Believers, Unbelievers, & Betrayers (John 6:59-69)
Notes
Transcript
“Peace be with you.”
“Let’s Pray: Father may your will be done. Jesus may your word be proclaimed. Spirit may your work be accomplished in us we pray. Amen.”
I. Recap.
I. Recap.
Feeding of the 5000.
Jesus walks on water.
Crowds looking for Jesus.
Jesus calling out crowds for looking to him food.
Jesus declaring that he is the bread from Heaven.
Crowd grumbles about who Jesus claims to be.
Jesus calls out the crowd telling them they couldn’t believe unless the Father draws them.
Jesus moves to teach in the synagogue.
Jesus declares that He is the bread of life and all who want life need to eat his flesh and drink his blood.
Jews grumble at what Jesus says.
Jesus calls out Jews telling them they can’t understand unless the Father draws them and the Spirit gives them discernment.
Jesus words are a point of departure for the Apostates.
Jesus words and who He is the point of faith for the Apostles.
II. Believers, Unbelievers, & Betrayers.
II. Believers, Unbelievers, & Betrayers.
A. Unbelievers- v. 64a, 65, 66:
A. Unbelievers- v. 64a, 65, 66:
They don’t understand the things of the spirit. (v.63)
14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
This is why I don’t get bent out of shape if there are those who snooze or lose interest when preaching or teaching. It is not my job to police the affections of people’s hearts. It is only my job to proclaim the message, trusting in the Spirit to move in hearts as the Father draws.
Jesus identifies those who do not believe as those who have not yet been drawn by His Father. their following was not drawn by God. (v.65)
At some point, those who follow Christ will encounter a trial, challenge, or crisis that will test the genuiness of their faith.
The testing of your faith isn’t for Jesus (He knows already) but for you.(v.64) The test of faith is for you to know where you really stand with Jesus
5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?
6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
B. Believers v. 68-69
B. Believers v. 68-69
68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 “We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”
Word- Affirms their faith in What Jesus says.
Who- Affirms their faith in Who Jesus is.
Both are evidences that the Father has drawn them, and the Spirit has given them the ability to discern who Jesus truly is and believe what He declares by faith.
C. Betrayers (Apostates) v.64b, 70-71
C. Betrayers (Apostates) v.64b, 70-71
The impossibility of regain the faith.
4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.
Warnings of greater danger.
43 “Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. 44 “Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. 45 “Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”
All things are possible with God.
25 “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
Apostates are different than Christians who struggle in sin.
Apostates are different than those who have not possessed genuine faith.
Apostates are those who have believed and who depart from/desert Christ whom they have known.
III. Application
III. Application
Those who did not believe, did not believe who Jesus claimed to be and could not trust the words that He declared. This was their point of departure.
This is why it is not my job to judge the state of others faith, but to test it the way Jesus tested theirs by continuing to proclaim who He is and to continue to declare what He says. Confronting people with Jesus will expose the their a lack of faith or the presence of it.
Examine your own-self. Is there a point of departure that exist in your relationship with Christ?
Is there something that He could speak to you that you would not trust? Some task he would ask of you that you would refuse to do. Is there anything that could happen in your life that cause you to depart from Jesus? Is there something that Jesus has revealed to you about himself that you would be ashamed to tell others about Him?
Is there any trials or challenges in this life that you cause you to depart from faith? Could you echo the words of Job,
15 “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.
Would you grasp at Christ like Jacob who wrestling the Lord would not let him go though he was defeated until the Lord blessed him.
26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
The difference between a believer, unbeliever, and betrayer comes down to faith which is seen in their response:
The believer will be proved by their dedication.
The unbeliever will be proved by their departure.
The betrayer will be proved by their commitment to destroy.
If you find yourself concerned or questioning your loyalty to Christ, may I offer you an encouragement.
What seems impossible for you, is possible with Christ.
The faith required for to believe in Jesus only needs to be as small as a mustard seed, and one that a child can manifest.
Bruised Reed/Smoking Flax
The Need to Grow your Faith so it isn’t easily departed with.
So take courage, and trust in Christ who has proven to you that He is loving, Kind, and merciful, and gracious.
If He is the desire of your heart, you can ask him and he will given Himself to you.
It is not God who departs but it is only those who put limits to where and how they will follow Christ.