Committing to Jesus is difficult. He demands an act of surrender to Himself and He demands an extremely high moral standard. His call to us challenges the very fabric of our lives and many find it is too difficult for them. However, what are the reasons we should do this? It is that the claims of Jesus Christ were of a higher type than any other wise person who has ever lived and that He proved that His claim to be equal with God were demonstrated to be true by His resurrection and ascension. He wasn't just the man who lived a good life and died prematurely. In one sense He wasn't a martyr, because He knew that, having died, He would be raised by his Father. There are many good people today and down through the centuries who seek to get to God, but even the most notoriously bad person who turns to Him receives forgiveness, adoption, eternal life. The scandal of salvation is that it is given freely, even to those regarded as undeserving. Up to now, those who decided to follow Jesus were increasing daily. In John 2 v 23 we are told that many believed in Jesus; in 4 v 1-3 there were huge queues to be baptised; in 6 v 2, the day before this one, crowds had flocked after Him. All of a sudden, many of them turned away. They could see the way things were headed-confronting the authorities did not go unpunished-and they were not prepared to follow that hard route with Him! However, Peter knows Jesus: he has already lived with Him for a couple of years, there is much that is mysterious, but he knows that He is the real thing and worth giving a lifetime to follow. From now on, the path will lead downwards towards the cross. Are you OK following Jesus as long as all around you is fine or are you committed to Him, drinking His blood, eating His body, so thoroughly entwined with Him that there can be no withdrawal?