March 31, 2019 - Seeking Discernment

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1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Look out for the Sharks

Look Out for the Sharks

In his book, The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway told the story of a Cuban fisherman who for eighty-four days went without a strike in the Gulf Stream, then late one afternoon he hooked a giant fish. So huge and powerful was the fish that it towed his skiff for two days before the exhausted old fisherman, mustering his last ounce of strength, finally harpooned the monster. It was lashed to the craft. The old man was happy. He guessed it would weigh fifteen-hundred pounds—it would buy a lot! Alas, he had not reckoned with the sharks. When he arrived home, all he had left was the gigantic head and a skeleton picked lean and white.

It behooves us to contemplate the sharks of the soul lest we bypass the great prize.

*How many of you?

So convinced about something - ONLY to realize - you were wrong?

SO excited about something - ONLY to realize - it wasn’t true?

Today, in our text, we’re going to be focusing in on this thing called - DISCERNMENT...

Discernment is the ability to - JUDGE WELL...

And so within Christianity, I think if we all were to take the - DISCERNMENT TEST...

We’d all FAIL miserably...

Two weeks ago we read a verse that mentions discernment...

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

So - if having a RENEWED MIND is what’s necessary - if we are to JUDGE WELL - to discern the things of life...

THEN - as we said 2 weeks ago - PURSUE a renewed mind!

In Scripture, on every page, we see men who had GREAT discernment, and men who had HORRIBLE discernment...

Let’s look at our text today and see what we find...

John 6:22–24 ESV

22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

Let’s stop there - SO if you remember, Jesus, FEEDS the 5000...

…and then disperses the crowd...

...And sends the disciples across the sea to Capernaum...

While out at Sea - Jesus last week - WALKED ON WATER...

The disciples think he’s a ghost - Peter calls out to Jesus and says - If that’s You Jesus, COMMAND me to come to you…!

So Jesus commands Peter to come to Him, and of course, Peter comes...

and walks on water...

HOW - Held up by - FAITH

They all then end up on the other side…of the sea...

And so the next day - the people begin to LOOK FOR JESUS...

They get into boats - and head to - Capernaum…!

What happens next?

John 6:25–26 ESV

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

Alright...

Here we have - People who had just experienced being fed by Jesus...

The 5000 - being fed by Jesus...

NOW - did those people KNOW that what Jesus did was miraculous?

John 6:13–14 ESV

13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

They KNEW what He had done…like REALLY done!

They KNEW he started with 5 loaves and 2 fish!

They finally make their way to Jesus - and they FIND HIM…!

Alright - Great opportunity - let’s see how they handle it!

John 6:25 ESV

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”

SLIDE: Lack of Discernment: Asks Questions that Miss the Mark

Lack of Discernment

This question here asked by the Jews was a terrible question - given the situation...

And this is OFTEN the case - given those with a LACK of DISCERNMENT...

**you ever been teaching someone how to do something...

..and you start to realize that they’re GETTING IT - because they’ve begun to ask - the right questions??

**Maybe you’re trying to teach your kid how to - RIDE A BIKE...

And you get them on the bike, and you’re holding the back and you’re trying to explain to them - HOW to BALANCE...

And AS YOU’RE telling them - they ask - “Hey Dad, why is the ground so hard?”

Now - good question - BUT - what?

The ANSWER to that question isn’t going to help them BALANCE on a BIKE.

Next Question: “Hey Dad - why is the sky blue?”

Good question - BUT

BUT THEN - they ask - “Hey Dad - can I lean the bike to the side a little bit so I don’t fall?”

YES - - GREAT question!! - They’re - getting it!

The JEWS asked Jesus a TERRIBLE question!

Why?

Lack of Discernment!

And listen - BELIEVERS aren’t IMMUNE to this!

Remember this text from a couple weeks ago?

Matthew 16:5–7 ESV

5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”

Can you hear them talking amongst themselves?

“Who has bread?”

Do YOU have bread? - No - do you?

HEY - did you bring bread?

TERRIBLE QUESTIONS!!

a LACK of DISCERNMENT!

Another example of this is seen in Matthew 15

Matthew 15:10–12 ESV

10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

I don’t think we need to continue on with the next verses to know what Christ thought about this question from the disciples...

Terrible questions - springing forth from a Lack of Discernment!

AND we’re NO Different!

You see - there’s a common theme that runs through all these instances in Scripture where the disciples asked Terrible Questions...

SLIDE: In all of these instances they didn’t see the moment as a DIVINE OPPORTUNITY

In all of these instances they didn’t see the moment as a DIVINE OPPORTUNITY

Opportunity, after opportunity after opportunity - just BLOW AWAY in the wind...

Never taken captive by those with LACK OF DISCERNMENT...

Let’s think through some examples:

For probably the last 2 months, we’ve had an announcement up on the board before service...

every Sunday, the same announcement

We need Men to Teach, because we have some women who are missing the sermon every 3rd Sunday

That, my friend, is a DIVINE OPPORTUNITY

But some will walk right by the sign up sheet and ask...

Hey, are there any muffins in the kitchen?

Any more coffee?

And JESUS CHRIST - is literally standing there saying - Do you still not understand??

A new person or family walks into the church, and they sit down in one of the rows

That, my friend, is a DIVINE OPPORTUNITY

But some will walk right by, and ask if the heat can be turned down, or up

And JESUS CHRIST - is literally standing there saying - Do you still not understand??

And this one has happened to me countless times...

Your neighbor is outside working in the yard and he strikes up a conversation...

And an opportunity arises to mention church and faith…and INSTEAD...

the small talk continues and the question of - Hey did you watch the game last weekend…rule the conversation...

A DIVINE OPPORTUNITY - missed - WHY? - Lack of Discernment

And JESUS CHRIST - is literally standing there saying - Do you still not understand??

THIS is what we see in our text today...

The Jews who found Jesus on the other side of the sea - ask Him WHEN he got there!

John 6:25 ESV

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”

a TERRIBLE question...

And we KNOW that’s the case based on Christ’s response to them...

THEY ask HIM - WHEN He got there...

And He responds by - TELLING THEM WHY they’re seeking after Him...

Christ completely IGNORES their question - THAT’S how bad it was!

John 6:25–26 ESV

They ask Jesus WHEN He got there...

He tells THEM - WHY they came!

And what a blessing it is when Jesus Christ - gets our WONDERING minds back on what actually matters...

But in THIS case - did it help?

Let’s see....

Jesus is saying here - You are seeking Me, not because you understand WHO I AM...

…but because I FILLED YOUR Earthly bellies...

I satisfied your EARTHLY desires!

AND NOW - I’m popular!

Jesus is saying - YOUR MINDS are operating at a WORLDLY level…You DON’T understand!

You’re PURSUING Me (the creator of the universe) - because of BREAD!

**If Gordon Ramsey showed up at your house tonight ready to cook you dinner, how many of you would order DOMINO’S?

These Jews were pursuing - BREAD!

And Jesus responds...

v27

John 6:27 ESV

27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

Ok, Jesus here - tells these guys what they should do...

DO NOT work for the food that perishes…but - WORK for the food that endures to eternal life.

OK - now wait a minute - It SOUNDS like Jesus just TAUGHT that we need to WORK for eternal life.

Right?

That’s what He said!

That’s EXACTLY what He said - and we know the Jews heard Him say that too…based on their response.

John 6:28 ESV

28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

So yes!

They heard Jesus say - WORK for eternal life!

And that’s RIGHT IN THEIR WHEEL HOUSE! - WHY?

SLIDE: Lack of Discernment: Rises From Preeminence of the Physical

Lack of Discernment

We’re going to CONTINUE to see how Preeminent the Physical World is for the Jew!

It started with them pursuing Christ for physical BREAD...

Then by asking Him a Chronology question… “Hey, WHEN did You get here?”

And now = They STILL don’t get it!

Oh ok Jesus - WORK for eternal life?

Well then - “What must we DO, to be DOING the works of God?”

SIGN US UP Jesus!

Just tell us what to do - TO BE DOING the works of God!

Now think through what that mindset says of Jesus.

It’s a mindset that says - I don’t need Jesus and His work.

So - think thru GROUPS of people that have displayed in History - a PREEMINENCE of the Physical… displaying itself in a LACK OF DISCERNMENT!...

JEWS

Remember what their EXPECTATIONS were of the Messiah?

The Messiah would:

bring Physical freedom - freedom from oppression

set up a Physical Kingdom - an Earthly kingdom

NOT suffer: Jewish theology in the 1st century had NO USE for the cross...

And ALL of this LACK OF DISCERNMENT lead to - - the execution of Christ!

Pharisees

Now the Pharisees were a Jewish Sect, devoted to exact observance of the Jewish Religion...

And throughout Scripture we’re constantly seeing Christ go at - the Pharisees...

Remember - they were the same guys who SAW Jesus heal the man who was LAME...

right? that guy who had been LAME for 38 years...

Jesus told him to walk home...

and the guy - DID...

BUT - ALL the Pharisees saw was that Jesus healed the guy - On the Sabbath...

the Physical (the letter of the LAW) was SO PREEMINENT in the hearts of the Pharisees that they had an OVERT - LACK OF DISCERNMENT!

Judaizers

Those who INSISTED on Christian conformity to Jewish customs.

These guys were SO insistent, that we end up reading in Acts 15, that there was a Council at Jerusalem...

Where it was voted on whether Gentile Christians needed to adhere to Jewish customs...

But listen to this:

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Early Church Discipline

Despite the pronouncement of the Jerusalem Council regarding Gentiles, the Judaizers did not suspend their opposition to Paul but rather intensified it. Jesus had given the disciples a method of dealing with unfaithful church members. If the members did not respond to personal correction, they were to be banned from the church (Mt 18:15–18; cf. Gal 6:1). Thus the Judaizers probably were banned from the church and became a cultic sect. The difference of tone between the Letter to the Galatians, where they are merely opponents, and later epistles (2 Cor 11:13–15; Phil 3:18, 19), where they are called “false prophets” and servants of Satan headed for destruction, illustrates the change.

A complete LACK of DISCERNMENT on the part of the Judaizers!

FUELED by a Preeminence of the Physical...

And this is not something that ONLY AFFECTED those in the 1st century...

This MINDSET carries on today…in the likes of...

Roman Catholicism: we see this in the teachings of the Sacraments...

All other religions outside of Christianity...

KJV-Onlyism: Which is the belief that only the King James Version of the Bible is the TRUE word of God.

How about those groups that believe that Speaking in Tongues is the only TRUE sign of being a Christian...

In all of these groups, and so many more - we find a PREEMINENCE of the PHYSICAL...

And it continues in our text today...

John 6:27–30 ESV

27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?

So Christ here - ANSWERS their question - What must we DO, to be DOING the works of God...

He answers them by DEFINING what He means by WORK...

He says - This is the WORK of God, that you BELIEVE in Him whom He has sent!

See - Jesus is trying to REORIENT their brains…their mindset...

He wants to take THEIR ELEVATION of the Physical...

And OVERCOME it with a PREEMINENCE of HIM!

You wanna WORK for God? Then BELIEVE in ME!

Take your EYES OFF yourselves, and look to ME!

But even in Christ’s call to them to TURN to Him...

They still can’t GET BEYOND the physical!

v30 - read it...

So they said to Him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?

Talk about a TERRIBLE question…on so many levels.

Here’s what we see here...

SLIDE: Lack of Discernment: Can’t Hold Truth for Very Long

Lack of Discernment

Now - I assume that these same guys asking Jesus what sign he does so that they can SEE and believe...

Were the same guys who witnessed the SIGN of Christ feeding the 5000...

AND NOW they’re asking Jesus - So, what sign do you perform? We need a SIGN so that we can SEE and believe…!

This is just standard protocol when it comes to - LACK OF DISCERNMENT!

Truth may be heard…but it’s not UNDERSTOOD!

It’s not PLANTED in the heart...

And it reminds us of the parable of the SOWER...

Matthew 13:19–22 ESV

19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

A Lack of Discernment is the type of soil that cannot receive and hold the truth.

The Jews in our text today were amongst the 5000...

YET - they ask the silly question to Jesus - “Well then what sign do you perform?”

And this literally becomes an occasion when James 1:23-24 are lived out in real life...

James 1:23–24 ESV

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

They just COULDN’T HOLD the truth of Christ…in their hearts...

And this leads to our last point today...

They ask Jesus what sign he would perform for them…and then they POINT back to a SIGN from their past...

John 6:30–32 ESV

30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

Do you see what happened?

SLIDE: Lack of Discernment: Leads to Man Claiming for Himself What Belongs to God

Lack of Discernment

Do you see how this played out in our text?

The Jews here - who have ELEVATED the Physical...

Look back to the SIGN of Manna from Heaven, and they attribute the Giving of the Bread, from Heaven…to who?

They attribute that SIGN to - MOSES.

And Jesus corrects their thinking and says...

John 6:32 ESV

32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

This is what a LACK of DISCERNMENT will do...

It will DISTORT reality...

It will take what BELONGS to God - the GLORY of satisfying the Israelites in the wilderness...

And it will instead GLORIFY the MEANS that God uses to accomplish the work...

Moses was just a MEANS of God…used by God to bring GLORY TO GOD!

BUT...

In the hearts of these Jews here… all glory went to MOSES

WHY?

Because of a - LACK of DISCERNMENT - fueled by a PREEMINENCE of the Physical!

and so for Christ - Their Lack of Discernment is OBVIOUS...

And He seeks to correct them...

read v32

John 6:33–34 ESV

33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

V34 here sounds promising...

It sounds as if they finally UNDERSTAND...

Give us THIS bread - they say...

BUT - as we’ll see next week in v35…they still don’t get it.

The dangers of a LACK of DISCERNMENT...

Let him at Abiding Faith who has ears to hear, let him hear...

What have we seen today?

SUMMARY:

Lack of Discernment:

Asks Questions that Miss the Mark

Rises From Preeminence of the Physical

Can’t Hold Truth for Very Long

Leads to Man Claiming for Himself What Belongs to God

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