Sunday Sermon
sunday morning 1st June 2008
john 6v61-66
Lets look first of all at the crowd:
What does Jesus say to them?
He notices that they are grumbling / complaining / muttering / murmuring.
They were not happy! It is easy to get that feel from people if they are unhappy about what you have just said!
So Jesus responds to them:
1st of all he ask them does this really bother them v61
The word is Scandalise them, cause them to stumble, like a cord that makes them trip up.
He asks this because he wants them to question their grumbling
App:
How easy it is to complain! It is almost a reflex action. Before we even know what we are complaining about we’ve jumped on the band wagon and start to complain!
Jesus is superb at getting people to stop and think!
It is almost as if he is saying “settle down”, these things are so basic - they should not cause you to fall away!
1a) To that Jesus adds, what if you see something truly otherworldly, astonishing v62.
Thus far he has spoken of the Bread that comes down from heaven.
A very humble self effacing act, that hardly raised an eyebrow! Now he talks about the return of that Bread to heaven! He is rebuking the people! Saying wait until you see something really dramatic before you go off in the huff!
App:
Again we need to be careful about what we complain about! How often do people fall out over totally inconsequential issues.
Especially in a church environment! The removal of pews! The change of a service time! Etc.
2) with that jolt to their collective complaint Jesus gives them one more word of explanation v63-65
Jesus wants them to acknowledge that only the Spirit of God can give them life, and then from that acknowledge that His words are the Spirit of God words that if believed bring life to them!
He says these word that I have spoken to you, that have caused such offence are not just any old words! They need to be looked at from a different level.
They thought Jesus was advocating cannibalism with all his talk of eating flesh and drinking blood v52.
But in fact his words were spiritual-life-giving-power-words! They were the Words of God! They were Spirit words that brought life, not flesh words that bring death. “the flesh counts for nothing” - cannibals still die after eating flesh! Even the flesh of Christ.
Yet, v64, some still don’t believe! Here they have a chance to accept these Spirit Words and live! But they don’t believe!
Jesus has offered them life on a plate, in the form of His words, but they don’t take them and eat! - they don’t believe!
The explanation for their unbelief is that they cannot believe v65, unless God the Father gives them power to believe.
This answers their original complaint v60 - who has power to believe?
Jesus is turning their critical complaint into a genuine question that a true seeker may ask: where can I get the power to believe? The answer is go to the Father and he will enable you to believe!
Why else would Jesus be telling them that they cannot believe unless God gives them the power to believe, unless he wants them to ask God for that power?
Surely he is not rubbing their face in their helpless unbelieving lives!
Surely in fact he is saying here is the gateway! Go to God for power to believe in Me!
App:
What about you today? Do you want to believe? Are you struggling with unbelief. Jesus tells us the answer - ask God for power to believe.
Then believe in these Words that Jesus has brought into the world.
Remember Johns Gospel was written so that you would believe!
3) then the breach is made v66.
Many don’t believe. They walk away!
Note the pride of man!
It is very hard to back down.
Even after the further explanations given by Jesus they still go away!
What a tragic verse this is.
It is possibly a moment of crisis that comes to us all.
We are faced with a choice to either walk with Christ or walk away from him!
There is perhaps a time for “searching discipleship” when we are just coming to Jesus, when we are interested in his message, when we can see that there might be something for us.
But then there comes a time for a real decision to be made.
Jesus asks everyone of us to believe in him.
To commit to a lifetime of walking with him: what will you do?
sunday evening 1st June 2008
john6v76-71
This morning we saw how Jesus responded to the crowd.
Tonight we will see how he deals with the 12.
Picture the scene at this moment: Many just give up. They turn and go home. Probably the vast majority of them can take it no longer! Of the thousands who followed only a few were now left!
So Jesus now turns to the disciples.
Perhaps he sees their distressed look at the sight of mass desertion.
Up to this point they would have felt quite good. A good crowd were following, Jesus was a success.
Miracles were being done, food was being supplied, thousands rallied round!
But now after a seemingly harmless activity - a bit of teaching in a synagogue - Jesus is abandoned! What are the 12 to do? Jesus asks them -
John 6:67 67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.
It is a very challenging question. It really challenges their convictions: do they really believe in Jesus, is he really the One?
It is a test of their faith, will they stand by when thousands have had enough!
App:
This type of question sorts out who really believe and who don’t.
It is easy to believe when things go well. But when things start to go badly then…..
John 6:68 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
The spokesman for the 12 announces. They are convinced that Jesus really is the One! He has the life words, nobody else! Jesus is the Messiah, they will not walk off.
App:
Peter had grasped the true meaning of Jesus. He had worked it out, thought it through.
Likewise our faith needs to be thought through and worked out.
The refining of our faith often comes through adversity because often it is only there that we really form true commitment and belief in the gospel.
When things are going easily our faith and commitment can often be very shallow, we don’t need it as much!
John 6:69 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
They have believed, beheld the Son, entered life!
Peter at this point really gets it right.
If Jesus is the Messiah then nothing else matters.
Where else can they go!
The NIV translation simply says that they “know”, but the original is more descriptive than that.
The word is that they have “come to know”.
They have watched the signs, heard the words, and through it all have come to know!
App:
This is very instructive for us. We too have gone on this journey with Jesus.
We have seen the signs and read the words. So at this stage how do you respond to Jesus? Have you come to know and believe?
It is nothing magical, no need for a great feeling or experience, just a simple belief.
But what have they come to know?
That Jesus is the “Holy One of God”
They have seen in Jesus something “other / different” that difference they can only put down to Divinity!
We have all heard the CS Lewis - Lord, Lunatic or Liar………
The disciples, those closest to him saw that he was LORD.
App:
Can’t you see that?
Jesus then responds to this resounding vote of confidence, with the second tragic verse in this section (v66 the other).
John 6:70 70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!"
Even from the 12 there is going to be a betrayal as v71 makes clear
John 6:71 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)
How depressing, the crowds had walked away, and even within the 12 there is a devil!
Note the word Jesus uses to define the betrayer - a devil! Means slanderer / accuser.
His sin is even more heinous because he does not just walk away, but he stays and causes trouble.
App:
Here we need to take note of the fact that the ministry of Jesus was marked not by great success but by mass desertion and betrayal.
This highlights for us in our situation the battle that we are in.
We need to fight to keep the faith alive in our own walk and fight to bring faith back to our nation!
