Keys to Faithfulness

I want to encourage us this evening. It seems like there is a lot of bad news happening in our lives, doesn’t it? Dark clouds seem to be forming over the future, and the world is turning more hostile to Christ, the truth, and Christians. How are we going to stand in adversity? When personal trials come on us, what will keep us steadfast in God’s will?

I believe every saint is concerned with being faithful to God. We desire to live out 1 Corinthians 4:2, which says, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” When we reach Heaven, we want to hear Christ say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” What can we cling to when life’s storms pummel us? Tonight, I want us to see some keys to faithfulness that are revealed for us in John 6.

I. The Departures

John 6:66

Many: much; most; a great number. (A crowd of listeners is impressive, but this is eventually how most of them respond.)

Went back: to be in the process of going to the rear; to depart.

Disciples: learner.

AND

Walked: to live; tread; follow.

No more: (It’s over; finished; in the past.)

With him: (If you forsake Christ, you cannot serve Him, you cannot please Him, you cannot follow Him.)

“Going back” doesn’t have to be the same as walking no more with Christ, but it certainly leads to it. Without repentance, that’s where it will end up.

What precipitated this mass departure? It was Christ’s “radical” and “hard” teaching that offended His hearers.

John 6:24-28 - What a great question they asked! We would be excited to hear that crowds of people are asking such a question. Jesus told them what they needed to hear.

John 6:35 KJV 1900

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:41-44, 48-58, 60

It wasn’t persecution that drove these disciples away. It wasn’t suffering. It certainly wasn’t failing to meet “qualification standards” that Christ demanded. The thing that drove them away was the truth. It wasn’t what they were expecting. They didn’t approve of it, and so they went back and followed Christ no more. They were not faithful, because they departed.

II. The Declaration

John 6:67–69 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Peter says a lot in these few words! There is much we may learn about faithfulness. Peter was speaking on behalf of the twelve, and except for Judas—we’ll talk about him later—they all remained faithful. So Peter’s words reflected their heart, and predicted their faithfulness! There are some keys to faithfulness for us to discover.

A. Worship

First, we see Peter’s word for Christ: “Lord.” If we’re going to be faithful to God, we must worship Him as our Lord and Master. We don’t make Him Lord—He already is—but we recognize Him as Lord.

Matthew 4:8–10 KJV 1900

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

If we worship the LORD with a pure heart, we will desire to be faithful!

B. Wisdom

Peter asks this rhetorical question: “To whom shall we go?” The obvious answer is, “There is no one else!” This truth is revealed by wisdom. Foolish men always see “greener grass” elsewhere. Sin continually fools them into chasing after vain things. But wisdom recognizes that the world’s pleasures and pursuits and prophets are all vain and deceitful. There IS nowhere else to go! Nothing in this world can compare with Christ.

Proverbs 9:10 KJV 1900

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: And the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Peter feared the Lord, and that led to his gaining wisdom. Something else did, too.

James 1:5 KJV 1900

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

When we have wisdom, we see things more like God sees them. It is easier to be faithful when we realize that we have no other options. There is no one like Christ. He is our only hope.

C. The Word of God

Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” He worshiped Christ as Lord, he saw the world through eyes of wisdom, and he did one more thing: he needed and wanted the words of eternal life. He loved the Word of God. This is a powerful force for working faithfulness in our lives!

Psalm 119:1–3 (KJV 1900)

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, And that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: They walk in his ways.

Peter wasn’t attracted by the clamor and temptations of the world; he knew it was all fake. He was captivated by worshiping and following his Lord, because it was Jesus who spoke the “wonderful words of life!” When we are thus enraptured with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, faithfulness won’t be a drag or a bother or impossible task. It will be a joy! (The Word of God is all the more critical to our faithfulness, because we know that in our flesh dwelleth “no good thing.” Faithfulness won’t happen by itself, nor by the power of the flesh. However, when our love and worship are placed in the right Person, it won’t be a burden either. It will be a pleasure and privilege.)

In just a few words, Peter voiced three keys to faithfulness: worship, wisdom, and the Word of God. How does one become in a position to apply these keys? Where does it start? Peter’s words give us that instruction as well!

III. The Decision

After showing us where we need to end up (1: “Lord,” 2: “To whom…?” 3: “Thou hast the words...”), Peter shows us how to get there.

A. “We believe…that thou art that Christ...”

What a wonderful statement! Do we believe? It is a choice, and it leads to something very specific. Christ isn’t looking for great, powerful faith. He’s looking for a simple choice.

Mark 9:22–24 KJV 1900

And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

When we simply trust Him, and we choose to believe, something happens. We become sure.

B. “And are sure that thou art that Christ...”

What kind of belief have you put in Christ? All “beliefs” are not equal.

The centurion believed

Matthew 8:10 KJV 1900

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Matthew 8:13 KJV 1900

And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Disciples believed on Jesus

John 8:30–32 KJV 1900

As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:41 KJV 1900

Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

John 8:48 KJV 1900

Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

One kind of belief is quite obviously intellectual only, and the other reaches the heart. How can you know the difference? Because true heart belief makes you “sure.”

John 6:69 KJV 1900

And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Sure: well-acquainted; experienced; perceived; understood; aware.

Peter isn’t repeating himself. He’s saying, “We have believed, AND as a result, we have experienced and known personally that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” As long as you believe in your head only, you will not experience the personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. An intellectual disciple will not remain faithful. He will go back, and walk no more with Christ.

Faithfulness cannot exist without faith; in fact, it begins with it.

IV. The Danger

John 6:70–71 KJV 1900

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

What a sad truth, that Judas walked and served with Christ for 3 1/2 years, was called by Him, watched Him do miracles…and still betrayed Him. He no doubt believed in his head, and probably thought it was real for a while. But when the time came, he allowed himself to be possessed by Satan for the devil’s wicked work. Afterward, Judas threw his life away in suicide.

This is a warning for us: that we may be with the truth, and even in the truth, but that doesn’t mean that we are of the truth. May we examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith! (2 Cor. 13:5)

To a lesser extent, the multitude of disciples who left Christ were in the same situation as Judas. And why were they willing to leave? They obviously didn’t believe Christ in their heart. And they weren’t willing to relinquish old beliefs/choices/behaviors for the ones that Christ was teaching. They went back.

The Apostle Paul demonstrates the proper focus for us.

Philippians 3:13–14 KJV 1900

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

If we forget and forsake those things which are behind, we will not return to them! We must believe Christ and experience Him personally. We must worship Him, crave His wisdom, and hear His words of life. When we do these things and finish our course, we will be found as faithful stewards. May this be our goal as we shine as lights in a dark world!