Are You Leaving Too

John 6:66-69-From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

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

But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

You will hear people say, “How can God send people to hell?”

What people don’t understand is that God sent His Son, to die on a cross for everybody, (Luke 19:10-for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.)

that doesn’t mean people don’t turn their back on Him!!

I don’t care how good a driver you are, or that you never had a wreak, never had a speeding ticket, if the road sign says, (Stop Cliff Ahead) and it’s a 400 foot drop off and you keep going, ignoring the signs, ignoring the barricades, choosing to go straight instead of turning around, you are going to die!!

Why, because you have chose the road that leads to death!!

Just like in that scenario, when people walk away from Jesus, and choose their own path, they are headed for destruction!

John use the word perish….John 3:15-16-that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

That’s why Christianity was called the Way, in the book of Acts, because of what Jesus had said!

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

I know many people say, “There are different paths that lead to God!” but not accord to the bible, Jesus isn’t a way, He’s the Way!!!

When this crowd walked away from Jesus, you think His reaction would have been, to beg them to stay.

Jesus is not that desperate, and you get the feeling that there’s churches out there, that will do anything to fill their pews, or to keep people, by lowing their standards, by ignoring what the Bible teaches!

These is what this lesson teaches us…That Jesus will allow people to walk away from Him, if that’s what they want, but it’s there choice!!!

Now after this multitude leaves, you would think His reaction would have been to turn to His disciples and say, “Please don’t leave Me too!”

But He doesn’t, He simply ask a question….“Do you also want to go away?”

Look back up at verse 26

Verse 26-Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

Jesus knew their motives for following Him!

Trust me, people come to church with all kinds of motives…Business relations (To help their business), Keep family peace (Pressured into attending church), Habit (Something they done all their life), Good feelings (They feel good about themselves).

Now all those things might bring you to church, but here is what keeps you in church!!

Verse 29-Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

This is what it boils down to….Do You Believe In Him?

Do you believe He died on a cross?

Do you believe He arose from the grave?

Do you believe He can change you?

Do you believe He can change your circumstances?

This doesn’t mean you don’t have doubts sometimes, and fears sometimes, but it does mean you come back to that statement…..I Believe Him!!!

That’s what motives you, that’s what keeps you going, that’s what encourages you!!

All of this following Jesus, hinges on this one fact….Do You believe Him!!!

That’s why people walk away from the church….Because they truly don’t believe Him!!

People know one thing about Baptist, that we believe….Once Saved Always Saved-But You Better Make Sure Your Once Saved!!!

Better make sure that you accepted Him into your heart!

I know about this, I walk the aisle, 3 times before I got right, was dunked 3 times before I got right!

I hear people say, “Well, I hope I’m saved!” “I think I’m saved!”

It’s a real event, just like getting married (You don‘t say, “I hope I‘m married!”), or graduated (“I think I graduated?”) you know those things happened because it was a real event!!! A life changing event!!!