Stop Grumbling and Believe!
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Introduction
“Stop Grumbling” — They were trying to sort out what Jesus was saying among themselves. They thought they could figure out the revelation of God apart from the Holy Spirit…apart from the Father giving them understanding of what they had heard.
They were upset that Jesus had said He was from Heaven…they knew he was born in Nazareth and had moved to Capernaum. They knew Joseph, Mary and Jesus’ family so how could He say He was from heaven?
“Stop Grumbling” — They were trying to sort out what Jesus was saying among themselves. They thought they could figure out the revelation of God apart from the Holy Spirit…apart from the Father giving them understanding of what they had heard.
Sometimes we need to hear this loud and clear…we are not going to figure it out! We are not God!
No One Can Come to Me Unless — One of the great doctrines of Christianity is Divine initiative. God takes the initiative to save us and the first step in that process is to awaken us to His revelation…the revelation concerning who we are (sinners), who He is (God), who Jesus is (our savior) and how we might have a relationship with Him (salvation by grace through faith).
Mankind can never learn, discern or conclude genuine truth about God apart from God’s decision to make it known to us.
This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” – Western Union internal memo, 1876.
“So we went to Atari and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we’ll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we’ll come work for you.’ And they said, ‘No.’ So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, ‘Hey, we don’t need you. You haven’t got through college yet.'” – Apple Computer Inc. founder, Steve Jobs, on attempts to get Atari and H-P interested in his and Steve Wozniak’s personal computer.
“So we went to Atari and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we’ll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we’ll come work for you.’ And they said, ‘No.’ So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, ‘Hey, we don’t need you. You haven’t got through college yet.'” – Apple Computer Inc. founder, Steve Jobs, on attempts to get Atari and H-P interested in his and Steve Wozniak’s personal computer.
This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” – Western Union internal memo, 1876.
But it isn’t just what we can’t figure out with the faculties and brains God gave us…scripture says that before God took the initiative to save us we were dead!
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
To put this another way…a dead man cannot respond and is oblivious to any outside stimuli. He is inanimate and incapable of any type of self awareness. This is where we are spiritually speaking before God intervenes on our behalf.
God, as an act of grace, awakens within us spiritual awareness and teaches us spiritual truth which results in our salvation.
As one theologian put it, “ it is by an insight, a teaching, an illumination implanted within the individual, in fulfillment of the Old Testament promise”
Jesus loosely quotes here when He says...
it is by an insight, a teaching, an illumination implanted within the individual, in fulfillment of the Old Testament promise
“All your sons will be taught of the Lord;
And the well-being of your sons will be great.
“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.
“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
“They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
“For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.
“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
“You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.
“Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you.
“I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations.
“Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations.
“I am not doing this for your sake,” declares the Lord God, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel!”
‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt.
“The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by.
“They will say, ‘This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’
“Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken and will do it.”
“It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
God teaches us…His Spirit illuminates the Word.
Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (p. 293). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
And Jesus responded, “Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven.
We would never come to Christ on our own…never understand, figure out or even know about His salvation apart from Him drawing us to Himself.
I will raise Him Up — There is coming a day of resurrection…Can we talk about that for just a second? All around us we see people living in despair. Just this week I heard the suicide rate is up 25% in our country. People are without hope…any expectation of something good in their future.
Jesus has given us His Spirit…relationship with Him…we have it pretty good right now! But we have a future and that future is one of life without end. Literally our body is going to rise from the grave and will never again be touched with pain, sickness or death!
Those who come to Jesus have the beauty of life in Him right now and hope of resurrection and life with Him forever to come!
No One Has Seen The Father Except — Jesus is the mediator of all revelation from God. We interpret all revelation by and through the person of Jesus Christ…anything we think is from God MUST agree with the revelation of Jesus in the Scriptures or it is not true..
Jesus is the only one who has been to heaven and He is the one with the ultimate authority to tell us what is and is not from there!
More Paradox and Tension
More Paradox and Tension
He who believes has everlasting life — Again another reference to a perceived choice in the matter…We know God’s revelation of Himself happens at His initiative…the offering of an opportunity or choice in light of this revelation is also a product of His initiative and a matter of His sovereignty.
Any choice we may have in life is given to us from God…the only reason we have such is because He has chosen to give it. We can take no credit for it and have no pride for the opportunity.
These folks had been looking for physical bread…anyone who eats physical bread or mana will get hungry again and again and again…and even if well fed will eventually die a physical death.
I am the Bread of Life — Jesus is the real bread…He is the bread from heaven which completely satisfies spiritual hunger...resulting in eternal life for all who would feast on Him.
If Anyone Eats of this bread — Jesus was going to give His flesh as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Not just for Jews but for the whole world. Jews and Gentiles alike would be given this opportunity.
Jesus is the Savior of all who would believe
He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.
There had to be a sacrifice…an atoning sacrifice and His physical body would be that...
This bread is my flesh — Jesus was going to give His body…He would lay it down…and all who would consume His body…partake of it by faith…would be saved…their hunger satisfied
We believe on God’s terms. We are not doing Him any favors should we believe! He is sufficient in Himself…He does not need us in order to be complete. He has simply chosen us as an expression of His love.
Belief is a gift, choice is a gift and any receipt of the gift of God is a matter of grace resulting in eternal life.
Once upon a time there was a grand chess master who was bereft of ego and pride. He would play anyone who wished to test their skill, from novice to expert. One day a particularly determined young man sat opposite the grand master, determined to beat him. The grand master smiled when the young man made his first move. He had obviously been studying. It was a well known move and easily countered by the chess master. With each move the young man made the master responded with thoughtfulness and expertise. Soon the young man was checkmate. They played again and again. Each time the young man employed different moves, different strategies, and on each occasion the master responded generously and wisely. They played twenty games that day and on each occasion the chess master won quite comfortably. When imagining how God can be said to be in control of his world some people him as the author of a play, writing the script of our lives. Others imagine he a member of the audience, watching us write our own script. Both options seem difficult. The first appears to rob us of our freedom, the second of God’s involvement. Perhaps a better image is of a chess game between a chess master and a novice. The novice moves his pieces around the board. He follows some basic strategies he has read about in a book. Some of his moves are foolish. The master responds with great expertise and wisdom. His moves are not pre-programmed, but a response to the moves of his opposing player. Without even knowing it, the Master weaves the novice’s moves into his game plan. And of course, the outcome of the game never in doubt. Perhaps God is the Master and we are the novices. We make our choices freely, sometimes very foolish and harmful choices, but the Master responds with wisdom, reacting in such a way to ensure that our moves are coordinated into his overall strategy. And of course the outcome, a new world, is never in doubt.
Once upon a time there was a grand chess master who was bereft of ego and pride. He would play anyone who wished to test their skill, from novice to expert. One day a particularly determined young man sat opposite the grand master, determined to beat him. The grand master smiled when the young man made his first move. He had obviously been studying. It was a well known move and easily countered by the chess master. With each move the young man made the master responded with thoughtfulness and expertise. Soon the young man was checkmate. They played again and again. Each time the young man employed different moves, different strategies, and on each occasion the master responded generously and wisely. They played twenty games that day and on each occasion the chess master won quite comfortably.
When imagining how God can be said to be in control of his world some people him as the author of a play, writing the script of our lives. Others imagine he a member of the audience, watching us write our own script. Both options seem difficult. The first appears to rob us of our freedom, the second of God’s involvement.
Perhaps a better image is of a chess game between a chess master and a novice. The novice moves his pieces around the board. He follows some basic strategies he has read about in a book. Some of his moves are foolish. The master responds with great expertise and wisdom. His moves are not pre-programmed, but a response to the moves of his opposing player. Without even knowing it, the Master weaves the novice’s moves into his game plan. And of course, the outcome of the game never in doubt.
Perhaps God is the Master and we are the novices. We make our choices freely, sometimes very foolish and harmful choices, but the Master responds with wisdom, reacting in such a way to ensure that our moves are coordinated into his overall strategy. And of course the outcome, a new world, is never in doubt.
Belief is a gift, choice is a gift and any receipt of the gift of God is a matter of grace resulting in eternal life.
Everlasting life — To know God and His Son whom He sent.
“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
So God reveals Himself…gives us the opportunity to “be alive” and responsive to His revelation and then gives us the privilege to believe or reject this revelation. Those who believe experience eternal life…they know God, Jesus Christ and enjoy relationship with Him.
Metaphor Again
Metaphor Again
These folks had been looking for physical bread…anyone who eats physical bread or mana will get hungry again and again and again…and even if well fed will eventually die a physical death.
I am the Bread of Life — Jesus is the real bread…He is the bread from heaven which completely satisfies spiritual hunger...resulting in eternal life for all who would feast on Him.
If Anyone Eats of this bread — Jesus was going to give His flesh as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Not just for Jews but for the whole world. Jews and Gentiles alike would be given this opportunity.
Jesus is the Savior of all who would believe
He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.
There had to be a sacrifice…an atoning sacrifice and His physical body would be that...
This bread is my flesh — Jesus was going to give His body…He would lay it down…and all who would consume His body…partake of it by faith…would be saved…their hunger satisfied
John intentionally changed the language…He is not talking about communion in this passage nor is He referring to the literal consuming of the flesh of Christ.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The body of Christ
God was once approached by a scientist who said, “Listen God, we’ve decided we don’t need you anymore. These days we can clone people, transplant organs and do all sorts of things that used to be considered miraculous. God replied, “Don’t need me huh? How about we put your theory to the test. Why don’t we have a competition to see who can make a human being, say, a male human being.” The scientist agrees, so God declares they should do it like he did in the good old days when he created Adam. “Fine” says the scientist as he bends down to scoop up a handful of dirt.” “Whoa!” says God, shaking his head in disapproval. “Not so fast. You get your own dirt.”
God was once approached by a scientist who said, “Listen God, we’ve decided we don’t need you anymore. These days we can clone people, transplant organs and do all sorts of things that used to be considered miraculous.”
God replied, “Don’t need me huh? How about we put your theory to the test. Why don’t we have a competition to see who can make a human being, say, a male human being.”
God is God and we are not — Simple statement but of such infinite truth we need to hear it again and again…know it in the core of our being.
The scientist agrees, so God declares they should do it like he did in the good old days when he created Adam.
God replied, “Don’t need me huh? How about we put your theory to the test. Why don’t we have a competition to see who can make a human being, say, a male human being.”
We sometimes grumble when we should pray…look within when we should look up…draw conclusions when we should ask questions.
Mankind has been searching for something to satisfy the hunger which is only satisfied when we consume the bread of life which is the Body of Christ…His sacrifice on the Cross for our sins…a sacrifice which brings us eternal life both now and in the future.
“Fine” says the scientist as he bends down to scoop up a handful of dirt.”
The scientist agrees, so God declares they should do it like he did in the good old days when he created Adam.
“Whoa!” says God, shaking his head in disapproval. “Not so fast. You get your own dirt.”
“Fine” says the scientist as he bends down to scoop up a handful of dirt.”
While a student at theological college in the United States Bernard Travaieille was playing basketball with some friends. They were using the court at a nearby school, where a friendly old janitor would patiently wait until they had finished their game before locking up. One day Bernard noticed the janitor was reading the bible. In fact he discovered the old janitor was reading the Book of Revelation.
While a student at theological college in the United States Bernard Travaieille was playing basketball with some friends. They were using the court at a nearby school, where a friendly old janitor would patiently wait until they had finished their game before locking up. One day Bernard noticed the janitor was reading the bible. In fact he discovered the old janitor was reading the Book of Revelation. Bernard was surprised. It was a difficult book to interpret even for highly trained bible students! “Do you understand it?” asked Bernard. “Oh yes, I understand it” the janitor replied. Now Bernard was really intrigued. Here was this book that baffled scholars, that was the focus of every conspiracy theory known to humanity, and this old man, a janitor with little formal education, claimed to understand it! “You understand the Book of Revelation?! What do you think it means?” asked Bernard. The old man looked up at him and very quietly said, “It means that Jesus is gonna win.”
We don’t understand everything about God but we know enough…Jesus has won, is winning and is going to win…and because of this…we have won, are winning and one day will win as well.
Bernard was surprised. It was a difficult book to interpret even for highly trained bible students! “Do you understand it?” asked Bernard.
“Whoa!” says God, shaking his head in disapproval. “Not so fast. You get your own dirt.”
“Oh yes, I understand it” the janitor replied.
Does that confidence encourage you? Does it change you? If not you either don’t know Him or have grown cold…like the Psalmist you need to pray “Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” Notice how the Psalmist said “Your” salvation? It has always been His…is from Him and given by Him…the joy it brings is one He can give you again this morning if you will but only ask Him.
The Father has revealed the truth in His Word through His Son…the Spirit convicts…the opportunity is now presented…the choice is clear…Will you come to Jesus?
Now Bernard was really intrigued. Here was this book that baffled scholars, that was the focus of every conspiracy theory known to humanity, and this old man, a janitor with little formal education, claimed to understand it!
“You understand the Book of Revelation?! What do you think it means?” asked Bernard.
The old man looked up at him and very quietly said, “It means that Jesus is gonna win.”