Jesus would believe in His Words and Deeds...
So Jesus asks His Disciples, “You do not want to leave too, do you?”...After all Judas knew about Jesus, He, too, would not only leave Him, but also betray Him...
But Simon Peter answered Jesus, “LORD, to whom shall we go?...You have the words of eternal life...We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”...Peter knew Jesus and knew He was Special...Peter had originally met Jesus as a fisherman and stranger...Peter had seen what Jesus could do...Peter heard the Power of His Words...Peter knew His destiny lied with Jesus...Peter knew Jesus was Divine and the Holy One sent by God...Peter and ten of other Disciples remained with Jesus and they remained in Him knowing the Truth...
Author Ravi Zacharias wrote, “I came to Him because I did not know which way to turn...I remained with Him because there is no other way I wish to turn...I came to Him longing for something I did not have...I remain with Him because I have something I will not trade...I came to Him as a stranger...I remain with Him in the most intimate of friendships...I came to Him unsure about the future...I remain with Him certain about my destiny...I came amid the thunderous cries of a culture that has 330 million deities...I remain with Him knowing that truth cannot be all-inclusive.”...