Sermon Date: 05/03/2026
Bible Verses:
- John 6:41-69
Speaker: Rev. Timothy "Tim" Shapley
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new
Introduction
There are moments in life when everything comes down to one question.
Not ten questions.
Not a list of options.
Just one.
Where will I go?
In John 6, Jesus says some things that are hard.
Not confusing—hard.
Not unclear—uncomfortable.
So hard that people begin to leave.
Crowds that once followed Him… walk away.
And then Jesus turns to the twelve and asks:
“Do you want to go away as well?” (John 6:67)
That question still echoes today.
And in response, Peter gives one of the most honest and powerful statements in all of Scripture:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)
That’s the heart of this message.
Because when everything shakes…
when faith feels costly…
when the words of Jesus stretch us…
we are left with the same question:
Where will I go?
- When Jesus Says Hard Things
Earlier in John 6, Jesus tells the crowd:
“I am the bread of life.”
And then He goes further.
He speaks about eating His flesh and drinking His blood.
To them, this sounded offensive.
Strange.
Even disturbing.
John 6:60 says:
“This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”
Let’s be honest.
We like the parts of Jesus that comfort us.
We like grace.
We like forgiveness.
We like blessing.
But when Jesus confronts us…
calls us to surrender…
challenges our desires…
suddenly following Him feels harder.
And the truth is:
Jesus will say things that stretch you.
He will challenge your priorities.
He will confront your sin.
He will call you to surrender control.
Because Jesus is not trying to make you comfortable.
He is trying to save you.
- When Following Gets Costly
John 6:66 says something sobering:
“After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.”
Let that sink in.
Not the crowd.
Not casual listeners.
Disciples.
People who had followed Him…
now walked away.
Why?
Because the cost became real.
And here’s the hard truth:
Some people follow Jesus…
until it costs them something.
Until obedience becomes inconvenient.
Until truth conflicts with their desires.
Until surrender becomes personal.
Then they leave.
Following Jesus is easy when it fits your life.
It’s harder when it redefines your life.
- The Question That Exposes the Heart
Then Jesus turns to the twelve.
And He doesn’t chase the crowd.
He doesn’t soften the message.
He asks:
“Do you want to go away as well?”
That question cuts deep.
Because Jesus doesn’t force anyone to stay.
He invites.
He calls.
But He allows people to walk away.
And in that moment, the disciples have to decide.
Stay… or leave.
Follow… or walk away.
And that same question is asked of us.
Not just once.
But again and again throughout our lives.
When things don’t make sense…
When obedience is difficult…
When faith feels costly…
Jesus looks at us and asks:
“Will you go too?”
- Peter’s Answer: We Have Nothing Else
Peter responds:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Notice what Peter does not say.
He doesn’t say:
“We understand everything.”
“We agree with everything.”
“This is easy.”
No.
His answer is deeper than that.
He’s saying:
“Even when it’s hard… You’re still the only one.”
There is nowhere else to go.
No one else has what Jesus has.
No one else gives eternal life.
No one else saves.
No one else redeems.
Peter realizes something powerful:
We don’t follow Jesus because it’s easy.
We follow Him because He is everything.
- A Heart That Knows the Worth of Christ
I once heard an interview where Shia LaBeouf was asked what he would say if he stood before Jesus.
He said:
"Nothing."
Then he said:
"I would kiss Him. I would kiss His feet."
That’s not theology.
That’s recognition.
That’s the realization of who Jesus is.
And that’s the heart Peter is expressing.
Not perfect understanding.
Not flawless faith.
But a deep, unshakable truth:
Jesus is worth everything.
Even when it’s hard.
Even when it costs.
Even when you don’t fully understand.
Application
Let’s make this personal.
At some point, every believer faces this moment.
When following Jesus becomes difficult.
When obedience costs something.
When faith stretches you.
And the question comes:
Where will I go?
Back to the world?
Back to sin?
Back to control?
Back to self?
But the truth is…
there is nothing back there for you.
No life.
No peace.
No eternity.
Only Jesus has the words of eternal life.
So the call today is simple:
Stay.
Trust Him.
Follow Him.
Even when it’s hard.
Because there is nowhere better to go.
Conclusion
The crowd walked away.
The message was too hard.
The cost was too great.
But Peter stayed.
Not because it was easy.
But because he knew the truth:
There is no one else like Jesus.
And that’s where faith matures.
Not when everything makes sense…
but when your heart says:
“Even if I don’t understand… I’m not leaving.”
Because at the end of the day…
when everything else falls away…
we are left with one reality:
We have nothing but Christ.
And that is more than enough.
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