“Are you going to leave, too?”

~John 6:66-69~

(The New Living Translation)

(In-person service cancelled

due to Hurricane Hilary)

William S. Epps, Senior Pastor

Sunday, August 20, 2023

At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you going to leave, too?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life. We believe them, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:66-69 (NLT)

Introduction

We are looking at some of the questions that are raised by the Lord in the Bible that require, deservingly so, a response from us. Bruce Larson, in his book entitled,

“What God Wants To Know,” suggests that our answers to life’s crucial concerns are found in our responses to the Lord’s vital questions. There are questions that the Lord

raises with us that will no doubt provide necessary insights concerning a lot of our inquiries of God.

Let me refresh your memory of what has been presented. The first questions in the Bible are raised by God. In the opening pages of sacred writ we find God asking the creatures that have been made in God’s image and fashioned after God likeness, "where are you?” (Genesis 3:9). We hide from God when God comes to us because we are ashamed of what we have done and yet we want God to be available to us to fulfill our desires when we call. A series of questions follow that first question that probe into the choices we have made: “Who told you, you were naked?” ; “Have you eaten of the tree that I told you not to eat?”; "What is this you have done?"

There is the instance where a murder takes place in secret and the murderer is confronted with the question, “where is your brother.” (Genesis 4:9). How often do we attempt to hide what we have done by being smart in our own conceit?

There is an instance where an individual’s acknowledged personal inadequacy was met with the query, “what is in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2)

There is the instance where a person is fleeing for safety due to a threat that has been made on his life, who is then asked by God, “what are you doing here?”

In the context of worship, Isaiah has an awe-inspiring experience of God that requires a response to a question, “whom shall I send and who will go for us? Then, said I, here am I, send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)

Consider what it means to respond to the questions the

Lord ask by responding to the preceding questions above.

Monday, August 21, 2023

The passage for today come from the gospel of John. This scene takes place in the synagogue at Capernaum. People wanted to know what sign Jesus was going to perform so that they could believe in Him like the feeding of the Israelites in the wilderness with manna. Jesus informs them that those that ate that bread died, but the bread of God that comes down from heaven gives life to the world. Jesus tells them that He is the bread of life that comes from heaven. Discussion ensues about Him being the son of Joseph whose father and mother are known to them. As the discussion continues, more confusion develops. Jesus’ words get totally misunderstood. Many of the disciples acknowledged the difficulty of this teaching of Jesus asking, who can accept it? Jesus asked if this teaching was an offence to them. Because of this, many of His disciples defected and deserted, turned back and no longer followed Him.

Jesus asked the twelve, “Will you also go away?”

Jesus asks a question about allegiance, commitment and loyalty recognizing that those who follow Him have the right to change their minds as they discover what it means to be His disciple. What about your allegiance, commitment and loyalty? Is there any difficult teaching of Jesus that will cause you to consider parting ways with Him? Or is there sufficient confusion about some of the teachings of Jesus that causes you to just dismiss them? Jesus gives people the opportunity to change their minds.

Many disciples were defecting and deserting because of a difficult teaching of Jesus. The teaching is not as important as the follower’s reaction it. People began to desert because what is difficult requires what they are not willing to give. You see there is always something that is difficult. We use what is difficult to default on our decision, disclaim on our devotion and detour our destiny.

Consider how you respond to the question Jesus asks.

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

When you default on your mortgage your property goes into foreclosure. When you default on your car note the vehicle is repossessed. When you default on your commitment to the Lord your faith goes into foreclosure and your belief is repossessed. We have a lot of individuals with repossessed beliefs and foreclosed faith. What is difficult requires most often what we are not willing to give.

Difficulty requires commitment, discipline and understanding. Commitment is the choice to continue the course to its conclusion despite the difficulty. Discipline is the decision to subdue what would deter, distract or divert one’s allegiance and loyalty. Understanding is the will to embrace what one cannot see until clarity dispels what confuses you. By and by beyond the fray, my eyes will be open to another way. I will see real clear what is most dear and give my heart without any fear. Did not Jesus say, “if anyone would come after him that person must deny self, take up a cross and follow him.” (Mark 8:34)

Let me make an observation. It has been said that out of our quarrels with others we make rhetoric, but out of our quarrels with ourselves we make poetry. (William Butler Yeats). In matters of the Spirit it has been said that out of our quarrels with others we take up positions, but out of our quarrels with ourselves we make a confession of faith. (Charles Poole).

Consider what it means that with your quarrels with others,

you make rhetoric and take up positions, and from your quarrels

with yourself you make poetry and confessions of faith.

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Peter’s response gives us a clue about answering the question Jesus posed, “will you also go away.” Peter responded with a question of his own and confirms his response with two definitive statements. As we consider the situation with Peter’s response we can see the implications for ourselves.

Firstly, “to whom shall you go”.

While Peter replied instantaneously his response is not spontaneous. It is clear that he has given it some thought and consideration. To whom are you going? Who can rival the Lord even though some of his teachings are difficult? Peter captured the spirit of the eleven suggesting with his response that we have tried the rest. We have tried the Scribes and Pharisees. They proved to be the blind leading the blind. Also they did not teach with authority.

We have tried the Law of Moses by which there was neither life nor redemption for us. We have failed repeatedly.

I love You, Lord Jesus! / love You, Lord, precious One!

No other one compares to You! / I love You, Lord Jesus!

I love You, Lord, precious One! / No other one compares to You!

Jesus, Lord Jesus, / Dear Lord, most lovely One,

Nothing compares to You!

There is no way I can make it without you. I tried over and over and discovered that there is just no way that I can make it without you. Can’t nobody do me like Jesus. Can’t nobody do me like the Lord. I go to the rock. When I need a friend,

I go to the rock of my salvation, the stone that the builders rejected.

Consider what it means to reach the realization that you have

explored other options on your faith journey.

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Secondly, Jesus has what we need.

“You have the words of eternal life.”

The notion of life continuing beyond what we know has intrigued humanity. Is it possible that someone could offer life beyond what threatens existence? Life has been an urgent theme, not only through the sixth chapter of John but through the entire Gospel. Its source is the living Father, who gives life to the Son, who in turn, through the Lord's Supper give life to participants (v. 57). "Eternal life" clearly implies more than an existence that continues without termination. Many would choose death over life if it were simply more of the same. "Life" and "eternal life" signify life of the age to come, life with a distinctively new quality, authentic life fulfilling God's intentions. Jesus said, the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Every description Jesus gives of himself is one that is positive in this life. I am the bread of life, whoever comes after me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35 / I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life (John 8:12) / I am the door whoever enters by me will be saved (preservation), go in and out (freedom/liberty) and find pasture (satisfaction/fulfillment) John 10:9) / I am the good Shepherd, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, knows the sheep and is known by the sheep John 10:11 and 14) / I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me even though they die will life and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die (John 11:25) / I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me (John 14:6) / I am vine and you are the branches, those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit (John 15:5).

Jesus has what you need. Jesus has the words to life beyond what threatens existence. Life beyond adversity and affliction and anxiety; life beyond the blight, bruises and the bewilderment of life beyond the catastrophe and calamity; life beyond despair, distress and disgust; life beyond frustration and failure and fractured friendships; life beyond prejudice and perplexity; life beyond ruptured relationships and ruined resources; life beyond suffering and sorrow; life beyond trouble and tribulation. Life beyond whatever negates meaningful and purposeful existence.

Consider what it means that you come to the realization that the

Lord has the words to sustain life beyond that which threatens existence.

Friday, August 25, 2023

Thirdly, your belief leads to a confession of faith.

"We believe them, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

We believe those words and know that you are the Holy One of God. Here is a confession of faith. Most often Peter's confession of faith in Christ is referenced with the Matthew 16:13 - 19. Remember Jesus asked “who do you say that I am?” Peter responded “thou are the Christ, the son of the living God.”

The Holy One of God occurs only three times in the New Testament. Here in John 6:69 and twice in the Synoptic gospels (Mk. 1:24 and Lk. 4:34), where it is found on the lips of a demon possessed man in the synagogue at Capernaum. The question of the man, ‘What do we have to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?’

Peter reminds us that you believe in order to know. You try what you believe and come to know, through experience that you believe works. We believed what you said, and now we know that as a result of trying what you said, we discover who you are, the holy one of God, the messiah, the redeemer.

The assertion has been made that there is a wide gap between the church’s Lord and the church.

“The gap between Jesus and the church is, to some degree, inevitable.

After all, we don’t live in first-century Palestine. A part of the gap between Jesus and the church is the gap between the first century and the twentieth century. (The Lord found his followers netting the surf; now he has followers surfing the net.) There is nothing bothersome about that gap; it is natural, inevitable, progressive gap of time. What is bothersome, troubling, and complex is the gap of spirit – the gap between the spirit of Jesus and the life of the church. The only way to face that gap and shrink that gap is for the church to measure what it does by the standard of the spirit of Jesus.

(Charles Poole, “Beyond the Broken Lights, Simple Words at Sacred Edges,”

pp. 103-104, 108)

Jesus was clear about His mission (Luke 4:18 ff). ¹⁸The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, ¹⁹To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

The church through the ages has struggled with depicting and defining itself in light of her Lord. Sad to say, she has not yet arrived or become what her Lord intended.

She has been responsible for some of the most heinous acts in history and the perpetrator of divisions that seem impossible to bridge (sexism, classism, militarism, racism, etc.)

Consider what it means as you believe and embrace the words of Jesus

that you make a confession of faith about Jesus as the Holy One from God.

Saturday, August 26, 2023

Conclusion

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Mahatma Ga ndhi is perhaps the best example of someone who was discerning enough to reject the way Christianity finds expression but not reject Christ. He was deeply hurt by his experiences with apartheid and “Christians” during his time in South Africa. Just maybe people reject the way our witness expresses allegiance to Christ that promotes the opposite of what Jesus taught.

I close with the hymn, The Church’s One Foundation is Jesus Christ Her Lord:

The church has one foundation, / ’Tis Jesus Christ her Lord;

She is His new creation, Through water by the word.

From heav’n He came and sought her / To be His holy bride;

With His own blood He bought her, / And for her life He died.

Elect from every nation, / Yet one o’er all the earth,

Her charter of salvation—

One Lord, one faith, one birth. / One holy name she blesses,

Partakes one holy food; / And to one hope she presses,

With every grace endued.

'Mid toil and tribulation, / And tumult of her war,

She waits the consummation