## Why People Turn Their Backs

## John 6:66-67

Read: John 6:37-67

I would like to think that if I had lived in the day of Jesus and His disciples that I would have been a believer from the first moment that I met Jesus. But, I don't know if that would have been the case or not. It has been nearly thirty years since Pat and I first accepted Christ. That is a long time, and I know that there are some here today that have been walking with the Lord much longer than that. To God be the glory! It seems that the older I grow in Christ, the harder it is for me to understand how someone could turn their back upon Him. I understand that Satan, the god of this world, has blinded the minds of unbelievers to the light of the gospel. (2Co. 4:4) But it seems so clear to me that Jesus is the only hope for our lives. And yet people still turn their backs on Him. Sometimes, even people who claim to know Christ, turn their backs upon Him. That is an even harder thing for me to understand. We see it all the time. People who make a profession of faith, begin to walk with the Lord, some even involved in serving the Lord…and then one day, they turn around and walk away from the Lord and His church. How can this happen? What causes it? These are serious questions which are not easily answered. But I think we can find some indications from our passage this morning as to why people turn their backs on Jesus.

I. They Turn Their Backs: Because Of His Teaching.

A. His teaching was often misunderstood. v48-60

1. Jesus said, I am the bread of life. v48

2. He claimed to be the only way to eternal life

3. This was a hard thing for them to accept.

a. They had been trusting in their observance of the Law.

b. They were trusting in their traditional ways of worship.

c. Their fathers found. 'deliverance' from physical death by eating the manna.

d. Jesus said deliverance from eternal death can only come by eating of the living bread.

B. His teaching was often a divider of men. v61-65

1. He said, 'The flesh profiteth nothing'.

a. This was an offence to those Jews who were full of pride because they were Jews.

b. This was an offence to those who thought their works were sufficient.

2. He said, 'It is the spirit that quickeneth'.

a. Quicken means to make alive.

b. The words spoken are spirit.

c. They alone can give life.

3. From that time many of His followers (disciples) turned back and. followed no more.

C. His teachings today are why men turn their back upon Him.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Ro. 3:23

1. This is hard for many to accept.

2. We want to think we are pretty good.

3. We take pride in our accomplishments.

D. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jn. 3:3

1. Men want to think that this isn't really necessary.

2. Many would like to believe that they can live their lives the way they want and somehow God will understand.

3. Many believe God has a large balanced scale and places all the good on one side and the bad on the other.

E. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Re. 20:15

1. Many simply refuse to accept this.

2. They want to view only the gracious and, merciful side of God.

3. They can't believe that a loving God would send anyone to Hell -- but He doesn't!

4. They send themselves!

II. They Turn Their Backs: Because Of Their Love For The World.

A. Many turned their backs on Jesus because of love for this world's riches. Cf. Mark 10:17-22

1. The young man desired to have eternal life. v17

2. But when it came to choosing between eternal life and his riches, he turned away. v22

3. Jesus didn't say it was impossible, but rather it was hard, for those who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God. v24

4. He declares that with God all things are possible. v27

B. Many turn their backs upon Jesus because of their love of the world's pleasures.

1. Lot's family turned their back on God because of the pleasures of sin. Gen. 19

2. Demas forsook the ministry because of his love for the world. 2 Tim. 4:10

1Jn. 2:15 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

C. Many today turn their backs on Jesus because they don't want to give up what this world has to offer

1. Jesus said, 'What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" Mk. 8:36

2. Paul said that it was a sign of the last days, when men shall be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. 2 Tim. 3:4

3. Folks today often consider what it costs to be a Christian, but seldom consider what it costs not to be a Christian.

III. They Turn Their Backs: Because Of Procrastination.

A. Paul spoke in Athens on Mars Hill. Ac 17

Ac 17:30-32 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

1. Paul preached the gospel to them.

2. He declared to them their need to repent.

3. They put him off saying, "We will hear thee again of this matter."

B. Paul spoke before King Agrippa.

1. Paul gave his testimony.

2. Festus called Paul a madman.

3. King Agrippa told Paul, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."

4. Agrippa put it off till later, perhaps never.

C. Men today turn their backs on Jesus because they want to put it off until later.

1. They say one of these days, but not today, not yet.

2. Many have stood here as the invitation has been given to come and trust Christ…but they have said, 'Not now."

3. How presumptuous of us to think that we will have more opportunities to accept Jesus.

2 Cor. 6:2 "...now is the accepted times behold now is the day of salvation..."

Heb. 2:3, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation."

Why do men turn their backs on Christ? For many reasons. But as we have seen from this passage…

- They Turn Their Backs: Because Of His Teaching.
- They Turn Their Backs: Because Of Their Love For The World.
- They Turn Their Backs: Because Of Procrastination.

What about believers? Why do Christians quit…why do they give up on serving God? Again there are probably many reasons, but one that comes to mind is discouragement. The way of the Cross-isn't easy, Jesus continually warned His disciples of conflict and difficulty. Others perhaps lose their focus. The Word of God instructs us to keep our eyes on Christ.

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

As Jesus watched the crowds turn away from Him, He turned to His disciples and asked the penetrating question that each of us need to ask ourselves this morning. He said, 'Will ye also go away?'

If you have never accepted Christ as your Savior, He asks will you turn away again? Christian, He asks will you also go away? What will our answer be this morning?