1. WHAT STOPS YOU FROM FOLLOWING HIM?
Text: John 6:60-69
Intro: Luke 18:8 “I will tell you that He will avenge you speedily. Nevertheless, when the son of man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
I Thess 2:3 “Let no one deceives you by any means, for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.”
Aim: For us to keep following Him and avoid falling away.

2. I. The hard saying/teaching/doctrine. They
I. The hard saying/teaching/doctrine. They were not able to understand it-v 60
A. Jesus said “He is the bread of life”-v 48
B. Jesus said “he who eats His flesh and drinks His blood abides in Him and He in them”-v 56
C. Unless you eat His flesh and drink His blood, you have no life in you-v 53
D. They said to themselves “they were not cannibal”.
E. He compared Himself to bread as a bread gives life literally, so is He.

3. II. They were offended-v 61
Is there anything in God’s kingdom that offends you?
Main reason why believers get offended is when they don’t get what they expect/want.
Ex. John the Baptist-Matt 11:1-6, 11
C. When the word of God confronts you of your unrighteous living.
Ex. Herod/Herodias Matthew 14:3

4. III. The spirit hasn’t given them life-v 63
The words that He speak are spirit.
They are life.
The letter kills but the Spirit gives life-II Cor 3:6
Unless the Spirit gives you understanding to His word, it makes no difference-II Cor 4:3
“whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

5. IV. Some of those who turned away did not believe and betray Him-v 64
The reason you follow is you believe.
Those who didn’t believe used their senses-Heb 11:1
Turning away from Him is betrayal to Him.
Unfortunately, we tried as much as possible to be loyal to somebody else not to Him.

6. V. Their coming to the Son wasn’t granted by the Father-v65
No one can come to Him unless drawn/granted by the father-v 44
It is by hearing and learning from the Father that a person comes to Jesus-v 45
The reason you are here today is He is drawing you to His son.
From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more-v66
He is still asking us/you the same question today
Do you also want to go away?

7. VI. Simon Peter’s response-v 68
To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life?
If He has the words of eternal life, there’s no point turning away from Him.
You might have a very good reason (as to human understanding) not to go to church but is it more valuable than eternal life?
You might be working/preparing for your future, are you considering eternity?
Death is real-what will happen to you after it?
All will be resurrected-John 5:29

8. VII. You must come to believe Him and know Him -v 69
This include coming to church as you hear His words in church.
By hearing His words, you will know Him.
You will also have faith in Him.
To know Him is to be known by Him-I Cor 8:3
“But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him”.

9. Challenge:
Do you also want to go away?
What would stop you from following Him?
What is it that you value more than eternal life?
Will you betray Him by turning away from Him?
Conclusion: John 6:68
Then Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’