Category: Jesus Christ

How do I stay focused on what is important to God? Part 3

“He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.” John 7:18

So far in our discussion about how to stay focused on what is important to God, we have learned to avoid hiding behind foolish stereotypes (John 7:14-16) and to ascertain God’s will by doing it (John 7:17). Today we learn to ASSESS THOSE WHO TEACH US (John 7:18-23). We all have teachers. We should have those who disciple us. However, we must be careful to whom we entrust ourselves. In Matthew 7:15, Jesus warns us to watch out for false prophets or teachers who are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Outwardly, they may appear to be Christians. They may be very gentle, kind, loving and quite popular, but if they are teaching a message that is contrary to Jesus’ message, they are false teachers and they are to be avoided.

Jesus gives us a clear warning – “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory.” (John 7:18a). Jesus gives us several things to look for in a teacher:

1.  Who is the teacher seeking to glorify? Himself or God the Father? Jesus sought to glorify the One who sent Him by teaching the doctrine His Father gave Him (John 7:16; cf. 5:19-20; 12:49-50). Jesus did not seek His own glory. What Jesus taught was always true. What Jesus taught was always consistent with what His Father taught. When a person advances the ideas of another person, it glorifies his teacher rather than himself. However, when he advances his own ideas instead of his teacher’s, it dishonors his teacher and glorifies himself. When we distort or mishandle God’s Word, we are seeking our own glory instead of God’s.

For the sake of illustration, let’s say my earthly father told me to invite people to meet him for a free meal at Mullets Restaurant in Des Moines at 8 am this Saturday by using the Dart Bus local route 6, but I told everyone I knew to meet him there at 8 am this Saturday by taking the Dart Bus route 52 because it is a more popular route (which does not go to that destination). Imagine the consequences!

First, no one would make it to the right destination because I had not communicated my father’s directions correctly. Second, all of them would miss out on a free meal. Third, they would think less of my father for sending them on a bus that took them to a destination where he was not present, thus wasting their time. By failing to communicate my father’s message accurately, I would damage his reputation and cause many people to miss out on his blessings. In addition, it would draw much attention (albeit negative) to myself from both my father and those I invited. On the other hand, if I had communicated his message accurately, many would enjoy a free meal and look up to my father for being so generous and gracious.

This is much more than semantics or splitting hairs. God has chosen specific words to communicate how to spend eternity with Him in Heaven (cf. John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9; et al.). His word is truth (John 17:17), not our opinions. When we distort or mishandle His saving message by inserting unclear clichés such as “give your life to Christ,” “invite Jesus into your heart,” “surrender to Christ” instead of the words Jesus taught about how to obtain eternal life (believe or faith), we do not please the Lord even if that is our sincere desire. In addition, we are also making it easier for people to arrive at the wrong eternal destination. However, when we tell people the same condition for obtaining eternal life that Jesus taught (believe in Him – John 3:15-18; 5:24; 6:40, 47; 7:38-39; 11:25-26; et al.), we are glorifying Jesus Christ and the Father who taught Him, and we are giving lost people the Good News they desperately need to hear.

2. Are they telling the truth about Christ and our need for Him? Jesus claimed something about Himself that could not be said about any other person – “But He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.” (John 7:18b). Jesus is the sinless Son of God. He is fully God and fully human. He never said, did, or thought anything wrong. Even His motives were sinless. He always sought to glorify His Father. Jesus’ listeners were the opposite of Him. They were sinners. “Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” (John 7:19). This is true of all of us. None of us can keep all of God’s laws. “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10). No matter how well you keep the rest of God’s laws, if you fail at one point, you are considered a lawbreaker and deserving of eternal punishment. And the Bible tells us that all of us fall short of His glory or perfection (Rom. 3:23).  

So maybe you have never murdered anyone or committed adultery, but have you ever misused God’s name or have you ever failed to love Him more than anyone or anything else? Our innocence in one area does not excuse us in other areas. All of us are sinners and sinners need a Savior. Instead of looking to Jesus to save them, Jesus’ listeners were seeking to kill Him. If a teacher depreciates the Person and work of Christ (denies He is fully God who took the punishment for all our sin and rose from the dead) and denies their own sinfulness, and therefore denies the need to trust in Christ alone for salvation, they are not from God and should be avoided.

First Timothy 6:3-5 tells us: “3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, 4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.” In other words, there is a fungus among us and they need to be avoided. If a church or denomination ever goes down this slippery slope of depreciating the Person and work of Christ by denying His deity or distorting His gospel, it will be decision time. Will we follow Jesus and His teachings or will we follow people’s opinions and traditions?

We are living in an age similar to what Paul describes: “For there is going to come a time when people won’t listen to the truth but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:3 Living Bible). We need to ask ourselves when we listen to teachers at church, on TV, the radio, the internet or even in a book, “Are these teachers telling us the truth, (which is sometimes painful) or are they telling us what they think we want to hear? Are they teaching salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ alone or are they teaching a faith plus gospel?” If a teacher is focused on glorifying God, if they seek to get across what God has said so that people might be delivered from sin’s penalty and obtain the free gift of eternal life simply by believing in Jesus alone who is the true God and eternal life, then you can trust that kind of teacher.

3. Are they living by a double standard? Instead of admitting their desire to murder Jesus, the crowd lies: “The people answered and said, ‘You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?’ ” (John 7:20). Because Christ’s grace conflicts with their legalistic understanding, they accuse Jesus of having a demon. “21 Jesus answered and said to them, ‘I did one work, and you all marvel. 22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?’ ” (John 7:21-23). The religious leaders accused Jesus of violating the Sabbath by healing a man who had been lame for 38 years (see John 5). However, these same people did not feel it was a violation of the Sabbath to circumcise a child on the Sabbath. According to their logic, it was right to make one part of the body right before God, but not the entire body. Their logic was falling apart. Jesus did more for that lame man than the religious leaders did for the boy who was circumcised. They thought their act was consistent with what God desired but they couldn’t see that with Jesus. That’s a double standard.

When I was having a discussion with another pastor a few years ago, he said to me that if I was humble, I would agree with his understanding of a particular passage of Scripture. And I did agree with him about that passage. And then I asked him if he was open to understanding another passage in a way that may be new to him, and he said, “No.” This same person, who was ready to accuse me of being proud for not agreeing with his understanding of Scripture, turned around and was very close-minded to a different interpretation of Scripture. That kind of double standard inhibits growth. If we are not teachable and open to learning new insights from God’s Word, we are going to remain spiritually stunted like the legalistic Jews that Jesus was encountering.

If we are going to stay focused on what is important to God, we must avoid hiding behind foolish stereotypes (John 7:14-16), ascertain God’s will by doing it (John 7:17), and assess those who teach us (John 7:18-23). If the person who instructs us does not magnify the Person and work of Jesus Christ for the glory of God, then we are to avoid his or her teaching so we may remain focused on what is important to God.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to be wise in terms of whom I place myself under to receive instruction. Also, please enable me to resemble You in my teaching of others. May all of us who teach be consistent in teaching what You taught so You are most glorified and people will be most satisfied in You. Help us to magnify the Person and work of Jesus Christ. He is fully God and fully Man Who paid our sin debt in full so all anyone must do to have everlasting life is believe in Him alone. If other Christians depart from sound doctrine to follow those who teach what they want to hear, help us to remain faithful to Your words which give eternal life. Forgive us for closing our hearts off to Your instruction. Please give us an open heart that longs to gain new insights from Your Word so we may continue to focus on what matters most to You – Your glory and Your gospel. In Jesus’ name. Amen.  

Why do some unbelievers remain with Jesus?

“Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?’ ” John 6:70

When Peter answered the Lord’s question about whether they also wanted to leave Him, he said, “Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:69). But Peter was wrong about one thing. He said, “We.” By that he meant the Twelve. But Jesus corrects him, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70). Jesus is saying, “No, Peter, there is one here who has not come to know and believe I am the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In these last two verses Jesus exposes the one who “is a devil.”

Here we see the third group of disciples in this whole passage. This group is comprised of unbelievers who remain with Christ (John 6:70-71). Why do some unbelievers remain with Jesus?

A. BECAUSE JESUS SELECTED THEM (John 7:70a). Jesus admits that He chose Judas Iscariot as He did the others. “Did I not choose you, the twelve…?” (John 6:70a). Out of the hundreds who were following Him, Jesus chose one who would refuse to believe in Him and would eventually betray Him (John 6:64, 70-71; cf. 12:4; 13:2, 10-11, 21-30; 17:12; 18:2, 5). What an amazing picture of God’s grace. He desires all people to be saved – even those who will betray Him. The second reason some unbelievers remain with Jesus is…

B. BECAUSE THEY SERVE GOD’S PURPOSES (John 6:70b). Judas had every opportunity to know and serve Jesus like the other Eleven. Yet in the spirit of the “devil,” he actively opposed Christ. “…One of you is a devil.” (John 6:70b). Eventually Judas would betray Christ and hand Him over to His enemies (John 18:2-5; cf. Matthew 26:14-16, 47-50; Luke 22:1-6, 47-48). This was all a part of God’s plan and purpose for His Son (John 13:18-30; 17:12). Judas stayed with the group; he lived with them, ate and slept with them, performed miracles and preached the kingdom message with them, and yet was not one of them. He never was. The third reason why some unbelievers remain with Jesus is…

C. BECAUSE THEY SELFISHLY WANT TO BENEFIT FROM BEING WITH CHRIST (John 6:71). “He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.” (John 6:71). Outwardly Judas was a disciple. Judas was privileged to be in Jesus’ inner circle of friends. He was given a prominent position as treasurer and kept stealing from the money box (John 12:6). No doubt he felt important being associated with Christ who brought hope and healing to so many. Even Judas had deceived the eleven other disciples! They did not know that he was a fake, but Jesus knew. Inwardly, Judas was a traitor, an enemy opposed to all that God wants.

My friends, you and I live in glass houses! I cannot see into your heart and you cannot see into mine, but God sees us just as we are. What does He see when He looks at us? We may deceive each other, but we will never deceive God! He knows where we stand spiritually this morning. There has never been a better incentive for us to look carefully at our own hearts.

 We have looked at three groups this in this chapter. No doubt, most churches probably have representatives of each group. Some of you have been under the teaching of God’s Word, but you will drop out. You want entertainment, not expectations. You will not want to be bothered with studying and searching and understanding. You will not want to follow truth when once you see or hear it. You will rationalize it, ignore it, and eventually you will drop out. You will go off in search of a better deal, something more agreeable to what you want instead of what God wants. It happened in Jesus’s day and it will happen again.

But there are some of you who will never leave Jesus. You cannot quit. You have found too much, you have learned too much about life. You have been ministered to and fed by our Lord. You know the comfort of His presence. You can never give Him up.

But there may be others here who want to stay with Jesus for your own purposes. You want to appear to be a Christian, but you are not. You have never believed in Jesus Christ alone for His gift of everlasting life. Oh, you know the Bible and you sing songs of worship on Sunday mornings. But you do not know the Author of the Bible. You are only out for yourself. You want to use God for your own benefit.

Let’s come back to Jesus question, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67). Thousands withdrew from Jesus, but twelve stayed, one of whom was unsaved. Not everyone walks away from the Lord. Some people make a total commitment to Jesus Christ and to His will for their lives. I hope that is you. Not everyone walks away, what will you do?

Does your heart say to Jesus, “Lord, to whom can I go? I don’t always understand, I can’t always figure You out, I don’t always like what You do, but Lord, to whom can I go?” That is the heart He is looking for. If you have to say, “I belong to the first group, I’m afraid,” there is still hope. You can ask Him to teach you and open your eyes and lead you forward. You can start right now to obey what He tells you to do. But if your heart is like that of Judas, centered on yourself, all you can hear, I’m afraid, is the word of Jesus, “There is one who will betray Me.”

If your heart is like that of Judas, I believe there is still hope for you. It was not Judas’s betrayal of Jesus that made him unsaved. It was his unbelief toward Jesus that caused him not to be saved (cf. John 6:64, 70-71; 17:12). Before Judas hung himself after his betrayal of Jesus (Matthew 27:3-5; Acts. 1:18), the Bible never says he believed in Jesus for everlasting life.  Therefore, I believe it is a strong argument for Judas being an unbeliever and confined to the Lake of Fire in the future.

But for the sake of illustration, let’s say Judas did believe in Christ for everlasting life before he betrayed the Lord by turning Him over to His enemies and then committed suicide by hanging himself. Would Judas be in heaven? Absolutely, because he would “have everlasting life” (John 3:16) which by definition cannot be lost because it has no end. Judas would be in heaven because no one can snatch him out of God the Son’s and God the Father’s hands (John 10:28-29). He would be in heaven because Christ died for all Judas’s sins including his betrayal and suicide (Colossians 2:13-14). But Judas would not have eternal rewards in heaven which require faithfulness to Christ to the end of one’s life (cf. I Corinthians 9:24-27; 2 Timothy 2:12; James 1:12; Revelation 2:10, 25-27; 3:11-12).

On the other hand, let’s say Judas did not believe in Christ for everlasting and betrayed the Lord. But instead of hanging himself, he looked to Jesus in faith to forgive all his sins and give him everlasting (John 3:16; Acts 10:43). Would he be in heaven? Absolutely. And if he lived faithfully for Christ to the end of his life, he would receive eternal rewards in heaven (cf. I Corinthians 9:24-27; 2 Timothy 2:12; James 1:12; Revelation 2:10, 25-27; 3:11-12).

Where does that leave you? If you are not sure you have everlasting life, then take Jesus at His Word when He said, “Whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). It does not matter how you have lived in the past. Perhaps you have pretended to be a Christian. You may have betrayed Christ outwardly or inwardly, but Jesus still loves you and wants to save you from an eternity separated from Him. Simply come to Him in faith just as you are, and He will give you everlasting life and come to live inside of You forever! He can transform you from a fake into a faithful follower of His.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, like the crowd in the synagogue in Capernaum two thousand years ago who heard these wonderful words from Your lips, we, too, fall into one of these three groups. Lord, make us those who love You, who cluster around You, who cling to Your words, who are willing to search them out and understand them and obey them, and believe that they alone are the words that give life. Lord, some of us may be following You from a distance, uncertain and uncomfortable. Help us to give up control and surrender to Your love which never fails. Some of us may find ourselves to be like Judas. We have pretended to be a believing disciple. We know how to look, speak, and act like a Christian, but we do not know for sure that we have everlasting life. So Lord Jesus, we come to You now as broken sinners, trusting You alone to forgive our sins and give us everlasting life. Thank You for the immense grace you have shown to us. Help us to cling to You and Your unchanging Word regardless of how the world responds to You. We ask this in Your matchless name. Amen.

Why do some disciples or followers of Christ remain devoted to Him? Part 2

“Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  John 6:69

The second reason why some disciples remain devoted to Jesus is because THEY REACH A FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF WHO JESUS IS (John 6:68-69). After the majority of people in the crowd withdrew from Jesus to walk with Him no more (John 6:66), Jesus asked His twelve remaining disciples, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67). Peter then replied to Jesus,“68 Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:68-69). This doesn’t mean the Eleven were unsure of their eternal destiny or the identity of Jesus up to this point. It simply means that Peter recognized that Jesus was giving them a fuller understanding of eternal life and His own identity. His words had filled their empty lives with eternal life and their lives would never be the same.

But eternal life included much more than going to heaven. It also included a bodily resurrection (John 11:25-26; I Corinthians 15:1-58; I Thessalonians 4:16), future events like the Tribulation and Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 6:1-20:6), eternal rewards for godly living (Matthew 16:27; 2 Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 10:35; Revelation 2:7, 17, 25-27; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7; 22:12, 14), and the importance of witnessing to those who are lost (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 8:11-13; 24:46-49; John 4:34-38; 20:21; Acts 1:8; et al.). And Jesus was so much more than they perceived Him to be when they first believed in Him (John 1-2). He had never done or said anything wrong (John 18:38; 19:4, 6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; I Peter 3:18). He was the Sinless One, the Christ, the Messiah Who had performed miracles that only God could do (John 2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-15; 6:1-21; 9:1-41; 11:1-45; John 20:1-29; et al.). He had fulfilled Old Testament prophecies (Matthew 1:21-23; 2:14-17, 23; 4:13-16; 8:16-17; 12:16-21; 13:34-35; 21:2-5; 26:47-56; 27:35; Mark 14:49; 15:27-28; Luke 4:16-21; 24:44-48; John 12:37-41; 15:24-25; 19:23-24, 28, 36-37; et al.). Their understanding of eternal life and the identity of Jesus had deepened as a result of obeying His commands and following Him (cf. John 14:21).

Even though the twelve disciples watched thousands of people abandon Jesus, they were going to stay with Him because no one else could meet their needs like Christ. Jesus’s words had penetrated their hearts and changed their lives (except for Judas).     

What about you? Have Jesus’s words penetrated your heart? Have you come to understand that you are a sinner and that nothing you do makes you deserving of heaven? Do you realize that Jesus died for your sins and rose again, proving that He is God? And have you trusted in Jesus as your only hope of heaven? If not, why not? What is keeping you from trusting Christ alone for eternal life?

And if you have trusted Christ alone for everlasting life, are you growing deeper in your relationship with Him? Is your understanding of eternal life and the Person of Jesus growing deeper or do you think you have learned all there is to learn about our Lord? If you are growing, you know your own failures and weaknesses, and that despite the many times you don’t understand what is happening to you, you simply cannot leave Jesus. In Christ, we have a love that never fails, a life that never ends, a peace that can never be understood, a rest that can never be disturbed, a joy that can never be diminished, a hope that never disappoints, a light that can never be darkened, a strength that cannot be depleted, a purity that can never be defiled, a security that can never be shaken, a wisdom that can never be baffled, and resources that can never be exhausted.

If you have found Jesus to be like that, where else can you go? Who else can measure up to that? You may be a new Christian or an older believer – maybe you are feeling defeated and discouraged. You may be saying to yourself, “I can’t continue as a disciple. It’s too hard. I blow it all the time. I’m going to hang it up.” My question for you is this: “Who else can you go to? Where can you find the answers and resources that you have drawn from our Lord Jesus?” This is what Peter is saying to Christ. There was nowhere else for them to go. Christ was all they had and He was all they needed!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, when much of the world walks away from You shaking their heads, there are some who are not disturbed by this because they are growing in their understanding of eternal life and who You are as a Person. When I look back at all You have shown me and done for me, the thought of leaving You now is foolishness to me. Who else could I go to because You alone have words of eternal life? No other person on earth can guarantee everlasting life to those who believe in him or her because none of them are qualified. They are broken sinners like the rest of humanity. No religion can give eternal life to its followers because they are all man-made attempts to get to God. And they all fall short of that objective. But You my Lord and my God are the REAL DEAL. You claimed to be God and You backed it up with Your miraculous works. You are alive today at the right hand of God the Father. You have conquered sin, death, and the devil and You are seated in a position of great authority and victory! I cling to Your words because they give life and hope and purpose. You have met my deepest needs and now I bow my heart before You because You are worthy of all I have. I love You, Lord Jesus. Thank You for being You! Thank You for Your amazing grace and truth. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Why do some disciples or followers of Christ remain devoted to Him? Part 1

“Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ ”John 6:67

The majority of Jesus’s disciples withdrew from Him for various reasons after His Bread of Life teaching (John 6:60-66). But what about those who remained with Him? Why did they remain devoted to Jesus? Why do some followers remain faithful to Christ? BECAUSE THEY HAVE RESOLVED TO STAY CLOSE TO JESUS (John 6:67).

As Jesus watches the multitude around Him leave, He looks at the Twelve. Can’t you see the hurt in Jesus’ eyes as He looks at them. “Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ ”(John 6:67).  Jesus frames this question to expect a negative answer. “You don’t want to go away, too, do you? Are you committed? Let me hear you say so.” Jesus’s words imply that it is not impossible for His twelve disciples to leave, but the way He states it shows that His intent is to encourage them. “What do you really want, my friends? Do you want the process or the product?” The people that had left loved the product. People were being healed and fed an all-you-can-eat buffet. Life was good. But Jesus was pointing to a process of knowing and following Him. The twelve disciples could have left with the rest of the crowd, but they did not. Why? Because they resolved to stay close to Jesus. Have you resolved to follow Jesus regardless of the cost? Are you unreservedly committed to Him?

When Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez landed at Vera Cruz, Mexico in 1519, he was intent on conquest.  To assure the devotion of his men, Cortez set fire to his fleet of eleven ships! With no means of retreat, Cortez’s army had only one direction to move, into the Mexican interior. Cortez understood the price of commitment—and he paid it. We must burn our ships and move forward in our commitment to Jesus. Some of us may need to burn the following ships:

Selfishness – “I’ll follow You as long as things go my way.”

Comfort – “I’ll follow… if I don’t get hurt too bad”

Convenience – “I’ll follow …if it doesn’t take a lot of my time or energy.”

But Jesus is calling us to surrender completely to Him. After all, it is not our life, it is His.

Notice that Jesus did not go after the multitudes when they left. He did not try to talk them out of leaving because He knew you cannot make someone do something against their will. Our Lord works with those who are willing, not unwilling. He invests His time and energy in those who are F.A.T. – Faithful, Available, and Teachable and we are to do the same.

Are we willing to remain devoted to Jesus even if the majority of people stop following Him or listening to Him? Have we burned our ships so that there is no turning back from following Jesus? Or do we have certain conditions that if met, will justify abandoning Jesus? Today is the day to burn those ship and resolve to stay close to Jesus no matter what the cost!

Prayer: Father God, many people may come to Jesus initially for what He can give to them. But as they listen to Him, they realize He is calling them to deeper commitments which go beyond their level of devotion to Him. Lord, I do not want to be like that, but my sinful flesh often wants the easy road instead of the road that requires endurance. Lord God, please show me  any ships in my life that need to be burned so I will remain devoted to You no matter what the costs. I believe in the days and months ahead, Christians are going to be deeply tested in their commitment to You. Lord Jesus, You are worthy of my complete devotion. This I know intellectually, but I also need to know this more in my heart and even in the depths of my unconscious mind. Please download the truth of Your Word into my heart or limbic system of my brain where many lies govern my decisions. May Your Holy Spirit replace those lies with Your truth so I will not be hindered as much from following You. Lord Jesus, I want to be unreservedly committed to You more than to anyone or anything else. Thank You for hearing my prayer my Lord and my God. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

A Look into the Future – Part 8 (Video)

This is the eighth and final video in a series about the future as recorded in the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. This video focuses on the Judgment Seat of Christ.

The Revelation Art is used by permission of Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992. To order art prints visit her “Revelation Illustrated” site, http://www.revelationillustrated.com.  Other digital images are used with permission from Good News Productions International and College Press Publishing (www.FreeBibleimages.org) and GoodSalt (www.goodsalt.com). The video scenes in this video and most of the music are used with permission from the producers of the video entitled “The Free Gift.”

Why do some disciples or followers of Jesus abandon Him? Part 3

“‘But 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.” John 6:64

The third reason why some disciples or followers of Jesus abandon Him is because THEY DISBELIEVE JESUS (John 6:64-66) and have no capacity to understand and follow Him. “‘But 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.” (John 6:64). Some of the people who had been following Jesus and listening to His instruction had not believed in Him for His gift of everlasting life. They were disciples, that is, they placed themselves under Jesus’s instruction, but they were unsaved.

“Many of His disciples” found His words difficult (John 6:60, 66) and “some” of them did not believe in Christ for salvation (John 6:64a). Both saved and unsaved disciples found Jesus’s words to be disturbing. If Jesus knew that some were unsaved, why did He let them start out on the pathway of discipleship? Because He loved them, even Judas.  Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” If they wanted to sit under Jesus’s teaching day after day, why not? That way He could seek them day after day. God’s love is unlimited and is directed toward every person. It gets me excited to think we may have people who don’t know Christ coming to our Facebook page and website. God’s grace is available to everyone.

Then Jesus said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” (John 6:65).  Is Jesus teaching that only a small percent of people, the elect, are able to believe and be born again? Not at all, and here is why.

God never commands something to be done that the listener is unable to do. And God commands all people to believe in His Son for everlasting life (I John 3:23; cf. John 3:16; Acts 16:31). Since God is drawing all people (John 12:32; 16:8-11), including those who never believe, He has certainly given everyone the capacity to believe.

The unbelieving disciples He is talking to in this large group are being drawn to believe in Jesus. They should seek to understand Christ’s words because they give life (John 6:63). If they turn away from Christ’s teaching now because it is difficult for them to believe, then God may stop drawing them. Nowhere are we told how long God draws an unbeliever to Himself. God may draw someone for eighty years or eight days. But this drawing is resistible.

For example, Judas resisted God’s intense drawing for over three years. All who die without Christ have rejected God’s drawing in their life. It is possible that God may stop drawing an unbeliever who hardens his heart. But Jesus’ point in verse 65 is that it is impossible for lost people to come to Christ without the help of God. God must work in their hearts. God may be drawing some of you. Maybe you have started reading the Bible or going to church. Perhaps you are visiting Christian websites online. This is an indication that God is working in your heart to draw you to His Son.

“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” (John 6:66). This is perhaps the most “unsuccessful” sermon Jesus ever preached. When John chapter 6 opens, Jesus had 12,000-20,000 people following Him and listening to Him speak (John 6:10; cf. Matthew 14:21). When this chapter closes, He only has twelve men with Him and one of them is not even saved (John 6:67). Unlike some preachers today, Jesus did not sugar coat His message. He was not trying to win a popularity contest by preaching what people wanted to hear. This is a significant turning point in Christ’s ministry. He is shifting from a public ministry of up to twenty thousand to a more private training of the Twelve. As a result of this sermon, many of Jesus’s followers withdrew and went back to the things they had left behind (i.e. families, work, old habits and ways of thinking).

When you compare verse 66 with verse 64, you can see that “some” of those who abandoned Christ were Christians. Some did “not believe,” but “many” withdrew from Jesus. It was more demanding than even some of the believers expected.

Throughout my time as a pastor and evangelist, I have witnessed “disciples” withdrawing from Jesus and walking with Him no more. Much like the people in this crowd with Jesus, they stopped placing themselves under the teaching of God’s Word. Why? The teaching may have been too difficult or too disturbing to them. They may have been offended by the message of salvation which says eternal life is a free gift that one receives by believing in Christ alone apart from any works or merit of our own (John 4:10-14; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9). So they abandon Christ to follow a preacher who says what they want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Others may drop off because they have not yet believed in Jesus so they don’t have God the Holy Spirit living inside them to give them the  capacity to understand and follow Christ’s teaching (cf. John 7:38-39; I Corinthians 2:10-16). Some believers may drop off because God is calling them to a deeper level of commitment and they still want to be in charge of their own lives so they pull away. Only the Lord knows for sure.

Where are you in relation to Jesus Christ? Are you following Him from a distance? Are you intrigued by His claims to be God? Have you noticed how loving and gracious He is with those who seek Him? Do you feel Jesus pulling you closer to Him as you listen to what He has to say? As you listen to Christ, do you find yourself having a difficult time understanding what He means? Do His words offend you? Is He demanding more of you and you do not want to place yourself under His control?

Wherever you find yourself in relation to Jesus Christ, please know that He loves you and He wants to spend time with you. Will you give Jesus a chance? Will you open your heart to what He has to say to you? Jesus loved Judas to the end of his life (John 13:1) even though Judas never believed in Christ for His gift of eternal life (John 6:64, 70-71; cf. 12:4; 13:2, 10-11, 21-30; 17:12; 18:2, 5). Please do not be like Judas and never believe or trust in Christ alone to save you from your sins and give you everlasting life.

We are also reminded by Judas Iscariot’s relationship with Jesus that what determines a person’s eternal destiny is not their works. Judas did many works for Jesus Christ as His disciple (Matthew 10:1ff; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6), but his unbelief toward Jesus condemned him to an eternity in the Lake of Fire (John 3:18; 6:64, 70-71; 13:10-11; 16:7-11; 17:12). The Bible tells us that it is not our works that determine whether we go to heaven or hell (Romans 4:5; Ephesians 2:8-9), but our response to Jesus Christ. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36).

On Judgment Day there will be many false prophets (Matthew 7:15) who stand before Jesus and appeal to their words (“Lord, Lord”)  and to their good works (“prophesied…cast out demons…done many wonders”) that they have done “in His name” for His glory as the basis of their entrance into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21-22). And Jesus will say to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23). Why does He say this? Because they had failed to do “the will of the Father in heaven” as it relates to entering the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21b). Jesus said, “And 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” (John 6:40; cf. 3:5, 15-16). Until a person is rightly related to Jesus by believing in Him for everlasting life, all their good works, words, and thoughts are “lawlessness” before a holy God (Matthew 7:23; cf. Isaiah 64:6).

Do you “believe in the Son,” Jesus Christ, for “everlasting life”? If so, then God promises that you now have “everlasting life” and your name is written in the Book of Life so that you will enjoy a home in heaven (John 3:36a; Revelation 21:27). But if you reject Jesus Christ or “do not believe the Son,” you “shall not see life” in heaven, “but the wrath of God abides” on you both now and forever in the Lake of Fire (John 3:36b; Revelation 20:15). It does not matter how many good works you have done for Jesus, if you do not believe in Him alone for His gift of everlasting life, you will still suffer torment forever in the Lake of Fire (Romans 4:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Revelation 20:10, 15).

Prayer: Almighty God and Savior, You know my heart better than anyone. You know every thought, feeling, and motive I have ever had. I can hide nothing from You. Although You know everything about me – the good, the bad, and the ugly – You love me and long to be in a personal relationship with me. Thank You for drawing me to Yourself through Your Word and the testimony of other Christians. Lord, please remove anything in my life that would hinder me from following You more closely. I do not want to be like those who abandoned You and walked with You no more because they found Your teaching to be difficult or disturbing. Knowing how much You love me and value me, motivates me to stay close to You. Precious Lord Jesus, please continue to draw those who do not believe in You yet to Yourself. Please send others to model Your grace and truth to them. Thank You my Lord and my God for hearing my prayer. In Jesus’s name. Amen.   

Why do some disciples or followers of Jesus abandon Him? Part 2

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63

We have come to that point in John’s gospel where the majority of Jesus’s disciples drew back and no longer followed Him (John 6:66). We saw that one reason Christ’s disciples abandon Him is because His teaching is difficult to understand (John 6:60).  Today we will discover another reason why some disciples abandon Jesus. It is because HIS TEACHING IS DISTURBING (John 6:61-63).

“61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, ‘Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?’” (John 6:61-62). “Does this disturb you?” Jesus asks. “Are you disturbed by My claim to have descended from heaven? Would you still be offended if you saw Me ascend to where I was before?”

Christ then says, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.” (John 6:63a). The word “flesh” (sarx) is key to understanding these verses. Earlier Jesus said, “Whoever eats My flesh … has eternal life.” (John 6:54a). Yet here Jesus says, “the flesh profits nothing” in contrast to “the Spirit who gives life.” A literal eating of Christ’s flesh would not give life. Jesus is using the word “eating” to picture faith. We use figures of speech like this all the time. When we hear a message that is meaningful to us, we say, “I’m really eating that up or drinking that up.” Without the Holy Spirit, a person cannot understand Jesus’s claims and teaching. They cannot understand nor accept that Jesus is God who came down from heaven to give eternal life freely to all who believe in Him.

Jesus continues by saying, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63b).  The person who believes Christ’s words gains eternal life because God’s Spirit gives it to them at the moment of faith (cf. John 7:38-39; Ephesians 1:13-14; Titus 3:5). When Christ says, “the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63a), He may be referring to the fact that our own human efforts can never earn eternal life. This was very offensive to those who thought that their own works could gain them entrance into heaven. 

In my years of ministry, I have seen “disciples” drop off. They have stopped placing themselves under the teaching of God’s Word on Sunday mornings, in small groups or discipleship. Why? Perhaps the teaching was too difficult or too disturbing to them. After all, we teach what Jesus taught – that eternal life is an absolutely free gift that is received by believing in Jesus, and some people are offended by that. They want to add to what Jesus has done by teaching that you must do more than believe in Christ for eternal life. So they leave to find a church that teaches a works-salvation rather than a faith alone-salvation.

Are we tempted to abandon Christ when His teaching is too convicting to our way of thinking or living? Are we offended by His grace which offers eternal life freely to all who believe in Him regardless of their past? Are we demanding that we live life on our own terms instead of the Lord Jesus’s terms? We cannot follow Christ as His disciples if we demand to be lord of our own lives instead of Him.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am often blind to my attempts to be lord of my own life instead of giving You that rightful place in my life. I can so easily justify being in charge of my own life with lies such as – “everyone else is doing it” or “I deserve this in light of how hard I have worked.” Please forgive me for being so arrogant and demanding. My pride is often triggered when I encounter Scriptures that expose my faulty thinking regarding Your grace toward others. Just because the Bible exposes my sinful thought patterns does not make it less valid or true. I need Your Word to expose the blind spots in my life. I need Your Word to analyze my thoughts, words, and actions. So often I analyze Your Word instead of letting it analyze me. Yes, it can be uncomfortable when I place myself under the scrutiny of Your Word, but it is also very necessary. Left to myself, I would be on a path of self-destruction. I need You to challenge me to yield to Your terms for living instead of my own. Thank You for loving me enough to do this. In Your name. Amen.  

How can I experience eternal satisfaction? Part 2

“It 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.” John 6:45

In his book, Desiring God, John Piper states that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” God gets the most glory when we receive the most satisfaction from our relationship with Him. But God is dishonored and hurt when we seek ultimate satisfaction outside of our relationship with Him. When we seek ultimate satisfaction in our jobs, relationships, possessions, and positions, it dishonors the Lord and it leaves us empty and unfulfilled.

Like never before, I believe there is a growing dissatisfaction among people in America. People are dissatisfied with a church, so they transfer to another one. They are dissatisfied with a marriage, so they go find another one. They are dissatisfied with a job, so they search for another. They are dissatisfied with the home they have, so they go deeper into debt and buy a bigger one. They are dissatisfied with their lives, so they try to make others miserable through rioting and intimidation.

Last time we discovered that the first way I can experience eternal satisfaction is to COMPREHEND THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD (John 6:41-42). Only God can meet our deepest needs and satisfy us eternally. But how do people come to see that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the second way I can experience eternal satisfaction… COME TO JESUS THROUGH THE WORD (John 6:43-46). “43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, ‘Do not murmur among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.’ ” (John 6:43-44). No one can come to faith in Christ unless God the Father first draws him. The word “draws” (helkō) means to draw or persuade by inward power and attraction. It conveys the image of a lover wooing his beloved.  

The length of drawing can vary. God may draw a person for eighty years or eight days. But this drawing is resistible. For instance, Judas resisted intense drawing for over three years with Jesus. All who die without Christ have rejected God’s drawing in their life. It is possible that God may stop drawing an unbeliever who hardens his heart. But Jesus’s point in verse 44 is that it is impossible for lost people to come to Christ without the help of God. God must work in their hearts.

God may be drawing some of you. Maybe you have started reading the Bible or going to church. The fact that you are reading this article shows that God is moving in your life. This is an indication that God is working in your heart to draw you to His Son. How does God draw a person to Jesus?

Jesus then says, “It 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.” (John 6:45). God draws people to Himself through the Scriptures. This verse from the Old Testament (cf. Isaiah 54:13 or possibly Jeremiah 31:34) teaches universal drawing. Everyone who listens and learns from God will come to Christ in faith. But you must being willing to receive instruction from the Lord. If you close your heart off to what God is saying, His drawing in your life may stop.

God’s drawing does not eliminate human responsibility. It is still your choice to believe in Christ. This is why we want to keep God’s Word at the center of everything we do at our church or in our Christian lives. We want to keep inviting people to believe or trust in Christ alone for His gift of salvation because it is their choice to believe in Him. So not only can I experience eternal satisfaction by comprehending that Jesus is the Son of God, but I can also experience eternal satisfaction by coming to Jesus through the Bible, God’s Word.

Prayer: Father God, I praise You for pursuing me when I was lost and perishing without Jesus Christ in my life. Even though I lived a life of rebellion when I was a non-Christian, You still loved me and pursued a personal relationship with me. Thank You for wooing me into a love relationship with You through the Bible. I am so grateful for the people who shared Your Word with me when I was an unbeliever. Each verse prepared my heart and mind to come to faith in Jesus, the Messiah-God, for His gift of everlasting life. Please use Your Word in my life and ministry to draw millions to Your Son, Jesus Christ, Who alone can give them everlasting life. In Jesus’s name. Amen.  

How can I experience eternal satisfaction? Part 1

“And 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’?” John 6:41

A few years ago, we drove past a store in central Iowa that had the following words on the side of its building: “Satisfaction Guaranteed.” What does that mean? I took it to mean that I would be satisfied with their customer service and products. But that is quite a statement isn’t it? Satisfaction guaranteed? For how long? One minute…  an hour? … a day?… a year?… a decade?… a lifetime? What about eternity? No way! Could they guarantee my satisfaction for eternity? The next few days, Lord willing, we will look at Someone who does and can guarantee eternal satisfaction in John 6:41-59. We will discover four ways to experience this eternal satisfaction.

I Can Experience Eternal Satisfaction When … I COMPREHEND THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD (John 6:41-42). In verse 34, when Jesus spoke of the bread that came from heaven that would give life, the crowd begged Jesus for the bread. Now that Jesus reveals that He is the bread that came from heaven (John 6:33-40), the crowd isn’t too eager to take Him up on His offer. “41 The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven.’ 42 And 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’?” (John 6:41-42). This crowd knew Jesus was something special or they would not have tried to make Him king the day before after He miraculously fed thousands of people.

But these people could not comprehend Jesus’s claim to be from heaven when they knew He was the son of earthly parents. “We know Him. He grew up in Nazareth right over the hill. We know His parents, Joseph and Mary. He is a carpenter’s son. He is just like one of us.” Like many today, these Jews were the victims of incomplete facts. They did not have all the evidence they needed nor were they looking for it either. They knew Jesus grew up in Nazareth just like anyone else. But they did not know the rest of the story.

This is the reason for so much doubt about Jesus today. People have never examined all the evidence – the eyewitness accounts of what Jesus did and said. In secular circles, people often take the position that Jesus was a good, moral teacher who knew a great deal about life, but He was nothing more than an ordinary man. Among the various religions of the world that deny Jesus is God, they only read the Bible with one eye open. They focus on verses in the Bible that teach the humanity of Jesus, but they ignore the verses that teach Jesus is fully God.

For example, just yesterday an individual wrote on our Facebook page that Jesus cannot be God because He said of His return in Mark 13:32, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” This individual concluded that Jesus cannot be God because God is omniscient and this verse clearly shows that Jesus is not.  

I replied in a private message to this individual that I applauded him for recognizing that God is both the Father and the Son. This was a big admission for this person who comes from a religion that denies God is both Father and Son. But instead of focusing on the fact that Jesus is God’s Son which means Jesus has the same divine nature as God the Father, this person takes this verse out of context to prove to himself and any naïve readers, that Jesus cannot be God.

I also pointed out to this person that his conclusion that Jesus cannot be God because He is ignorant of the exact day and hour of His return fails to consider the difference between the nature and role of a Person. This is a common mistake made by Islam and other false religions who deny that Jesus is God and have to take verses out of context to come to this conclusion.

The Bible teaches that Jesus is “our great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13), but it also says Jesus is subordinate to the Father (Mark 13:32; 1 Corinthians 15:28). Both are true. It will do no good to ignore or distort the former to make sense of the latter.

It is important to realize that Jesus was speaking to His Galilean disciples in Mark 13:32. If you know anything about Galilean culture, you would understand why Jesus says only the Father knows the exact day and hour of His Son’s return. Jesus’s reference to only the Father knowing the exact time of His return is consistent with Galilean wedding customs in Jesus’s day.

In the Galilean culture of that day, the groom goes to the bride’s house to present a wedding contract to the bride. When he proposed marriage, he would offer her a cup of wine. If she drank it, she was accepting the betrothal. He would then inform her that he was to go to his father’s house to prepare a place for her. She would typically respond, “When are you coming back?” The prospective groom would reply by saying, “Only my father knows!” The groom then returns to his father’s house to prepare for his marriage by adding a room to his father’s house where he and his bride will live. In Galilean culture, his father determines the exact time when his son returns to his bride’s house to bring her back to his own.

Jesus’s reference to only His Father knowing the day and hour of His return was consistent with Galilean wedding customs in His day. Saying “only my Father knows” does not mean Jesus is ignorant, but rather submissive and respectful to His Father’s authority.

This is substantiated further in Acts 1:6-7, “6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7 And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.’” After Jesus’s resurrection, the disciples ask Jesus a similar question they asked Him in Mark 13. Only this time Jesus does not say He does not know, He says it is not permitted for His disciples to know. Why does Jesus exclude Himself this time? Why doesn’t He say, “It is not for us to know”? This indicates that Christ knew the end, but was not permitted to disclose it to His disciples by the Father. Jesus acknowledges that the time of His return “the Father put in His own authority.” Nowhere did Jesus say in this verse that He didn’t know the time when the Father would restore the kingdom. He simply said, it is the Father’s authority.

Again, this does not deny the deity of Christ. It means Jesus is submitting to the role of His Father who determines the exact time of His return. Although Christ was fully God during His life on earth (John 1:1; 4:25-26; John 8:56-59; 10:30-33; 20:28; Acts 16:31-34; 20:28; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; I John 5:20), He lived His life as fully man (Matthew 8:24; 9:11; Mark 6:3; John 1:14; 2:12; 4:6; 7:3, 5; 11:35; 12:27; 19:28; 21:12; Philippians 2:6-8; I Timothy 2:5) – demonstrating to you and me how we are to live our lives – in total dependence on Him!!!

If we want to truly understand who Jesus is, then we need to look at all of what Scripture says. Those who deny the deity of Christ read the Bible with one eye closed. They only look at isolated verses here and there which focus on Christ’s humanity while ignoring or distorting clear passages that teach the deity of Christ. However, all of Scripture must be consulted if we are going to have an accurate portrait of Jesus. And when we read the Bible with both eyes open, we see the incarnate Christ as equal to the Father in His deity (John 1:1; 4:25-26; 5:17-47; 8:56-59; 10:30-33; 20:28; Acts 16:31-34; 20:28; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; I John 5:20), but also in submission to the Father in His role (Mark 13:32; I Corinthians 11:3; 15:27-28).

I believe one reason why so many today reject that Jesus is God is because they do not want to be accountable to Him as their Judge. It is much easier to view Jesus as a baby born in Bethlehem or as a mere man or prophet than to face Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords Who will return to earth one day to destroy His enemies (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; I Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:11-21). People want to be in control of their own lives rather than answer to Someone else. Eliminate the deity of Christ and you have no one to answer to but yourself.

In John 6, Jesus makes the claim to be the one and only Son of God who was sent from heaven. We can try all the tricks, gimmicks, tactics or whatever else we want to try, but until a person realizes who Jesus is, they will never find eternal satisfaction.

There is also a lesson here for those of us who know Jesus. Familiarity breeds apathy and indifference. When we become so familiar with the teachings of the Bible we can miss out on the new things that God is wanting to teach us. We start to hear familiar teachings from the Bible and we automatically tune out and start thinking about something else. We have this attitude that says, “What can God teach me that I don’t already know?” This is a very dangerous attitude to have because we can miss out on the new things that God is wanting to teach us and do through us if we let familiarity produce apathy in our lives.

Prayer: Precious Lord Jesus, I must admit that my familiarity with the Bible has sometimes desensitized me to the new things You are wanting to do in my life. Please open my heart to the wonderful truths in Your Word for me to discover. I also ask that You remove whatever keeps me from joining You in the new things You are wanting to do in and through me. I need Your wisdom and discernment in answering the many doubts people in the world have today about Your identity. Satan is confusing and deceiving so many to believe that You are merely a figment of the imagination, or at best, a good moral teacher or prophet. No wonder their lives lack eternal satisfaction in You. It is no surprise that they are either empty and without purpose or they are filled with hatred toward those who differ with them. They need You, Lord Jesus. Please lead me to those whom the Holy Spirit has prepared to hear and believe Your gospel message. In Jesus’s name. Amen.   

How do we reach the materialistic for Christ? Part 3

“And 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.’ ” John 6:35

The third and final way to reach a materialistic person is to CHALLENGE THEM TO TRUST THE SAVIOR (John 6:35-40). Jesus tells the crowd how to do this using two simple things everyone understands: hunger and thirst. “And 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.’ ” (John 6:35). The materialist hungers and thirsts for power… possessions… and popularity! But the greatest hunger and thirst of all is for immortality. Jesus says to look to Him to satisfy our hunger for immortality. Look to Him to quench our thirst for eternal life. What do you do when you are hungry? You eat. What do you do when you are thirsty? You drink. Jesus says that if we come to Him in faith, we will never hunger for eternal life again. If we believe in Him we will never thirst for eternal life again. One bite of the bread that Jesus’ offers an one drink of the water that Jesus offers, satisfies our spiritual hunger and thirst forever.

What if a person stops believing in Christ? Will he hunger or thirst for eternal life again? No. Because the spiritual need which Jesus meets can never reoccur. Once you receive eternal life, you have it forever. After all, how long is “never”? It is forever, right? If a person could hunger or thirst for eternal life again after believing in Jesus, then Christ just told a lie. Jesus says one bite… one drink satisfies for eternity. The results of believing in Christ are permanent even if we don’t keep on believing.

Jesus said, “But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.” (John 6:36).Not all who see will come to Christ. Although they had seen His miraculous power and had heard His claims, this crowd still refused to believe in Jesus alone for eternal life. They were not convinced He could give them eternal life simply by believing in Him. This is hard for the materialist. He has always provided for his own needs, and now he is being challenged to trust someone outside of himself for his most important need.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me.” (John 6:37a). The reason these materialists wouldn’t believe in Christ was because the Father had not given them to Jesus. No matter how much we have prayed and planned… no matter how persuasive we are in sharing the gospel… people will not come to Christ unless the Father has given them to His Son. Does this mean that no one can get saved if the Father has not given them to Jesus? Some Calvinists refer to this verse as proof of unconditional election.

But I believe there is a better explanation. Anthony Badger astutely observes that Jesus spoke the words of John 6:37-39 just before speaking of building His church in Matthew 16:18. Because of Israel’s final rejection of Christ (Matthew 12:22ff), Jesus “anticipated an end of the Dispensation of the Law and a transfer into the Dispensation of Grace… Jesus spoke the words of John 6:37-39 at the time of His final rejection by the nation. He certainly knew that Israel was to be judged for their rejection and that the Church age intercalation was at hand. Israel would be temporarily set aside, and the Church would become God’s select, corporate instrument for His service during the Dispensation of His Grace. And it will continue to be so until its translation/rapture prior to the coming Tribulation period (the 70th week of years spoken of in Daniel 9:24-27. At that time God will resume His plan for national Israel). Prior to this transfer of believers from Father to Son in anticipation of the new age, they belonged to the Father by faith. The transfer (the Father giving believers to the Son) merely acknowledged the reality of the coming Church Age.”

“This fits contextually as well. When Jesus began to set His face toward Jerusalem (Mt 16:21) it was evident that a new day was coming. No longer could the old ways be continued. New, fresh, rejuvenating wine cannot be stored in old, outdated, dry, cracked wineskins. A transfer of ownership of Old Testament believers to Christ was necessary. God the Father putting all things into the hands of His Son. This is further supported in Jesus’ discourse with the disciples in John 14-16. Believing Jews who belonged to the Father, having only the promise of the Messiah, were at this point delivered over into the Son’s hands for keeping. Now they belonged to the Messiah. The lack of dispensational understanding of Calvin, the Reformers, and Reformed Theology allows them to misunderstand John 6:37-39.” (Anthony B. Badger, Confronting Calvinism: A Free Grace Refutation and Biblical Resolution of Radical Reformed Soteriology [Anthony Badger, 2013], pp. 185-186).

Jesus than said, “And the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (John 6:37b). The phrase “I will by no means cast out” is emphatic in the Greek language (οὐ μὴ ἐκβάλω ἔξω). Literally it means, “I will no not ever cast out” the one who comes to Me. No matter… what your record or what you have done… where you have been or how proud, arrogant and self-sufficient you have been, when you come to Christ you will be welcomed by Him. You will not be cast out. Jesus will never reject you no matter what you do after you come to Him. This is God’s amazing grace. It cannot be earned and it cannot be undone. Once you come to Christ in simple faith, you are God’s child forever.

Some of us come from backgrounds which are filled with rejection. The main reason some of us have a hard time trusting people today is because we have experienced so much rejection while growing up. Perhaps a parent criticized us for everything we did… a teacher humiliated us… a friend betrayed us… a spouse left us… an employer terminated us. Jesus guarantees you will never be rejected by Him. His love and acceptance of you is unconditional. The materialist needs to know this because he has grown up trying to buy or earn people’s love. But now he is challenged to believe in Someone who loves and accepts him regardless.

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (John 6:38). And what is the will of the Father who sent Jesus? “This 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.” (John 6:39). Is staying saved a matter of a Christian doing the Father’s will or of Jesus doing His Father’s will? Jesus doing His Father’s will. If Jesus lost one person who believed in Him, then He would have failed to do the will of His Father. And that presents a moral dilemma. For if Jesus failed to do His Father’s will, then He would have sinned and could no longer be God.

But listen to me. Jesus Christ has never lost one believer and He never will because He is God (John 1:1; Titus 2:13) and He always does the will of His Father. This is the ULTIMATE SECURITY. Something every materialist (and every person) needs. The materialist lives in fear of losing his possessions, power, and popularity. But when he comes to Jesus he is safe forever. We need to get a grip on this. Too many believers are being taught that you cannot know for sure you are going to heaven because they are taught that it is based on your performance instead of Christ’s. This contradicts what Jesus is saying here. Assurance of your salvation is not based on you doing God’s will, but on Jesus doing the Father’s will.

Jesus concludes, “And 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.” (John 6:40). Does the word “everyone” mean everyone? Does Jesus include all the homosexuals, drunkards, drug addicts, liars, psychics, terrorists, the wealthy, and the most moral people who see the Son of God and believe in Him? Absolutely! God’s gift is for everyone who will receive it by faith.

Has your thirst for immortality been quenched? Do you know for sure that you have eternal life? If not, why not take Jesus Christ at His word right now? Place your trust solely in Him to save you. Give up confidence in anything else: your prayers, giving, church attendance, baptism, obedience, commitment, or  the reformation of your life, etc. Jesus Christ guarantees eternal life to all who trust in Him as their Savior.

Let us share this message gladly and often. It is glorious news! It is the greatest news! Don’t worry so much about method. Concentrate on the message. Tell people eternal life is a free gift and that the sole condition for receiving it is believing or trusting in Christ alone. Leave the results to God. After all, eternal life is the gift of God. He is the One giving the gift.

Prayer: Father God, thank You for this incredible free gift that lasts forever! Please give me a love for the materialistic people in my life. I need Your Holy Spirit to help me to confront their selfish desires, to correct their misconceptions about salvation, and to challenge them to trust the Savior for eternal life so that they can discover the joy of everlasting security in Jesus Christ. Security that cannot be lost or taken away. Lord, I pray that those of us who know You will seek satisfaction in our relationship with You and not the things of this world. Enable us to live in light of eternity. In Jesus’s name. Amen.