MANY WENT BACK

Sunday Morning - September 1, 1996

Text: John 6:66-69 "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68. Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."

THEY DID NOT FINISH

John 6:66 "From that time many of his disciples went back [3694], and walked no more with him."

Luke 9:62 "And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

Hebrews 10:38-39 "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."

LOST FELLOWSHIP

1 John 1:6-7 "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

ARE YOU FAITHFUL NOW?

1 Corinthians 10:12 "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

DEMAS

Colossians 4:14 "Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you." At Rome

FELLOW LABORER

Philemon 1:23-24 "There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus; 24. Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers."

DEMAS DEPARTED

2 Timothy 4:10 "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia."

DAVID

Acts 13:22 "And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will."

DAVID SINNED

2 Samuel 11:2 "And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon."

2 Samuel 11:5 "And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child."

DAVID SINNED AGAIN

2 Samuel 11:15 "And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die."

THE LORD WAS DISPLEASED

2 Samuel 11:27 "And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD."

DAVID DESPISED THE COMMANDMENT

2 Samuel 12:9 "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon."

DAVID'S FIRST SIN

2 Samuel 11:1 "And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem."

DAVID REPENTED

2 Samuel 12:29 "And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it."

DAVID WON THE CROWN

2 Samuel 12:30 "And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance."

Hebrews 11:32 "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:"

JOHN MARK

Acts 12:12 "And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was

Mark; where many were gathered together praying."

Acts 12:25 "And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark."

Acts 13:5 "And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister."

Acts 13:13 "Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem."

Acts 15:37 "And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark."

Acts 15:39 "And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;"

2 Timothy 4:11 "Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry."

TURN AGAIN TO THE LORD

Lamentations 3:40-41 "Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. 41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens."

Ezekiel 18:21-23 "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?"

NOT WILL THAT WE PERISH

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."