BIG IDEA:
FULL SECURITY FOR THE CHOSEN FEW BUT NO EASY BELIEVISM FOR TRUE DISCIPLES
I. (:60-65) HARD TRUTH CAN ONLY BE RECEIVED BY THE CHOSEN FEW
A. (:60) Some Truth is Hard to Swallow
“Many therefore of His disciples, when they heard this said, ‘This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?’”
B. (:61) Hard Truth Can Cause Fatal Stumbling
“But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, ‘Does this cause you to stumble?’”
D. (:62-63) Consider the Source
1. (:62) Son of Man Came from Heaven
“What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before?”
His Ascension would validate that He really did come from heaven and was at home there with His Father.
2. (:63) Spirit Gives Life
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”
E. (:64-65) Only the Chosen Few Will Truly Embrace Christ
1. (:64) Identity of the Non Elect Known from the Beginning
“’But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.”
We should never be surprised by the unbelieving reaction of the majority.
2. (:65) Privilege of the Chosen Few to be Drawn to Jesus by the Father
“And He was saying, ‘For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father.’”
II. (:66-71) HARD TRUTH WILL WINNOW OUT SOME FALSE DISCIPLES AND EVIL BETRAYERS
A. (:66) False Disciples Turn Away in Unbelief
“As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore.”
B. (:67-69) Despite Hard Truth, True Disciples Have No Recourse Other Than Christ
1. (:67) Commitment Question
“You do not want to go away also, do you?”
2. (:68-69) True Confession
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”
Stedman: If you have found Jesus to be like that, where else can you go? Who else can measure up to that? This is the testimony of those who walk with him and follow him. I have often said that the best definition of a Christian is ‘someone who cannot quit.’ I had a phone call once from a young man, a relatively new Christian who said to me, “I can’t make it. I can’t continue to be a Christian. It’s too hard. I blow it all the time. I’m going to hang it up.” I had heard that kind of thing before, so I said to him, “That’s a good idea. Why don’t you do that? I think you’re right. Hang it up.” There was a pause on the line, and then he said to me, “You know I can’t do that.” I said, “I know it. Of course you can’t. You can’t quit. Who can you go to? Where can you find answers and resources such as you have drawn on?” This is what Peter is saying to Jesus.
C. (:70-71) Reassuring Words of Grace Balanced with Sobering Word of Warning
1. (:70a) Reassuring Words of Grace – Personal Election
“Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve”
2. (:70b-71) Sobering Word of Warning for Evil Betrayer
“’and yet one of you is a devil?’ Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.”