Tabor Baptist Church

Concentrating on v68

Decisions

• It is time for a decision to be made for those following Jesus
• Everyone wanted to be with Him - He was popular (cf 6:15)
• It then dawned on people what Jesus was really about
• Many who had followed are repelled
• Jesus gave hard teachings (6:53-54)
• Many are offended by these teachings (6:60)
• Even Nicodemus (the most learned pharisee/scholar) was unable to understand what Jesus was saying (John 3)
• Spiritual things are spiritually discerned
• Is is a hard saying that you must be born again
• Is is a hard saying that you cannot come to God unless the Father draw you
• Is is a hard saying that unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you will not have eternal life
• This is a crunch point
• Nothing in the world is static
• Your heart will either be harder or softer, nearer or farther the Kingdom, love Christ more or less (after this morning)
• It was good that the disciples heard what Jesus said
• It is good that you can hear this morning
• But what direction are you heading in?
• Heb 10:37-39
• Are you of those who will draw back to perdition or those who believe to the saving of the soul?
• Jesus asks His disciples if they are going to turn away? (6:67)
• Peter recognises that there is no where else they can go
• We cannot keep putting off important decisions?
• What will make you come to Jesus Christ and accept these hard sayings?
• 'Chose whom you will serve'

Devotion

• It is not a place or a pilgrimage that we should go to
• "To whom shall we go. You have the words of eternal life ... You are Christ the Lord"
• Parallel of Matt 6:16 - His glimpse regarding the person of Jesus
• John's gospel is already pointing towards the person of Jesus
• Jesus says don't think about places but about Me
• Psalm 73
• John 7:37-38
• "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink"
• It is Jesus that has all the resources to meet human need

Dependence

• "To whom shall we go. You have the words of eternal life."
• Jesus has the words
• Jesus' words are life giving words
• [They have power]
• "He is the bread of life"(6:48)
• There is nothing more essential for spiritual life than to hear and respond to the words of Jesus Christ

Danger

• Jesus speaks about going away
• There are only two options:
1. Pressing on and grasping life in Jesus
2. Going away
• Going away:
• Separating yourself from eternal life
• John 14:6
• Jesus is not one of many plausible ways to heaven - but the only way
• What will you do if you don't go to him?
• Example of work
• Example of a Christmas Carol
• Without Christ you are condemned to hell
• Do you have a better option - where else will you go?
• "You have the words of eternal life"

Closing Remarks & Prayer