When Believing Gets Tough

When I was in middle school, I was (and I guess still am) a bit of an omni-vert - I liked to be around people, but I also liked to be alone. In my neighborhood Aaron and Steve were my closest friends. We would play football at Steve’s house and I would skate with Aaron. Then, around our 8th grade year, Brett moved to the neighborhood. He loved football (it didn’t hurt that he was from Texas and was tall) - he also loved skating, basketball, and break dancing, of all things. So Brett and I hit it off. We would play football and basketball, skate and put out cardboard to breakdance in his driveway. I wish I could say I was any good at any of those - but I wasn’t, certainly not break dancing. Brett and I would do homework together while listening to his favorite artist, Prince (when he was known as Prince). All in all, it was fun to be around Brett. In some ways, we looked forward to going to high school together to play football, until I decided to go a different route.

There are so many things I loved about Brett - he was a good friend. But there was one thing that often bothered me - he seemed to show contempt toward his parents. You see, he was an only child. So, he got all the love and could not deflect any of the discipline.

He resented the chores his mom assigned to him. He resented having to make beds and clean the kitchen. His mom was looking out for the best in his life. He would do it, but would grumble the whole time.

There are so many times when our moms truly do want what’s best for us, but it is often demonstrated in tough love - discipline, chores, completing tasks, cleaning rooms, etc.

If we step back, we can take a good look and be grateful for all that our mom’s and dad’s challenge us to do - because we know it’s for our good. Mom’s thank you for the tough love and the fun love.

But what about Jesus? How do we respond when Jesus says hard things or calls us to do the difficult things? Do we resent him? Do we obey him and grumble? Do we obey and follow - even if we don’t like it?

Today, we get a glimpse into the way that people respond to Jesus. You see, I think there are fair weather fans (or groupies) and there are true followers. There are some who like the idea of Jesus and others who truly believe. The question is - which one are you? Which one am I? How will we respond when things get challenging?

Today, we’re continuing our study in the book of John. We’re picking up where we left of last week.

Let’s consider a little background.

It was near the passover - a big feast for the Jews.

Jesus had just fed 5000+ people ample food with only 5 loaves and 2 fish.

He then walked on water

He engaged the crowd in conversation.

And then - he laid down the gauntlet. He said some things that really challenged people to consider who he is - why he came

John 6:51 ESV

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

He then continued

John 6:53–58 ESV

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

As we mentioned last week, these words could be taken...

literally - which would mean cannibalism - certainly not helpful or practical - and frankly gross

metaphorically - which would point to the Lord’s supper - which is inconsistent with the overall message of the book of John (belief)

spiritually - which would mean He’s saying these words, but meaning something else, spiritually speaking - he’s talking about faith.

I’m not going to lie - Jesus’ words here are hard and tough. There are a lot of difficult and challenging things in the Bible. Because we live in a fallen and sinful world, we don’t understand the ways of God. As He says in Isaiah

Isaiah 55:8–9 ESV

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

So when the holiness of God runs counter to our fallenness, what will we do?

Or to say it another way...

When believing gets tough...

Faith has its fair share of challenges.

As we’ve already seen, Jesus said some difficult things (John 6:53-58). He has said challenging things at other times as well.

For example...

Luke 9:23–25 ESV

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

The cross was a means of execution. The whole idea would be offensive - and yet this is the attitude and lifestyle that Jesus called his people to.

Saving and losing seem to be completely mixed up in Jesus words.

And yet he is talking about a bigger perspective, an eternal one.

Even today, our faith faces challenges. God has a way of doing things. He has standards. But the world looks at His standards and scoffs.

Morality - our world wants sex without commitment, with whomever. God’s standard is that sex is to be reserved for a husband and wife within the covenant of marriage. Will we seek to live out God’s standards in a loving and compassionate way or will we scoff at his design and endorse all that the world desires?

Salvation - Our world would say that all roads lead to God or to some form of salvation - maybe through self actualization, maybe through rationalizing sin into personal preferences. And yet scripture is clear -

Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.””

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

His Sovereignty and Our Volition - When we look at the challenges that are in the world - the ravages of war, the despicable nature of human trafficking, violence, addiction - some would look at that and state that a Sovereign, Loving God would not allow that violence and depravity in the world. Scripture would tell us that the problems in the world are a result of our human sinful condition. Out of love, God grants us a will to choose to follow and obey him. As a result, our world gets to face the reality of consequences when we rebel against his ways.

goodness of God amidst difficult and disturbing situations - death of a loved one, terminal illness, prosperity of the wicked.

The question is what will we do when believing gets tough? What will we do with the life of faith challenges our preferences, desires, temptation?

As we see in this passage - when believing gets tough...

...the fair-weather fans get going… (John 6:60-66)

John 6:61–66 ESV

But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 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. 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.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

Notice that John uses the word “disciples” - that word essentially means followers. It doesn’t refer to the twelve, or as they are later known, the apostles - as we’ll see in a minute.

Instead, these are likely the people who had been fed by Jesus. They saw the signs. They were beginning to understand that Jesus was something special. But they wanted a political leader and a miracle worker. They didn’t realize they needed a Savior.

His talk of eating flesh and drinking blood was truly offensive. His plan to act as a suffering servant rather than a conquering King was a disappointment. They were ready to walk.

Jesus even talked of His divinity...John 6:62 could not assuage their questions

John 6:62 ESV

Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?

So, there are two ways that we can look at this. There are a couple ways that John uses this “ascending” or “lifting” language.

Lifted up - In John 3:14 - Jesus refers to Moses lifting up a serpent as a means of healing for the people of Israel - and equating that to himself that he would be lifted up so that whoever looks in belief would have eternal life. Later in the book, Jesus talks about being lifted up - and implying the elevation of the cross - John 12:32. Carson notes that if Jesus is talking about this kind of ascension, then it would be scandalous to his audience. Another way of thinking about ascending is...

Ascending to heaven - referring to his divinity. John 1 tells us that Jesus came from heaven as the Word of God made flesh. Jesus frequently refers to God as his father and then performs various signs to prove his identity. And yet his audience would have seen this as blasphemous.

Whether lifted on the cross - like a criminal or ascended to heaven as divinity - it was not enough to convince the fair-weather followers that he was legit.

We have to recognize that some people will always have misconceptions about anything - Jesus, you, me, the church, Scripture, etc. Some people will simply not believe.

In fact, Jesus told a parable about this...

Luke 16:24–31 ESV

And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”

As believers, we need to understand that no matter how strong our apologetics or abilities to refute arguments, some people will never believe - ultimately - it’s their rejection of Jesus, but also they have not been chosen to believe - remember it is God who draws us.

John 6:65 ESV

And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

What we need to do is faithfully witness to our friends, but fervently pray that God would draw them and they would respond.

So, when believing gets tough, the fair-weather followers get going and, finally...

...the true followers keep growing. (John 6:67-71)

So, in response to this departure, Jesus turns to the twelve...

John 6:67 (ESV)

“Do you want to go away as well?”

Carson notes this could be seen as saying “Surely you don’t want to go away too, do you?”

He’s testing their faith. He’s inquiring about their resolve.

John 6:68–69 ESV

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

Peter’s response seems to capture the conviction of most of the 12.

where can we go? - we have no where else. The teachers don’t have authority, our works are insufficient. We have heard and see that...

you have the words of eternal life - It’s not theory with you, it’s reality, it’s truth, it’s eternal., because of that...

we have believed - we have entrusted our very lives to you and are trying to align our lives with your ways. After all...

We know - you are the holy one of God - In other words, you are the Messiah that we’ve been looking for.

Peter, and most of the other apostles recognize that Jesus is the way. Jesus is worth following.

Beloved, do you and I have the same resolve? Do we have the same faith? Are we willing to pursue the narrow path, even when everyone around us is going another way?

It became difficult for Jesus’ disciples. They were persecuted and many eventually martyred. All the while, they expressed their faith with their preaching, with their love for the lost, even with their love for those who were hurting them. They followed Jesus’ way until the end!

But notice, in Peter’s words, he seems to put himself (and the others) into the place of decision. Jesus responds: I chose you - and yet one still refuses to believe.

John 6:70–71 ESV

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

There will be some, like Judas, who will talk the talk for a while, but in the end may not have ever truly believed.

Closing thoughts

friend - what do you believe about Jesus - God, man, Christ, response, grace

beloved - pray for our friends,who don’t yet believe, let people see your faith in the way you live, be hospitable and gracious,

Memory Verse: John 6:68-69

Memory Verse:

John 6:68–69 ESV

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

Benediction

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 ESV

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Sources:

Burge, Gary M. The NIV Application Commentary: John. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000.

Carson, D. A. The Gospel according to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991.

Crossway Bibles. The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008.

Gangel, Kenneth O. John. Vol. 4. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000.

Milne, Bruce. The Message of John (The Bible Speaks Today). Downers Grove, IL. Inter-Varsity Press, 1993

Tenney, Merrill C., John: The Gospel of Belief, Grand Rapids, MI. Eerdmans, 1976.