When the Going Gets Tough - a podcast by Lewis Marsh

The Gospel of John 1-7

Pt. 7: When the Going Gets Tough…John 6:54-69

By Louie Marsh, 5-30-2021

 

 Intro – next series and 4 cartoons.

 

1) Jesus deliberately CHALLENGES my faith.

 

56  Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57  As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58  This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59  Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum. 60  When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” John 6:56-60 (ESV)

 

• To REFOCUS me on Christ.

 

47  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. John 6:47 (ESV)

 

• So I’ll CONFRONT my sins & problems.

 

11  Ephraim was a trained calf that loved to thresh, and I spared her fair neck; but I will put Ephraim to the yoke; Judah must plow; Jacob must harrow for himself. 12  Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. Hosea 10:11-12 (ESV)

 

2) Tough times prepare us for the TOUGHER TIMES ahead!

 

61  But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62  Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64  But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) John 6:61-64 (ESV)

 

3)    Tough times SEPARATE the surface from the serious disciple.

 

66  After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. John 6:66 (ESV)  

 

• They also REVEAL the heart of Jesus to me.

 

67  So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” John 6:67 (ESV)  

 

4) How should I respond to tough times?

 

• Reaffirm my commitment to CHRIST.

 

68  Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69  and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:68-69 (ESV)  

 

• Ask God to help me SEE what’s really going on.

 

15  When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16  He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17  Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17 (ESV)

 

Tough Times Prayer: “Lord open my eyes to see You in my life.”

 

• Look carefully for where Jesus is HIDDEN in my life.

 

As they sat down to eat, he took a small loaf of bread, asked God's blessing on it, broke it, then gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! They said to each other, "Didn't our hearts feel strangely warm as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?" Luke 24:30-32 (NLT)

 

8  “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him; 9  on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him. 10  But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. Job 23:8-10 (ESV)

 

• Choose to keep going & MOVE THROUGH the pain.

 

70  Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71  He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him. 1  After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. John 6:70 – 7:1 (ESV)

 

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