Trey H. Little

Sermon Text:  John 6: 60-71

April 3, 201l (Lent 4)

Albany, Texas

“Life’s Big Question:  Does This Offend You?”

If you were here last Sunday then you know why I might seem a little timid in the pulpit today—Rev. Tim Brown is a tough act to follow.

I don’t know about you but I am thankful he loves Jesus and I am thankful he is proclaiming the word of God on a weekly basis.

Let me also say this, even though the “Weekend of Renewal” has come and gone—I hope the renewal within you continues.

Let’s continue our look at “Life’s Big Questions” as we turn to John 6: 60-71.

            If any of you have dogs than you may be able to relate to my frustration.  One of our dogs is named Shack.  Shack is part lab and part pointer—which simply means that he is a huge dog that is wired with enough energy to power the entire state of Texas.  However, the older Shack gets the more I notice that he is dialing it back just a little. 

            One of the things Shack enjoys is fetching—it is in his blood to retrieve.  The funny thing about Shack, though, is because he is part lab and part pointer, he doesn’t know if he should fetch it or just stand there and point at it.  But here is my frustration, when I throw the ball for him—or when he goes and fetches a dove in the field—the problem is not if he will fetch it—it is if he will drop it!  I can say over and over again “Drop it” and it’s like all of the sudden he can no longer hear.  It’s a little game I think dogs play with humans.  I think they secretly take over and under bets—like the pay off will be who gets to sleep on the cool porch in the summer heat—on how many times the human will say “drop it.”  Inevitably—if I finally reach my limit of “Drop it’s” and I turn to walk away—he drops it and gives me that look like, “Well, what’s the deal—are you going to throw it or not?”

            Are you and I much different than Shack?  I am sorry, I hope that didn’t offend you—but if we were honest with one another, we don’t know how to “Drop it” very well either.  Think about how many times we get anxious about situations in our life—what we will wear; what we will eat—all the while Jesus has said to us, “Drop it.  Don’t worry about those things.”  How about those times when we find ourselves holding on to anger toward another person—all the while Jesus has said, “Drop it.  Forgive your enemies as I have forgiven you.”  How about those times when we get offended when things don’t go our way—particularly in regards to the church—when our agendas aren’t being met—all the while Jesus has said, “Drop it.  Not my will but the will of the Father.” (The “Drop it” idea stems from a sermon I read by Leonard Sweet).

            Dropping it can be risky.  What if we don’t get the ball back?  What if someone else gets it and they don’t share?  What if they get a new ball—what if I don’t like that kind of ball—then what will I do?  Perhaps that is why Shack has such a hard time letting go of the ball—as much as he wants to play he still struggles with giving up control.

            Our text this morning invites us to consider whether are willing to “drop it” or if we will insist on things being just like we want them to be—and if they are any different or make us uncomfortable, then we are out.

            Verse 60 is a very telling verse.  It says, “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching.  Who can accept it?’”

            If you read the first 59 verses of John 6 then you will see that Jesus says things like, “The work of God is this:  to believe in the one he has sent.”  “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.”  He said, “I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”  “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.  This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”  And the one that I think sent some of the disciples over the edge was when He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”

            To put it simply, all this talk of consuming the body and blood of Jesus was difficult for some of the disciples to stomach.  His claims forced His followers to examine their real motives and the depth of their willingness to follow.

            The truth is—following Jesus is not easy.  In fact, it can be offensive.  Following Jesus means “dropping” everything. 

            But what so often happens, as it did in this text, is that when the going gets tough—some just get going.  When the teaching gets too tough to accept they just move on and say, “That teaching was not for me.”  Or, “I need to find a church where they really teach the word of God.”  Or, “My Jesus wouldn’t say that.”  Or, “What do they expect me to do, live a perfect life?  Don’t they know that I have a life??”

            Perhaps that explains “Life’s Big Question:  Does this offend you?”

            Friends, there are going to be times when we are going to be offended in the life of discipleship.  We will be offended by the Truth found in God’s word.   But I am convinced, it is not the Truth that offends—it is the conviction of the Truth that offends.  Let’s face it—none of us like to hear the word “No.”  None of us particularly like to hear some one tell us to “Drop it.”  It can be offensive when someone expects us to do things differently than what we want to do.

            So I wonder, are you offended by the Gospel?  Does the Good News that Jesus Christ has given His life for you offend you?  Let me tell you what, if it does not, then something is wrong. Is there anything more offensive than God sending His only Son to the Cross for a bunch of “grumbling, would be disciples?”  Is there anything more offensive than the picture of Jesus’ body hanging on a Cross or His blood being shed—all so people like you and I might be set free?  It should offend us to think that Jesus would do such a thing for us—but it should also offend us to think just how selfish we act to our Lord and to one another.  We have been saved by God’s grace—Oh YES, it should offend us—but not to the point that we want to turn back and no longer follow but instead to the point that it compels us to move closer to Him—closer to the One who bore all of our offensive stuff in order that we could have life.

            It was G.K. Chesterton who said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting.  It has been found difficult, and left untried.”

            Verse 66 says, “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”  I guess forgiveness, life, hope, promise, joy and love is simply not worth following.

            But don’t miss verse 67 where Jesus asked the Twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?”

            Reflect on that question for a moment—listen for the emotion in His words—imagine hearing Jesus saying that to you. 

            Some one once said, “There are three kinds of people.  There are people who make things happen.  There are people who watch things happen.  And there are people who say, “What happened?”

            Could it be that Jesus wants to know what kind of people we are? 

            Could it be that Jesus is saying, “If you are proud and self-righteous—Drop it! And humble yourself before me?”  Could it be that Jesus is saying, “If you are a control freak, Drop it! And let me be in control of your life?”  Could it be that Jesus is saying, “If you have fears or anxieties about following Me, Drop it! And believe I will never leave you nor forsake you?”  Could it be that Jesus is saying, “If you have an issue with a brother or sister in Christ—before you come to this Table, Drop it! And allow my grace and mercy to mend your brokenness?”  Could it be that when we feel offended—we should think more about Jesus than ourselves? 

Could it be that you are offended this morning?

Could it be that Jesus is saying “Drop it—at the foot of the Cross!”

            Life’s Big Question—Does it Offend You?  Life’s big challenge—getting over ourselves.  Life’s big mistake—turning back and no longer following Him.

            AMEN.