Words of Eternal Life
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Introduction
Introduction
The words of eternal life that Peter spoke about and that John recorded for us are the words of our Lord. So much that the Lord did was not recorded.
But what God wanted us to know we have preserved in a book we call the Bible. It is the most amazing book the world has ever known. It is possibly the most misunderstood book the world has ever known. It is certainly the most important book you will ever read!
Background
Background
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Why did the crowd go away?
- They were dissatisfied with the teaching of the Lord
- They were offended! vs 61
- They did not get what they wanted!
Peter said something very enlightening..."to whom shall we go?"
What an amazing question. Peter said there is nowhere else for us to turn. Once we were wondering around on this planet with a million questions in our mind as to why we were here. But now we have met the Messiah, the Christ the Savior of the World and there is nowhere left for us to turn.
It is the same for you and I. Once we know Jesus, there is nowhere else to go. There is nowhere else to turn.
Notice what Peter said:
1. "Thou hast the words"
Words are very powerful things.
When you put them together you get sentences. When you put sentences together you get paragraphs and when you put paragraphs together you get chapters and books and so on.....
Consider something else John says about our Lord that is related to this thought:
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
But we are not so concerned with what has not been written as much as we should be concerned with what has been written. We are going to concern ourselves this morning with the "words" that Peter was speaking about.
Its is important that we look at another passage where Peter tells us something very significant about the "words" of Scripture.
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
"more sure word" More sure than what?
Illustrate? (Different levels of foundations) What does "more sure" mean? Different levels of foundations in the construction world. You can build a shed in your backyard on a few blocks set on the ground and that's the foundation. If you have a mobile home they will generally pour a concrete slab (slab on grade) and they will set the mobile home on that. If you are building a house they may dig a basement or footings down into the earth and they will build on that. If you are building a large commercial structure they will need to dig down even deeper and place all of the weight on more sizeable footings to support the structure. If you are building a skyscraper, they will need to dig down hundreds of feet into the earth to the bedrock and then build up from there.
Peter says there are different levels of reliability when it comes to a message from God. He was on the mount of transfiguration and He heard the audible voice of God speak and he was telling us that in comparison to that we have something that is more reliable! More Sure!
More reliable! More trustworthy! More valid! More Firm!
The word Sure in this verse is the Greek word "bebaios" - it means valid, or firm!
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
The word "steadfast" in Hebrews 6 has a similar idea, it is like an anchor!
Peter said "where are we going to go"? Thou hast the words and they are like an anchor that is preventing us from drifting away!!!
Declaration: The importance of the Word of God cannot be overstated.
Preposition: Have you come to the same conclusion as Peter? "to whom shall we go?"
Transition: I want us to see 3 imperatives about our relationship to the Word of God, found at the end of John chapter 6
Transition: I want us to see 3 imperatives about our relationship to the Word of God, found at the end of John chapter 6
I. We are to Receive it
I. We are to Receive it
I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
Illustration: What good is the bread of life if we do not eat it? What good is it if we perceive it but we do not partake of it? Hoe many of have experienced children who will not eat the dinner prepared for them. I wonder how much it must grieve the Lord that so many have been led to the table where the eternal bread of life had been served and they have walked away still in their spiritual dead condition.
A. We receive it for Salvation
A. We receive it for Salvation
IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
B. We receive it for Sustainment
B. We receive it for Sustainment
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
"every word"- We need "every word" preachers and "every word" Christians!!!!
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
How has God chosen to communicate his Word?
1. Preaching!
1. Preaching!
The Primary Importance - Its God's designed way
How important is preaching in my life?
But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
The Problem of Preaching- weak and ineffective
His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant,
They are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark;
Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain;
O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength;
Lift it up, be not afraid;
Say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
Cry aloud, spare not,
Lift up thy voice like a trumpet,
And shew my people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins.
2. Personal Bible Reading!
2. Personal Bible Reading!
Not only are we to Receive the Word of God but we are to Repeat the Word of God.
Not only are we to Receive the Word of God but we are to Repeat the Word of God.
II. We are to Repeat it
II. We are to Repeat it
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
There are so many things we repeat with our lips that are worthless and senseless. The one thing we know that is worth repeating is the Word of God.
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:
It shall not return unto me void,
But it shall accomplish that which I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
A. Because of the Condition of the World
A. Because of the Condition of the World
GUILTY! Jew and Gentile alike we are all guilty!
There is not a person alive that does not need this message!
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
B. Because of the Command in the Word
B. Because of the Command in the Word
Do we really need other reasons for repeating the Word?
Because God commanded it!
Why do we Preach? Because God Commanded it!
Why are we so narrow in our belief - Because God commanded it!
Why are we so emphatic - because God commanded it!
Why should we repeat the Word - because God commanded it!
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Question: A popular question that is often aimed at Christians goes something like this.... What if a person on some foreign land somewhere never hears the name Jesus Christ, will they die and go to Hell?
WARNING: Christian you had better be very careful how you answer that question. Your answer although theologically correct, may be very incriminating, especially if we are in a careless and casual spiritually condition.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
III. We are to Remain Faithful to it
III. We are to Remain Faithful to it
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
Peter said "to whom shall we go...thou hast the words"
A. We must treasure it
A. We must treasure it
Millions of people have literally given their lives so you can have a copy of the Word of God. We treasure our cars and houses our trophies whatever. We need to get to the place where we treasure the Word of God.
MEM.
O how love I thy law!
It is my meditation all the day.
Great peace have they which love thy law:
And nothing shall offend them.
Blessed is the man
That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor standeth in the way of sinners,
Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
And in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
That bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
His leaf also shall not wither;
And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so:
But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous:
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
B. We must trust it
B. We must trust it
We don't need more Bible critics we need more Bible conviction!
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Without faith it is impossible to please God!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:
A good understanding have all they that do his commandments:
His praise endureth for ever.
Just because you don't understand something is no excuse to not trust it. This goes contrary to everything that permeates the humanistic rationalistic philosophy of this world.
C. We must test by it
C. We must test by it
Illustration: Acid Test for Gold-
We need to stop asking for a survey and start asking the Scriptures!
Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right;
And I hate every false way.
One of the most misquoted Bible verses in history has to be
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
But Jesus was not condemning all judgement, he was condemning hypocritical judgement! We are to judge everything by the light of God's word!
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
How are we to determine what is philosophy and vain deceit? The Word of God!
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Paul said "ye might bear with him"- He was worried that they would just get lazy and put up with it!! That's pretty much sums up where we are today.