When Jesus Says Hard Things

Pentecost 14

August 30, 2015

John 6:60-69

When Jesus Says Hard Things

In the name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

“You'll understand when you're older.” Kids have heard those words from their parents since perhaps Adam and Eve. More often than not, “You'll understand when you're older” are the words spoken after an attempt to explain hard things. The grown-up has tried to explain something, but the kid just isn't getting it. There are just some things that you either know or you don't. Some of those things are good things; many of them are not.

A good thing that is hard to explain is love between a husband and wife. You can describe it to a child in lots of ways: you like talking to them, you do anything for the one you love, you would do anything to keep them safe. You can say all of this to a little kid, but in the end understanding the sacrificial love of marriage come from being married.

At the end of Jesus' Bread-of-Life sermon, most in His congregation of listeners did not understand His words. Like little kids, they murmured to each other when Jesus explained that He is the only food that keeps you alive, both your brain and muscles and bones, and your soul. He is the Bread that keeps the whole you alive. But His words made no sense to them, so they grumbled,

“This word is hard; who can hear it?” (John 6:60)

Who can hear and understand this hard-to-understand word of Jesus? Only believers.

In the beginning was the Word. John, chapter one. This word for Word in Greek is logos. Our word logic and logo-rhythm are based on the Greek word for the Word. And Jesus is the Word. He is the Word that created all things, seen and unseen. He is the Word that saves us. When these unbelievers in the crowd grumbled about Jesus and said the word that He had spoken was hard to understand, they used the word logos. Later another Greek word for individual words is used.

So we come back to little kids. They understand many individual words, but the Word, that is, the meaning and connection of certain ideas, they won't understand.

When speaking to many unbelievers, they know words: Jesus, sin, Savior, heaven, hell. They know lots of Bible words. They know who Jesus is. They know that there is a thing called sin and someone called Jesus who takes sin away. They know there is a heaven and maybe a hell. But well-read unbelievers who know lots of Bible words don't know the Word. They don't know Jesus. And they won't ever understand save by the Holy Spirit through His Word opens their minds.

This miracle is what we pray for those who don't get Jesus. We pray for strangers, but we especially pray for the people in our lives who don't know Jesus.

Now they hear the hard words you say about Jesus, but they aren't listening or understanding. Jesus spoke about the dear ears of the unbelievers while explaining to His disciples why He told stories.

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.” (Matthew 13:10-13)

There are some things that you understand when you're older. And there are some things that you understand when you're a believer, whether you're young or old. When Jesus says hard things, even believers often struggle with His words, but He is the true and living Word and we eat the Bread.

Simon Peter answered Him, “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.” (John 6:68-69)

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners―of whom I am the worst. Alleluia! Amen!