The Choice Is Yours

Intro:

When I read these passages of scripture, I am led to believe that the disciples had now become spectators of what was taking place as Jesus addressed the disciples who came after him. Could it be in this passage that the disciples, after being challenged about having a hardened heart, finally recognized that they couldn’t make it without Christ

I feel confident in saying that it was probably ingrained in them already. Sometimes it takes Jesus shaking the tree before the fruit falls. Simon Peter steps up and makes a statement, that should be the anthem of all Christians who have ever lived.

These passages of scripture lead us in the understanding of lordship. So, as we look through them today, keep in mind that the disciples were at the end of who they were, so that forced them to look to Jesus as their everything.

As we look through the passages, challenge yourself, by asking the following question.

Who is the Lord of my life?

When You Face That Choice

John 6:67 NKJV

67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

Will the choses be easy or hard?

The answer to that question rest in several factors.

Do you have a real relationship with Him?

How much time have you spent with Christ?

Do you love Truth or is it subjective to you?

Has your faith in Christ been challenged?

The Hot thing to do now is Deconstruct your faith.

People are challenging matters of faith with ideas of secularism.

Running from truth to ideas constructed by fable men.

Pleasure of the flesh is a motivator for deconstruction.

When Truth Leads Your Faith

John 6:68–69 NKJV

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.”

Peter’s heart vision lead him to stay.

His Heart had married himself to the Bridegroom.

When the Heart is right, the choice is easier.

When the Heart is far from God, the consequences of our actions are not even a factor in walking away.

When Proven truth become personal, where else would I go?

Peter had already seen the truth of Christ played out in deeds.

Truth needs nothing to stand on.

When you stand on truth it will uphold you without fail.

Knowing that Jesus is the true Christ, gives us hope!

We need hope for tomorrow.

We need vision in a dark world

We need comfort when the battle is raging in us.

He Chose Us, We Choose Him

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.

The choice for us was always God’s plan.

Ephesians 1:4 NKJV

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

John 15:16 NKJV

16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

The sovereign knowledge of God created us as the, “Imago Dei - in the image of God”

His Idea for man was to create and save the image bearers of God. YOU ARE SPECIAL TO GOD!

You mean something to God!

The Chose for Him must be real.

Judas made the wrong choice and it resulted in his death.

Spiritual death is the result of us making the wrong chose.

The evidence of who He truly is should be enough for man to Choose Jesus.

His historical footprint.

The vast majority of Secular and Christian historians agree that Christ live and do great works.

People like Josephus who is considered to be the leading first century historian wrote extensively about Jesus.

Tacitus the first century Roman historian wrote about the crucifixion of Jesus.

His impact on society.

Society is impacted by a moral obligation to do right or wrong.

All principals and commandments found in scripture are the fabric of morality.

Objective morality is the result of people deciding to follow self and not Christ.

When Jesus Choose us he new who would chose him.

Conclusion:

A major struggle that I see in our society today comes through the wrestling match that people have with who the Lord is in their life.

Lordship is a matter of the positioning of the heart. Only when a complete surrender occurs in the life of a person will they ever reject the notion of turning from Christ.

What about you today? How would you answer the question, if posed to you by Jesus.....

Will go or you will stay?