Inflection points

We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God. –John 6:69 (NIV)

An inflection point represents a change in direction. In mathematics, it’s the place on the graph where the equation begins to take the curve up or down. In business, it’s that point in time when some event creates a shift toward a new way of looking at and dealing with things. Beyond the inflection point, things will never be the same.

In the latter part of John chapter 6, there is an inflection point for the followers of Jesus. By this time, Jesus’ ministry is going strong. But He knows not all these followers are there for the right reasons, much less in it for the long haul. He’s about to make things interesting.

Fresh off Jesus’ feeding of a crowd of 5,000+ the previous day, the people are literally hungry for more. Jesus challenges them to pursue better “food”. With groceries still on the mind, they make a mostly innocent, if shortsighted inquiry.

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” –John 6:28 (NIV)

A lively discussion ensues, and Jesus exposes more detail, stating that He is the bread of life, come down from heaven. The religious establishment immediately recognizes the implications of what He is saying.

At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” –John 6:41-42 (NIV)

Jesus challenges them, repeats His “bread of life” statement, then expands it to say that the bread is really His flesh, given for the life of the world, which must be eaten to secure eternal life. For many in the crowd, things are starting to get confusing.

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” –John 6:52 (NIV)

Jesus could have stopped here to explain Himself, made the message easier, more palatable. But He didn’t. Instead, He doubled down: Not only is His flesh the food, His blood is the drink. "What on earth is this guy talking about? I just wanted lunch, but now I'm starting to feel queasy!"

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” –John 6:60 (NIV)

At that point, Jesus essentially tells them that if God reveals the truth to them, they’ll get it, but if God has not revealed the truth to them, they won’t. The truth bombs He’s dropping are only discernable via the Spirit of God. Here is the inflection point, the moment of decision. Will they dig in deeper and keep going, or will they bail out?

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. –John 6:66 (NIV)

Some, including Peter, had a different take. Odds are ol’ Pete didn’t have much more of an idea what Jesus was talking about than anyone else in the crowd that day. But he knew Jesus. He’d seen too much to turn back. He trusted Jesus, even when he didn’t understand. He believed his friend would give him the answers when the time was right and he wanted to be sure he was around for that.

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 (NIV)

Inflection points. We all have them. Moments when we can keep going or turn back. Jesus doesn’t always make them easy. But He always makes them worth it.