Lenten “In and Out” Series — Part 2: Doubt, Defection, and Decisions
- SNE.BCNA
- Mar 8
- 3 min read
John Chapter 6 (March 1, 2026)
This morning, we continue our Lenten series, “In and Out.” In this series, we are studying moments in the New Testament when people were all in for Jesus… and then decided to get out.
Last week, we looked at John the Baptist sitting in prison, wrestling with doubt. We learned this powerful principle:
Blessed are those who still believe even when their circumstances (when all the pieces are not there) tell them not to believe.
Today, we move from one man in a prison cell… to thousands in a crowd.
And we will see something sobering:
One day, they were all in. The next day… they were all out.
The Reality of Doubt
Maybe you’ve had those moments.
Is all this Jesus stuff real?
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Why does God answer some prayers and stay silent on others?
If I struggle with belief, does that mean I’m not saved?
If Jesus is real, why don’t Christians act better?
What do I do when everyone around me seems all in… but I’m all out?
If you’re in a season of doubt and feeling out, hear this clearly:
You are not in uncharted territory. You are walking in the footprints of saints who wrestled before you.
Why They Followed Jesus
In John 6, Jesus crosses the Sea of Tiberias. Verse 2 tells us:
“Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.”
Why were they following Him?
They were drawn to the miracles rather than the message.
The works rather than the worship.
The signs rather than the Savior.
The possibility rather than the promise.
If we mix up why we follow Jesus, we set ourselves up for a shaky faith instead of an unshakeable one.
When faith is built on benefits rather than belief, it won’t last.
The Feeding of the 5,000 — They Are ALL IN
Jesus sees that the crowd is hungry. Andrew finds a boy with five barley loaves and two fish. Jesus blesses it.
He feeds 5,000 men, plus women and children.
They gather 12 baskets of leftovers.
And the crowd declares:
“This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” (John 6:14)
They are ALL IN.
Let’s be honest — how easy would it be to follow Jesus if He healed every sickness and put food on your table daily?
Free buffet. Unlimited leftovers. Who wouldn’t follow?
The Turning Point
The next day, the crowd chases Him to Capernaum.
They’re expecting breakfast.
Instead, Jesus confronts them:
“You’re following me because I fed you.”
He redirects them:
“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Then he makes bold claims:
“I am the Bread of Life.”
“He who comes to Me shall never hunger.”
And then comes one of the most difficult statements in Scripture:
“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6:53)
To them, it sounded outrageous. Offensive. Extreme.
And doubt began to rise.
When Blessings Are the Goal
Here’s the truth:
When you chase the blessing rather than the Blesser, you will give birth to doubt almost every time.
They followed Jesus to get something from Him, not to give their lives to Him.
And then comes one of the saddest verses in the Bible:
“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” (John 6:66)
What Leads to Defection?
Hurt
Unanswered prayer
Grief
Pain
Suffering
Abuse
Disappointment
But here’s the counterweight:
The greatest weapon against defection is affection for Him.
Affection sustains what attraction cannot.
Decision Time
Jesus turns to the twelve and asks:
“Do you also want to go away?”
That’s the question today.
Peter responds:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”“We have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:69)
What’s the alternative?
What religion offers forgiveness of sin and eternal life by grace alone?
There is nowhere else to go.
Our Modern Struggles
We may not struggle with the “flesh and blood” metaphor today, but we struggle with:
Forgiving those who hurt us
Giving generously
Fear
Loving difficult people
Staying committed in marriage
Living holy
Reconciling with others
Letting go of wealth
Trusting God through suffering
And yet Jesus says, “Follow Me.”
Real Faith
Here is the defining truth:
Real faith is proven not when the crowds are cheering… but when the crowds are leaving.
So today, the question stands:
Are you all in… or all out?
And if you walk away… where else is there to go?
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