“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” John 6:67.

This is a suitable text to end our studies on the questions the Saviour asked.

Boys and Girls, God’s people have ever been inclined to ‘go away’, to turn aside from faithfully following the Lord Jesus. I want to illustrate this today.

I. IT IS WHAT SIN PRODUCES.

“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden,” Genesis 3:8.

II. IT HAS HAPPENED TO THE BEST OF MEN.

ABRAHAM. “And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine [was] grievous in the land,” Gen 12:10.

DAVID. “And Nathan said to David, Thou [art] the man . . . And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD,” 2 Sam 12:7, 13.

ELIJAH. “He arose, and went for his life,” 1 Kings 19:3.

III. IT HAS HAPPENED IN THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

1. Here we have many disciples ‘going away’. They had seen and heard what no others had ever seen. “From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him,” John 6:66.

2. Even in apostolic times there was a ‘going away’. “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock,” Acts 20:29.

3. Jude reveals that a ‘going away’ was taking place in his day. “For there are certain men crept in unawares . . . ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ,” Jude 1:4.

4. The Saviour indicates a ‘going away’ in churches not very old. “Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love,” Rev 2:4.

IV. A ‘GOING AWAY’ WILL HAPPEN IN OUR DAY.

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils,” 1 Timothy 4:1. 

V. THE RIGHT ANSWER TO THE QUESTION.

“Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” John 6:68-69. May the Lord preserve you all from ‘going away’ from the Saviour and forsaking His truth.