Followers That Turned Away

John 6:49-71 “followers of Jesus that turned away from Him” 3/9/08

Today we’re going to talk for a little while about the fact, that some of the people that followed Jesus turned away from Him and followed Him no more, listen as I read today’s text found in John 6:49-71 Here we find Jesus talking to His followers—

48I am that bread of life. 49Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

52The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

59These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

60Many therefore of his disciples*, [a learner] when they had heard this, said, this is a hard saying; ** who can hear it? –[Hard for them to understand]

61When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, “Doth this offend you? 62What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

63It is the spirit that quickeneth;*[makes alive] the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64But there are some of you that believe not.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

65And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

66From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. 69And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

70Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

-- At the beginning of this chapter in verses 1 & 2 we read: 1After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. 2And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.---------

And then we’re told in vs.66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

It seems that there were a lot of people who wanted the blessing of following Jesus without the problems associated with making a real commitment. As long as it was convenient, as long as everyday was a mountain top experience, these people were with Him.

But when to walk with Jesus requires more … then that seems to be a different story.

Jesus tells them that it is time for them to begin thinking about spiritual things. In verse sixty we read, 60Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

This verse tells us that many of the disciples found what Jesus had been saying in the previous verses about His being “the bread of life and that all who ate of His Body and drank His blood would have eternal life” a hard saying. That is, it was hard for them to understand.

Today many people refuse to follow Christ, not because they don’t understand that Jesus is the Bread of Life, but because it might interfere with their way of living.

But Jesus wants people to decide, whither they will follow Him or not! Will they commit themselves to Him or not. There is no such thing as halfway committed.