Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

How do we access God’s plans for us? As we said yesterday, by faith. If we look at all the referenced scriptures we will read what His Word says. How to access the truth in those scriptures is a matter of faith.

Did those disciples that left Jesus in John 6:66 have faith? They certainly thought they did because they were Jews and had been taught that their faith was the true faith. So why did they leave Jesus?

John 6:65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

Many times what happens in scripture is explained in the preceding verse. Perhaps those that left Jesus did so because they realized they were not called by God the Father to believe in Jesus. Perhaps.

Let us clear up one issue before we judge these Jews who left Jesus. Jesus had not died on the cross and resurrected from the dead at this point in His ministry. That event was the game changer. We have no idea how many of these that left Him might have come to believe by faith after the Cross.

What does that have to do with lost sinners today?

We have no real way of predicting just what it will take for a lost soul to feel God has called them to believe. All we have are His Words and our faith.

By faith I believe that God the Father will capture every last lost soul who will accept Jesus by faith. That does not relieve me of the responsibility to activate God’s plan for my life to serve Him by faith, the same faith that saved me.

Faith does not do just one thing and is then done. It activates His plan, our future and our hope.

John 6:66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

No, not that other 666 but rather this one. To me the issue of 666 isn’t so much about identifying the man as much as understanding the reasons behind behaviors.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

What will cause the faithful to lose faith? If we can understand that important issue perhaps we might be able to avoid rebellion within ourselves. Maybe.

The first issue which should be addressed is the definition of disciple in John 6:66. They stopped following Jesus. Were they true disciples?

John 6:26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

Ask ourselves, why do we follow Jesus? That is a very personal question, one I cannot answer for you. I know why I do, but I will not say it is the only answer and that it must be yours also. That comment can be used to declare pride is at the heart of my thoughts. Withholding my reasons does not prove humility. It is wisdom that says search the scriptures for answers.

John 6 represents a series of issues, teachings and challenges associated with people who were raised in the Jewish faith. If we were not raised in that faith their reasoning might be lost on us, even if we think we understand. Stand outside another man’s house and look through the window and tell me that what you can see from the outside lets you understand what it means to live there. It does not.

Some of the principles may still apply even though we are not Jewish.

• John 6:54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
• John 6:56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.

For the Jew these comments are in opposition to everything they were taught. The other argument is this: “I don’t know how to do that!”

Do we believe by faith? Romans 3:22 Romans 4:5 2 Corinthians 4:13 Hebrews 11:6