Our Sermons

Bible Passage: John 6:66-68
Pastor: Pastor Scott Schwertzfeger
Sermon Date:  March 18, 2020

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John Maxwell has written over 70 books. If you are into leadership, especially Christian leadership, you’ve probably come across his name. I’ve read a few books and listened to a few podcasts. It isn’t the gospel, but it gives a little something for the mind to chew on. In one podcast, he was talking about hiring
CEOs for companies that belong to him. The hardest question he asks is this: “Would you be willing to make a decision that would tank your own career, but is in the best interest of the company?” Because there will be times when that very thing comes up. He tells them up front – if you aren’t willing to do it, walk out the door.

Jesus is our Warrior. When we come to our Warrior in the text, he has a lot of people following him. An army of followers. But it isn’t for what you would think it’d be. It certainly isn’t what Jesus wants them to be following him for. Some believe that Jesus will bring them dinner every day. The day before Jesus feed well over 5,000 people with five small barley loaves and two small fish. In fact, after he feed them, they had twelve baskets of leftovers. They ended up with more than what they started with. They believed Jesus would do this again and again – and that is why they followed him. Jesus was able to heal people, some on the very verge of death – like an official’s son! Or another time a man who was bed-ridden for 38 years was healed by Jesus as Jesus told him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:8). The man did. Jesus heals. Many people believed that Jesus would heal them of any and all illnesses – so they better stay close to him. The Walgreens pharmacy and UW hospital can’t come close to the things Jesus can do. And too, what an emotional real-life episode before their very eyes – it was something to see, entertainment. America’s Got Talent is no show compared to the miracles Jesus could do before their eyes. That is why Herod wants to see Jesus during holy week! They, Herod included, believed Jesus would do miracle after miracle – and that is why they followed him. The Messiah would bring freedom! So many people looked to Jesus as the political messiah who would lead armies against the hated Romans. Even when Jesus was in custody by Pontius Pilate the day of his crucifixion, there were people waiting for Jesus to rise up and lead them to kick those Romans out of Jerusalem. It would be the start of a new independent nation of Israel with Jesus on an earthly throne.
They believed Jesus had come to set them free…from Imperial Roman rule – and that is why they followed him.

Why do you follow Jesus? What is it that attracts you to him? There can be so many reasons. Some of them are just not right. Just as much as the devil and the sinful nature push a person away from Jesus with rash words, “I don’t need saving.” So another devil comes along and tries to push us towards Jesus for all the wrong reasons. And in our text, hundreds to thousands were following Jesus for all the wrong reasons.

Jesus isn’t the guarantee of Filet O Fish on someone else’s tab. Jesus isn’t free healthcare where nothing goes wrong and everyone gets better – even in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. Jesus isn’t freedom from political ideology that you don’t like – even in an election year. Jesus can do all of that, but
that isn’t why he came. He is more than that. People wanted Jesus to settle for fame and fortune of the here and now – instead of being the King of kings, the Warrior who doesn’t make peace with the sinful nature, with death, with the devil. Yet Jesus is the Warrior who goes to battle against them, slays them, and defeats them. His victory is our victory through faith. It means salvation and eternal life. It means a life with the heavenly Father now and all eternity. It means life – real life, the life God designed for who we are to be: children of God, his chosen people to shine the gospel in this dark world. Sins removed and the righteousness of God dwelling in you by faith…That is why he came. Jesus won’t settle for less. Don’t you either.

Many rejected him. Many walked away. It looks like the Jesus movement is done for. From an earthly point of view, it looks like he just tanked his career – and it wouldn’t be the last time either. But Jesus didn’t come for fame and fortune – for the here and now. Jesus came to serve and to become
salvation for those who believe in him. When they walk away, Jesus looks to the twelve, “You don’t want to leave too, do you?” (67). It gets down to this, “Why do you follow Jesus?” If it is for wrong stuff – if it is for stuff – you are following him for the wrong reason. Jesus might just have it fail in your presence so that you follow do him for the all the right reasons. When you walk in the footsteps of Old Testament Job, will you follow Jesus, even then?

May the Holy Spirit convict us of following Jesus for all the wrong reasons when we have done so. May we repent of walking away from Jesus when he doesn’t match up to imagined earthly pathways of success, fame and fortune we wanted him to be – in our own minds. And in Christ we are forgiven. Now the Holy Spirit leads us to see Jesus as Job see Jesus, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me” (Job 19:25-27). May the Holy Spirit lead us to see Jesus as Simon Peter sees Jesus – as our Warrior who wins, who has the spoils of war, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (68).

So we go to the words of Jesus for eternal life. We are challenged every day to hold tightly onto God’s Word, read it, hear it, learn it so that we become wise for salvation, being reminded of why he came in the first place – and to see him in that light. Jesus is our Warrior, our Redeemer who saves.

Amen.