Join us this Sunday! In-Person 8:00am, 9:30am & 11:00am, Online 8:00am, 9:30am, 11:00am & 5:00pm

Join us this Sunday! In-Person 8:00am, 9:30am & 11:00am, Online 8:00am, 9:30am, 11:00am & 5:00pm

Join us at the next Sunday worship service:
In-Person
8:00am, 9:30am & 11:00am
Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

X

watch liveWATCH LIVE
calendarEVENTS
homeNORTHSTAR
@HOME
crossGIVE

WEEK 8 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

June 9, 2024

Follow: When you’re tempted to unfollow

Introduction:

Jesus invites everyone to follow Him. Being a sinner is a prerequisite. Having doubts is a prerequisite. That’s because we’re all sinners, and we all have doubts. Following Jesus results in overwhelming faith, but sometimes it can also be inconvenient, costly, and even embarrassing. It can cause us to miss opportunities, lose business, or stand out in the crowd when we’d rather fit in. Even Jesus’ earliest followers wrestled with this tension. But one of His disciples asked a question that put everything in perspective: “To whom shall I go?”

Bottom-Line:

Something To Talk About:

  • Jesus’ popularity reached its peak after He fed the 5,000. Huge crowds followed Him. Many were even clamoring to make Him king. After miraculously feeding them, Jesus turned to address the massive crowds. “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.” (John 6:53).
  • The crowds listened but were dumbstruck. What was Jesus talking about? Jesus’ words were bewildering. Did He want them to eat and drink His body and blood literally? In their mind, there had to be a less disturbing way of making His point. Unable to understand or accept His words, scripture tells us that many supporters exited stage left, muttering to themselves: “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it” (John 6:60).
  • Turning to His disciples, Jesus asked them: “Are you also going to leave?” Peter answered: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69).
  • There will be times in life when you may like leaving Jesus as the crowds did. Sometimes, you may feel tired of trying to understand and accept the hard teachings of scripture. Or you wonder if you are being naive to hold onto God’s promises that seem too good to be true. In those moments, you need to consider Peter’s words: “Lord, to whom would we go?” Peter’s answer is not a bold declaration of His commitment or allegiance. He does not deny wanting to follow the others out the door. He basically says Lord, I have nowhere else to go. There is wavering and confusion and uncertainty in His voice. But there is also faith.
  • It’s easy to take Christ for granted. We forget who He is and how much we need Him. We lose sight of the grace He has shown us. Sometimes it takes bluntly facing a reality without Him to see Him again with wonder and awe. Peter doesn’t stop with that question. He goes on to say, “You have the words that give eternal life.” Peter does not say he understands Jesus’ words, nor does he say that Jesus’ teachings are easy to accept. He’s saying, in effect, “I may not understand you now, but I’ve been around you long enough to know that no one speaks with the authority, wisdom, and beauty you do, so I will trust you because you are the holy One of God.”
  • Doubt can give us tunnel vision. But Peter’s words help us step back and remember the ultimate foundation for our faith. Where else would we go? 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why were some of the disciples having trouble with Jesus’s statements
  2. Jesus tried to clarify His remarks about His flesh and blood. Why do you think many disciples still left Him?
  3. The only place for the disciples to go was to Jesus. Agree or disagree and why? 
  4. Why have you decided to follow Jesus despite the “hard teachings?” What are some of the hard teachings of Jesus you have had to accept?
  5. Are people still refusing to follow Jesus because His teachings are too hard?
  6. Have you ever asked the question, “To whom would we go?”
  7. Why is it important to have this same mindset?
  8. When Peter answers, “You have the words of eternal life.” What is Peter proclaiming?
  9. Peter’s third statement is, “We have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.” In light of these passages, what is Peter saying that shows he has true faith?
  10. Is transition, trouble, or temptation currently getting in the way of your ability to follow Jesus?
  11. What particularly stood out to you from this sermon? Was anything significantly reassuring or challenging?

Take One Thing Home with You:

Peter’s question, “To whom shall we go?” was a statement. Peter was not asking Jesus to name someone else for the disciples to follow. Peter was saying that there was no one else. Only Jesus.  Nobody could replace Jesus for the disciples or us today. To name just a few things:

Jesus was their/our Teacher: As Peter said, “You have the words of life eternal” (John 6:68). Only Jesus was Christ the Son of God who has the gospel of eternal life. Jesus was their/our  Shepherd: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Who else could do that for the disciples or us? Jesus was their/our way: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus was their/our God: Thomas said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

To whom else shall we go?