John 6:52-70

Introduction

recap from last week

There have been several movies and clips where you have this leader of a group of people. The leader is getting the group charged up and excited, but then the leader tells them what it will take to get there and suddenly everything changes

We are gonna get our freedom back ! YEa

We are gonna break free from the tyranny! Yea

We will no longer be ruled by this evil empire! YEa

Our children will grow in a free world! Yea

We will die and spill our blood on the battlefield for this cause! .........uh

heal the sick

blind will see

wine will flow like a river

you’ll live forever

youll eat my flesh and drink my blood....oh

The New International Version Chapter 6

52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

The jews begin questioning Jesus teaching. Honestly though we should not be surprised by this.

1 Corinthians 2:14 “14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”

Now granted the Spirit has not arrived on scene at this time, BUTTTT they do not believe the words of God. The things Christ preaches is offensive to the world.

THE GOSPEL IS OFFENSIVE TO THE WORLD

Whoah TJ I thought the gospel means Good News? Yes it does. But it is ONLY good to those who know their need for it.

Now lets pause a second. I am not telling you that God has given us the spiritual gift of being a jerk. I am not saying we should go door to door punching people in the face with the scriptures. I am not saying that the message is about hate, but rather it is about love.

But for example. People have such a hard time with homosexuality or sexual sin right? We have spoke from the pulpits to just love people and then people will change. Jesus didnt say this or that, Jesus never preached against sin or on and on and i am amazed at this. LIKE WHAT BIBLE DO YOU READ. Multiple times in scripture, Jesus teaches something hard and people turn away and choose their sin. THis is just what we have recorded. You know it happened all the time.

The truth is the world loves their sin and the Gospel tells us that sin must be left behind and a battle must be fought. SO PEOPLE LEAVE they hate it.

But Jesus doesnt just tell us to lay those things aside for nothing. Its not just for following rules ir building our own righteousness, because we cannot, but it is what brings us life. The things we cling to will bring death but taking of the flesh and the blood of Christ will bring eternal life.

Now many allude that Jesus is referring to the eucharist, the Lords Supper or communion. It is possible but I would contend not entirely. Remember the Lord’s supper doesnt happen for another year where Jesus describes His blood that is poured out and flesh that is torn. Jesus is speaking to what we spoke about last week. He is the bread of life and wine which washes it down.

Here is a math equation for you in those days

Human - bread and wine = dead

You had to have those things. It is necessary.

There is no other way there is no other way there is no other way to receive life except through Jesus Christ

This still needs to be said in the world of universalists today, but hinduism budhism, islam, mother mary, your righteousness and good works, all the above will bring death. They will not bring you life. It is ONLY through Christ.

Jesus is looking at and dealing with Jews. Let me tell you the saddest thing about Judaism. THEY ARE SO CLOSE, yet farther than most from receiving life from Christ.

They know the OT. THey know the laws (and unfotunately made a few of their own). Their relatives were the ones walked through the red seas and delivered time and time again. They saw the sun stand still. They saw goliath fall to the ground. They saw the city of Jericho fall down in shambkes. They were with Gideon when a group of 100 took down 10000. They are so close but yet, they deny the very God they supposedly believe in by denying His son.

They could know all of those things, yet they were dead in their sin and did were missing out on the life that comes only through Christ.

He said this in the synagogue......

The New International Version Chapter 6

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him

The disciples started hearing the doubts of the outsiders and it changed their attitude immediately. This, I dont believe, is the 12. Disciple means follower

OUTSIDE NOISE CAN CAUSE YOU TO DOUBT WHAT YOU KNOW IS TRUE ON THE INSIDE

These disciples had seen miracles. And its not like Jesus had not said anything weird or different since they began following him. They heard him say they would fish for men. They heard him speak directly to women and to gentiles. They saw so much

BUT they began to let the outside doubts and beliefs of others change their attitude. They began to doubt.

This was indeed a hard teaching. It was hard because BLOOD IS FORBIDEN. Jews dont eat meat unless its killed a certain way and the blood was drained out. A woman at her cycle was cast away and could not be in the same room with her husband until she can be “made” clean. How would you like to be the first husband to impliment that rule in their home.

But yet Blood was the very thing that cleansed them. IT was the sacrifice of animals and blood which firgave them of their sins and it was the shedding of Christ’s blood

Guys, this is why you must stay in the word and you must keep people around you and be grounded in a local body of believers

How many of you have spent time outside of the church and then began to doubt God’s word. A lot of people call this deconstructing their faith............

The New International Version Chapter 6

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

Camera angle zooms in to Jesus and peter having a conversation

EVERYONE MUST FACE THIS QUESTION

ONCE YOU TASTE OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD, NOTHING ELSE SATISFIES