Do You Also Want to Leave?

“Do you also want to leave?” – John 6:67

Satan is a master of interruptions.  Have you ever noticed how when you’re with some friends in a circle and you are about ready to pray that there will come some sort of distraction – loud music from a nearby car, airplanes flying over, cell phones ringing, sirens from an emergency vehicle passing by, etc?  I cannot count the number of times I see this occurring. In fact, I have gotten to the place where I simply assume its going to happen and readily accept it.

Satan uses distractions – of all sorts!

A child riding in his mother’s shopping cart grabs a pack of gum when she’s busy paying the cashier. A young woman has maxed out her credit card, but decides to buy just "one more thing." In the quiet of his home, though he’s promised both himself and his wife he would stop, a middle-aged man powers on a computer holding images that will harm his relationships.

Tempted—driven by our feelings—we reach for that which shouts and grabs our attention. Distractions can be both positive and negative. When the devil uses such, it most surely is negative.

As a pastor, one such distraction that I come across often is the distraction of people leaving church, or a small group, or a ministry within the church, many of whom never say goodbye! Some, because their needs are not met the way they desire them to be, just pull up anchor and head off in a different direction.

Leaving is a part of life to be sure. We all leave, whether it's our jobs, our homes where once we have grown up in, our ministry because God has called us to something else, we all leave. Such leaving in these situations can be quite positive. But when people leave negatively as sort of a protest of what they don’t like, then the leadership must be able to handle such distractions – because leaving can very easily be turned into a distraction.

Jesus had scores of followers (disciples) following Him in John 6. How many disciples did Jesus have? John 6:60 says, “Many.” How much is “many?” “Many” is many!

Most ministries would be floored and overjoyed with the number of followers. To have “many” people in church, or “many” people part of a church ministry, or “many” people sitting in class listening to your teaching would certainly be a blessing! 

But right when things start to go well, something happens. Jesus began to push for commitment, sacrifice, self-denial and authenticity. What was the result? Verse 66: “Many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.”

Now at that point, here is what I would have done. I would have gone to my leadership committee and say, “Folks, what did we do wrong? How can we close the back door and keep people from leaving? Tell me more about those who left and what were their complaints.”

But Jesus did not do any of that. Instead, you know what He did? He said to those who were still following Him: “Do you also want to leave” (v. 67)?

You see, those leaving could have proposed a distraction to Jesus and His ministry. But instead of focusing on those leaving, He focused on those who remained. To focus on those leaving would constitute a distraction. To focus on those who remained would constitute a new beginning.

And those who remained had their moment to shine. Peter faced with Jesus’ words about leaving, said boldly, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (v. 68).

I don’t think it is right to put the spot light on those leaving. Instead, place it on those who have chosen to recommit themselves and stick it out and plug away in order to make a positive difference.

In the end, Jesus was faced with two huge blessings. He was blessed by those who left because of the potential troubles that could arise if they remain; and second, He was blessed by those who remained, because they had the heart and determination He had been looking and praying for.