Words of Eternal Life

Rejecting the Word of God

the Word of God

John 6:60–71 HCSB

Therefore, when many of His disciples heard this, they said, “This teaching is hard! Who can accept it?” Jesus, knowing in Himself that His disciples were complaining about this, asked them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you were to observe the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? The Spirit is the One who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some among you who don’t believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning those who would not believe and the one who would betray Him.) He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted to him by the Father.” From that moment many of His disciples turned back and no longer accompanied Him. Therefore Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, who will we go to? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God!” Jesus replied to them, “Didn’t I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is the Devil!” He was referring to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, one of the Twelve, because he was going to betray Him.

Crisis of Belief: and encounter with God that requires faith and action.

Your words are crusty! We cannot pick up what you’re putting down.

This gospel started with the statement: in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God and the Word was with God… All things were created through Him...

Jesus lowered Himself and offered His life as the flesh and blood sacrifice described last week. “Does this offend you?” What if you see me elevated back to my rightful glory (ascending back to heaven), will that offend you too? The flesh I’ve been talking about is not where the life is. It is in the Spirit! (I wasn’t speaking literally). The flesh cant give life, only receive it.

In the physical sense, the flesh can preserve life, duplicate life, destroy life. The Spirit is the one who GIVES life. MY WORDS ARE SPIRIT AND LIFE!

Flesh: NT has nothing good to say about it. There is nothing good in it and we must not put our confidence in it.

The 12 understood eating His flesh and drinking His blood would be done through the Word. Jeremiah ‘I will write it on their hearts’ and Ezekiel ‘eat this scroll. It was sweet like honey’.

Why was it so important for Jesus to use the language of flesh and blood? He is the unique one in whom the invisible has become visible, the heavenly has become earthly, the infinite has become finite. Only when we accept Him as a flesh and blood Savior, sacrificed for the sin of man, can we partake in the life of God!

So Jesus says: I’ve come to give my body and shed my blood. I will die the death you deserve. I will take the payment for your sin. And in dying for you, provide salvation.

In v.64b the point is made that He would do so for many who would reject Him.

The 12 understood eating His flesh and drinking His blood would be done through the Word. Jeremiah ‘I will write it on their hearts’ and Ezekiel ‘eat this scroll. It was sweet like honey’.

Word

nourish your dry soul.

strengthen your weary bones.

redirect your wayward gaze.

Come, let it redirect your wayward gaze. “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things, and give me life in your ways” ().

Come, let it soothe your discouraged heart. “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words” ().

soothe your discouraged heart.

Come, let it grant you peace. “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble” ().

grant you peace.

Come, let it fill you with hope. “Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope” ().

fill you with hope.

feed your hungry spirit.

Come, let it feed your hungry spirit. “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” ().

grant you deep wisdom.

Come, let it grant you deep wisdom. “I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts” ().

reassure you during pain.

Come, let it reassure you during pain. “I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me” ()

Come, let it echo your glad praises. “At midnight I rise to praise you because of your righteous rules” ().

echo your glad praises. “At midnight I rise to praise you because of your righteous rules” ().

keep you from falling into temptation.

Come, let it keep you from falling into temptation. “Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God” ().

point out your wrong beliefs and actions.

Come, let it point out your wrong beliefs and actions. “Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law!” ().

assure you of your eternal inheritance.

Come, let it assure you of your eternal inheritance. “My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise” (Psalm 199:123).

comfort you in your time of trouble.

Come, let it comfort you in your time of trouble. “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life” ().

lead you to the Word of Life, Jesus Christ.

In all times, come, and let it lead you to the Word of Life, Jesus Christ.

Remember last week how we talked about our cravings sometimes leading us to sin? How the Creator is the only one who can satisfy those cravings? In death, He provides salvation. In His resurrection He overcame sin. It was sin that caused the need for His death. Coming back to life, resurrecting, He defeated sin. And brother, if He left the grave behind, one day, SO WILL I!

We must get to the point where we ACCEPT that the promise of sin can only give momentary pleasure. Saying that thing you really want to say because “they just really need a good tongue lashing”, only feels good for a second. Then there is remorse. And a need for reconciliation. But Jesus gives everlasting pleasure. He ultimately satisfies. And when we latch on to the this truth, that only Jesus satisfies, we stop trying to satisfy ourselves with anything less than Him.

Accepting the Word of God

J

John 6:66 ESV

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

The finality of this statement is damning. Young’s Literal: went away backward

V.66 the finality of this statement is damning.

Jesus always illuminates scripture. Think about the walking away of all those ‘disciples’. They were not longer willing to (peripatein- the word used to epitomize discipleship) disciple with Him. They had seen and begun to believe. They had participated in the miracles. But the cares of the world choked them out. Or their roots were scorched by such a difficult concept. Or Satan stole the seed scattered.

Do you want to go away as well?

You have the words of eternal life!

Jesus always illuminates scripture. Think about the walking away of all those ‘disciples’. They were not longer willing to (peripatein) disciple with Him. They had seen and begun to believe. They had participated in the miracles. But the cares of the world choked them out. Or their roots were scorched by such a difficult concept. Or Satan stole the seed scattered.

The very words that had caused desertion of the masses were accepted as words of eternal life.

The grammar of Peter’s statement: We have believed and still believe. We have known and still know that you are the Holy One of God.

Peter’s faith was not perfect or even complete. He would still deny Christ, abandoning Him at the worst possible time. His understanding of ‘Holy one of God’ was likely still limited to ‘sent to Israel’. The great thing is, a little faith is enough for God to use at any given moment.

His faith is in stark contrast to Judas. The Spirit offered life. He was present with Jesus, but his heart never believed to obedience. His faith never took root.

But you! If you get to that point of your Crisis of Belief: looking at Jesus and recognizing just how all-consuming is this life He has called us to. And you can confess ‘you have the words of eternal life’.

You can exclaim: I have come to believe and still believe. I have come to know and STILL KNOW. His words have been written on my heart. I have eaten the scroll and it was sweeter than honey. If the stars were made to worship, so will I; if creation sings Your praises, so will I; if creation still obeys You, so will I; if the mountains bow in reverence, so will I; if the oceans roar Your greatness, so will I; if the wind goes where You send it, so will I; if you gave your life to love, so will I.

I have the words of eternal life! He has given them to me and I have received them. And they will shape my eternal future.