Illustrate with AWOL (3).htm
Posted by: balderman <balderman@...>
DESERTERS
John 6:58 – 70
Jesus is speaking:
To: a group of religious people. I imagine much like any church today
About: The Spirit and Truth of Eternal life that is only available through Him
Where: A synagogue in Capernaum
Result: They unbelievers were offended by Truth
Many rebelled and left, deserting the truth
Few stayed with Jesus, yet even one of the was a deceiver
Jesus speaks to us all
We hear Him
His sheep hear and understand
The goats hear and rebel
We all respond
Either in faith or in rebellion
Illustrate with AWOL
My time in military
What AWOL is – absent from your assigned duty (Absent With Out Leave)
AWOL while still on base
John 6:58-71
58 I am the true bread from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever and not die as your ancestors did, even though they ate the manna."
Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is eternal life. When we join with Him we have eternal life. Without Jesus we do not have eternal life.
I John 5:12 “So whoever has God's Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life.” (NLT)
(Illustrate: stone faces – sad face = without Jesus Happy face = with Jesus. We all are sad or down sometimes, he difference is that Jesus comforts and cares for us and delivers us from all our troubles.)
59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Jesus was in “church” He was bringing a message to His disciples and the Jewish leaders. He was speaking to “Religious people”
60 {Many Disciples Desert Jesus--} Even his disciples said, "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?"
The disciples were whining. They could not accept that Jesus Christ was the only way, that He brought them life.
“This is too hard”
“How do You expect us to believe this?”
“I don’t understand”
They had no faith. They wanted to experience a God they could control and “grab hold of” – This was not the God Jesus is teaching them about.
61 Jesus knew within himself that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, "Does this offend you?
What sharp words! But not that different from today’s world. Flesh, pride, lust – sin is greatly offended by the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We speak truth from His Word and a fallen world cry’s out against it.
“You expect us to believe that?”
“I don’t understand”
“Your just mean, a loving god would never do that!”
‘I know the Bible says that, but it doesn’t really mean it”
They search for something they can understand – something they can grasp with their own mind and understanding. There is no faith.
62 Then what will you think if you see me, the Son of Man, return to heaven again?
Jesus asks them what they will do when they see Him raised from the grave, victorious over death itself and raised back to Heaven.
I know it may sound a bit risqué – But I get a picture of Hulk Hogan – the WWF wrestler (and current heavyweight champ) as he shouts to his opponent – “WHATCHA GONNA DO?”
“Whatch gonna do when Jesus Christ is raised from the dead? Whatcha gonna do when He who was dead walks among you again? WHATCHA GONNA DO when you see Him raised up to the Heavens?”
Today I want to pose a similar question to you – “WHATCHA GONNA DO when Jesus returns from Heaven and calls His Church Home? Whatcha Gonna Do when your friends and family begin disappearing and just their cloths and the fillings of their teeth are left behind – with you?”
63 It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
Jesus continues to teach Truth here. The Truth that saves men and divides the sheep from the goats.
Your effort is useless! Eternal life is a work of God and God alone!
You cannot:
Work for it Give it
Earn it Sell it
Buy it Deserve it
Steal it
Inherit it
You can only be GIVEN IT - By God through Faith in Jesus Christ
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (NKJ)
Jesus spoke total Truth to them – The truth of life.
64 But some of you don't believe me." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who didn't believe, and he knew who would betray him.)
Jesus knew many among them did not believe. They had no faith.
They may have been raise up in the Synagogue – Had studied the Torah for many years - had served their church their entire lifetime - YET they did not believe.
Many had traveled with Jesus for quite some time. They had heard Him teach and observed His miracles and perfect life. They had been amazed at His wisdom – Yet they did not believe.
Some are here today who have been involved with a church since they were children. They have read the Bible – maybe several times. They have heard countless sermons and have attended thousands of Sunday School classes, Yet they do not truly believe.
They have attended and served the church out of duty, or obligation, or perhaps to make business contacts. They may be teachers, leaders or simply pew warmers – BUT they do not believe.
They are AWOL while still on the base.
65 Then he said, "That is what I meant when I said that people can't come to me unless the Father brings them to me."
If you are basing your eternal life on attendance, service, sacrifice, works or anything else YOU can do then your faith is misplaced.
Jesus said that your human effort is useless.
Isaiah 64:6 “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away.” (NLT)
66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.
Lets review what Jesus had taught them.
- He alone is eternal life
- We must partake in Him by faith to have the eternal life He offers
- He will return to Heaven
- Human effort is useless
- His Words are Spirit and Life – not theirs
- Some of you do not believe
- Only God can bring you to Jesus for eternal life
Faced with this truth, the unbelievers CHOSE to walk out on Jesus – to go AWOL
They became deserters of the faith – deserters of eternal life
They CHOSE their own understanding over that of our all knowing, all seeing and all powerful God.
They did not even want to know Him or they would already.
They deserted eternal life – simply just got up and walked away from it. They left their eternity laying on the table and by default accepted eternal desertion from God’s Kingdom .
They CHOSE hell
67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Are you going to leave, too?"
What would be your answer? Are you going to leave too? You must make a choice…No, You WILL make a choice! Either a choice of action or of inaction.
You have been faced with the same choice as the disciples. The way of God or the way of self.
Will you choose to join God or choose to be a deserter?
Some have already made their choice and their eternity is sealed.
Others are faced with this decision again today. They have voted to be deserters Sunday after Sunday and they are faced with the same choice here today.
Will I choose Jesus today, or simply set here in my pew like I have every other Sunday and walk out on God when the preacher is through?
What is your choice?
68 Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life.
Simon Peter answered for the group – He had faith in Christ and knew that He was indeed their only pathway to eternal life
Peter knew that his eternity was secured only by Grace alone through Faith alone in Christ alone.
He choose Jesus
He chose wisely
Where else can you go today for salvation?
Oprah?
Terror cards?
Horrorscopes?
Your good works?
Being somehow “good enough”?
No. Today we can be assured of an eternity in paradise through Jesus Christ.
69 We believe them, and we know you are the Holy One of God."
They KNEW Jesus was the Messiah.
They had NO DOUBT that He was the Holy One of God
Have you settled this in your heart today?
Do you have this same calm assurance that You are God’s Child?
70 and 71 - Then Jesus said, "I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil." He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would betray him. (NLT)
Even in the 12 one was an unbeliever.
Does this mean that 1 out of 12 is an unbeliever? No. The ratio is much higher. I have read reports that profess that only 15 to 20 percent of regular church goers actually BELIEVE in Jesus Christ. Billy Graham once said that only 2% of the profession made at a crusade were “real conversions”. How do they know this? I don’t know how they did the surveys but from the state of our world I certainly believe the numbers.
Jesus not only understood this principle – He knew who they were and what they would do.
If you think that you are “getting by” with something and you will somehow beat the odds and eard heaven as a reward for your works; YOU ARE WRONG
Jesus knows exactly who you are. You cannot hide anything from you.
If you are trying to stir up trouble or take things into your own hands, as Judas did, remember his fate.
Jesus knows who you are, what you are scheming and what the result will be. Give up on your plan today and grab hold of the nail scarred hand and embrace God’s plan today.
Are you ready to come into the fold today? There will be no courts marshal – no legal action; if you come to Jesus today all will be forgiven, you will be restored into His love and you will gain a peaceful-protected life for today and eternal life with Jesus in Glory.
