Going Away From Jesus

***GOING AWAY FROM JESUS***

John 6:67-68

Dorn Ridge September 9, 2012

(Much of this message is a remake of a sermon by the late Medford Conley)

INTRODUCTION:

1.) Why do souls go away from Jesus?

2.) On one occasion when many of the disciples of Jesus had deserted Him, Jesus turned to the disciples and said: “Will you also desert me?” Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of Eternal life.” (John 6:67-68)

A.) That day there were large multitudes following Jesus. But as the day progressed, Jesus addressed the subject of what it cost to follow Him.

aa.) The more Jesus spoke of what it meant to follow Him, the larger the number of people who were starting to turn their backs on Jesus, and no longer desire to follow Him.

3.) Today, I want to ask you a personal question: What is your relationship with Jesus, the Saviour and Master?

A.) Everyone must have personal relations with Him.

aa.) We are either His friend or his foe.

ab.) We are either for Him, or against Him.

4.) This text presents us with two questions to ask today?

A.) Why do people go away from Jesus? and

B.) Where do they go when they leave Jesus?

I. WHY DO PEOPLE GO AWAY FROM JESUS?

1.) People go away from Jesus because He reveals what is in their hearts.

A.) The heart that is full of sin does not want to hear of the holy standard that God has for a person’s life.

B.) These people listening to Jesus said “This is a hard

saying; Who can accept it?”

ba.) The people of that day turned away from Jesus because they objected to His teachings.

C.) Christ and the Gospel are very popular when it meets our expectations of who Jesus is.

D.) But the problem is that the Gospel was never intended to please man, but to save Him.

da.) When the Gospel of Jesus Christ is pleasing to us, and keeps us comfortable it is something that we find good and enjoyable.

db.) Jesus said He came to seek and to save that which was lost.

db.) If that is the ultimate mission of Jesus Christ, is to seek and to save that which is lost, then at times Jesus, and His Gospel message will be offensive to people.

dc.) Christ wants to raise man up to a higher level than what he is on.

dca.) When we are being raised to higher standards, and levels of holiness we are going to become uncomfortable.

dd.) We are also going to come to the realization that where we have been, may have in fact been in sin.

de.) The people in that multitude in front of Jesus were being challenged to a higher life that what they had had. Sadly, the call of Jesus Christ to a level higher than what we want to live and experience turns people off.

df.) That is why many that day turned their backs on Jesus, and his message.

2.) Sometimes people go away from Christ because the fear of the people is greater than their fear of God.

A.) Pilate went against not only Jesus, but also his own conscience when he gave in to have Jesus crucified.

aa.) Pilate was a man who was more afraid of the people, than he was afraid of God. ab.) The people cried out “If you let this man go you are no friend of Caesar.”

B.) Before this trial had ever taken place Jesus gave warning on fearing man more than God.

ba.) Matt. 10: 28

C.)John 9:19-22

D.) Even many of the religious leaders had come to believe in Jesus, yet their fear of man was greater than their fear of God.

da.) John 12:42

E.) Sadly, in every generation of Christianity there have been those who have gone away from Jesus because they feared man more than they feared God.

3.) Many go away from following Jesus because of doubts, and fears concerning Him and His teachings.

A.) The multitude walked away from Jesus that day. They said this is a hard saying.

B.) There are many who have heard and been taught certain teachings in different churches.

ba.)Sometimes when these people are presented with the teachings of the Word of God, they see it as a hard teaching, and different than what they have been taught.

bb.) Even in the presence of Scripture they will walk away, because the truth of the Word of God is different than what they had taught to be correct.

C.) If a man will come to God with the right attitude, an honest heart, and an open mind in the sight of God, He will be delivered from every doubt, and fear, and uncertainty before him.