The Chosen

TITLE: The Chosen

TEXT: Jhn 6:35-40, 60-71.

John 6:35–40 “35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.””

John 6:60–71 “60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” 66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.”

Intro:

There are few things more terrifying than realizing you can be close to Jesus… and still be lost.

You can sit in church every week. You can know Bible verses. You can sing worship songs. You can serve in ministry. You can even be admired by other Christians.

And still not truly belong to Christ.

In John 6, Jesus says things so shocking, so offensive to human pride, that crowds begin to walk away from Him. People who once followed Him suddenly decide they want nothing to do with Him anymore. The atmosphere changes completely. The excitement is gone. The crowds thin out. And Jesus turns to His disciples and asks one of the most piercing questions in all of Scripture:

“Do you want to go away as well?”

This passage forces us to wrestle with questions many people try to avoid:

Why do some people come to Christ while others reject Him? What makes the difference? Can salvation be lost? What does genuine faith actually look like? And how could Judas walk with Jesus for years… and still perish?

Today, we are going to stand in one of the deepest and most humbling passages in all of Scripture. A passage about God’s sovereign grace. A passage about the security of Christ’s people. But also a passage that warns us that exposure to Jesus is not the same thing as transformation by Jesus.

And the question before every one of us is not merely: “Do I know about Jesus?”

But: “Do I truly belong to Him?”

Prayer:

A.

C.

T.

S.

Big Idea: God sovereignly chooses and draws His people to Christ, secures them forever, and warns us through Judas that proximity to Jesus is not the same as true salvation.

John 6:37–39 ESV

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

John 6:44 ESV

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

I. The Elect Are Given to the Son.

“All that the Father gives me will come to me…”

Salvation begins with God, not man

The Father gives a people to the Son  

Those given:

Will come (Certainty)

Will be received  (Grace)

Will be kept (Security)

Key Truth:

Election is not cold doctrine—it is personal and relational → A people given to Jesus

Cross References:

Ephesians 1:4–5 “4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,”

2 Timothy 1:9 “9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,”

Illustration: Imagine a father placing his child into the hands of a trusted lifeguard before a storm hits the ocean. The child is safe not because the child can swim well—but because of whose hands now hold him. Jesus says the Father has given a people to the Son, and Christ will never lose them. 

Application:

Your salvation did not begin with your wisdom, goodness, or spiritual insight—it began with God’s grace. That crushes pride and creates worship.

If you are in Christ, that is not an accident, a mistake, or an afterthought. You were loved before the foundation of the world.

When you struggle with assurance, don’t look first at the strength of your grip on Jesus—look at His grip on you.

Flow Transition: “But that raises a question: If salvation begins with God… why doesn’t everyone come to Christ?”

II. The Elect Are Drawn by the Father.

“No one can come… unless the Father draws him.”

A. We Are Unable to Come on Our Own

Total inability: “No one can come”

Sin affects not just actions—but desires and will

Cross References:

Romans 3:10–12 “10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.””

1 Corinthians 2:14 “14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

Ephesians 2:1–3 “1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

Illustration: A dead man cannot respond to instructions. You can plead with him, educate him, motivate him, or threaten him—but dead people do not respond unless life is given to them. Scripture says sinners are spiritually dead apart from God’s grace. 

Application:

This should destroy spiritual arrogance. The Christian is not someone smarter than unbelievers—we are people God mercifully awakened.

It should also fuel evangelism. We preach because God uses the gospel to raise the dead.

Stop trusting merely emotional experiences, moral improvement, or church attendance. Only the Spirit gives life.

B. God Draws Through the Gospel

The Father draws through:

Teaching (“heard and learned”)

The revelation of Christ as the Bread of Life… LOVE

The gospel is the means God uses to awaken faith

Cross References:

1 John 4:19 “19 We love because he first loved us.”

2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 “13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

James 1:18 “18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

Illustration: Think of Lazarus in the tomb. Jesus didn’t merely offer him advice from outside the grave. Christ called him out—and the call itself carried the power to obey. In the same way, the gospel is not just information; it is God’s power to awaken hearts. 

Application:

Never underestimate the power of faithfully sharing Christ.

Parents: you cannot regenerate your children, but you can faithfully place the gospel before them.

Christians should pray with expectancy because salvation is ultimately God’s work.

Key Truth:

We do not find Christ—we are brought to Christ

Flow Transition: “And if God truly saves someone, Jesus now tells us what happens next…”

III. The Elect Will Be Raised Through the Spirit.

“I will raise him up on the last day.”

Repeated promise (4 times in the passage!)

Those chosen and drawn are:

Secured in the present

Guaranteed in the future

Cross references:

John 5:24–25 “24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.”

The Security of the Believer:

Not one of the elect will be lost

Salvation is not fragile—it is held by Christ Himself

John 10:27–29 “27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

Illustration: Airports lose luggage all the time. Hospitals misplace paperwork. Companies forget customers. Human systems fail constantly. But Jesus says He will lose NONE of those given to Him. Not one. 

Application:

Your salvation is not hanging by the thread of your performance this week.

When believers stumble into sin, they do not fall out of Christ’s hand!

This truth creates endurance during suffering because your future resurrection is guaranteed.

Possible Emotional Moment: “There are believers here today barely holding on. And Jesus says: ‘I’m still holding you.’”

Flow Transition: “But then the tone of the chapter suddenly changes…”

John 6:60–61 ESV

60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this?

John 6:66–69 ESV

66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

IV. The Elect Will Remain with the Son.

“Lord, to whom shall we go?”

The Twelve don’t fully understand—but they stay

Why?

“You have the words of eternal life”

Mark of the Chosen:

Not perfection

Not full comprehension

But persevering faith in Christ

John 6:37 “37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

Hebrews 10:39 “39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

Philippians 1:6 “6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Illustration: Peter doesn’t say, “Lord, we understand everything.” He says, “Where else would we go?” Genuine believers may struggle, doubt, fear, and wrestle—but they cannot finally abandon Christ because they know He alone has life. That is real faith!

Matthew 17:20 “20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.””

Mark 9:24 “24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!””

Application:

Persevering faith is not necessarily perfect faith.

Christians sometimes limp forward rather than sprint forward—but they keep following Christ.

If you belong to Jesus, even your struggles will ultimately drive you back to Him.

V. The Dividing Line: False Followers Fall Away .

“After this many of his disciples turned back…”

The teaching is hard—not intellectually, but spiritually offensive

Many who seemed close… walk away

Cross Reference:

1 John 2:19 “19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”

Matthew 13:20–21 “20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.”

Hebrews 3:12–14 “12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”

Key Truth:

Exposure to Jesus ≠ transformation by Jesus

Illustration: Jesus had massive crowds when He multiplied bread. But when He preached hard truth, the crowd disappeared. Many people love a Jesus who feeds them, fixes them, blesses them, and improves their lives—but not a Jesus who demands surrender. 

Application:

Ask yourself: Are you following Jesus because He is Lord—or only because He is useful?

Trials often reveal whether faith is genuine or shallow.

Churches must resist the temptation to soften truth just to keep crowds.

Modern Connection: “There are people who deconstruct not because the evidence failed—but because the cost of following Christ became too high.”

Flow Transition: “And then Jesus points to the most shocking example of all…”

John 6:70–71 ESV

70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

VI. The Purpose of Judas …

1. To Stand as a Warning

You can:

Walk with Jesus

Hear Jesus

Serve Jesus

And still be lost

Matthew 7:21–23 “21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

2 Corinthians 13:5 “5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

Illustration: Judas was close enough to Jesus to hear His sermons in person, watch miracles with his own eyes, and still die in unbelief. Proximity to holy things does not save anyone. A person can stand in a garage every day and still not become a car. 

Application:

Being raised in church does not save you.

Serving in ministry does not save you.

Knowing theology does not save you.

You must personally repent and believe.

2. To Fulfill Scripture

God’s sovereignty even over betrayal

John 13:18 “18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’”

Psalm 41:9 “9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.”

Acts 1:16 “16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.”

Illustration: What looked like chaos—the betrayal of Christ—was actually under God’s sovereign control. Even evil men unknowingly fulfill God’s purposes.

<<<< Did you know that the most evil act in all of human history was used by God to bring Him the most glory and you the most good!!? >>>>>>

Application:

Believers can trust God even when life appears out of control.

The cross itself proves God is sovereign over evil.

3. To Highlight The Necessity of New Birth

Judas had:

Association (with Jesus) 

Reputation (trusted by the disciples) 

Participation (in ministry) 

But he did not have transformation.

John 3:3–8 “3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.””

Titus 3:5 “5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,”

Ezekiel 36:26–27 “26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

Illustration: You can paint dead leaves green and tape them onto a dead tree—but eventually the truth becomes obvious. External religion cannot create spiritual life.

Application:

Christianity is not behavior modification—it is transformation.

Don’t settle for looking Christian while remaining spiritually unchanged.

4. To Expose The Deceiving Power of Sin

Sin is not passive—it is deceptive and destructive

It deceived Judas

It destroyed Judas

It damned Judas

Hebrews 3:13 “13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Jeremiah 17:9 “9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

James 1:14–15 “14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

Philippians 2:12 “12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,”

Illustration: Sin never introduces itself honestly. It never says, “I will ruin your life.” It disguises itself as freedom, comfort, pleasure, success, or control. Like bait covering a hook, the danger is hidden beneath the attraction.

Application:

Small compromises matter.

Secret sin is never truly safe.

Christians need daily repentance and accountability.

5. To Show The Futility of a Social Gospel

Judas was near the mission—but missed the Savior

External involvement cannot replace internal regeneration

Mark 8:36 “36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

1 Corinthians 13:3 “3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

2 Timothy 3:5 “5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”

Illustration: A man can help build hospitals, feed the poor, and improve society while still being spiritually dead. You can clean the outside of a cup while poison remains inside.

Application:

Good works are evidence of salvation—not the cause of it.

Churches must preach regeneration, not merely moral activism.

Flow Transition: “After all of this, Jesus turns to the Twelve and asks if they will leave too…”

Strong Closing Connection: “The difference between Peter and Judas was not perfection versus failure. Both failed. The difference was that one belonged to Christ… and one never truly did.”

Application

A. Examine Yourself

2 Corinthians 13:5 “5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

2 Peter 1:10 “10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”

Are you following Christ—or just near Him?

Do you have:

Mere exposure?

Or true transformation?

Illustration: A counterfeit bill often looks convincing until held under the right light. The Word of God exposes what is genuine and what is false.

Application Questions:

Do I love Christ—or merely Christian culture?

Am I trusting Jesus—or my own morality?

Has my life been transformed by grace?

B. Exalt God

Ephesians 1:6 “6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

Romans 11:33–36 “33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

Your salvation is not your achievement

It is the result of:

The Father’s choosing

The Father’s drawing

The Son’s keeping

Illustration: If salvation depended on us, nobody would be saved. The doctrine of election is not meant to make Christians proud—it is meant to make us fall on our knees in gratitude.

Application:

Worship should increase when we realize salvation is entirely grace.

The only reason any Christian stands secure today is because God chose to be merciful.

C. Rest in Assurance

John 10:28–29 “28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

Romans 8:38–39 “38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 Peter 1:5 “5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

If you have come to Christ:

You were given

You were drawn

You shall remain

You will be raised

Illustration: A child asleep in the backseat during a storm is safe not because he is alert—but because his father is driving. The believer rests secure because Christ keeps His people. 

Closing Statement

“The chosen are not those who stood closest to Jesus—but those whom the Father gave, the Spirit drew, and the Son will never let go.”

This passage doesn’t just explain election—it presses it into the heart:

Come to Christ

Cling to Christ

Closing Line Suggestion: “If you have truly come to Christ, it is because the Father chose you, the Spirit drew you, and the Son will never let you go.”

Group Questions

Jesus says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me.” What does this passage teach us about God’s role in salvation versus man’s role? 

Why do you think the doctrine of election can feel difficult or offensive to people? How does this passage present it as comforting rather than cold? 

In what ways does our culture encourage people to believe they can come to God on their own terms? How does John 6 challenge that idea? 

The sermon emphasized that “we do not find Christ—we are brought to Christ.” How does remembering that shape humility, worship, and evangelism? 

Jesus repeatedly promises to “raise him up on the last day.” How should the security of salvation affect the daily life of a believer struggling with fear, doubt, or failure? 

Many disciples walked away from Jesus because His teaching was hard. What are some teachings of Jesus today that people still find spiritually offensive? 

The sermon stated: “Exposure to Jesus does not equal transformation by Jesus.” What are some ways someone can appear close to Christ externally while remaining spiritually unchanged internally? 

Judas walked with Jesus, heard His teaching, and participated in ministry, yet he was lost. What warnings should modern Christians take from the life of Judas? 

Peter answered Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” What does persevering faith look like when we do not fully understand everything God is doing? 

The application section called believers to examine themselves, exalt God, and rest in assurance. Which of those three do you personally need most right now, and why?