The Hard Sayings of Jesus: Part 4
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Man apart from God is spiritually powerless.
Man apart from God is spiritually powerless.
In we have our second of the hard sayings of Jesus. Remember, comes on the heals of a couple of Miracles that are profound. Jesus feeds the multitudes and walks on water. The crowd shows up the next day and wants more bread from Jesus.
These superficial flowers don’t want Jesus they simply want the good things Jesus gives.
Hairdryer - Take this hairdryer. It is designed to blow out air a certain volume and at a certain speed and at a certain temperature. It has been engineered and tested. It has a button that says on but when you mash that button nothing happens. Why? because this hairdryer as well engineered as it is, is not able to produce the action it is designed to apart from being connected to a power source.
At the end of the day it is powerless.
You were designed to be in relationship with a holy God. You were designed to love him and enjoy him and know him. Yet, Design is not enough. You must connect with the power source in order to produce what you were designed to produce.
You must have power. You must connect with the power source in order to produce what you were designed to produce.
17 times in the Gospels you will hear Jesus use this line come to me.
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
John
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Jesus is saying Im food, Im drink, Im rest.
What’s the bottom line? Im your greatest need?
Christ is the greatest need we have.
Christ is the greatest need we have.
You need Jesus. Like water, like air, like rest! Jesus is not a luxury.
It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter what your educational background. It doesn’t matter how much money you have in the bank. It doesn’t matter how healthy you are. It doesn't’ matter what color your skin is or what nationality you are - you need Jesus.
You need to come to Jesus!
That’s why the Words of Jesus are so shocking in . That’s why this is such a hard saying!
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
John 6:44
Jesus proclaims a universal negative.
Jesus proclaims a universal negative.
When Christ says no one he includes everyone.
When Christ says no one he includes everyone.
Can = δύναμαι (able or capable)
Can = δύναμαι (able or capable)
One of the English lessons that I attempt to reinforce at my house is the difference between (can & may). You see “may” speaks of permission while can doesn’t it indicates ability. So when your children/grandchildren say - can I have this - we say “You can & you may”
Man apart from God is spiritually unable or incapable of coming to God.
Jesus is teaching what Paul teaches in
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
This is the antithesis of Paul’s statement - phil 4:13 - I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Jesus highlights your spiritual inability!
Man’s sinful condition leaves him incapable of coming to Christ in his own strength.
Man’s sinful condition leaves him incapable of coming to Christ in his own strength.
The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, Vol. IV Human Inability (No. 182)
Through the fall, and through our own sin, the nature of man has become so debased, and depraved, and corrupt, that it is impossible for him to come to Christ without the assistance of God the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
We need a supernatural intervention by the Spirit of God to overcome our sinful condition.
We need a supernatural intervention by the Spirit of God to overcome our sinful condition.
Draw - ἕλκω (to move an object from one area to another in a pulling motion) drag.
Draw - ἕλκω (to move an object from one area to another in a pulling motion) drag.
Philippine Jail - Paul and Sillas
16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
Key word in verse 19 - dragged - it is the Same word Jesus used in - No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.
to move an object from one area to another in a pulling motion
But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
It is the same word James uses to describe the situation were the wealthy were using the court system to still from the poor.
Acts 16:19
ἕλκω (to move an object from one area to another in a pulling motion)
But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 318.
It is not that you are dragged to Jesus apart from your will.
It is that God’s Spirit changes your will favorably towards Christ.
God saves in such a way that He gets all the credit.
God saves in such a way that He gets all the credit.
Lida - is a great example of God working in your heart before your faith in Christ.
11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis,
12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.
13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Acts 16:11-
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
Can = δύναμαι (able or capable)
Can = δύναμαι (able or capable)
Many apart from God is spiritually unable or incapable of coming to God.
Jesus is teaching what Paul teaches in Eph 2:1
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins