The Gospel of John - What is Saving Trust/Faith - PT 1 Trust Required

GREET EVERYONE-

Good Morning Loved Ones

If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Him as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.

Our Vision:

We Desire see every follower of Jesus well equipped and fully deployed on the mission of Jesus.

What mission? - This questions leads us to articulate His mission for His church in a simple way.

Our Mission:

Is to engage people into a multiplying relationship with Jesus!

BABY BOTTLES

LETS GRAB OUR BIBLES IF YOU HAVE ONE AND

Open it to the Gospel of John - Chapter 6 as we we begin a new series in our verse by verse walk through the Gospel of John, A Series that Answers an enormous question that everyone most ask “What is Saving Faith?”

And as we might or might not know - in the original language of the New Testament - Faith means “TRUST”

SO

The question Really is “What is Saving Trust?”

PRAYER OVER SERIES

is and has been that we would understand the importance of faith - i.e. TRUST in how we live our life out as Jesus Followers.

and This is Eternally important!

You see - There are lots of people in this world that would claim the Identity of “Christian”

What is so very dangerous about this claiming the Identity of “Christian” is that there are many who have no idea what that is supposed to mean.

Here is the other not so funny part about the identity “Christian”

You will not find that used by anyone in the New Testament as A personal identifier.

Listen Loved ones -

The word “Christian” was a slur -

It was a name of Segregation of separating out -

It was given to those people back then that were Identified as “Followers of the WAY”

People who lived so peculiarly and different that the rest of the surrounding cultures, that they were able to be identified by the way they lived both personally and in community together.

They were completely and totally different than the culture around them

Here is what they were doing -

They were representing Christ by how they lived sacrificially towards each other and towards their community and

They made Him known - by sharing their faith, making disciples from among the lost and inviting them to join in the life.

They were so different That the NON believing world called them “Little Jesus’s”

That is what the word “Christian” means.

And the Reason they lived this way is becasue they Had Faith, They Believed in what they had seen and heard,

They Trusted God - The God man Jesus with Everything!

PRAYER OVER MESSAGE

I Think all of us who claim Christ want to see God move and change and to the miraculous of transforming ourselves, others and our community.

There are many who have yet to claim Christ - Who are not yet his followers who have thins unexplained hunger for something - have this unexplained awareness that something is wrong.

What I am praying over this mornings message is that we will all come to an understanding through this mornings text that a key ingredient for those things to happen, for things to change, for God to work is Trust

He works through the Believing people that believe in HIM!

Faith and Believe are other words in the new testament for TRUST.

SO we look at “What is Saving TRUST” - over the next few weeks we begin this morning with the prayerful understanding that “Trust is Required”

It is required from God’s people becasue we trust enough top surrender our lives to Him

It is required for ALL people to see and to know God - Trust is Required.

and it is a Requirement of Salvation - Trust is required for us to be saved from His wrath.

and it must be a trust that is lived out -

WHEEL BARROW over Niagara

Chair you sit in.

ENGAGEMENT –

“Trust Issues”

Man what a catch phrase that has become -

I'm not sure where the origins of the word came from but I don't remember hearing it at all growing up.

Here is what I found out -

The Phrase “trust issues” wasn't all that popular until a Hip Hop artist named Drake published an extremely popular song about it 14 years ago in 2011

and since then the phrase has taken off -

and Here is what has happened sense -

We as a culture use it as an excuse to step away from a whole lot of life -

Listen to how we use it-

I cant believe you to be reliable, honest, or Loyalty becasue I have trust Issues 

People have broken their promises

I have been abandoned

I have been betrayed

So I have Trust Issues

I am skeptical - suspicious - I overreact and I constantly need reassurance.

Because I have Trust issues 

I have difficulty in my relationships in my family, at work, with friends with my romantic relationships becasue

I have Trust issues

TENSION

Don’t get me wrong in any way -

Betrayal, emotional hurt, being abandoned, people braking promises, being bullied or made fun of for years,

being traumatized as a child in abusive ways by adults

These can certainly create issues that need to be navigated in a healthy way.

But in those areas we must seek healing

not use them as an excuse and be a helpless victim of the brokenness of our humanity we all experience in this life.

Here is the problem -

When we don’t seek healing for the hurts - and we take our “trust issues” into our relationship with Jesus.

and we don’t begin with the fact that Jesus can take all of that and be the central part of our healing -

We have a real hard time - When He says “you are forgiven”

When He says “you are God’s child”

When He says “I died for you and absorbed your guilt and took away your transgressions”

and He says “I have an abundant life for you but you have to give up yours, pick up your cross and die to self”

We have a real problem -

And it is so very sad to know that for many who claim “christian” it is an eternal problem

and in our culture of trauma - for many who do not claim christ - Trusting God in and for Everything is something that seems so far away.

Loved ones what out text is going to unpack for us this morning is that from God perspective - Trust is required.

BACKGROUND

In the scene before we get to John Chapter 6

What has happened is a hole bunch of Jewish people have been hammering Jesus becasue He was doing things and causing others to do things on the Sabbath that were not lawful to do and these Jewish people had a problem -

When they confronted Jesus He claimed to be equal with God -

They made them even more infuriated and now they wanted to Kill Him.

and then He looks at them and amps up the equity with God speaking of all the things that God the Father His father had given Him the Authority to do.

Establishing Himself as the only God who had Authority

The Authority to Give Life -

Authority to Judge

Authority to receive Honor and Praise

Authority to Execute Judgment

and Jesus did not just claim this for Himself -

He claimed it for those he was speaking to so they would trust him, come to trust in him and be saved.

and then He sited 4 witnessed to His claim that far and above exceeded any requirement for a court of law or the court of public opinion in that culture.

and verse 1 of chapter 6 begins with the words “after this”

This was quite away’s “after this”

The rest of the Gospels will record for us months between these two events.

Months and possibly a year between these two events -

Where Jesus would do many many things by the power and Authority that God the Father had given Him.

All of which the disciples - the 12 would witness be apart to most of these!

Head a withered hand again on the sabbath -

Chosen the 12 of his closest followers who would later become Apostles.

Gives the sermon on the mount -

Heals a Roman soldier’s Son.

Raises a widows Son from the dead

Gives wows to the rich

A prostitute anoints His feet

Started delivering Parables beginning with the first one about good soils producing fruit 30x60x100x

and He delivers that one with the precursor -

“If you don’t understand this parable how will you understand ANY parable?”

He calms the sea -

Heals a guy filled with demons

Raises a guys Daughter from the dead and heals a woman who has had a bleeding problem for twelve years.

Gives sight to two blind guys

Heals a mute boy that is mute by demonic oppressions.

Sends the 12 out for a test drive with Authority to do some interesting things.

The 12 come back and then Jesus is followed by a crowd of 15 to 20 thousand people

and He feeds them!

and this is where Johns Gospel Picks up here in chapter 6

So when it says “after this” there is a whole lot to “after this”

Probably a year or so

UNPACKING

VVS1-2

Set a new scene for those who would read this Gospel.

the Other side of the sea

Often we thing “the other side” we think right to left or east to west -

But Jesus actually went North to South - So “the other side” in these terms means from north to south.

He is in a place called Tiberius which is in Galilee and is a sea side place - That is why the text says “the sea of Tiberius”

And there is a large crowd literally walking after Jesus - That is what it means “following Him”

They were literally chasing after him - “Following Him” - He took a left they took a left - He took a right they took a right.

These crowds were following Him becasue of the healing He had been doing with the sick and the demonically oppressed

They had heard of or watched him do over the last year or so.

Remember this is about a year later after his conflict with the Jewish people and He had been doing some Phenomenal things.

Jesus reputation was Huge!

VVS 3 - 5

Jesus up on a hill - That’s what up on the mountain means - Large hill.

He is sitting with the 12 and talking with them and He looks up or out and He sees the people.

They are coming toward Him - Remember they are chasing him around.

Before we finish verse 5 where Jesus speaks to Philip let fill in - “the rest of the story”

In the other three gospels, that record this event for us - There is more dialog that happens. Between Jesus and His disciples.

So Before we finish Verse 5 –

The Other three Gospels - Record this same event for us and they will each contain parts of the rest of the Story.

Matt Mark and Luke Record for us that it was getting late in the day when the Crowds were gathered.

They record for us what the disciples first talked to Jesus and said to Him–  I am going to Paraphrase.

“This is a desolate place, and the day is now over or late; send the crowds away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages to find lodging and buy food for themselves.”

Jesus Respond to the disciples: They do not need to go away - You give them something to eat”

The Disciples said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”

Then the rest of verse 5 Happens

Jesus said to Phillip “Where are we to buy bread so that these may eat?”

VSS 6

Indicates that Jesus clearly knew what He was going to do

 VV7

Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”

Then the Gospel of Mark fills in part of the Story when it records that Jesus said to the disciples.

“how many loaves do you have? Go and See”

John 6verse 8

Andrew speaks up and says “there is a boy here who had 5 barley loaves and two fish.

Mathews Gospel records Jesus responding to Andrew - Simon Peters Brother “Bring them to me”

Watch what Andrew says to Jesus:

“But what are they for so many”

Loved ones this is a declaration of Andrews Trust Issues”

You can almost hear him argue:

Yea we have 5 loaves and two fish - But this aint enough to feed this many people.

And here is what He indirectly was saying: “I don’t trust that you can feed this many on this little!”

VVS10

I love Jesus response Jesus ignores the dis-trust the lack of faith or trust and Jesus says:

Have the people sit down.

The other three Gospels record this as Jesus saying “Have the people sit down in groups of about 50 each.”

And what happened is they sat down in groups of 50-100 people –

It is important to understand how many actual people we are talking about –

In most of your bibles the heading in this passage is “Jesus feeds the five thousand.”

What is important is that as Matthew tells us this five thousand number was just the men.

Matthew Gospel says:

“those who ate were about 5000 MEN besides women and children.”

So more than likely this crowd where somewhere in the 20 000 people range.

So 15-20 thousand people sit in groups of 50 to 100

That is anywhere from 200 to 400 groups.

There is a lot of people.

VVS11

Watch what Jesus does - John Gospel says “He took the loaves and He gave thanks”

in other words He said a prayer to His heavenly Father for providing 5 loaves and two fish - To feed 20000 people.

Jesus said Grace!

Notice - Jesus gives thanks for what He has - He gives thank for the provision -

He doesn't ask for More - He doesn’t say “father it’s not enough” we need more -

Nope Jesus Gives thanks for what He has.

After Thanks - Only after thanks - Does Jesus distribute.

Jesus trust in His fathers provision to be more than adequate - On display

After Trust is lived out does Jesus distribute.

And watch what happens -

The End of VSS11 says “AS much as they wanted”

VSS12

Begins with “and when they had eaten their fill!

Not when they had all shared -

Not when they all had a polite portion -

Not when they all had a little nibble -

NOPE - When they had eaten their FILL -

Jesus speaks and tells His disciples -

“Gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost.”

Watch what happens -

VVS13

They gathered the leftovers -

Jesus has used “Leftover fragments” in verse 11 to give us an understanding of what the leftovers were.

They Gathered them up and FILLED 12 baskets with what -

With Fragments - With Little Pieces -

of What - Of all the other kids of snacks these 5000 people brought?

NOPE - Fragments and small pieces of the Barley Loaves and Fish that this little Boy had brought -

Fragments and Small pieces of the Barley Loaves and Fish that God had provided.

Five Barley Loaves and Two fish to feed 20,000 does not seem like near enough -

Seems way short -

But not in the hands of Jesus -

You see loved ones - Everything you see Jesus doing and speaking and performing signs - One of the things he does and talks about is multiplication.

Multiplying is what happens when what is given to Him, is given to him to do His work!

Jesus work that day was to feed 15 - 20000 people

He was given 5 loaves and two fish -

And Jesus understood His assignment and he Did what His heavenly Father told Him to do.

He fed the 20,000

VSS14

People were there - Jewish People were there -

They saw this feeding - They witnessed the surplus of 12 baskets-

They saw each one of the disciples - All of them go Home with leftovers.

and Watch what they Say: “This indeed is THE Prophet who is come into the world”

Prophet - The Prophet -

They Missed it!

VSS15

Jesus - perceiving this crowd that He has just fed - was about to come and take Him by force and make Him king -

Jesus withdraws - to the hillside - The mountain and He retreats to be alone.

You see what Jesus did not want was people believing in Him doing these things for themselves -

What He wanted, What He lived for was to bring glory and reveal His father - And that He was the one sent by His father to reveal the father and to advance the Fathers agenda for His life.

When People did not do that - We see Jesus withdrawing -

THE GOSPEL CONNECTION

This is how the Gospel connects to this story -

God see thousand upon thousands upon thousands of people - All kinds of People -

People All over the world -

People who are in our community

People right here in this building -

You and me -

And God wants to do something -

God wants us to know His love - Be fed by His seemingly inadequate provision.

God wants us to Trust -

It is a requirement -

God wants us to trust Him when we think things are not enough -

God want us to trust when things are looking slim.=

God wants us to trust Him when things look like they will not work out the way we think they can or should -

and they may now - But God’s plan in this is more sufficient than our plan.

This is the fore-shadowing of the Cross - It seems like defeat to the Disciples - It seems like sin and death had prevailied -

Jesus just ignored their doubt and He went to the Cross anyway -

Just like He multiplied the bread against the Lack of trust by the disciples - Jesus Multiplied it anyway -

Just like that - Against the “No lord you surely will not Die -

Jesus went to the cross of Calvary anyway - “With Joy” - the text says -

He went to absorb the guilt of my sin and your sin on that old rugged cross - He went to the tomb and all had seemed to be lost

all seemed inadequate -

all seems like it wasn't going to work

and Three days later -

The rock was rolled away and the tomb was empty and victory over sin and death had been concurred by God himself.

Jesus calls us to trust this - not just to agree with history that it happened - But to trust it - To live that trust out!

If your one of the thousands who soul is hungry - Trust Jesus to feed your soul

If you are one of the ones who looks at things as if they are impossible - bring what you have to Jesus -

Let him bless it and give thanks

and watch Him distribute the multiplied provisions through what you bring Him,

loved ones - Although trust grows and grows over time -

Loved ones know this - Saving Trust is a Trust that is lived out and that is the kind of trust that is required -

So what must we do?

Abandon all trust in any good things you may do. - And Trust in the finished work of Jesus,

Abandon all trust in your common sense and reason and your way of understanding the world. Trust the risen victor of life and come to understand His way of looking at the world.

Abandon in all trust you may have in the benefit of the four idols of comfort, convenience, safety and security - thinking that if those are present in your life you are blessed by God -

Loved ones hear the Spirit of God this morning - if you have those and strive for those and believe that God is blessing you by those - that is no where in the bible for those who follow Jesus. You might actually be cursed.

for what does it profit a man if He gains the whole world and looses His own Soul?

The scripture says “The Righteous” live by Faith - By Trust

Not by sight

no by what makes sense to us -

not by what seems practice -

Not by what can add-up

The Righteous - The ones who are not perfect but have had the Righteousness of Christ placed upon them - Where God the father looks at them in the same way that He looks at His son Jesus in complete perfection.

They LIVE by faith - They Live by trust.

PRAYER TEAM