May 22, 2022 Sunday Worship Service (Steve)

each week, I Pick the people, we're going to do those things. Whenever Cain's name comes across as a up. I'm going to get more a long passage to read just to make you Sunday. And we're thankful for baby. We're thankful for his talent and he is growing by Leaps and Bounds were thankful for that. As we can. See, we are talkin it from John, chapter 6. I am the bread of life and Jesus had said that several times in this discourse. And as we think about the Life of Christ, Jesus, is telling his audience here, that he is the life that he gives to mankind that he comes down from heaven above. And this is one of those seven. I am statements that we read about in scripture. This is the first one, I am the bread of Life by Jesus also said, I am the door. I am the shepherd or the great Shepherd. I am the vine and then of course, he says, I am the way. I am the truth and I am be. Why it's all those seven. I am statements, this being the first of them. And so every think about John chapter 6, I thought about Dividing us up in several portions and perhaps having a series of lessons. I decided not to which is why we're having a longer reading than usual, but I wanted you to get the gist of the entire chapter because what we're going to be looking at is the context of the passage, every be taking a look at the background and the analysis of the text itself. And so when we consider the background last last week, we were talking and action past few weeks were talking about Jesus feeding the 5,000. And Jesus sending out his disciples his the apostles out on a limited commission. And we see that he was casting out demons as well. And so all of that leads us up to this, this moment in time and John chapter 6. And he's not here and he's teaching these these Jews who have gathered to hear his message. And when we think about the crowd itself, we're going to be looking at three aspects to the crowd. When we looking at the whole entire crowd. Take a look at the Jews in particular, and then also his disciples which are not the 12 and then we'll be taking a look at the 12 themselves. But the purse, the reason he is coming to this crowd. And teaching, the way he is, he has been testing his own Apostles up to this point, especially after walking on the water. He remember that and he told his disciples especially Peter. Oh, ye of little faith. And so what he was doing is trying to impart to them confidence in himself that they could trust in him, that he is the Messiah and so they did. And so they pass that test after he taught them. But now he's testing the motives of the people who have been following him now, when they first came to him, they were looking to be healed. Looking to be said. And so he said over 5,000 people with Five Loaves and two fish. We talked about that last week. The people come and they're waiting for Jesus to perhaps feed them some more. Looks like they're hungry again. So Jesus doesn't tell me why he came to compartir him, but he did ask the crowd while they were there. Yes, then why are you guys here? What we want to be sad? And we want you to heal. And so these are the things that Jesus will happen doing. But now he's trying to draw them into a deeper relationship with him. And so he's putting it out there asking them. What are you really here for? Now, ask yourself that question to yourself this morning. What are you here for? It's because Mom and Dad like you to be here, it's because of something that you've done all your life. Or is it because you love Jesus? Is it? Because if you want to be fed buys word, is it? Because if you want to encourage one another, and be with your brother and your brothers and sisters in Christ, and so do, these are the things that we have to ask ourselves. So, the crowd made up of Jews, disciples, and apostles are all here to hear Jesus, but I want your call to your attention that the beginning. Jesus said, do not labor for the food which perishes which is what they were doing. but for the food, which endures to everlasting life, The word of God which the son of man will give you because God the father has set his seal on him and he said Jesus. We're told that he is declared to be the Son of God with power. Because of those Miracles, God said his seal upon him. And so we read that in John chapter 3 verse 33 where God said his seal upon him and so he was Guided by the spirit in order to teach and to preach had to do those signs, to do those Miracles. That's the idea of a sea of something that was visible. Something naked they can say, yeah, that is a man of God and that was true of the Apostles as well. But you remember in John chapter 3, when Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and he specifically said that to Jesus, he says God because no man can do these signs these Miracles except God be with him. His seal upon him, his son of God and he authenticated the message that he preached that confirm the preaching. Hence, the Seal of God, but then I said to him, what shall we do that? We may work the works of God, Jesus answered and said to them. This is the work of God that you believe in him. Whom he said, he'll let stop right there for just a moment. We talked about this Thursday. Thursday at 1. And when we look at this first to hear, a lot of people talking about, we're not saved by works. I agree with that. I agree. We're not saved by works, were saved by Jesus Christ, but But works are essential for salvation. Works alone will not save us. But works when applied with everything else that we need to do and too and to rely upon, then they work together for instance, does the cross of Jesus Christ. Save everybody? No, not if I don't respond not, if they don't have faith. If they don't show the blood to cross the gospel, all of that will not say, unless we act and respond by faith. But notice what he says here about faith, this is very important because a lot of people say we're not saved by works. Well, James says, faith without works is dead. Number one. Number two. What does Jesus say? He says, An answer to the question, what shall we do that? We may work, the works of God. Jesus said, this is the work of God that you believe. So, therefore Faith. Pastaio. The idea of the idea of trusting, the idea of a confiding, in Jesus Christ, all that you are and leaning upon him. That's the idea of faith and he says, that's the work that you need to do. And so Jesus is Calling Faith itself or work. This is something that you need to buy them, It's a work of God. But it's something that God gives us to do. And so Faith itself is a work, you know, Jesus told us and Matthew 12:41. Got the men of Nineveh has repented at the preaching of Jonah and then lo and behold. If you turn your bottles back to Jonah 3:10, you'll find that guy saw Barrel Works in that they turn repented of their Wicked Ways. And God gives us to do is a work by God a work works of obedience. And so it is this was necessary for us to understand especially as the dressing these people in the audience. Notice and Revelation chapter two of you and I put the works of you, because we say your works, right? Your works. I know all your Works service endurance. And as for your works. Well, let's go back and read that again. I know the works of you have no, your Works. Your face, your service, your endurance and ask for your work Faith, service, and endurance the last, or greater than the first. See that space. Is it worth service is a work endurance. Everything that God has commanded us to do, is a work. God gives us. And so, I was on a website, not too long ago, on Facebook, in a, in a discussion, religious discussion, and I had a fellow tell me, take your filthy works and go to hell. That's what he said to me. Oh, you have some nice friends on Facebook. Right? I lovely people and so but that's the way people are.

All I want to tell you is that once you believe in your heart and your mind that Jesus is Lord, you're saying you don't have to do anything and he works there will be any answers. Just they're not going to say it if it's important, but that's not going to save you. Now, if you told every denominational preacher out there, that giving is not important. You don't have to give, they might rethink their strategy on that. But giving is important and you have two gift because we're commanded to give and every come in in the Bible, especially the New Testament would be worthless. If it didn't matter, right, why have a command? So if we're Saved By Faith, then we're saved by works because faith, it is a work. So in this Jesus is testing the crowd. He said that I am the true bread. He said, I am the bread of life and they're going to fail the test. And here's what we go through this. So he tells the Jews in their understanding. The Jews grumbled. What did they say? So, Jesus, strengthen his argument, and he says, here in John's 6:41 Jesus, therefore, answered, and said to them, do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to me. Unless the father who sent me draws him. But stop right there. In the religious World. A lot of people say you can't understand. God, you can't understand the Bible. Well, this guy draws you. You can't be saved. Unless God Saves you first. Another one. There's some Supernatural Supernatural action that takes place Between Heaven and your mind. And in that action, you begin to understand supernaturally what the Bible stands for what it means. What Jesus is all about. And therefore one that happens to me. You're saying that that moment. Face only and it's given. And that face only, it's not yours really. It's something that God had to manipulate your mind for an order for that to come about. So he said no one can come to me. Unless the father who sent me draws him and then they close their Bibles and if they see God has to draw you. It's so they automatically assume Supernatural power of drawing. You God draws some to Salvation. God does not draw some to Salvation. So what are they Gods? Save some goddamn others? That's that doctor. How old does he draw men to notice and I will raise them up the last day. It is written in the prophets written in the prophets. And they shall all be taught by God. Their for here. It is, everyone who has heard and learned from the father comes to me. I asked you the question. Did God, tell all the Jews at one time? What to do and what to say, did God speak to every single individual Jew, had some other occasion know, who did he choose to speak to the people the prophets? That's why he says as it is written in the prophets and it's through that teaching and threw it Heron, we could say preaching and it's true that message that you come to learn. I want you to learn. He says you have been drawn by God and other words. It's the influence of God's word through the Teaching that compels you to respond. That's what he's talking about. And when you respond to God's teaching through God's word, God is leading. You God is directing, you not directly. But through what that teaching is is telling you to do through God's word. Anyone has seen the father. Except to use from God, he has seen the father. I come to this passage. Every time I am forced to look at or read a book or TV parents from certain individuals. Were they write books? And they said, oh, I died. And I went to heaven. And I talked to Jesus, and I came back and now I'm telling you, my story.

Not that anyone has seen the father except he was from God. He has seen the father Jesus. The saying no one has been to Heaven, except me. I have seen the father, and I'm explaining the father to you. And if you see me, you see the father. Elsewhere in John chapter one. Jesus said, no one has ascended. No one has ascended to heaven. Except he himself descended from Heaven. Do you see that? And yet, you have people running around saying Jesus, I went to heaven and let me tell you about it.

Books, money and suckers. That's what people do and they believe it and they eat it up. And we need to understand. Well, that's what men say, that's what people say. What does God say. Got him. Statically said, no one is there. No one is there. Only one has been there and now came to Earth and then went back. So you say all men in most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in me, has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your father's hate the man, and this is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. You do you notice that keeps saying come down from heaven, come down, from heaven, come down from heaven. What you saying? What you talkin about? Why believe what he's telling the people is that he is eternal. He's talking about his pre-existing nature. He's talking about, I Came From Heaven. To give you life. So feed on me and you'll have life. He's not talking about the Lord's Supper. He's not literally saying you need to eat my flesh and drink my blood. But what are you saying, is if you eat meat, if you take in everything about me, you're going to have a life and life eternal. That he says I have come to this earth to give you just that. Now eat it up, is what he's saying. They had to use an idiomatic expressions in the Old Testament talking about eating the Flesh and drinking the blood talking about that, not in a, in a simple matter. But in a way, which is a metaphor a metaphor. So he says, if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever in the bread that I shall give is my flesh. I'm going to die in a cross which I shall give for the life of the world. So the Jews dispute it again. How can this man? Give us his flesh to eat. So this is the problem. So the crowd everyone that's there is now forced to hear this. Now, the Jews who are there and they're saying, oh wait a minute. Isn't this the Carpenter's boy? Is it. Doesn't he belonged to Joseph and Mary? Oh, and by the way, their illicit little affair, they had beer before they got married. Remember, Jesus was according to them. Was born out of wedlock. Basically, right? She was pregnant before they were married. But and this is the kind of murdering that's going on talking about. Did he really say eat? My flash. Did he really say drink my blood? It's all a lot of the people going to walk away saying that's gross, that's disgusting. Of course, you know, Jesus did not send. Can you go back to the Old Testament or Old Testament? Tells tells us and one of The Commandments there, that man shall not eat the Flesh of man. So there's no such thing as Jesus saying I'm talking about cannibalism, right? He's not talking about that. Why can't we see the metaphor here? Why can't we see? It's a figure of speech and yet these people were blind to what he say. Just like they were blind to what he was saying with the Parables that he was teaching them. John 6:63 says that Jesus said 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.

Not the reason this is not talking about the Lord's. Supper is this? If you just had the Lord's Supper, you had life in you.

Don't you just don't eat the Lord's supper and have life and you, you got to live a life of faith in other areas. It's always not just talking about the Lord's Supper, but he is talking about a way of life consuming Jesus living for Jesus. Having him in you and you in him. Following him in every whim and word that he offers. That's the idea living for Jesus River. Jesus said, you got to love me more than any other human being on Earth. And I know moms are sitting here going. Well. I love my son and my daughter and I love my husband. I don't know what Jesus says, you gotta understand me first. Jesus. First. Jesus says, you have me the most because he loved you. The most you the most. That makes all the difference in the world. So he says, for my flesh is food, indeed, in my blood is drink and eat my flesh and drinks. My blood abides in me, dwells in me, and I in him has the living father sent me and I live because of the father. So he who feeds on me will live because of me. This is my flesh and drinks. My blood abides in me the bread, which came down from heaven, not as your fathers, ate the Manna in our Dead who eats this bread will live for ever more. And so he's, he's arguing the case again. He's trying to make them think I'm not talkin. Literally. I'm talking metaphorically and yet the people said we'll have none of him. We'll have none of him. He's a false teacher. Let's walk away from this man. It's so now the disciples are tested. And he's pointing out the necessity of having your priorities straight. And so they enter the scene in 6:60 and they too were bothered at his teaching. So here's what Jesus says. He says when Jesus knew himself that his disciples not talking about the 12. He's talking about all the disciples that were following. You the students. That's the word disciple. When Jesus knew himself that his students complained about this. He said to them, does this offend you what? Then if you should see, the son of man has said where he was before, it is the spirit who gives life. The spirit gives life. There's another one. The spirit does give life. The question is, how does the spirit give life just like God, draws all people to Christ. But the question is, how does he draw people to Christ through teaching, through learning, through understanding through obedience. What how does he give life? Look the words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life. Scripture the words written about Jesus from Jesus and to us. Are those words that give life. I'm not ashamed of the Gospel, those things. We're not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation for everyone. There's no difference that one over here so he can be saved and to hell with all the rest, right? He doesn't do that. He's got a gospel and the good news is, you can understand it. You can do it and you can live by. But most of all, you can understand it to save your soul. You can understand it to save your soul because it's through the spirits words. He gives life. He gives life. They too would walk away. So now he comes to his apostles. And he's losing his cross fast. He looked at the 12 and he says, will you all go away? Also? Imagine that. but Peter, Peter like the time before and Nephi chapter 16 when he asked all his disciples who says, hey, who do the people out here in Accra?

And then he asked the question. But who do you say that? I am? And what did Peter do? He stood up on behalf of all the other Apostles and he says you are the Christ, the son of the Living, God.

And so, in this particular fashion, he's doing the same thing. He says, will you go away also and Peter stands up for the 12 and he says, Lord, where shall we go for? You have the words of life? The words of Life, the bread of life, the apostles pass the test. And so let me look at this and summary fashion Christ has words of eternal life. His words are spirit and life. Those who hear or talk and have learned from the father, come to Christ. Notice the words of Jesus in John chapter 5, says anyone who hears my word and believe in him, who sent me has everlasting life. Here's my word. Anyone who hears? My word will have everlasting life. That's not just simply listening to a sermon. But understanding what he said and responding to the message. That's what's under consideration here. How do you say is? When you do that, you will have life. You will have passed from Death, spiritual death unto life, spiritual life. Let me just share this with you because Jesus gave it in simple fashion in simple form. Here. It is and you hear me saying every week? He that believes and is baptized shall be saved, believe the gospel. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved the words of life or good. Are the words of Life are there for you this morning? And Jesus says, come come on and off the Book of Revelation comes with a final invitation, and the invitation says, and the spirit, and the bride say, come, it's open for you. And to all you can do that this morning. You can put yourself in the place of those people that we read about in the first century and see how they were saved. And Jesus said, this was the way to do it and it hasn't changed. It's been the same way since the first century. And Jesus says he that believes in his backpack shopping. If you can do that today, you can put Christ on in baptism and know that you're safe know that you're forgiven and walk away assured of having salvation in your hands. You can do that this morning. Grab some of you've done that but I've walked away from him. Maybe you got tired of him. Maybe you got tired of the preacher in the teaching. Maybe you just have worldly things on your mind. I know this world is competing with the spiritual aspect of Our Lives. Not just you, and not just you, but me to, it's all over the place. That's why Jesus made the church. The church says hey, let's build each other up. Let's strengthen one another that we remain faithful to Christ. And so, he's the head of the body, the church. And you are, I are children of God. Who enjoys those blessings memory says, all spiritual blessings are found. We are in Christ Jesus. If you're interested Jesus, you're in this body. You're in his church. And therefore, he says, all you need to do, if you walked away from me, you turn your back on me. If don't even think about saying you've done something that you can't return that's nonsense. His blood will forgive every sin and any sin and all he saying is, hey, you just turn around and change your mind. You come back to me. Everything will be fine. It will be, I promise you. if your subject an invitation today want to come forward as Together, We Stand say,