1. Today’s text:John 6: 66-71 A Sobering Result

2.  The crowds failed vss… “many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. ”  Crowds are fickle and unreliable  Not everyone follows the crowd A Sobering Result

3.  Jesus tests  Jesus is not a politician  Crowds are offended  Jesus asks the original 12 “You do not want to go away also, do you?”. A Sobering Result

4.  The words vss. “…You have words of eternal life…” Pastor Allen Hern breaks these things into four pieces or four choices: They made a conscious choice “Lord to whom shall we go?” They made an informed choice “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” They made a deliberate choice “And we believe and know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” They made a costly choice.

5. A Sobering Result  The reassurance vss. “Did I myself not choose you, the 12?…”  God’s choice Jesus had called the twelve to follow in serving Him in ministry. Jesus made His choice and included men from all walks of life. There were fishermen and even a tax collector. There were quiet types and then there were the outspoken ones. There were selfish types (James and John) and crooked underhanded types. Jesus did not discriminate at all among his choices – He gave an opportunity to all types of people.

6. A Sobering Result Interestingly, this chapter ends with a comparison of possibly the two most well known of the disciples: Peter and Judas Judas was a leader – he was in charge of the money Peter was a leader he most often spoke for the group Judas was a dishonest man and is recorded pilfering the disciples treasury Jn. 12:6 Peter spoke honestly from his heart though at times not correctly. Judas betrayed Jesus by deliberate calculated choice Peter betrayed Jesus by an act of impulse Judas was motivated by selfishnessPeter was motivated by fear. Judas viewed Jesus as a means to reach his goal of wealth, power, and influence Peter viewed Jesus as a friend Judas turned into himself with remorse over betraying Jesus and committed suicide. Peter turned to Jesus following His betrayal and was reconciled and in the years to come died as a martyr

7.  God’s omniscience  In every church there are people like Judas and people like Peter  And in every church there are true disciples who remain loyal and faithful to the Lord for the duration of life. A Sobering Result

8. Things to remember and do How do you handle the pressure of the crowd when you’re in the crowd? Do you go with the flow, or do you stay steady and stand? Do you stay steady and stand with the One who sticks closer than a brother. Do you stay steady and stand with the One that will remain faithful even if we become unfaithful? Uh? Where do you go when there is nowhere else to go? What do you do when life has you cornered? To whom or to what do you turn in these difficult moments of life? Which is for you? Judas or Peter? Which one reminds you the most of you? Amen