QUESTIONS THAT TURNED BELIEVERS INTO UNBELIEVERS

INTRODUCTION--

1. Some people have shallow faith, and cannot meet the challenges of faith.
   
   1. Often Jesus found His disciples to have only a "little faith."
      
      1. Because of their anxieties. Matthew 6:30 "But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?"
         
      2. Because they did not put full trust in his commands (like Peter walking on the water). Matthew 14:31 "And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and took hold of him, and saith unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"
         
      3. Or, when they failed to use their healing powers fully. Matthew 17:20 "Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast it out? "And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
         
   2. Some lose their faith through trials. Mark 4:16-17 "....in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy; and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble."
      
2. In some who begin by believing, the faith cannot endure sound teaching.
   

LESSON--

1. After Jesus fed the 5000, some people sought him for a repeat performance.
   
   1. The first question was a whine--"Why did you leave us?" John 6:22-58 "On the morrow the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, save one, and that Jesus entered not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples went away alone 23 (howbeit there came boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks): 24 when the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?"
      
      1. They took a long journey across the lake to catch up with Jesus.
         
      2. One feeding wasn't enough for them.
         
   2. Jesus' answer provokes a second question. Vs. 26-28 "Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed. 28 They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God?"
      
   3. The third question shows a misconception of faith. Vs. 29-31 "Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 30 They said therefore unto him, What then doest thou for a sign, that we may see, and believe thee? what workest thou? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, He gave them bread out of heaven to eat."
      
      1. Faith is its own evidence. Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (KJV)."
         
      2. Believing does not need sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 "(for we walk by faith, not by sight);"
         
   4. The bread Jesus wanted to give them was not to their liking, and provoke doubting questions. Vs. 32-58 "Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, It was not Moses that gave you the bread out of heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread out of heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 They said therefore unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 Jesus said unto them. I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, that ye have seen me, and yet believe not. 37 All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 41 The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, I am the bread which came down out of heaven. 42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how doth he now say, I am come down out of heaven? 43 Jesus answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me. 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he that is from God, he hath seen the Father. 47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves. 54 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me. 58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven: not as the fathers ate, and died; he that eateth this bread shall live for ever."
      
      1. They could not discern the literal meaning from the figurative, but treated the figurative as literal.
         
      2. This lack of discernment turned them away from Jesus.
         

APPLICATION--

1. The flesh and blood of Jesus Christ are not to be eaten literally (like the Transubstantiation doctrine of Roman Catholicism). The meaning of his words that He gave his flesh and blood in sacrifice for our sins.
   
   1. Christ said it plainly in this passage. John 6:51 "I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world."
      
   2. Faith in the efficacy of His blood saves us from sin. Romans 3:24-25 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;"
      
   3. This flesh and blood signifies a privilege for the believer. Hebrews 10:19-25 "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 and having a great priest over the house of God; 22 let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water, 23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised: 24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh."
      
2. Questions can serve one of two purposes. They can solicit knowledge, or they can be germs of doubt that grow into infidelity.
   
3. Let our questions begin with the pre-disposition to hear, believe, and obey.