“To whom shall we go?” or “To whom shall I go?” I guess you would have asked this question on many occasions in your life. And as you kept thinking of the situation you are in, suddenly you would realise that such and such a person would be the best person to go to. He/she will be able to help you out or give you advice or a solution to the problem you are facing.

Depending on the type of situation or problem we are facing, we go to different types of people. If our house has been burgled, we go to the police; if there is a civil dispute, we go and see a lawyer; if a student has problems with his assignments, he goes to his tutor. Little children immediately go their parents if they get hurt. Among Roman Catholics, a person goes to a priest for confession and among Protestants, church members go to see their Pastor for counselling, which too can also involve confession.

So we all have to go and see different persons during the course of our lives, because no person has all knowledge and all wisdom of all things in this world. Otherwise that person would have been God. There is always someone who has a wider experience or better knowledge than somebody else and so we go to the person who, in our opinion, is better qualified for the job at hand.

In Old Testament times, God would send his prophets to direct his people. So the people of Israel would go to the prophet to inquire of the Lord. Some Kings would go to him to ask if they would obtain victory in a battle. One king went to a Prophet to ask him if his son would live. If the words of the true Prophet of God were not pleasing to their ears they would go to the false prophets who would gladly tell them words according to their own lusts, soothing words speaking “peace  peace” which they pertained to have come from God.

About two thousand years ago when the people of Israel were under the iron rule of the Romans, there arose in their midst a Teacher who spoke with all authority and with wisdom and with whom no one could ever dispute. He silenced every opponent who challenged Him with any difficult question concerning the law or of life. This Man also worked miracles, which no other prophet before Him had ever worked. He healed many seriously sick people, even restored the sight of people born blind from birth, cast out evil spirits, raised people from the dead, even a person who was buried for 4 days. No wonder people thought that this was the deliverer of Israel, who would deliver them from Roman oppression. So they would all go to him – to go to see Jesus. One day, as recorded in the Gospel of John chapter 6, as about 5000 people were all gathered together, He miraculously fed them with bread and fish. And so they decided they should make him king. So they went to Jesus, hoping to make him their “Bread Messiah” and as one who would give them their daily physical bread and cause them to live happily on earth free from Roman slavery. However, Jesus was not a Person who would just give into the whims and fancies of a fickle minded people. He was indeed a King, but His Kingship was not of this world. His Kingship was from Heaven, to be the ruler of the hearts and minds and spirits of His people. He told his disciples that He had come down from Heaven to offer up His body and His blood and that they could receive eternal life by receiving Him as their Lord and partaking of His Life.

But many of His disciples could not accept His saying – to eat His flesh and drink His blood in order that they may have eternal life. And very sadly many of them went away, probably in search of another earthly messiah.

John records this in His Gospel:  “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68)

It is so sad to see people going away from the One who can provide them with what is truly filling both for this life and for the life to come. Jesus is the One who can fulfil your deepest longings. He not only gives you your daily physical bread, and drink, but also that true Bread and living Water for the nourishment of your soul. He Himself is the Bread of Life and His Spirit is the Living water.

In this Gospel passage we find that Jesus’ own disciples (not the Twelve Apostles), turning away from Jesus. So it should not surprise us that many Christians these days also turn away from following Christ, just as Jesus had foretold that many would fall away. Just as he spoke in the parable of the sower – the riches, pleasures and cares and of the world choke the word and it does not bear fruit. People find it hard to live according to the Bible because their minds are set on earthly things and not on heavenly things. Many are still hoping for Christ to be a “Bread Messiah”. They ask Jesus – Lord help me get a well paying job, or help me get a beautiful wife or a handsome husband, or a nice big house. But when their prayers are not answered, they go away either falling into depression, or devising earthly means to fulfil their desires.

Will you also go away?

Be like the Apostles who gave up everything to follow Jesus, who has the words of Eternal Life and through whom we have life. Instead of going into depression, you can cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for You. (1 Peter 5:5). He can comfort you in all your affliction and can heal you of all your infirmities. He will never ever leave You nor ever forsake you. He can turn your mourning into dancing, your song of sorrow into joy, put off your sackcloth and ashes and clothe you with the robes of righteousness. He is your great and mighty God who has kept a place for you in His Heavenly Mansion and has given you an inheritance in His Eternal Kingdom. Therefore my dear friend, don’t go away, go back to Jesus.

What can the world offer you?  It has lots of things to offer materially, but they are temporal. Here today and gone tomorrow. One day you will be driving the most luxurious car, the next day it will be at the wreckers. One day you can be a champion sportsman, the next day you can suffer a stroke and end up paralysed for the rest of your life.

If you turn away from Jesus, then to whom shall you go? The only person left is the Devil. The Devil will be able to give you all the things of this world if you give in to him and worship him. But then finally he will claim your soul in hell. And then you will be regretful for all eternity.

Don’t make a mistake dear friend. Go to Jesus. He came down two thousand years ago as a little babe lying in a manger and living as a humble servant and then giving up His perfect life as a sacrifice to God for your sins. He is the Risen Lord today. Before He comes as a Judge….go to Him.

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