“BELIEVE & KNOW” John 6:60-69
FBCF – 10/17/21
Jon Daniels
INTRO – Found out a couple of wks ago that we have nearly 1300 members at FBCF. Avg about 400 folks here each Sunday & way less than that on Wednesday, our other corporate worship time as a church. Why is this so? Most Christians see Jesus as optional in their lives. See Him as necessary for salvation – to keep them out of hell. After that, He’s optional.
- Daddy’s 72 GMC – Get base model then add options
We’re fine w/ Jesus to get us saved. After that, He becomes optional – an add-on.
Matthew 16:24-25 – “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Colossians 1:28-29 – “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
EXPLANATION – John 6:60-69
CONTEXT: John 6 longest chapter in John’s Gospel. Contains some big events & big teaching leading up to our passage for consideration.
- Feeding of 5000 – aside from Resurrection, only miracle recorded in all 4 Gospels (15,000-20,000)
- Jesus (& Peter – Matthew 14:22-36) walking on water
- Matthew & Mark tell of a healing at Gennesaret that happened after that.
- Remember John’s purpose in writing: Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God… (John 20:31)
- Major teaching: “I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35). This led into a time of teaching where Jesus used some graphic imagery & said “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man & drink His blood, you have no life in you” (v. 53). Of course, He wasn’t advocating some type of weird religious cannibalism. He was making a comparison between physical food & the spiritual food – one which leaves you hungry later, & one which satisfies your hunger forever. Physical bread sustains life physically – Jesus, the bread of life, gives life eternally.
- Problem came when many of those who were hearing this teaching couldn’t or wouldn’t make the leap from physical to spiritual. To “eat His flesh” was to trust & believe in Him & His death on the cross. To “drink His blood” was to trust in His death & His shedding of His blood. Many thought He was talking about literally eating His flesh & drinking His blood. The grumbled about, questioned, ridiculed, & disputed His teaching.
CONTENT: Begin to see the thinning of the crowd start taking place in v. 60 – where Jesus becomes optional to many in the crowd. The teaching was just too hard for them b/c of their wrong interpretation of what He said. He tried to explain it again, emphasizing that “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all” (v. 63). Tried to show them that He was the true Messiah & Savior who would one day ascend back to heaven after defeating sin & death on the cross & the resurrection. It’s as if He was saying to them, “If you only would understand who it is that is teaching you right now, you’d then understand the life-giving spiritual truth I’m giving to you.”
But sadly, we get to v. 66 & see what happened. “Many” abandoned Him & no longer walked w/ Him. A.B. Bruce: “The sermon on the bread of life produced decisive effects. It converted popular enthusiasm for Jesus into disgust; like a fan, it separated true from false disciples; & like a winnowing breeze, it blew the chaff away, leaving a small [residue] of wheat behind.”
He then turns to the 12 & asked if they wanted to leave, too. Peter’s response is one of the most powerful statement of faith in the NT (v. 68-69). 4-part declaration:
- “You have the words of eternal life.” – Life is an important them throughout John’s Gospel. Future eternal life may be experienced in the present through Jesus. John 5:24 – “I say emphatically that anyone who listens to my message and believes in God who sent me has eternal life, and will never be damned for his sins, but has already passed out of death into life.” (TLB)
- “We have believed” – WE [in contrast to those who deserted Jesus] have complete trust. We’ve entrusted our lives to you.
- “We have come to know” – Through our personal experiences & interactions & seeking you.
- “You are the Holy One of God.” – OT referred to God as the “Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 43:3 – “your Savior”. Isa 54:5 – “your Redeemer”) Peter affirmed the deity of Jesus. Affirmed that Jesus wasn’t optional to them.
CONCERNS: Some people followed Jesus b/c of His growing popularity – kind of a “bandwagon faith.” Some followed Him b/c of the miracles He performed – kind of a “talent show faith” or a “Las Vegas magician faith.” Some followed Him b/c they just wanted some more food – kind of a “get it while the getting is good” faith. In other words, there were a whole lot more FANS than there were FOLLOWERS. Dictionary – “fan” – “an enthusiastic admirer, usually as a spectator.” So…ARE YOU A FAN OR A FOLLOWER?
“It’s all fun & games when Jesus calls you & you feel so empowered & excited & humbled to be called by Jesus. But then when the trouble comes, are you ready for it?” (Dallas Jenkins, director, “The Chosen”)
APPLICATION – Believing in & knowing Jesus means that we will follow Him for the rest of our lives.
Again…ARE YOU A FAN OR A FOLLOWER?
FANS JUST WANT THE BENEFITS – FOLLOWERS WANT TO BE OBEDIENT
Jay’s Shoe Dept – trying on different shoes.
Some people want to try Jesus on for a while to see what He can do for them. That’s not the way it works. When you surrender your life to Jesus, you’re not taking Him out for a test drive. You’re turning the control of your life over to Him completely & permanently.
- When Jesus said, “Follow me,” Peter, Andrew, James, & John left fishing boats, & Matthew left tax collector’s booth.
- When the “Holy One of God” says “Follow me,” you follow – “Go make disciples…”
- 1 John 4:24 – “Whoever keeps His commandments abides in God & God in him…”
B/c followers believe & know, they want to obey Jesus.
FANS FOLLOW THE CROWD – FOLLOWERS FOLLOW JESUS EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE DOES
Mark 5 – Gerasene demoniac – pigs ran down hill together & all died (v. 13)
Lots of people live their lives like those pigs. Stay together in the herd of the world, moving together w/ the world, in step w/ the world, doing whatever the world says is ok to do, all the while headed to their death w/ the rest of the world. May have heard about Jesus. May even believe that Jesus lived. May even go to church & act like they’re worshiping Jesus. But quickly turn away when the call for true worship & obedience comes.
Peter & disciples followed Jesus when everyone else turned away & went back to their old way of life.
B/c followers believe & know, they follow Jesus even if no one else does.
FANS COMPLAIN IF THINGS AREN’T GOING THEIR WAY – FOLLOWERS DON’T CARE IF THINGS AREN’T GOING THEIR WAY
Football: “Fire the coach.” “Bad QB.” “Defense is awful.” “Don’t have a big enough budget.”
Church: “Don’t like music.” “They’re changing everything.” “Don’t like version of Bible they use.” “Sermons are too long.” “Not enough fellowship…Bible study…kids’ activities…youth stuff…”
B/c followers believe & know, they don’t care if things aren’t going their way. Jesus made it clear to His disciples that things weren’t always going to go their way.
- Matthew 10 – Rejection, arrested, beaten, “all men will hate you b/c of me” (v. 22), even killed.
- They followed anyway.
CONCLUSION/TAKEAWAYS – “BELIEVE & KNOW” – FAN OR FOLLOWER?
