Are You A True Follower?

I do not pretend to be an authority on preaching or teaching.  But there are some things that I hold firmly to and believe the Bible supports my philosophy.  If teaching is merely to impart facts and information, then it seems that this is a waste of time for the one who is giving the information, as well as the one who is receiving the information.  All teaching should cause some sort of change in the receiver’s life.  The hearer may become more adept at a skill; they may become more comfortable with what they are supposed to be doing; they may become better equipped to teach someone else.  It is possible that good teaching which causes a change in the hearer, could save someone’s life; it could save a relationship; it could improve a person in so many ways.  

When we, who are Christians, talk about the Bible to others, we need to do so in a way that doesn’t just give facts and information. 

We need to present the Bible and its teachings in such a way that the listener is required to have some sort of response. 

It should encourage, convict, challenge, or comfort the hearer.

Throughout the Bible, when God’s Word is presented, we see some sort of response.  It may be one of rejection. It might be a positive response, but very superficial.  The desired response we are wanting to see are those who fully accept the message and are obedient to it.  

So far, as we’ve gone through this section where Jesus began with the feeding of the 5,000 men and then taught about Himself as the true, living Bread of Life, we’ve seen some different responses.  You remember the “grumblers” who couldn’t accept what Jesus was saying, even though they had just had their stomachs filled miraculously.  We can look down our 21st century noses and think it was just that group of people.  However, you and I know better, as we see it all around us even today.  Sadly, it seems that the group who rejected Jesus completely as the Son of God and the provider of eternal life, would leave and go on in their hopeless lives.

The world suggests that we need more leaders.  I would like to propose that in the Kingdom of God, in order to have the most impact on others in this world, the world needs to see more true followers of Jesus Christ. 

Instead of people trying to present a consumer-driven Jesus Who meets all our needs; we need a people who will present a commitment-seeking Jesus Who makes us God’s children and His servants.  The world needs to see true followers of Jesus Christ.

Fair-weather followers - 6.60-66

Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?”  But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?  What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.  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 it was that would betray Him.  And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”  As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.

I need to remind you that the word for disciple does not necessarily mean a true Christian.  It simply refers to someone who is a student or a follower of Christ.   It appears that many of these followers were attracted to Jesus only because of the incredible miracles they had observed and experienced.  They had eaten a great meal prior to this that was miraculously provided.  Their thought, from what we read earlier in this chapter, was to expect that Jesus would liberate them from their Roman oppressors.  

These people were not unlike many people today.  Simply hearing God’s Word is meaningless unless it is accompanied by obedience.  This is even seen on Sunday mornings in churches all around the world.  There tends to be a fascination and a love of the many benefits of hanging around Jesus and His people.  There is even a comfort in being around Jesus the provider, or Jesus the healer, or Jesus the miracle worker.  When Jesus is presented as being full of love, compassion, grace, and mercy, there is a great following, then and today. 

However, when Jesus begins to make demands that are a bit uncomfortable and awkward, then people begin to elevate themselves and start to distance themselves from that sort of Jesus.  A Jesus who states unequivocally that He alone is the Bread of life; a Jesus who unashamedly states that to receive eternal life, one has to turn to Him alone; to those people, that Jesus is just a bit too narrow.  As a result, many in this group and many today, choose to ignore and reject Him.  To be a true follower of Jesus involves more than saying the right words or being part of the right group of people. 

In fact, the word for difficult describes something harsh, unpleasant, or hard to accept.  It wasn’t that it was difficult to understand.  The issue was that the people found it offensive and objected to such teachings.  As a result, because they chose to refuse to accept what Jesus taught, they left. 

How typical of self-centered people!  When the Bible presents any demand or information that goes against what they or society deems acceptable, they move on to doing whatever they choose to do.  They present Jesus as being scandalous and hateful.  Sound familiar?  If you’re following Christ for what you can get from Him, you’re no better than a false disciple.  You and I are to follow Christ because of Who He is; the Son of God, the only Savior.  And if you and I are true followers or disciples of Christ, we will be obedient to the Bible, the Word of God.  We will not look for ways to pick and choose what we find acceptable, while ignoring or changing the areas of the Bible that are difficult.  

Interestingly, Jesus didn’t need to take an opinion survey, for He knew exactly what the fair-weather followers were thinking.  The word for stumble means “to take offense.”  The actual Greek word is the word from which we get “scandalous.”  Jesus speaks to the heart of the issue.  Their problem was that He claimed to come down out of heaven.  Either a person accepts what Jesus says in all areas or they must reject what He says.  If they reject what He says, they have rejected Him.  If they reject Him, they have condemned themselves to eternity in hell.  

This would also strongly assert the fact that if one rejects portions of the Bible, they have rejected Christ, for He is the Word.  The Spirit of God inspired men to write the Bible.  One who is a true follower of Christ will accept and obey the Bible whether we understand it or not.  The reason is not that it makes sense to us, but that it is God’s very Word.  

This led to Jesus commenting that some did not believe.  The issue was not information or understanding; it was an issue of faith and belief.  They were responsible for their own condemnation because they refused to believe and relied upon their earthly wisdom.  

Now we see this group who had been followers earlier, choosing to leave Jesus and join those who had earlier rejected Him outright.  F.F. Bruce summarized this by saying, “What they wanted, he would not give; what he offered, they would not receive.”  Comfortable or convenient belief does not make one a follower of Christ.  It is whole-hearted committed belief that shows if one is a true follower of Christ.

Now we need to see who is left at this point.

True Followers - 6.67-71

So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?”  Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.  We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”  Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?”  Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.

Here, we find Jesus asking a question which implies that He knows that He’ll receive a negative response from this much smaller group of followers or disciples.  Yet, the question is a very serious one, as we can even see from how the English translation words this.  This is a marked contrast to the first group, who blatantly rejected Jesus; and even the second group, who hung on till they found Jesus wouldn’t be their puppet king.  To give us further insight as to why this happened and why so many are not true followers of Jesus Christ, Warren Wiersbe offers this insight:  It is the Word of God, revealing the Person of Christ, that separates the true from the false.

I love Peter’s response, as he so often ends up being the first to speak.  Unlike the others from the previous groups, Peter spoke on behalf of those left that they recognized Who Jesus really was.  Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.  We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.  Jesus was going to be stuck with these guys and that was a good thing.  

Then Jesus says something which is quite startling in verse 70.  Of the 12, one of them will not be used by God to build the early Church.  Looking at cross references to this passage, it appears that Jesus was speaking about their role as apostles.  Jesus was pointing out that Judas was going to be used by Satan to betray the Christ.  Though Judas was the tool who was used by Satan, Judas was still responsible for his choices.  

I also want to point out that in this passage, we are given some insight into the spiritual condition of the remaining eleven disciples, as seen in verse 69. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.  This shows that they had made a commitment to Christ; they had been born again.  And by using the perfect tense of these verbs, believed and have come to know, it shows that though it was a one-time event, there are ongoing results.  What a great encouragement and challenge.  When a person truly believes in Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior, there is a need to continue to let Him do the work in us that He needs to do.  This requires that we are constantly committed to doing things His way and that we will follow Him regardless of what comes our way.  

Reflections

My friends, what kind of follower are you? A fair-weather follower or a true follower?

It really is based on Who are you following? Your pleasures and the world’s philosophy, or Jesus Christ?

It is so easy to get caught up in the thrill of the wonderful things which Jesus offers and the incredible experiences that you can have by fellowshipping with other believers. However, be certain that you are not a fair weather follower. For if you are, you are still dead in your sins.

Rather, be a true follower of Jesus Christ. Be one who accepts, in faith, all that God tells you to do in your life. Be willing, in faith, to be obedient in all areas of your life.

What might that look like? I believe that it will look like a commitment that we will be singing in closing our service. The last verse is a question. You need to be able to answer that question.

I have decided to follow Jesus.

I have decided to follow Jesus.

I have decided to follow Jesus.

No turning back, no turning back.

Though I may wonder, I still will follow; Though I may wonder, I still will follow; Though I may wonder, I still will follow; No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, still I will follow.

Though none go with me, still I will follow.

Though none go with me, still I will follow.

No turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me.

The world behind me, the cross before me.

The world behind me, the cross before me.

No turning back, no turning back.

Will you decide now to follow Jesus? Will you decide now to follow Jesus? Will you decide now to follow Jesus? No turning back, no turning back.