Facing unbelief

John Farley
Pastor Teacher
Sunday,
August 22, 2021

Facing unbelief

Joh 6:41-51

Jesus gave these people the most remarkable, joyful good news!

He repeats Himself over and over, because His words are rejected over and over.

There is this unnatural, unrelenting hostility toward everything Jesus says.

I found no indication that anyone in that audience believed in Him after hearing it!!

They hate Him without a cause.

When we preach the good news of Christ, we also meet up with unnatural resistance.

But often it’s like talking to a wall.

Grace abounding to the chief of sinners.

Chapter 8: Agonizing over the severity of his sin

“Thus I went on for many weeks, sometimes comforted and sometimes tormented;

“This Scripture did also most sweetly visit my soul,

‘And him that cometh into me, I will in no wise cast out’
(Joh 6:37).

Will a soul despair, finally, or rise in boundless praise?

Unbelief is real and we are faced with it all the time.

We should master how our Lord overcame these tactics of unbelief.

Joh 6:28

Unbelief makes it about the merits of people, not the grace of God.

Joh 6:29

Jesus addresses the real issue:
faith in Him.

Joh 6:30-31

Unbelief
is always asking for another sign.

Joh 6:32-33

Jesus makes the issue His Father, who gives the true bread that gives life to the world.

Joh 6:34

They misunderstand what Jesus is talking about.

Jesus senses an opening, and takes it.

Joh 6:35-40

Joh 6:41

Unbelief ignores the good news and fixates on the one thing that bothers them.

Joh 6:42

Unbelief gets personal, puts you down, makes your background the issue.

Joh 6:43-51

Jesus stays the course, ignoring their slights.

Don’t fall for the distractions.

Don’t let them change the subject.

Don’t chase them down a rabbit hole.

Stick to the simplicity of the gospel message. Hold your ground.

1Co 1:22-24