What type of follower will you #BECOME?

Intro:

We are coming back to the Gospel of John in chapter 6:60.

We have just seen Jesus feed the 5,000 with 12 baskets full of left overs.

We saw Jesus Walking on Water...

We heard him teaching on how he is the BREAD FROM HEAVEN!

And Jesus had just made this bold claim before them....

John 6:53–59 NKJV

53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to 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 him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” 59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

And today, we pick up with the Disciples Responses

And so the question is....

What do we do when we are faced with truth that we may not completely understand?

Or what do we do when we do understand the hard truth in front of us!

We will see the Disciples respond in three different ways.....in fact, they become three different types of followers....

What type of follower will you #BECOME today?

I. There are those who #Become UNBELIEVING DESERTERS when faced with “Hard Sayings” of Christ. (John 6:60-65)

John 6:60–66 NKJV

60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” 61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

Admittedly, the disciples say “This is a Hard Saying, who can understand it”

I’m not sure about y'all, but I have come to these same crossroads time and time again!

Why was Satan ever in the Garden in the first place, I am not sure....its a hard saying!

If Satan was an angel, did they have free choice…and if so, do they still…its a hard saying!

Who are the Sons of God who came into the Daughter of Men in Gen 6:4....its a hard saying!

How does mans responsibility match up with God’s Sovereign Election....its a hard saying!

How are we to love our enemies that hate us.....walk the second mile…turn the cheek.....its a hard saying!

What about cutting off a hand and plucking out your eye when it causes you to sin....its a hard saying!

Will the end times be from the pre-, post-, or a- Millennial perspective....its a hard saying!

What about when God calls you to STAND ON HIS TRUTH…even though it will divide YOUR FAMILY....its a hard saying!

Are you following me, there are plenty of hard sayings in this book!

Some that are hard to UNDERSTAND....

And some that are plain....but just hard to OBEY!

These disciples heard the teaching of Jesus on the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood....and said “THIS IS A HARD SAYING, WHO COULD UNDERSTAND IT!

Jesus responds in a couple ways....

First, He knew that they were struggling with this truth!

Can I just tell you that JESUS KNOWS WHEN YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH HIS WORD EVEN BEFORE YOU DO!

Maybe there is something that you read or that you know that you are having a hard time with...

Go to God and wrestle with Him.....he knows your struggle!

Wrestle like Jacob until you can call the place PENUAL....because you have seen the FACE OF GOD!

Second, Jesus knows the offense of the Gospel!

He says, does this offend you.....what if you saw me ascend into heaven!

The fact that Jesus was claiming to be the SON OF GOD....was offensive to their Religious Understanding that there was only one God....The Great Yahweh!

But the reality is that the Gospel is still offensive...

We have made a mistake somewhere along the line to think that Jesus is to bring only unity and peace....

YES, HE IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE.....AND HE COMES TO UNITE THE BRIDE OF CHRIST....

BUT THE GOSPEL RECOGNIZES A DECLARED WAR WITH THE WORLD!

Don’t forget Jesus’ words in Luke 12!

Luke 12:49–53 NKJV

49 “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! 51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Paul refers to it as an offense of the cross....

Another preacher puts it this way.....”How bad did you have to be that it literally took the SON OF GOD to be BEAT and MOCKED and HUNG on a cross to make peace with God!

When we recognize the penalty of our sin....its offensive!

Jesus knew the struggle of a hard saying....knew its offense....

Finally, Jesus explains the hard saying.

Jesus says I am not talking about eating my physical body and drinking my physical blood....

THE WORDS I AM SPEAKING ARE OF THE SPIRIT.....

When you consume me SPIRITUALLY and ABIDE IN ME.....YOU WILL HAVE LIFE!

I am thankful that as we seek the Lord, he reveals these Hard Sayings!

There are many still unresolved....but there is great Joy each time He chooses to reveal something to you!

Its one of the most amazing things.....

You will never be able to logically explain.....

But you will know within your spirit....

And I believe the perfect TRIUNE GOD is at work in His explanation!

Jesus will later say....No one comes to the Father unless but through CHRIST!

However, JESUS SAYS here....No one comes to me unless the Father has granted them.

Paul will say....Only the Spirit knows the things of God....and it is the Spirit that reveals them to us!

Jesus responds in three ways....knowing the difficulty of understanding, knowing its offense, and by giving its explanation!

But what we see next is that the majority of Jesus followers #BECAME UNBELIEVING DESERTERS when faced with Hard Sayings!

John 6:66 NKJV

66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

We know this to be the case.....

You ever thought about....

We are reading about the multitudes....

Feeding of the thousands....healings of the masses

BUT WE KNOW THE STORY…AT THE END.....IN THE UPPER ROOM....

We have 120 disciples lead by the 11 soon to be 12 again!

Matthew 7:13–14 NKJV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Will you be one who DESERTS when its difficult!

A Deserter ultimately chooses their own way rather than God’s way. How tragic!

Many of the Disciples went back and walked with Him no more!

There is another type of follower of Jesus we see.....

II. There are those who #Become DECEIVERS of others but not of God. (John 6:64,70-71)

John 6:64 NKJV

64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.

Catch this....Jesus KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING who did not believe and who would betray Him!

That means there were some who had the crowds fooled....they were decieved....

BUT NOT JESUS!

In fact, Jesus says...

John 6:70–71 NKJV

70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

Not only were there those who deceived others....There was one of the 12 that were deceiving others....Judas

This means, no matter the position, the ministry, or the place.....deception can certainly happen...

That is against man.....but not God!

And I think one of the worst deceptions is when we deceive ourselves....which we are good at as the Bible calls our hearts deceitful and desperately wicked!

We try things in our own strength, or for the wrong reasons.

We carry our own burdens to just find ourselves exhausted, miserable, and disappointed.

How will you respond to Jesus today!?

I beg you, don't become a DECEIVER....

Don’t pretend to repent....Truly Repent!

Don’t pretend to follow Jesus....Truly Follow Jesus!

Deception profits noting and cost you everything!

There is one more type of follower that we see in our passage today!

III. There are those who #Become TRUE DISCIPLES and see that there is really no where else that they want to go! (John 6:67-69)

John 6:67–69 NKJV

67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” 68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

A True Disciple recognizes and surrenders to WHO JESUS REALLY IS!

They had come to believe that Jesus is the CHRIST, the SON of the LIVING GOD!

And when you recognize this....who else would you want to turn to.....

Jesus said, Do you want to stay?....

Lord, To Who will we go!?

They knew in Christ....was Eternal life!

Jesus told Nicodemus, He must be BORN AGAIN....

He told the Woman at the Well, I can give you LIVING WATER that springs into EVERLASTING LIFE!

The Disciples BELIEVED AND CAME TO KNOW THIS TRUTH!!

Where else would they go!?

Jesus didn’t call people to just have a good feeling about what comes after death....

JESUS CALLED FOR DISCIPLES....WHO WOULD FOLLOW HIM!

Those who would take up their cross and deny themselves!

The number one way Jesus calls people into relationship with him....over 20 times....is by saying “FOLLOW ME”

Remember, the invite hasn't changed....

John 6:28–29 NKJV

28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

And the way we respond is the same.....

Jesus says it is the Spirit who gives Life....

No one comes to the Father except through Christ

And no one comes to Christ unless granted by the Father

And I believe this Great work of the TRIUNE GOD is at work here today!

If you are having thoughts about following God today or becoming more serious in your walk....that is only somthing that comes from God!

It is His work on you!

HOW WILL YOU RESPOND TODAY!!!????

What type of follower will you Become!?

An unbelieving Deserter

Have you been hearing the Word of God but turning away again and again to follow your own desires?

Repent! Turn back to Jesus. Confess your sin to God and put your faith and trust in Jesus and what He did for you on the cross. Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved! Then, with the help of the Spirit and the truth of the Scripture, faithfully follow Jesus.

A Deceiver of Others

Maybe no one else in here knows you’re faking it, but you know and God knows.

Be honest with yourself and more importantly, be honest with God.

God already knows the truth about you, and He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in your place so that you could be saved.

Confess your sin and deception today.

Put your faith and trust in Jesus and what He did for you when He died on that cross. Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved!

OR A TRUE DISCIPLE who FOLLOWS JESUS!?

LORD’S SUPPER!!!!