The Gospel of John: Will You Come Near John 6:59-71 · Join the Journey

Will You Come Near?

John 6:59–71

Opening

Have you ever heard something you knew was true… but you didn’t want to hear it?

Maybe it was a doctor telling you that you needed to change your lifestyle.

Maybe it was a spouse pointing out something unhealthy in your attitude.

Maybe it was a friend who loved you enough to tell you the truth instead of just telling you what you wanted to hear.

Truth can hurt. And usually the deeper the truth goes, the more uncomfortable it becomes.

We live in a world that loves comfort. We want easy answers. Easy faith. Easy Christianity.

We want a Jesus who blesses our plans, fixes our problems, and helps us feel better about ourselves.

But when Jesus starts talking about surrender… Sacrifice… Dying to self… Obedience… Holiness… Endurance through suffering……people start backing away.

That’s exactly what happens in John 6.

Jesus has just fed the 5,000. The crowds are excited. Everybody loves free bread and miracles. But then Jesus begins teaching that He is the Bread of Life. He says things that are difficult. Things that challenge people’s hearts. And suddenly the crowd begins shrinking.

People loved the miracles. They loved the bread. They loved the excitement.

But the moment Jesus stopped being useful and started being Lord… many walked away.

Because people love Jesus the miracle worker… until they meet Jesus the King who demands their life.

And honestly, that still happens today. The question in this passage becomes the same question for us today: Will you walk away… or will you come near?

1. Jesus’ Words Are Hard for Us to Hear

John 6:59–60

Notice something important: They didn’t say Jesus was confusing. They said His words were hard. They understood enough to know they didn’t like what they were hearing.

Jesus had just told them:

• He was the bread from heaven

• They must feed on Him spiritually

• Eternal life was found only in Him

• Following Him required total dependence

That was offensive to them. And honestly, Jesus’ words are still hard for people today.

We love verses about:

• grace

• forgiveness

• peace

• blessing

• eternal life

But we struggle with verses about:

• repentance

• surrender

• holiness

• persecution

• denying ourselves

We like a Savior… but not always a Lord. Jesus never hid the cost of discipleship.

He said things like:

The Treasure Is Worth Everything

Matthew 13:45-46

Matthew 13:45–46

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a pearl of great value worth selling everything to obtain.

The point isn’t that we earn salvation by giving things up. The point is that Jesus is so valuable that everything else becomes secondary compared to knowing Him.

Jesus said, Leave Everything and Follow Me

Luke 9:59-62

Luke 9:59–62

He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”

62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus calls people to follow Him, and when they hesitate because of family obligations or personal concerns, He exposes divided hearts. That sounds harsh to us. But Jesus is showing that nothing can come before Him.

Jesus said, Take Up Your Cross

Luke 9:23-26

Luke 9:23–26

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Jesus says: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

The cross was not jewelry in their culture…It was an instrument of death.

Jesus was saying: “Die to yourself. Die to your pride. Die to your plans. Die to your sin. And follow Me.”

That is hard to hear.

We have to ask ourselves:

Do we follow Jesus only when it’s comfortable?

• As long as it doesn’t cost us relationships?

• As long as it doesn’t affect our reputation?

• As long as it doesn’t interfere with our lifestyle?

• As long as it doesn’t require sacrifice?

Real discipleship costs something.

Not because Jesus is cruel— but because He loves us too much to leave us enslaved to lesser things. Some people want a version of Christianity that asks for nothing and changes nothing. But that isn’t biblical Christianity.

Isaiah 29:13

The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. t

Scripture tells us that the road is narrow, that all who desire to live godly will be persecuted. That we are to be doers of the word not just passive listeners.

Sometimes Jesus’ words confront things we want to hold onto.

Forgive that person.

Stay faithful in that marriage.

Put away that sin.

Be generous instead of greedy.

Tell the truth even if it costs you.

And in those moments we discover whether Jesus is truly Lord… or just something we add to our life when it’s convenient.

His words are hard sometimes—but they are words of life. And God has never been interested in empty religion. He wants our hearts.

But…

2. When the Going Gets Tough, Some Will Leave

John 6:61–66

Jesus knew exactly what was happening. The crowd was thinning out. People were offended. Some who had followed Him were now turning away.

And notice this: Jesus did not soften the message to keep the crowd. He didn’t chase them down saying, “Wait! Let me explain it differently so nobody leaves upset.” Why?

Because Jesus wasn’t building fans. He was calling disciples.

Verse 66 is heartbreaking:

“After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.”

Not outsiders. Not Pharisees. People who had been following Him.

There are people who love Jesus when:

• prayers are answered

• life is good

• blessings are flowing

• the crowd is cheering

But when following Jesus becomes costly… some simply walk away.

Jesus knew Judas would betray Him. Jesus knew Peter would deny Him. Yet He still spoke the truth plainly. Because true faith must be tested.

A faith that cannot survive difficulty is often a faith built on comfort instead of Christ.

Some people follow Jesus because:

• they want their problems fixed

• they want community

• they want moral improvement

• they want blessings

But eventually hardship reveals what we truly love.

What happens when:

• obedience costs you financially?

• biblical convictions cost you friendships?

• faithfulness costs you popularity?

• standing for truth costs you opportunities?

That’s when discipleship becomes real.

Jesus never promised earthly comfort. In fact, He promised suffering.

John 15:20 Jesus said,

John 15:20

A servant is not greater than his master.’ t If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.

The gospel is not “your best life now.” The gospel is that eternal life is found in Jesus—even if this world rejects us. His words are hard sometimes—but they are words of life.

And here’s the beautiful thing: Jesus is still worth it.

3. Do You Want to Leave Too?

John 6:67–71

After many leave, Jesus turns to the twelve. Can you imagine the moment?

The crowds are gone. People are walking away. The excitement has faded.

And Jesus asks: “Do you want to go away as well?”

What a question.

Jesus gives them the opportunity to leave. And then Peter answers with one of the greatest confessions in Scripture:

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Peter doesn’t say: “We understand everything.”

He says: “We know You are the only One who gives life.”

Peter understood something the crowd missed: difficult words from Jesus are still better than empty promises from the world.

That’s real faith.

Real faith says: “I may not understand everything… but I know Jesus is true.” “I know He is good.” “I know He alone can save.”

Following Jesus is not always easy.

There may be moments when:

• you feel isolated

• you are mocked for your faith

• obedience hurts

• temptation pulls hard

• suffering makes no sense

But where else will you go? The world cannot give eternal life. Success cannot save you. Money cannot satisfy your soul. Relationships cannot forgive your sins.

Only Jesus has the words of eternal life. And yes—following Him will cost us greatly.

Some believers around the world lose:

• jobs

• homes

• family relationships

• freedom

• even their lives

But as Paul says is Philippians 1:21

Philippians 1:21

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

That’s not losing. That’s victory. Because Jesus is better than anything this world offers.

So here is the question Jesus places before us today:

Will you leave… or will you come near?

When His words challenge you… When obedience costs you… When culture opposes you… When faith becomes difficult… Will you walk away?

Or will you stay near to Jesus? Because His words are hard sometimes—

but they are words of life. And maybe today some of us need to stop trying to fit Jesus into our comfortable lifestyle and instead fully surrender to Him.

Not halfway.

Not casually.

Not only when it’s convenient.

But fully.

Because eternity belongs to Him. Life belongs to Him. Hope belongs to Him. And there is nowhere else to go. Remember what Jesus said in verse 37:

and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

Ask yourself honestly:

• Is there an area where I resist Jesus because His words are hard?

• Am I following Jesus for comfort or because He is Lord?

• What would it look like for me to come nearer to Him this week?

• Have I truly surrendered my whole life to Christ?

Maybe today you need to repent.

Maybe you’ve been following Jesus only when it’s convenient.

Maybe you’ve drifted.

Maybe suffering has made you want to walk away.

Maybe you’ve never truly surrendered your life to Christ.

But today Jesus is still inviting you come near. But your trust in Jesus not only as your savior but as your Lord. Repent turning away from you sins. And meet Jesus in baptism.

Not because following Him is easy… but because He alone has the words of eternal life. Hard words can still lead to eternal life. His words may wound our pride… but they also save our soul.