Nowhere To Go | John 6:67-71
Notes
Transcript
Metaoutline
Intro
What the problem is; our contemporary cultural context: Here’s what we face.
Early Points
What the Bible says; the original readers’ cultural context: Here’s what we must do.
Middle Points
What prevents us; current listeners’ inward heart context: Why we can’t do it.
Late Points
How Jesus fulfills the biblical theme and solves the heart issue: How Jesus did it.
Application
How through faith in Jesus you should live now.
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[Kid Time!]
What’s it like to be with someone who loves you?
Do you ever get upset or want space from them?
[Illustration]
When I was a kid, I used to think I could watch TV ALL DAY. There was no one or nothing that I wanted more than to watch cartoons all day.
>> Eventually I’d get a headache
>> Eventually I’d get hungry and tired
>> Eventually I’d get bored and dissatisfied with what the TV had to offer me
Does the screen love me?
We treat Jesus that way pretty often, don’t we…
But today we are reminded:
Jesus wants you to be with Him because He loves you
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[Introduction]
Today, we conclude John’s words to us in chapter 6.
>> Jesus, after delivering a Hard Saying to the Jews in Capernaum, finds his followers and disciples grumbling against Him...
>> These disciples turn from Jesus and “no longer walk with him” (v. 66)
66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
We talked about Jesus words, that
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
How our flesh, this sinful nature within all of us, doesn’t HELP us, it HINDERS us.
>> Our sufficiency, our source of life and joy and true meaning come from Jesus
Talked about Jesus uniquely knowing all who would turn toward Him, AND away from Him
>> Yet He still walked among them, never casting them out...
We, in our evangelism, don’t know who will turn to Christ…
>> Yet we are to scatter the seed and taste and eat the Bread of Life AND have confidence in the Lord:
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
John zooms us in even closer as Jesus addresses His chosen twelve disciples:
67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
[Pray]
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I want to start by stating my focus for today’s time.
We will be focusing on Peter’s words and Jesus’ response, and the rich implications of their words…
>> However, we will not spend a heavy amount of time on verse 71, concerning the apostle and disciple, Judas Iscariot.
There are just a few things I would like us to recognize, though:
(1) (v. 71) is the first time John identifies Judas and the foreshadowing of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus
(2) Jesus calls Judas a “devil”
>> Greek diabolos = enemy, adversary, slanderer, accuser
>> NOT calling Judas a demon or supernatural evil
(3) We WILL talk about Judas in much more detail in John 13
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Imagine you’re there, standing among your friends of 2 years, following Jesus… and the men and women you’ve been walking with for years or turning away, and walking away from Jesus…
>> Now Jesus turns, locks eyes with you, and asks:
67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”
How would you respond?
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Peter starts by saying,
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go?...
Peter’s words carry three implications, and his rhetorical question leads us to number 1:
(1) Our needs are not met outside of Jesus
In this moment, it’s easy to think this is a “Cool Guy” Peter move…
>> Jesus asks, “Do you want to go, too?”
>> Peter, puffs his chest up, steps forward, and says the admirable and wise thing in the face of God incarnate Himself....
But I would argue, Peter responds very… Ordinarily
Peter doesn’t say
>> “No! We don’t want to go! Are you kidding? Wasn’t even a thought!”…
Peter answers Jesus question… with a question.
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,
Peter states the obvious:
There is Nowhere to Go!
[Illustration]
People seem to have a real hard time with the concept of the “Exclusivity of Christ”.
>> Which says, Jesus is the only way to the Good, True, and Beautiful Life.
A common illustration given to combat the “Exclusivity of Christ” is the old Indian fable of The Blind Men and the Elephant.
A group of blind men encountered an elephant for the first time. Each reached out to touch it and understand what it was.
The first man touched the trunk and said, "An elephant is like a thick snake."
The second touched the ear and said, "No — an elephant is like a large fan."
The third touched the leg and said, "You are both wrong. An elephant is like a tree trunk."
The fourth touched the side and said, "An elephant is like a great wall."
The fifth touched the tusk and said, "An elephant is like a smooth spear."
Each was convinced he was right. Each was partially correct. None could see the whole.
>> And the connection to religion is, “That’s how it is with God… All these religions of the world contain a small truth about god, but not the whole picture
>> Which makes us Christians pretty intolerant to think that our perspective alone is the correct one…
The problem with this whole illustration is, it assumes that all us religious people are blind!
Peter is saying, in effect, what the blind man in John 9 says after he is healed and interrogated by the Pharisees:
25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”
10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
(1) Our needs are not met outside of Jesus
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(2) Our belief is the gift of knowing God
69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
Peter is stating exactly what Jesus names as His purpose and the will of the Father who sent Him:
40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Jesus later prays,
3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
I’ve said this before, but, I believe one of the essentials to saving faith in God begins with Knowing God.
J. I. Packer in his book, Knowing God, makes the important distinction between the value of Knowing God and Knowing about God:
“A little knowledge of God is worth more than a great deal of knowledge about him.”
— Knowing God, J. I. Packer
In Spanish, there are two verbs for the English verb, “to know”:
Saber — to know a fact, information, or how to do something. Intellectual knowledge.
Conocer — to know a person, to be acquainted with, to have a relationship with someone.
>> How do we now know God? Through His Son:
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
>> We know God through His Son… We are given faith as a gift:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
And this gift is precious:
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
(2) Our belief is the gift of knowing God
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(3) To be chosen by God is to be with Jesus
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.”
[Illustration]
I know a parents who adopted a son after having some of their own children naturally, and they would make the joke to their familial children:
“I had no choice with you, but we chose our adopted son”
>> They would jokingly boast about choosing their adopted son, combating the insecurity adopted children have that they were unwanted by their mom or dad…
What makes adoption so sweet is that adopting parents desire their adopted child, to be with them and live in family together, and to love them.
>> The greatest gift an adopted child receives is a loving family
(1) Our needs are not met outside of Jesus
>> How can they be? Before Jesus, was were slaves to our natural parents, sin and death
(2) Our belief is the gift of knowing God
>> It is by faith that our hearts are reoriented toward a new Father. And it is His Son who we know, because He came to us!
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
(3) To be chosen by God is to be with Jesus
>> Jesus, the Holy One of God, gives us rest in our souls. He chooses us with love and brings the presence of God to us:
11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
We wander from the presence of God because we do not believe these words...
(READ PSALM 16 AGAIN)
[Worship Team Come Up]
Imagine, again, that you are meeting Jesus’ eyes as His followers turn from walking with Him.
“Do you want to go away as well?”, He asks you.
What do you say to Him?
We echo the Apostle Peter
There is Nowhere to Go!
[Pray]
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1 Corinthians 11:23–26
“23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
Sermon Prep Outline
Sermon Prep Outline
STEP 1: DISCERN THE GOAL OF THE TEXT
STEP 1: DISCERN THE GOAL OF THE TEXT
Round One — First Reading
Read the English text at least twice
Begin writing a running commentary
Your Text:
John 6:67–71
67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”
Everyone leaves. So, Jesus turns and asks of His closest friends...
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,
a. Peter calls Jesus “Lord”… He may be confused, he may have doubts, but he still believes Jesus is Lord.
b. Peter responds rhetorically, questioning who else they’d go to? If not you, then who? There is no other person to go to, or place to leave to.
c. And here’s why… Jesus is the one who has “the words of eternal life”
69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
Lastly, Peter makes a blanket statement for himself and his eleven friends, claiming their belief and knowledge that Jesus is “the Holy One of God”
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.”
Jesus draws us back to the fact that He chose them. However, He acknowledges that one of them is “a devil” or accuser/adversary.
71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.”
John identifies this “devil”, for the first time, as the one who would betray Jesus.
Note anything that strikes you or raises a question:
Notes:
If Jesus chose the 12, did He also choose Judas and only to “fulfill all righteousness” in His betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection?
Is this the first time Judas is identified as the one to betray Jesus? How many times does John mention it?
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Round Two — Second Reading (Look for 3 categories)
Repetitions (words, ideas, grammatical forms):
-The concept of “leaving/going”… contextually, of course
-words of eternal life, belief, Holy One of God
-“Did I not choose you?”; providential language
Notes:
Connector words (therefore, because, for, since, if, then):
-So… (v. 67)
-yet (v. 70)
Notes:
Metaphors or images:
“a devil” (v. 70)
Notes:
For each one ask:
Why did the author use this?
What was he conveying?
How would the meaning change if this weren't here?
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Round Three — Original Language & Commentaries
Determine the meaning of each significant word:
Notes:
Check for repetition masked by English translation:
Notes:
Use commentaries to answer puzzling things:
-Matthew Poole claims Jesus’ “choosing” in v. 70 is “choosing for apostleship, whereas McArthur argues for divine, salvific choosing.
Notes:
Examine images and their use elsewhere in Scripture:
-Judas as an enemy and “devil” or betrayer are in John 13
Notes:
Look for allusions/quotes from other parts of the Bible:
Notes:
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Round Four — Context Questions
Within the book:
How does this passage fit with the rest of the book?
This is the turning point… The twelve remain, Jesus doesn’t return to Judea until His final persecution.
What is the message of the whole book?
Jesus is the Son of God, savior, and giver of spirit and life. This testimony is so that we might hear and believe and live.
How does this passage contribute to it?
The Twelve come to a fork in the road… God’s sovereignty is on display as they follow Him
Why is it here?
So that we may see their belief and believe with them.
How would the book be diminished without it?
We would miss that Jesus didn’t always have a wide following…
Notes:
Within the whole Bible:
What doctrines does this text touch on?
What themes run through the whole canon?
How do the biblical themes in this text point to or find fulfillment in Christ?
Notes:
-Providence, sovereign choice
-The Doctrines of Grace…
Goal Question (choose one or write your own):
(Motyer)"What is the one thing that all the other things are about?"
(Robinson)"Subject: what is this talking about? Complement: what is it saying about that?"
"What did the author want his original listeners to learn, feel, and/or do?"
Your answer (1–2 sentences — the "freshly-squeezed essence" of the passage):
We are helpless and lost, but, Jesus draws us in with Words of Life.
Passage title:
Nowhere to Go
Section titles (if longer passage):
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STEP 2: CHOOSE YOUR THEME FOR THE SERMON
STEP 2: CHOOSE YOUR THEME FOR THE SERMON
What central idea of the text do you want to present?
How does this address your specific listeners?
Sermon Theme Statement:
We are helpless and lost, but, Jesus draws us in with Words of Life.
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STEP 3: DEVELOP YOUR OUTLINE
STEP 3: DEVELOP YOUR OUTLINE
Theme fits the passage ✓
Each point raises insights from the text ✓
Movement toward a climax ✓
Point 1:
Point 2:
Point 3:
(Add points as needed)
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STEP 4: FLESH OUT EACH POINT
STEP 4: FLESH OUT EACH POINT
For each point, gather:
Element
Arguments
Illustrations
Examples
Images
Supporting Bible texts
Practical
Application
"The goal is not just to explain the text but to minister to your specific listeners."— Timothy Keller
