Sermon Where Do We Go From Here?

Text: John 6:53-69

53Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

59These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

60Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”

61When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

66From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

68But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Date: January 17, 2021

Place: ALIBC

Occasion: 26th Anniversary

Title: “Where Do We Go From Here?

Introduction:

IM: God has been good to us and today we celebrate 26 years of ministry. We have seen a lot and we have been through a lot in those 26 years. We have seen many people come and we have seen many people go, but we are still here. We are still here holding up the blood stain banner of the Lord, saying whosoever will let him come. We are still reaching the unreached and discipling the undisciplined throughout the world for Christ. We believe that we are still relevant and that our ministry is more relevant today than it’s ever been before. We have preached to thousands. We have seen thousands come to know Jesus. We have sent out apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors and teachers. We have planted churches, covered churches and established churches. We have traveled on the missions fields to many nations in the world. We have started schools, primary and day care. We have sons and daughters all across the globe. God has been good to us. 2020 has been our greatest challenge yet. Along with millions of other ministries, we have been challenged by the Corona virus pandemic. We have lost momentum and we anxious to become restored once again to totally fulfilled our purpose. So the question this morning is where do we go from here?

Thesis: Our country is divided and trouble is all around. But where do we go from here. I believe that no matter what happens, we stay with Jesus. He has the words of eternal life. And He is Christ the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

Background: John 6:1-25 Feeding the Five Thousand

1After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. 3And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

4Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

7Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”

8One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

10Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Jesus Walks on the Sea

15Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

16Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

The Bread from Heaven

22On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— 23however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks— 24when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”

Body:

1. Whatever you do, keep believing in Jesus.

26Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.

(Too many people today are following Jesus for the wrong reason. Their motivation is not about what they can do for Jesus, but what can Jesus do the them. The way I look at it, If the Lord don’t do another thing, He’s already done enough. Just to know that all my sins have been forgiven and that I have the promise of spending eternal life with Him in Glory, that’s enough right there. I don’t need another house or car. I don’t need more money in the bank. I just need a closer walk with Jesus. Too many people are just following Jesus for the fish and the loaves and when the fish runs out or the money runs out, they go back on Jesus. Then He said.)

27Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

(Don’t become too preoccupied with making money down here that you forget where you are going. Your focus needs to be on making preparations to spend eternity with God. Work to know who has the seal of God’s approval. Come to know Jesus for yourself. Here in it is. He says it plainly. Whatever you do keep believing in Jesus.)

28Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (See this is how so many of us miss it, we think we must do stuff for God but He clearly tells us here in the text to believe in Him.)

2. Whatever you do, don’t try to understand everything.

30Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”

32Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

(Moses and the people in the wilderness receive coriander seed from the sky. But Jesus truly came all the way from heaven.)

34Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”

35And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

41The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” 42And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

(You see this is the problem with so many people today, they began to complain rather than pray about something they don’t understand. True believers of God know that God loves to conceal a matter. The objective is for us to come to God and ask Him for wisdom. The objective is that we spend time in prayer and fasting, asking Him for wisdom. And if we don’t fully comprehend what God is doing, it’s no reason for us to go back on the Lord, but we should continue to pursue Him in a greater way).

43Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. 44No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. 46Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

52The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

53Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

59These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

60Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”

(We have the benefit of know that He was talking about His body that would hang on the cross and His blood that would be shed for the remission of our sins. Everyone who enters into the Kingdom must consume this by faith and that’s why we do communion to remind ourselves that we have eaten Jesus’s flesh and drank His blood. And because we have, we have part with Him.)

3. Whatever you do don’t leave Jesus.

61When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

(You see many people have attached themselves to Christ, and many people call themselves Christians but they have never been born again. They have never been filled with the Holy Spirit and aren’t being led by the Spirit of God. They have a form of Godliness but their hearts are from Him. In that day, many will say Lord have not cast out demons in your name and done many works in your name and He’s going to say depart from me, I know you not. Let that not be your testimony. Whatever you do, don’t leave Jesus. This is what the scripture says:)

66From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

(It may have been the 70 that He sent out two by two)

67Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

68But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

(We can’t leave Jesus, He has the words of eternal life. I don’t know about you, but I’ve come too far to turn around now. And besides that I believe that Jesus is the Son of the living God.)

Closing:Exhortation/SummaryI believe that Jesus is real. I believe that Jesus has all power in His hands,And He can do anything but fail,I believe it was Him who looked beyond my faults,I believe it was Him who saw my needsI believe it was Him who gave my not a second chance,But another chance, and another chance,With all my heart, I’m going to serve Him til I die,With all my heart, I’m going to stay with Jesus.Illustration/Clincher/StoryMany years ago before the Ministry was ten years old; Helen Baylor came to us and one of her songs she sang was:If It Had, Not, Been For The Lord, On My SideWhere Would I Be?, Where Would I Be?If It Had Not Been For The Lord On My SideWhere Would I Be? Where Would I Be?He Kept My Enemies AwayHe Let The Sun Shine Though A Cloudy DayOh, He Wrapped Me In The Cradle Of His ArmsWhen He Knew I' Been Battered And Torn,So…………………………………………………………………………..

And 22 years ago when March from the Jacksonville Conference Center into 1518 Gum Branch Road we sang:We’ve Come This Far By Faithby Albert A. GoodsonWe’ve come this far by faith,Leaning on the Lord.Trusting in his holy word.He’s never failed us yet.Oh, oh- oh- can’t turn around,We’ve come this far by faith.We’ve come this far by faith,Leaning on the Lord.Trusting in his holy word.He’s never failed us yet.Oh, oh- oh- can’t turn around,We’ve come this far by faith…………………………………But when this pandemic is over and God allows all His children to assemble in the Holy Sanctuary, We sang the song that the Great Mahalia Jackson sang:HOW I GOT OVERHow I got over? (How I got over)How I got over? (How I got over)You know my soul look back and wonderHow I made it over? (Oh yes)How I got over? (How I got over)How I made it over? (How I got over)You know my soul look back and wonderHow I made it over? (Oh yes)Ooh, soon as I can see Jesus (oh yes)Man that died for me (oh yes)Man that bled and sufferedHung on Calvary (oh yes)And I wanna thank him for how he brought me (oh yes)And I wanna thank God for how he taught me (oh yes)Ooh, thank my God how he kept me (oh yes)I'm gonna thank him 'cause He never left me (oh yes)And I wanna thank Him for ol' time religion (oh yes)I wanna thank God for giving me a vision (oh yes)Oh, I'm gon' join the Heavenly choir (oh yes)I'm gonna sing and never get tired (oh yes)I'm gonna sing somewhere 'round the alter (oh yes)I'm gonna shout all my troubles overLord, I got to thank youThank you for being so good to meTell me how I made it over? (How I got over)Had a mighty all time (how I got over)You know my soul look back and wonderHow did I make it over? (Oh yes)Tell me how I made it over, Lord? (How I got over)Had to cry the midnight hour (how I got over)You know my soul look back and wonderHow I made it over? (Oh yes)…………………………………………Lord I feel, I feel like running (thank you, thank you)I just feel, I feel like running (thank you, thank you)Lord, you know I feel, feel like running (thank you, thank you)Lord, Lord, I just feel, I feel like running (thank you, thank you)Lord, I wanna thank youThank you, thank you for beingSo, Lord, You been so good to meCelebrationI’ve got to Praise Him this morningI’ve got to give Him glory this morningI’ve got to magnify His nameI haven’t dotted very I, not crossed every T, but the Lord has been good to me.He’s looked beyond my faults and seen my needs.He’s forgiven me of my sins of commission, omission and suspicion.He’s kept me from the hand of the enemy.It has not been of any merit of my own, but by His grace.*** If He’s been good to you, say yes.If He’s brought you from a mighty long ways , say yes.If He’s kept you in the midst of the storm say yes.If you are going to serve Him til you die, say yes.Who are we celebrating this morning?His name is JesusLilly of the ValleyThe Bright and Morning StarThe King of KingsThe Lord of LordsThe Prince of PeaceThe Everlasting FatherThe Great I AMThe Alpha and OmegaThe Beginning and the EndingWhere Do We Go From Here?We stay with Jesus!Where He leads, I will follow.I’ll go with Him. I’ll go with Him, all the way…