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John chapter 6 marks a turning point in the ministry of Jesus Christ. Up to this point He had been popular as the miracle working prophet who had stirred up the people's hope that "this might be the Messiah." But towards the end of His second year of ministry, Jesus began to teach harder and more direct. Christianity today tends to present Jesus Christ as a soft-spoken, loving man who would never raise His voice or hand and never do anything that would possibly offend any frail soul. Add that to the artist's false conception of our Savior as a "weakling" without any sternness or demands and you have the Jesus Christ preached and believed on by millions.

I believe that Jesus Christ was the perfect man and that He was gentle and forgiving and merciful and the fact that you and I are here tonight prove all of that. But I want you to know that Jesus Christ was also no wimp or coward. He refused to back down from those who came against truth. He was merciful to the adulterous lady who was victim of the Pharisee's politics, but He also TWICE pulled off His belt and physically drove the money changers from the temple. They were taking advantage of the demands of the law to sacrifice animals by selling animals at a high cost. Jesus had no problem forcefully beating them out of the temple if it helped the sincere worshippers!

I want you to realize that if Jesus would have come to earth today for the first time, most Christians would hardly have recognized Him from His preaching and teaching. His simple appearance and lack of materialism would be a far cry from the money-hungry, rolex-wearing, painted and decked out television evangelists and their wives. Jesus preached about the flames of hell more than any other subject including heaven. He went against every "normal" criteria of the day. I read the other day where someone said that "a harsh truth is better than a soft lie." Jesus taught truth -- pure and simple, and if it was harsh, so be it.

And so it was in John chapter 6, at the end of His second year of ministry, that Jesus suddenly began to teach that men would have to "eat His flesh, and drink His blood" in order to be saved. It sounded like cannibalism to the natural ears and the scriptures record that "many disciples walked away." I never find one person being offended at Jesus' miracles, but many were because of the directness of His teaching. The other disciples told Him in the scripture that we read as our text "this is a hard saying." Jesus went on to tell them that He was not talking in the physical sense but in the spiritual. This saying is not hard for you and I today. We understand that unless we properly apply the blood of Jesus Christ and apply the "bread from heaven" the Word of God to our lives and properly digest it, we will be lost. But to those disciples who really had no understanding that Jesus was going to die and fulfill the law, who could not even imagine Pentecost and the Holy Ghost, it seemed like crazy teaching. To them it really was "a hard statement."

The point that I am trying to make is, even though it was not obvious at first hearing, there were deep truths within the "hard teachings" of Jesus Christ. We don't consider John 6 to be hard anymore because we are looking backwards from Grace of which He spoke. Instead I want to focus on some of the other teachings of Jesus which people today would consider "hard," "extreme," or "harsh." In most churches, these scriptures are not the most popular nor the most preached. Yet within them, there is great truth for our lives today. Jesus was never mean; when He was direct or "hard" it was for good reason. The things in scripture that "offend you" are probably the areas that you need to study and implement.

To me, the hardest sayings of Jesus Christ are found in two passages of scripture: Luke 9 and Matthew 10. Incidentally, both of these were taught after the "hard sayings" of John 6. They were delivered by Jesus as the time grew close to Calvary and when the time of His earthly ministry was winding up.

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Let's begin with Luke 9. Jesus was walking to Jerusalem and it is recorded that three "would be" followers approached Him about becoming disciples and workers for His kingdom.

The first said "I'll follow you wherever you go," to which Jesus replied that He didn't even have a place to lay His head. That's not really a hard saying, because Jesus was simply pointing out to him that following the Messiah might not always be comfortable or materially promising but it might have appeared hard to the disciple. "Here I am volunteering my services and Jesus starts pointing out the negatives of serving God!"

Perhaps the person viewed being a disciple of Jesus as "easy street" because of the miracles that Jesus had performed. Perhaps the person was thinking "with Jesus around, I'll never be sick, nor have to worry about anybody beating me up, or ever had bad situations." Jesus was quick to point out the realistic cost of that anointing of miracles. What He was saying was: for every gift and anointing there is a cost.

I remember one time Bro. Rex Johnson, who pastors in Austin, had a young man come up to him after he had preached a tremendous message on being happy in God no matter what comes your way. The young man told him that he wanted to be anointed and able to preach and be happy as Bro. Johnson had been and asked what it took to get such anointing. Bro. Johnson sat down and explained how that his wife and two daughters were killed in a car wreck and detailed one of the most difficult times of his life. He had preached his message with such conviction and power because it was more than just a good sermon. He had learned the lessons through trusting God in one of the most difficult times that anyone could go through.

Sometimes we pray for anointings and the answer is for God to let everything fall apart! Then we ask God to deliver us from the trial when really the trial was sent to teach us what we need for the anointing that we want. We need to go forward in God, but we need to be realistic about the cost. You will never reach a place where all is ease in your walk with God because if you do, then there is no reason to have to trust Him! By the same token, if you are going through a difficult trial, remember that it is preparing you to trust God more so that He can trust you with a greater blessing and anointing!

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The next person who approached Jesus received what I would call a "hard saying:"

"Let the dead bury their dead!" That's pretty direct and blunt. I've often wondered if this person followed Jesus Christ after such a statement. The scriptures do not tell us. There are basically two possibilities as to why the would-be disciple said what he did: 1). His father was not yet dead but older and so perhaps he desired to spend the last few years of his father's life with the one that had raised him. 2.) His father had recently died and a few days were needed for burial. Most likely it was the first case, as it was the custom of the Jews to bury a person the same day of their death (there are many examples of scripture including Jesus, Himself). So it is very likely that the man's father was older and he wanted to wait a little while before answering the call of Jesus. Jesus' harshness of speech was to impress upon the man and us the importance of "immediate obedience."

Stalling and delay is one of the greatest enemies to people doing something for God. "I'll wait until next year." "One of these days I'm going to step out and do that." "I'm waiting for the right timing in God." There are some things that we must be patient upon, like specific directions for our lives, but there are some things that are always the will of God today. "Today" is the day of salvation. Right now is the right moment to act on faith and get baptized or to ask God for the Holy Ghost. It is always the will of God for us to win someone else to God or to learn more about His Word. It is always the right time to pray and worship; to sell out completely to God.

More to the point: it is ALWAYS time to obey! If God's Word says something, then it is time to obey it right now. Some people want to "work up to complete obedience" but if you don't obey what you know to do right now, you never will. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. And no matter what your intentions are, disobedience is disobedience.

You see Jesus cares less about lip service and what we say we are going to do and more about what we actually do. The young man verbally accepted the call of the Lord, but his delay showed a lack of faith and unwillingness to submit himself completely to Jesus Christ. I've heard people say "I believe, but I'm not ready." Don't kid yourself, you really don't believe. If you believe, then now is the time to act because faith without works is dead. If you say you believe in Jesus Christ's Words, and yet are always delaying obeying them, then you really do not believe, your delay proves that!

People come up with the greatest sounding excuses to put off immediate obedience. More often or not, they will use family as excuse. "My family is different than yours preacher, therefore I cannot completely obey and be faithful to God like you teach." Oh? What would Jesus say to that? What you are basically saying is the same excuse used by this young man. You are allowing the spiritually dead to affect your life. You are saying "I want to completely obey God, but my sinful family / husband / wife / relative / sibling / whatever is causing me to have to delay submission." To which Jesus would reply "let the dead bury the dead."

Immediate obedience to the kingdom of God is more important than any excuse that you can give. Jesus taught a parable where a king invited his friends to a feast and they gave the lamest excuses: new job, new land, just married. How often have I heard excuses on the same sort for why someone wasn't more involved or why they did not give more time to the things of God? You don't get good to get God, you get God to get good. The way to come to God is to immediately obey everything that you are commanded. It's not that hard, but it involves a choice.

Let the dead bury the dead. Too many people are living today according to something that happened yesterday. They respond to people today because of the hurts that they received years before. Jesus died so that you could have healing from the past. He made a way that your old man could be buried in water baptism. If that is so, and you are still using things that happened "way back when" as an excuse as to why you can't be completely committed or faithful or obedient, then you are holding on to things that are dead. Let the dead bury the dead. It's time to realize that today is the day that the Lord hath made and I will rejoice and be glad in it! Stop living in the past. If you don't it will kill your future!

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The next person who came to Jesus also received a hard saying:

The word "fit" here means "useful." This man wanted to follow Jesus but take time out and first go home to tell his family goodbye. Jesus told him "no man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is useful for the kingdom of God." A man who is plowing must keep looking intently forward, or the furrow will swerve. The moment a man looks back, is the moment that the harvest field is marred. What Jesus was saying is that if you decide to give your life to God, then you must sell out completely. Understand what you are doing. It will do you no good to follow Jesus for a few months and then turn back, for you will hurt the harvest in the field in which you labor. If you are going to follow Jesus, you must be willing to completely devote your life, no matter what may happen, to His call and will!

Another familiar story is when the rich young ruler came running to Jesus. They young man had "kept the commandments from his youth" and had done everything required by law. But Jesus told him "one thing that thou lackest, sell all that you have and give it to the poor, come follow me, and you will have treasure in heaven." The scripture records that the young man went away sorrowful because he had much riches.

Jesus' words sound hard doesn't it? But realize for a young man to be rich in those days meant that he had inherited it. He was trusting in something that hadn't cost him anything. Jesus told him "my kingdom will cost you everything." "If you are not going to sell out completely to me, then don't bother!" That's a hard saying, but it is truth. If you are going to serve Jesus, then do it with all of your heart. If you are going to go to church, then go as often as the doors are open. If you are going to pray, then pray until something happens. If you are going to witness, then get radical with your testimony. Sell out completely to Him.

I don't understand people who backslide because it shows that something else was more important than Jesus Christ in their life. But I have more respect for those who backslide and leave the church, than those who sit on pews, convince themselves that they are religious and yet refuse to sell out completely to God! Hear the hard saying of Jesus Christ that is truth: You are only useful to Him if you will sell out everything! Lose the excuses and the delay. Lose the undecisiveness.

One of the most potent scriptures on the subject is a short one:

Lot's wife is infamous because she turned back during the time of her salvation. God was destroying the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and yet she did not want to leave her sinful lifestyle. She left only at the forcefulness of her husband and the angels that God sent. They told her, "whatever you do, don't look back." She did, and she was turned into a pillar of salt.

When you commit something to God, don't take it back. When you step to a new level in God, don't think about turning around. When you take a new step in faith, you must do so with the attitude that you will never return to the level that you once were. Be careful of glorifying the past. Be careful of "reliving" the old days. Don't even let yourself stop to think about "what if I had..." If you've made your decision to live for God then do it. Don't look back indecisively, it will only bring tragedy!

We need to get the attitude of the author of Hebrews:

Only totally committed people are truly useful or "fit" for God!

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The other two hard sayings of Jesus are found in Matthew chapter 10:

"I came not to bring peace but a sword." That's a hard saying of Jesus Christ that is not preached much today! Jesus is the prince of peace, but He is also the prince of righteousness. This world stands for everything that is unholy, therefore Jesus Christ and His people will never be at peace with this world until the Millennial Reign when Satan is bound.

Serving Jesus will bring peace in some areas of your life. It will bring peace to your soul and your spirit. The Holy Ghost will bring a peace that "passeth all understanding" which will help you to be calm in the worst of situations. But there are some areas of your life which you will never have peace. Jesus pointed out that your unbelieving family will continually be a trouble spot. The problem is not God, but their sinful lifestyle that is at odds with God's truth. I heard a preacher say one time: "Jesus has promised His children two things: that you will be crazily happy, and that you will be severely persecuted!" Most often that persecution comes from our own unsaved loved ones. It was precisely that way in Jesus Christ's own life when He tried to return to Nazareth.

Why are people so surprised when family members are vindictive towards your life with God? Jesus predicted that it would happen. Paul told Timothy to "instruct those that oppose themselves." Those that oppose you for coming to a "holy roller" church really are not against you, but against themselves. Their life would be so much better with Jesus on board. Remember that and don't let it become personal. When they give you grief over spiritual issues, they are really detrimentally hurting themselves from being blessed.

Occasionally, I have someone come to me and say "I just don't think that I can do it because of my family's persecution." What would Jesus say to that? Well, read it:

When you use your father, mother, son, or daughter as an excuse as to why you cannot completely sell out to Jesus Christ, you are in effect telling Him: "I love them more than you, Jesus." Jesus said "if you are going to be that way, then you aren't worthy of me!"

The real issue is that when people use family as an excuse to not sell out, there is always more to the story. I know a lady who is in her 50s now that got the Holy Ghost and baptized in Jesus' name as a 15 year old girl and her parents forbade her to go to church or have any contact with the church after they found out. She said everyday of her life, she would pray and read her Bible and ask God to keep her until she could get out and serve Him. It was over 4 years later before she was out on her own and could attend church. And now over 30 years later, she's still there every time the doors are open. Her mother and father are still not in church. Neither is her brothers and sisters, but she is living for God. The last time I talked with her, she was excited because after three decades, she was teaching her sister a Bible Study and her and another lady have been knocking doors every other Saturday offering Home Bible Studies to people. Don't tell me that you cannot make it with adverse family conditions. There are a lot of people who will stand in judgment beside that lady and their excuse is going to seem lame.

Jesus knew what it was like: not one of his brothers or sisters believed in Him during His earthly ministry. Joseph, his supposed earthly father went to his grave with doubts. No matter what the opposition, if you want to sell out to God, there is no force on earth or elsewhere that can stop you. But if you want to find and excuse to walk away, there is no force that can keep you. Simply put if the love of Jesus Christ cannot impress upon you the importance of being faithful to Him, then nothing will!

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I've saved the final "hard" statement of Jesus for last on purpose:

Luke's version reads thus:

Hear the hard words of Jesus? You must deny yourself and take up your cross daily. DAILY there are two things that you must do:

One definition that I found for the Greek here for deny was "to act completely unlike yourself." Each of us is different but all of us will have to lay down some personality traits in order to be what God wants us to be. This is not a popular saying to "deny yourself." In fact, it goes against our very nature which ought to be proof enough that it is truth.

Listen to the voice of someone that has NOT denied themselves:

But the hard saying of Jesus is: "If you are going to follow me, deny yourself, act completely unlike yourself, get beyond all of those excuses!"

And the second part was to:

An older minister was approached by a young believer that said "the scriptures talk a lot about "being crucified with Christ and taking up your cross." "What does it mean to be crucified?" The older minister replied "To be crucified means three things: 1.) The man on the cross is facing only one direction; 2.) He is not going back; and 3.) He has no further plans of his own." And might I add one more: 4.) It took somebody else to drive the last nail to get him there.

Are you crucified? Have you really taken up your cross? That command really sums up everything that Jesus was teaching in His "hard sayings." Get your eyes forward in God and don't turn around, sell out completely to your new future, let the will of God become your future, and don't be surprised if you have to endure a little persecution on the way.

Remember: the hardest statements of Jesus are to get you through this life trusting Him completely. They may sound hard right now, but if you obey them, you will find that streets of gold and eternal life will be your eternal reward. That will make anything that we go through here but temporary! It WILL be worth it all one day!

Thank you Jesus for giving us the harsh truth rather than a soft lie. They may be "hard sayings" but they will get us from earth to glory one day! Thank God for the hard sayings of His Word!