Dear Christian friends:

Often people begin to follow Jesus and then after a few months they stop. And we wonder, "What is wrong?" "Why do they stop coming to church?"

Here in our text we see that Jesus had the same trouble. When He first began to preach and teach and do wonderful works many many people followed Him and praised Him. But then they became displeased with Him as we read here in verse 66, "From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him."

In our text Jesus explains why these people stopped following Him. If we attend to this lesson it will also help us to understand why people today often stop following Jesus. Then we will not be surprised if we see that happen and we will not let that trouble us or tempt us to stop,too. Maybe you, also, often feel like giving up Jesus and pulling out.

So let us attend now to Jesus Word's here and receive strength to carry on unto the last.

I. They joined the church with the wrong idea, verse 63.

A. Jesus says "the flesh helps nothing"

B. Jews began to follow Him because He did miracles. Gave them bread and fish. (explain about the 5 loaves and 2 small fish)

They wanted to make Him King so they could get free bread and fish and have an easy life. Jesus told them, "Don't labor for bread that perishes, but for labor to get the bread from heaven."

Then they said Moses gave us bread from heaven, manna in the desert. Jesus said, "That's only bread for your body; that's not true bread from heaven. But My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Jesus meant Himself, but they still misunderstood and thought that He will give them magic bread for the body, like Moses did.

Then Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. I came down from heaven to do the Father's will. He wants all to be sorry about their sins and believe in Me. And I will make them rise again on the last day." When the Jews heard this many of them became displeased and began to leave.

So it is today: People join church because they want bread and fish. Today many come to eat chicken. They are not eager to get the true bread, God's word that offers sin-forgiveness and life everlasting or the Lord's Supper. They think chicken, fish and bread are more precious then preaching and the Lord's Supper.

So when they see the minister tell them, "don't be eager for worldly things and eating, but be eager for Jesus' Word for Bible Class and spiritual things and work, they stop coming and complain.

So let us listen to Jesus' warning here: "Don't seek to satisfy bodily desires that helps nothing to save you."

Then Jesus showed a second reason why people stopped following Him or quit the church. Only the Holy Spirit can make a man believe in Him (Jesus). When Jesus told them, "I am the bread which came down from heaven; they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it therefore that he saith, I came down from heaven." (verses 41-42) They couldn't believe that Jesus was the Son of God who came from heaven and was also the Son of Mary, true God and true Man. They listened to their own heart and reason and thought Jesus teaches strange and crazy things.

Then Jesus told them, "No man can come to Me except the Father which hath sent Me draw him." Only God's Holy Spirit can pull a man from stubborn doubt to humble faith and obedience. Jesus says in our text, "it is the Spirit that quickeneth." Then He told them how the Spirit pulls a man to God, by His Words, "the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life."

Before Jesus had spoken strong words to them: "Your fathers ate manna bread in the desert and are dead; but He that eats My bread shall live forever." (verse 58)

So today, If a man only wants to eat chicken, fish and bread he is dead and will stay dead and will stay dead separated from God forever. But if he hears Jesus' Words and doesn't doubt that, then God's Holy Spirit will give him faith and life and joy in Jesus and although we die, he will continue to live forever and ever.

Today after the chicken dinner we have a program to help you improve in daily attendance to Jesus Words. I hope that you will be more eager for the lecture program and skits than for the chicken. The chicken dinner is not why we want you here, but for the program. We are not trying to make a profit on you by that dinner, but we want time to help you get Jesus' Words daily in your homes. May God help us all to wake up and see the point!

Amen.