When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.
Let's look at modern churches:
Fruitful believers subject themselves under biblical teachings that are hard to hear--the "hard saying". Our churches are so full these days that we can call them "mega" size, but most of them are not preaching the word in a systemic way that forces the congregation to face the difficult and meaty passages, but rather they pick a little here and there so they may offer their congregation only the food that is soft and easy to chew- baby food. If their attenders were suddenly presented a plate filled with heartier foods, many would do as they did in this passage. They would simply leave.
Let's consider the successful TV broadcast preachers:
The reason most of them have high ratings?? Because they have filtered the substance of the word down until it taste like koolaid. People like koolaid, ratings increase..
Shall we find those small circles that attempt to face the "hard sayings" of God's Word? Shall we chew on the more difficult yet satisfying meat, and experience real spiritual growth and maturity?
If we "have the words of eternal life, and... believed, and have come to know... the Holy One of God" then the next step is clear. YES, WE SHALL!!
A few sermons contrasting "hard sayings" of truth spoken by Paul Washer with the popular and deceptive easy-believism variety preached by Joel Olsteen:
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