A Dire Warning

A DIRE WARNING

John 7:25-36

A present day concept that many people have is “God is a loving and good God therefore; everyone who is also good is going to go to heaven.”

• “I am a good person; I try to do what is right and good. And since I am one of the good people, I am going to go to heaven.”
• That is how people think.

And that is what a lot of people thought here in the passage that was read. Many of them thought they were a good person.

• That even included the Jews who opposed Jesus; when it came to righteousness they considered themselves a step ahead of everyone else;  they studied the Law and they got upset with anyone they thought was violating the Law; they considered themselves to be faithful to God; they often went to the temple; so individually, they considered themselves to be a “good person.”

Even the regular citizens considered themselves to be “good people.” They kept the Sabbath; they participated in the required feasts; here in this passage they are spending the week in temporary shelters like they were required to do; and in this passage they are in the temple (we might say they were in church) listening to the teachers (vs. 14); so basically, they considered themselves individually to be a good person; just like most people do today.

But I want you to notice vs. 34. Speaking to these “good people”, to these “religious” people Jesus says, “You shall seek Me, and shall not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

• This statement caught got their attention! The reason we know it caught their attention is because they repeat it in vs. 36. Look at what they say:

What is this statement that He said, ‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?” 

What does Jesus mean here when He says this? These “good people” wanted to know and it is something we need to know and understand ourselves.

• What Is He talking about?

Well, let’s break this passage down to help us understand what Jesus is saying.

• If you remember Jesus has come into Jerusalem during the Feast of Booths.
• He doesn’t come at the beginning of the Feast because He wanted to avoid the hatred and vicious intention of the Jewish leaders; vs. 1.
• He also waits due to a better opportunity to teach; because of the Feast Jerusalem with be teeming with thousands of people who have come for the Feast so He will have a bigger audience when He teaches.

So, when He arrives in Jerusalem He goes to the temple and begins teaching (v. 14).

And in vs. 15 the people “marvel” at what He has to say.

• They are amazed; shocked, stunned.

Now, look at vs. 25: Therefore some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? 26 “And look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they?

These people don’t know what to think. They are confused. They knew that the Jewish leaders were seeking to kill Jesus and yet, Jesus is speaking publicly and the leaders aren’t saying anything!

• Here He is He is teaching about salvation and the Law, and sin and judgment and righteousness and forgiveness and mercy and grace and the kingdom of God.
• And He is claiming again to be the Son of God, and the Messiah, and the source of eternal life…and no one is stopping Him!

So the people ask themselves, “Could it be that the rulers know that this Man is really the Christ?”

But wait a minute! The thought of Jesus being the Christ goes away in a hurry. Look at vs. 27:   “However, we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from.”

That wasn’t true! “No one knows where He is from!?

• Did they not know the scriptures? Micah the prophet said in  Micah  5:2 that the Christ would come from Bethlehem. .
• And their leaders knew. Remember in Matthew 2 how Herod gathered the chief priests and the scribes and said, “Where is the Messiah to be born?” and they said, “In Bethlehem of Judea just as the prophet has said.”
• The Jewish leaders knew that the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem and they also knew He would come from the line of David; and if they really wanted to know about Jesus the records in the temple would show where Jesus was born and that He was born from two Davidic families.
• So to say that “No one knows where the Christ is from” is not true.

The truth is, what they say in vs. 27 was simply an excuse for rejecting Jesus.

• They did the same thing in chapter 6:42 and they will do same thing here in chapter 7  in vs. 41 and 42; and you read this same thing in Matthew 13. 
• This was their stock answer for rejecting Jesus: “We know where He is from; we know His family; this is the carpenter’s son; He is from Nazareth and nothing good can come from Nazareth.”

These people didn’t want to accept Jesus because to accept Jesus meant you had to accept His teachings and His claims.

• And if you accepted Jesus you had to accept the fact that as “good as you think you are, you are not good enough to save yourself.”
• And if you accept Him you had to accept the fact that unless you repent and make some changes in your life you are headed for a divine judgment.
• And if you accept Him you had to accept the fact that only when you turn to Him and follow Him can you obtain eternal life (6:40).
• Accepting Jesus as Messiah, as the Son of God, could cause them to be rejected by their family, by society, and could even cost them their lives.
• And these people are not sure they want to do that.

And this has not changed today. Accepting Jesus, following Jesus requires some sacrifices that many people don’t want to make.

So, to justify their rejection of Jesus they said, “We know where He came from; we know His family; we know His town; therefore He cannot be the Christ!”

• That was their safe haven for rejecting Christ.

Now, look at vs. 28:  Jesus therefore cried out (loud shout) in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.

What Jesus is saying here is, “Yes you know me; and yes you know where I am from; but I am not here on my own accord. I am here because I have been sent and you do not know the One who sent Me!

• In other words Jesus is saying, “Yes, you are familiar with Me, but you really don’t know Me at all.
• And that is true today.

Listen, to know a few minor details about Jesus; to know a few external things, to know a little bit of His history, and to know a few stories about Him is really to know nothing about Him at all.

• And we see that in our culture today.
• In our culture Jesus is a household word; people put what is supposed to be His picture on the wall; they put His name on the refrigerator; and people see the Christmas story on TV and they know about Easter.  
• And yet people don’t know what He says, what He teaches; what He condemns, or what He desires.

Today people wear crosses around their neck and claim to know Jesus and yet they have children by a woman they are not married to; and some of the children don’t have the same mother.

• And today people claim to know Jesus and yet they are involved in homosexual or immoral activities.
• And people today claim to know Jesus and yet they take His name in vain and are frequently involved in coarse jesting.

And look at the end of vs. 28. Jesus says, “He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.”

• This is a supreme indictment against Israel.
• They prided themselves on being the people of God who knew God and Jesus says, “You don’t know Him.”

Why don’t people know? Why don’t they know what God is like; what He commands?

• Because they don’t know His word.
• His word is an expression of His nature and His will and you cannot know Him if you do not know His word.

So, the people claim to know Jesus and Jesus basically says in vs. 29;  “If you knew Me (like you claim) you would know that God has sent Me.”

• And look at their response; vs. 30.

They were seeking therefore to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

• Redemption (man’s salvation) was planned by God and executed by God’s sovereignty; when it comes to redemption everything happens according to His purpose, His plan and timing.
• That is the reason why these people couldn’t put their hands on Jesus.
• They couldn’t act because they were under divine control.

31 But many of the multitude believed in Him; and they were saying, “When the Christ shall come, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?”

• This must have made the Jewish leaders a little more nervous.
• Based on His record of doing all of these miracles it may be that some in the crowd are starting to buy into the fact that Jesus might actually be the Messiah

32 The Pharisees heard the multitude muttering these things about Him; and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him.

• And if you want to know what more about these “officers” who were sent to seize Jesus you can look at vs. 45; the officers come back to the chief priests and the Pharisees and they ask, “Why did you not bring Him?”
• And the officers answered, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.”

So, the Pharisees see the crowd moving in the direction of believing in Jesus and they send “officers”; or temple police to seize Jesus. And now look at vs. 33:

Jesus therefore said, “For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me.”

Jesus may have said this to everyone; He may have just said this to the “officers” who were sent to arrest Him; He may have said this to the Pharisees and Jewish leaders; it is hard to know.

• But what Jesus is saying is, “It is not going to be long. It is soon going to be over and I am no longer going to be problem for you. I am going to be out of our life.”
• “I am going to the One who sent Me.”
• “I came down from heaven; I am going back to heaven.”

And this brings us to vs. 34. Jesus says:

“You shall seek Me, and shall not find Me;

• What a horrible reality!

What Jesus is saying is, “Because of your rejection there will come a time when you will seek Me; you will want and need what I can give you and do for you; and you will not fine Me.”

• “It will be too late!”

And then He says: “ …and where I am, you cannot come.”

• Where is He going to be; vs. 33? He is going to be in heaven; He is going to be with the Father.
• And they can’t come!

 Why? Because they have rejected Him; because they don’t know Him; and because they don’t know God!

What you have here in vs. 33-34 is a warning:  A warning about the consequences of rejecting Jesus; a warning about the consequences of riding the fence about Jesus; a warning about being indecisive about Jesus.

• And it doesn’t matter who you are: there is no hierarchy between the common people and the rulers; there is no class separation.
• Anyone who rejects Christ; who rides the fence out of confusion, who cannot make up their mind about Jesus will be shut out of heaven.

So, here are some additional truths that are learned from this passage;

Hell is itself truth discovered too late.

Hell is suffering for sin.

Hell is eternal regret without remedy.

Hell is everlasting remorse without hope.

Hell is not where Christ is forgotten. It is where Christ is unavailable.

Good people; even religious people go to hell; faithful people go to heaven.

So, here it is again: Vs. 33  “For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me. 34 “You shall seek Me, and shall not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

But, now the rest of the story: Jesus cries out this dire warning; but then He closes with an invitation. Look at vs. 37: Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.'”

• He says, “If any man is thirsty”; it is open to everyone; if anyone has a thirsty soul; If anyone is longing for hope; longing for peace with God; longing for forgiveness; for salvation.
• He says, “Come”; approach Jesus because He is the only source of living water or salvation.
• And “Drink”: means to take Him in; make Him your own; embrace Him; leave the sinful life behind and obey Him.

What Do You Say About Him?

WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT JESUS?

John 7:14-24

When you study the gospel of John you can’t improve on the subject because every page and virtually every verse is about Jesus!

• As a man, Jesus was like any other man from Galilee; He most likely had a Galilean accent and His deity was completely invisible; what was visible was His humanity.
• There was no way to see Him any different than you would see any other man; Isaiah 53:2.

What did distinguish Jesus from all others was His claims; His claims were astonishing; they were shocking; they were beyond bold!

• Jesus said that He came down from heaven; that He had eternally existed; that He had been sent into the world by the Father.
• He claimed to be the Savior of the world and the only Savior of the world.
• He claimed to be the one who determined everyone’s eternal salvation.
• He claimed to be the source of everlasting life, and the only source.
• He claimed to be the only way to God.
• He claimed to be One with God; He claimed to have the power to give life and to even raise the dead.
• He claimed to have authority over heaven and earth; He claimed to be able to forgive sins legitimately; He claimed to be the light of the world; He claimed to be the resurrection and the life.
• He claimed to be the Messiah; the Son of God.

His claims were beyond comprehension; therefore, the Jewish leaders judged Him to be a deceiver and sought to kill Him; 7:1.

But on the other hand, in spite of all of His claims some simply said that he was a “good man” and nothing more; vs. 12.

• And if that wasn’t a little disheartening His own brothers did not believe in Him; vs. 5.
• It seems that everyone saw Him as a man, but no one really considered Him to be what He claimed to be. (This is true today.)

So, in an effort to try to get them to believe who He is, in vs. 14 in spite of the danger Jesus arrives in Jerusalem during the “Feast of the Booths” and He goes to the temple and He begins to teach; and no doubt He draws a crowd.

And in vs. 15 the Jews, those who opposed Jesus, were “marveling, saying, “How has this man become so learned, having never been educated?”

• They knew that, in appearance he was no different than anyone else, they knew that He was a man; but they realize that there is something different about Him, different in the things He taught and in the way He taught.
• And so, starting in vs. 16 Jesus answers their question and at the same time He gives us reason to believe His claims; reasons to believe that He is more than just a man, and reasons why our faith in Him is not misplaced.
• Just like these Jews we must make up our minds; is He just a man or is He also God?

So, let’s look at what Jesus says starting vs. 16. They ask, “How has this man become so learned, having never been educated?” Now vs. 16:

Jesus therefore answered them, and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.”

• This must have once again infuriated the Jewish leaders because He is once again claiming that God sent Him!

Every day in the temple there were a lot of rabbis teaching there; men who studied at the feet of the most prominent rabbis.

• And what they did is, in order to give authority to what they taught, they quoted the rabbis they studied under.

But that is not what Jesus did. He didn’t quote other rabbis.

• His teaching, His doctrine, His knowledge was beyond anyone else.
• His teaching, His knowledge was on a level of wisdom and understanding without equal!
• Officers in vs. 46 said, “Never a man spoke like this.”
• The people were dumbfounded; shocked; startled by His flawless instructions.
• They were amazed by His clarity; His truthfulness; the reality of what He said.
• And they didn’t like it; they didn’t like the way He was influencing the people.

So, how do you discredit Him? They couldn’t attack His teaching!

• So, in vs. 15 they attacked His training; His education.
• Or, in another instance they attacked His hometown: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”; John 1:46.
• At one time they even attacked His character: “This man is friends with tax collectors and prostitutes.”
• If you can’t discredit the truth, you discredit the truth teller and that is what they did.
• And that is often what people do today. (They discredit Jesus: He was homosexual; He had an immoral relationship with one of the ladies; He was crazy)

But regardless of their attacks on His character, His hometown, or His education, they couldn’t discredit HIs teaching because His teaching was not His, it was from God!

• And that is reason enough to believe in Him; to believe His claims, and that is reason enough to stay faithful to Him.  

Now, look at vs. 17. Look what He says:  If any man is willing to do His (God’s) will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself.

Do you see why the Jews would not accept the teachings of Jesus; why they refused to accept Him?

• And do you know why people today refuse to accept Jesus’ claims of being the Son of God; of being the Messiah, of being the Savior; of having all authority?
• It is because they are not “willing to do God’s will.”

If any man is willing to do His (God’s) will….

Today people might be willing to do part of it His will: the part they like; the part that allows them to do what they want; but to “willing do God’s will…?”

Let me ask you, how does anyone know the “will of God?”

• The only way that anyone can know the “will of God” is through His word.
• But, what if a man doesn’t study the word; or read the word?
• Then he cannot know the “will of God” and therefore he will not know if a teaching is from God or from Jesus, or from a man. 

Today, there are several teachings on what it takes to be saved; some say they are saved by doing good works; some say by paying penance; some say by saying a prayer; others say by taking communion; and some say that you must be baptized into Christ for the remission of your sins.

• Why so many different ideas? Could it be the result of people not being willing to do the will of God? And not studying His word to see what His will is?

And that is why the Jews, and why people today do not believe the claims of Jesus; that is why people refuse to come to Jesus, because they are not “willing to do God’s will.”

• And until they have a change of heart there is absolutely nothing you and I can do about it.

Now, look at vs. 18.

“He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

False teachers, charlatans, frauds, fakes, hypocrites, phony messiahs are all in it for personal gain; they do it for money; for power; for prominence.

• And when it came to these Jews look at what Jesus says in John 5:44. He says: “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?”

The reason these Jewish leaders refused to accept Jesus’ claims, the reason why people today refuse to put their faith in Jesus is because they are not seeking the glory of God. They are seeking their own glory; the glory of one another; they are more interested in the praise of men than the praise of God!

• And in order to get the praise of men some preachers will compromise on doctrine and the truth of the scriptures.
• Ex. Preacher in Hobbs.

Jesus only sought the glory of God.

• And that is the way it should be with every preacher that stands in a pulpit!

Now look at vs. 19. Jesus says,  “Did not Moses give you the Law…

• Of course Moses gave them the Law. They loved Moses. And they thought they honored the Law!
• But look what Jesus says:

…and yet none of you (none of you, none of you) carries out the Law?

• “What are you talking about? We keep the Law!”

If you do then “Why do you seek to kill Me?” (they were so self-righteous)

The Law of Moses was never intended to save anyone; it was intended to condemn and drive sinners to an overwhelming fear of divine judgment that would cause them to repent, and cry out to God for mercy and grace.

• And, in spite of their best efforts, in spite of our best efforts we violate the Law; we sin; and in order to get forgiveness and to escape the judgment of God; where do we turn to?

Jesus is the only hope that these Jews had; and He is the only hope that we have; and what did they want to do? Kill Him.

• How foolish it is to reject Him, to deny Him, to mentally kill Him because there is no other One to turn to.

And now look at vs. 21. Jesus says, “I did one deed, and you all marvel.

• He is referring to the healing of the lame man at the pool of Bethesda back in chapter 5.
• The man had been lame for 38 years and at Jesus command the man took up his pallet and walked!

But the Jews, those in opposition to Christ, they couldn’t see the good in what Jesus did; they couldn’t be happy for the man who was healed because Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath.

• “You better not violate the Sabbath! If you do you will pay the price.”

Now look at vs. 22:  “On this account Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man.

• Now Vs. 23:

23 “If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath that the Law of Moses may not be broken,

• The Law said circumcision was to be done on the 8^th day. So, if the Sabbath fell on the 8^th day after the baby was born the baby was to be circumcised even if it was the Sabbath; so this is an instance where the two laws came into conflict
• So, if necessary the Sabbath could be set aside for something more important, something better, for another level of obedience!

Since that is true, look at what Jesus says next:  Are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath?

• Do you know why these Jews rejected Jesus? It wasn’t because He had done something wrong. It wasn’t because He violated the Law.
• The rejected Jesus simply because the wanted to.
• And that is why people reject Him today.

Vs. 24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

• These people were not judging Him based on the good things He did.
• They didn’t judge Him based on what He said and taught.
• They judged Him on His appearance; there was nothing stately about Him, nothing in His appearance that made Him stand out from others.

I am afraid that I often do that too.

• What I need to do is not judge according to an individual’s appearance; but instead judge them the way that Jesus does.

So, the Jews said He was a deceiver; others said He was simply a “good man.” His brothers didn’t believe in Him.

• What do you/I say about Him?

If you sincerely believe that He is the Son of God, the Messiah, if you are willing to do what God wants you to do and be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of you sins…come.

Resurrection Sunday

RESURRECTION SUNDAY

John 20:1-10

Today has been declared by the Christian world to be Easter or Resurrection Sunday or the Paschal.

• And it is the day that people who consider themselves to be Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

You may already know this but the date for Easter is determined every year by a complex set of calculations that take into account the lunar cycle, the date of the Jewish Passover, the Jewish ancient calendar, the Gregorian Calendar, the Julian Calendar, and the vernal equinox or the moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator marking the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

• Because of all these different calculations Easter or Resurrection Sunday is referred to as a “movable feast and celebration” and therefore does not have a fixed date like other holidays. It changes from year to year. (Last year it was on April 9; 2022 on April 17).
• And, in spite of all the complex calculations, the Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Easter on a different day than the Protestant or Catholic Churches; Eastern Orthodox – May 5; so there is no continuity.
• And it is primarily celebrated only once a year.

Now, I may be wrong, but I believe that those who determine through their complex calculations what day of the year Easter or Resurrection Sunday is to be celebrated, that they have completely missed the point.

• It seems to me that they have gone to all this effort to figure out what day it is to be celebrated; that the exact day is what is important; and they have forgotten WHO is to be celebrated what is really to be celebrated, what is really significant.

What took place on the original Resurrection Sunday is without a doubt the most amazing, the most incredible, astonishing event to ever take place in human history; especially in the history of human redemption.

• All four gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record the events of the original Resurrection Sunday and the fact that they do indicates the importance of what took place that day. (If one says it, it is important; if 2 say it, that is more important, if 3, well you better believe it; if 4, you can most assuredly know it is important).
• And even though they were inspired by the Holy Spirit words cannot fully express what took place that day and our limited minds fall way short in comprehending the events that unfolded.

The original Resurrection Sunday is not just a feature of Christianity, it is the main event!

• Without the resurrection of Jesus the whole of Christianity crumbles into nothing but a baseless fairy tale and all who name Christ as Lord and Savior are without hope.
• Without the resurrection of Jesus the dead will not be raised; your Bible can be recycled into paper bags, and you can turn this building over to the pigeons, and as the apostle Paul says in 1 Cor. 15:19, “If we have hoped in Christ we are of all men most to be pitied.”

The resurrection of Christ is the main event! When God raised Jesus from the dead He simultaneously secured our resurrection to an eternal glory.

• Look at this in 1 Peter 1:3:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

• The original Resurrection Sunday says, “because Jesus lives, we will live.”

And it is important that we believe this. Remember what the apostle Paul said in Romans 10:9-10?

Paul said, “If you confess Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

• When God raised Jesus from the dead He “declared Jesus to be His Son” (Romans 1:4), He validated Jesus’ work on the cross and Jesus became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him (Heb. 5:8-9), and there is no salvation for anyone who refuses to believe in His resurrection.

Look at this found in 1 Cor. 15 starting in vs. 1. The apostle Paul says: Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel (good news) which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand (abide; your foundation, don’t move off of it) , 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

• If you or I or anyone else fails to stand; if we move off of, if we reject, or refuse to believe, that Jesus was raised from the dead, there will be no salvation.

But God doesn’t want us to do that. God intends for us to stand solidly on the resurrection of Jesus and that is why we do not assemble on Friday, the day He was placed in the tomb,  or on Saturday, the day the tomb was sealed, but on Sunday, the first day of the week, the day of His resurrection; Rev. 1:9 John calls it “the Lord’s Day.”

• Sunday in not simply the day we “go to church”; it is the day that we come together to remember and celebrate His resurrection.
• And that is in part of why we take the Lord’s supper. It reminds us that He died and  has been raised from the dead and will someday return; 1 Cor. 11;26.

So we assemble on Sunday to celebrate His resurrection: we talk about it; we sing about it; but what is interesting is no on saw it!

• No one saw His resurrection. No one was in the tomb when it happened.

But it’s not something that needed to be seen.

• All that needed to be seen is the Person who was dead and who is now alive, and there were many witnesses who saw Him.
• Paul says in 1 Cor. 15:5-6 that not only did His disciples see Him after He was raised but over 500 other people saw Him as well.

There is no doubt that, in spite of the best efforts of the Jewish leaders, and the Pharisees, and the Roman governor to keep Jesus in the tomb (Matt. 27:62-66)…

• In spite of the fact that the highest human authorities at the time sealed that tomb…
• In spite of the fact that a lie was propagated and a bribe was paid to deny it (Matthew 28:11-15)…Jesus was raised from the dead.

Now, as I mentioned before,  all 4 gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John record the actual history of the resurrection, but none of them try to explain the physiology of it; or the pathology of it.

• The body of Jesus was wrapped in linens and spices and lying in the darkness of the tomb; and when life came back into His body what moved first: did His chest begin to rise and fall as He breathed;  did His finger twitch; His eye open; did He gasp for a breath?
• How did He remove the wrappings?
• No one knows and the Bible doesn’t tell us.
• But that doesn’t matter.

What we do know is it happened; it was a supernatural miracle like all the other miracles that our Lord performed.

• And that is the point; the resurrection happened because God willed it to happen in order to proclaim that Jesus is His Son and to reassure us that because of our faith in Him and obedience to Him we too will someday be raised from the dead ourselves.

The main event is not trying to figure out the date to celebrate His resurrection from all of these complicated calculations.

• The main event is that Jesus was raised with power, and declared to be the Son of God, so that just as He lives, we can too!

But then there is another reason why God raised Jesus from the dead. Look at this found in Acts 17.

• Here in Acts 17 the apostle Paul is in Athens and he is speaking to some individuals who were very religious, individuals who worshiped gods of all different kinds; vs. 23.
• They have even created an altar to an “Unknown God” who they worshiped in ignorance.
• And so in vs. 24-29 the apostle explains to them the character and nature of the real one and only Jehovah God.

Now, look at vs. 30. In vs. 30 the apostle Paul calls these individual to repent; to repent of their ignorant, pagan ways.

• And look at why they or anyone else should repent; look at vs. 31: … because He (God) has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. ” 

The resurrection of Jesus calls, pleads for everyone, including those who are “very religious” to repent; to turn away from their ignorance, their worship of false gods, to turn away from their lives of disobedience and sin and seek after God.

• Why? Because God has “fixed”, “set, appointed” a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness (It will be a just and righteous judgment unlike what we see sometimes in our culture).
• And the proof of that judgment is the resurrection of Jesus.

Every Sunday, every first day of the week is a reminder of the original Resurrection Sunday.

• Each Sunday is a day when the faithful assemble and take communion.
• And as we participate in the communion it is a reminder to us that He was crucified, laid in a tomb, and was raised to sit at the right hand of God, and each time we take communion we are reminded that He is coming back.
• And for salvation sake, we must be ready, washed in His blood, when He does.

Feast of Booths

THE FEAST OF BOOTHS

John 7:1-9

Starting here in John 7 the hostility of the Jews toward Jesus steadily grows. In fact, in vs. 1 John tells us that the Jews were seeking to kill Him and this hostility will eventually lead to Jesus being crucified.

• So Jesus is hesitant to go to Jerusalem, not because He is afraid, vs. 6, ‘but because “His time is not yet at hand.”
• If you look at the end of vs. 6 what Jesus is saying is, “men work on one time table, but Jesus works on God’s time table.”
• God is Sovereign and when it is time, according to God’s schedule and God’s divine purpose, Jesus will go to Jerusalem to be put to death at the hands of the Jews.
• And we will see that as we go through the rest of John’s gospel.

But this may seem a little strange but what I would like to do this morning is focus on vs. 2 and the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of the Ingathering.

• The Jews would refer to it as the “sook kaw.”
• And the reason I would like to focus on the Feast of Booths is because the Jews in this passage are in the process of making the same mistake again that their fathers made many years before.  
• And that many people still make today.
• Let me explain.

The Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles is a pilgrimage feast meaning it was required of Jewish males living within a certain distance to travel to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast.

• That is why in vs. 10 Jesus’ brothers go and why Jesus goes a little later.

Did you pick up on that: Jesus has brothers!

• Why is that significant? Because there is in our society a doctrine that teaches that Mary, Jesus’ mother, was a perpetual virgin.
• In other words, she was a virgin before Jesus was born, she was a virgin when He was born, and she was and still is a virgin after He was born.
• The fact that Jesus had brothers, and in Matthew 13:56 the fact that Jesus had sisters,, disputes the teaching that Mary was and is a perpetual virgin.
• But back to the Feast of Booths.

The Feast of Booths is a fall festival intended to honor God and for celebrating the final harvest of the year; it was celebrated in the 7^th month starting on the 15^th day of the Jewish calendar or for us it would be about mid -September.

Not only was it a celebration of the final harvest of the year but it also commemorated the 40 years that the Jews wandered in the wilderness after the Exodus.

• Here is what God says about it in Leviticus 23 starting in vs. 39.  

Lev 23:39-44 ‘’On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD for seven days, with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day.

• So, you have the Sabbath or a day of rest on each end of this celebration with the feasting in between.

40’Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.

Now, vs. 41: ‘You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42’You shall live in booths (tabernacles, tents, temporary shelters)  for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths, 43 so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’ ” 

So, the Feast of Booths was to celebrate God’s blessing them with a good harvest, but it was also a reminder that God had the people live in “booths when God brought them out of Egypt.”

Now, why did God have them “live in booths when He brought them out from the land of Egypt?”

• Obviously, God wanted them to remember this because they were to do this every year.
• So, here In John 7, 1400 years after the Exodus, they are still commemorating the event!
• Why? What is the story behind this?
• Let me give you the history of what happened.

When God brought His people out of Egypt it should not have taken anywhere close to 40 years for them to get to the “promised land.”

• Less than 2 months after they left Egypt they came into the wilderness of Sinai and camped at the foot of the mountain where they received the Law or 10 Commandments and all the ordinances.
• God kept them there for a little over a year, not only to give them the law but to teach them some things.

These people had been living in Egypt for over 400 years and they had been influenced by the Egyptian culture; perhaps picked up on some Egyptian ideas and practices.

• But now they are a new nation.
• They are no longer governed and ruled by the Egyptians.
• They have a new King, One they cannot see; One that is Holy and Righteous.
• They are excited but things will be much different now.

So God, through Moses had a lot to convey to the people.

• God would establish priesthood, and a religious system; and He would give them a tabernacle where God could be with them.
• And God would provide for them, and feed them, and protect them.
• And God would teach them to rely on Him; and to trust Him so that when they reached the land that God has promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they would be ready to receive the land by faith.

So, for over a year God, through Moses, taught and prepared these people and finally, on the 20^th day of the 2^nd month (Num. 10:11) and the 2^nd year after they left Egypt they broke camp and set out for Canaan.

And after a period of about 50 days they reached the wilderness of Paran and God instructed Moses to send spies into the land of Canaan to see what it was like.

• After about 40 days the spies came back; 2 of the spies said that the land was “truly flowing with milk and honey” and even though the inhabitants of the land were strong they could be defeated; but 10 of the spies gave an evil report and said that they inhabitants were of great stature and could not be defeated; and as a result the vast majority of the people determined in their hearts not to trust God.
• And because of their unbelief God sent them back into the wilderness to wander for an additional 38 years.

And that is how the Feast of Booths came to be. The people were to live in booths, small tabernacles, small rudimentary shelters perhaps made of tree branches (Lev. 23), as they wandered in the wilderness.

• And the Feast of Booths mentioned here in John 7 was something they did every year to remember those 38 years of wandering in the wilderness.

Now why would God require them to remember those 38 years? Why would He require them to remember all those days and weeks and years of wandering in the wilderness?

• What is it that God wants us to learn from this?

First of all, I think God wants them to remember the fact that we bring so much unnecessary hardships, problems, and turmoil into our lives through our simple unwillingness to trust and obey the LORD.

• For 40 years these people wandered in some of the most desolate, remote, harshest land in the world; moving from one place to the next.
• And during the 40 years that these people became bitter, quarrelsome, and openly rebellious.
• And the majority of them died in the wilderness!
• And they didn’t have too.
• And isn’t this true today?

How much grief, and pain, and turmoil do people, perhaps even some of us, bring into our lives because we refuse to trust in and obey the Lord?

• And we don’t have to!

And the grief and pain and turmoil often lasts and lasts for years and years.

• For many of these Israelites it lasted for 40 years; but actually for those who were over 20 years old and who refused to trust God, who grumbled against God, who treated God with contempt, it lasted for the rest of their lives because they died in the wilderness; Numbers 14:20-25.

And for those who were younger than 20 years old, and even the few that were faithful to the Lord (Joshua and Caleb and their families) for 40 they still suffered the consequences of those who refused to trust God before God finally led them into the Promised Land; Numbers 14:26-35.

• The innocent often suffer for our unbelief.

And the tragedy is they were so close to the Promised land!

• The grief, the hardship, the pain, the problems due to our refusal to trust in God and obey Him can and often does last a lifetime…and our refusal can affect our children and their children as well.

And that is what God wanted these people to remember when they celebrated the Feast of Booths.

• He didn’t want them to make the same mistake their forefathers did.
• And unfortunately that is exactly what they did when they rejected Jesus.
• Everything up to this point in John’s gospel, all the miracles, the prophets, God Himself has and is saying that Jesus is the source of eternal life; He is the way and access to the Promised Land…and just like they did at the time of the Exodus some 1400 years earlier they refuse to trust in and obey God.
• And just like them, if we do the same our lives will be filled with heartache, pain, and problems and we will die in the wilderness.

And there is another reason why God wanted them to commemorate the Feast of Booths and that was even in their unbelief, God remained faithful.

• During that additional 38 years of wandering after the people failed to trust in God, God kept providing the manna for them, and He kept protecting them and responding to them.
• And on the negative side, He kept His word to those who rejected Him, they died in the wilderness just as He said.
• But then on the positive side, those who trusted Him, just as He promised He eventually took them to the Promised Land.

Look at what the apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:13: If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.

God doesn’t just act faithful; He is faithful; even when we aren’t.

God will keep His promise! His word is trustworthy! If He says that your unforgiven sins will condemn you to die eternally…you know the will.

• If He says that your sins can be forgiven through faith and obedience to Christ,  you can go to heaven, they can and you will.

But like these people, if we refuse to trust in God then we too will eventually die in the wilderness.

The tragedy is, we don’t have to.

True Bread

John 6:30-33

I would like to do a little survey to begin. In our culture and society bread is considered to be a staple. At almost every meal bread is offered.

• And it is amazing how many different kinds of bread there are: white bread, whole wheat, sour dough, whole grain, Rye, biscuits, French, Ciabatta, cornbread, matzo, ginger, pita, croissant, bagel; the list of different kinds of breads is almost endless.
• With that in mind which do you like best: white or wheat? (Raise Hand)
• What about white or cornbread?
• Do you like a croissant best or a bagel?
• Which is healthier: white or wheat or whole grain?

Now, you are probably wondering what this has to do with our lesson this morning. Well, perhaps more than you might realize.

• Let me refresh your memory a little.

Here in John 6 Jesus has performed this massive miracle of feeding the 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish.

• And afterwards the people who “witnessed the miracle” said “this is of a truth the Prophet who is come into the world.”
• And immediately they wanted to make Him king.
• They didn’t come to submit to Him; they didn’t recognize Him to be what the miracle confirmed Him to be which is the Messiah and the Son of God (John 20:30-31). Instead they wanted Him to be what they wanted Him to be.  

So, Jesus left the crowd behind because He will not obligate Himself to man on man’s terms.

• He doesn’t give in to ever changing whims and wishes; He calls on sinners to mourn their sins, to be penitent, and to acknowledge Him as Sovereign Lord.
• And He will always withdraw from the superficial crowd.

So, He leaves the crowd behind and in the middle of the night and He walks across the sea of Galilee, and gets in the boat with His disciples.

• And immediately the boat is at the shore; and Jesus goes into Capernaum.

When the crowd that Jesus has fed with the loaves and fish realize that Jesus has left they make their way back to Capernaum and they, along with some of the Jews who opposed Jesus (vs. 57), find Him in the synagogue (vs. 59).

And the people come to Him and say, “Rabbi, not Messiah, not Lord, but Rabbi, when did you get here?” (They didn’t learn anything from the miracles)

• And Jesus ignores their question and says, “You are not seeking Me because you saw signs. You are not seeking Me because you are interested in salvation and eternal life.”
• “You are seeking Me because you ate of the loaves and the fish and you were filled; You are seeking Me because you want breakfast.”

And in vs. 27 Jesus tells them to “Don’t work or strive for food that perishes.”

• Jesus isn’t telling them that they shouldn’t eat or work in order to eat;  2 Thess. 3:11.
• They need food for their physical body.
• But that is all they are interested in!
• They have no interest in the “spiritual body.”

So Jesus says in the second half of verse 27: “Work or strive for the food which endures to eternal life.”

• “Man shall not live on bread alone.” (Matthew 4:4)
• “What good is it if you have all this food to eat; what good is it if you work and work for food, but don’t have eternal life?”
• There is something that is more important than having your belly full.

There are several examples in the scriptures where kings held great feasts or banquets and yet no one found salvation because they got their bellies full.

• Today, some people will spend a small fortune to eat some exotic food or some delicacy and yet they do absolutely nothing to gain eternal life.

So at the end of vs. 27 Jesus tells them where they can get “this food that endures to eternal life.” Jesus says that He is the One who gives the food that endures to eternal life, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal.”

• Jesus is the only One who can give them eternal life and God the Father confirms that.

Yes, Jesus could fix them some breakfast; He could feed them again and again and satisfy their hunger; but He has so much more to give; something so much more important to give but they weren’t interested.

• And this hasn’t changed.
• People today are more interested in having their physical appetites and their material appetites and their sensual appetites satisfied than they are their spiritual.
• And If He doesn’t satisfy their physical or material needs when they want it and the way they want it they most often are no longer interested in what He can do for them spiritually.

Now, look at vs. 28. Jesus has told them to “work for the food which endures to eternal life” and they ask, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

• In other words, “What can we do to please God and gain this eternal life?”

These people were Jews and when they are told to “work for the food that endures to eternal life” they have grown up with the idea of “justification by works” all of their life and so they want to know, “What works can we do to gain salvation?”

And that is what so many people today believe. They believe they can do enough of the right things that they can save themselves.

But look at vs. 29: Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

• Eternal life is not obtained by “works” or by human performance. You cannot do enough or be good enough to earn your salvation.
• Salvation or eternal life is obtained only by “faith” in Him.
• And the idea of “faith or believing” in the gospel of John is “obedient faith”; John 3:36.

You cannot get eternal life from anyone else or in any other thing.  

• It is not a matter of “works” or human performance; it is a matter of “faith, believing in Christ and His perfect works.”
• And yet these Jews, like many others, think that they can gain it by “works”, by human effort.

Now, Jesus has said in vs. 27 that He is the One who gives the food for eternal life.

• And here in vs. 29 Jesus says that if “they want to do the work of God they need to “believe” in Him.”
• Now, that is a powerful statement. The Jews know that “eternal life” is in the hands of God.
• So, in view of Jesus’ claims they want proof; look at vs. 30:

They said therefore to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform?

• They want Jesus to perform another miracle to prove who He claims to be.
• But they don’t want just any miracle. Look at vs. 31.

  “Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.'”

• These Jews are throwing down the gauntlet!
•  “You fed the 5000! That’s no big deal. Moses fed the entire nation of Israel for 40 years! You only fed the crowd for 1 day!”

What they are expecting is a sign greater than Moses! If Jesus is really the Messiah, the Son of God as He claims, if He can give “eternal life” which is possibly the greatest miracle because it involves forgiving sin, He should be able to do something greater than Moses did!

• Perhaps feed the entire nation of Israel from now on!

Now, here is where the bread comparison comes in.

• In vs. 31 these Jews say that “He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.”

Now, look at Jesus’ response in vs. 32: Jesus therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven…

• Jesus seems to be flatly rebuking these Jews by reminding them that it was not Moses who gave them the bread out of heaven.
• The bread they ate in the wilderness did come from heaven but it wasn’t Moses who gave it to them.
• How often do we do this same thing; give man credit for what God has done and at times give God credit for what man has done (the evil).

And notice the second thing that Jesus says here in the second part of this verse. He says that, “the bread the Jews were given by God in the wilderness was not “the true bread of heaven.”

• If these Jews want the same bread that God provided in the wilderness they need to understand that there is a lot of difference between the bread the Jews received in the wilderness and the “true bread” that Jesus speaks of here in vs. 32.

For instance, the manna that God provided for them in the wilderness didn’t last.

• They had to go every day, day after day except on the Sabbath and get only a “day’s portion” and if they kept any of it overnight it “bred worms”; Ex. 16:20.
• And if the “sun grew hot the manna would melt”: Ex. 16:21.
• So, it didn’t last.

In comparison the “true bread out of heaven” lasts forever! Remember what Jesus said in vs. 27: it endures to eternal life!

• It never molds. It never breeds worms. And it never melts!

And the manna that the Jews received in the wilderness didn’t satisfy their hunger.

• They had to eat it every day.
• And In Numbers 11:4-6 we are told that the “people of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we used to eat FREE in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”
• And in Numbers 21:5 the people of Israel speak to Moses and ask, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food.”
• They eventually hated the “bread out of heaven.”

What about the “true bread out of heaven?” Look at vs. 35: “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

• The bread of life satisfies forever man’s hunger and thirst for salvation.

And the people in the wilderness who ate “the bread out of heaven”; they all died; vs. 49.  It couldn’t save them.

But the true bread out of heaven? Look at vs. 33: For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”

• The manna or bread out of heaven that the Jews ate in the wilderness, it was limited to just the Israelites; I don’t recall that any Egyptians or Canaanites got any of it.
• But the “true bread” gives life to the world.

But only to those who eat of it; and truthfully it is not “it”; it is Him. Look at vs. 35:

John 6:35  Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

So now, what is your favorite bread?

• There are thousands of different breads in the world and you can eat it until you weigh 400 pounds.
• But there is only One “true bread” that can give you eternal life. Will you come to Him?
• Not like these Jews came; not superficially; but will you come to Him sincerely; willing to obey Him and follow Him?

Bread is a staple in our daily diet, will you make Him a staple in your daily diet and obtain eternal life?

• Or will you refuse Him and like the Jews, die in the wilderness?

True Or False

TRUE OR FALSE

John 6:22-27

Every one of us has at some time taken a “true or false test.” Is that true or false?

• If you have never taken a true or false test let me give you one.

First question: The letter H is between the letters G and J on a keyboard? True

• Camels have 3 sets of eyelashes? True
• There are 5 zeroes in one hundred thousand? True
• If you add the numbers on the opposite sides of a dice together the answer is always 7? True
• Potatoes are considered to be vegetables? T.
• Jesus Christ is alive and well in this bottle? F.
  • How did you do?

I stuck this last question in because most people think He is or at least they treat Him like He is a genie in the bottle.  And let me tell you why.

Remember why John wrote this gospel? John 20:30-31:  Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

• Do you see the reason for the miracles that Jesus performed?
• This is the purpose for the miracles. This is what they were intended for.
• And for a lot of people, and hopefully for all of us that is how we see the miracles.

But, that is not the way most people feel about the miracles. For most people the miracles draw them to Christ, but for all the wrong reasons.

• And we see that here in John 6. Look at the passage that was read.

In vs. 22 it says that “the next day”, that is the day after Jesus fed 20 to 25 thousand people who had followed Him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.

• And the verse says that that same crowd “stood on the other side of the sea.” They are still there. They are still on the eastern side of the sea. They have been there all night. Why?
• Why didn’t they go somewhere else?

John tells us. They are still there because “there was no other small boat there, except one. And Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone.”

 If you remember, and you can read about it in the first 15 verses of this chapter, but Jesus had performed this massive miracle and fed everyone, and then He told His disciples to “get in the boat and go” and they did because that is what disciples do. They obey Christ.

• So they leave Jesus behind where the people are.

And the crowd knows that Jesus didn’t leave with His disciples.

• That is why they stayed all night!

But they wake up the next morning after the miracle the night before and Jesus is not there!

• And even more people are there now because vs. 23 says that “other small boats from Tiberias had come near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.”

So, why are there more people there?

• Apparently the word had gone around the sea about the miracle that Jesus had performed the night before and all these additional people came to be where they thought Jesus was.

Now, look at vs. 24:  When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

• That sounds good doesn’t it? They are seeking Jesus!
• That is exactly what Jesus wants! All these people coming to Him.

 Vs. 25:  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

• “Rabbi?’ “Rabbi?’ What does that say about them? Had they learned what they were supposed to from the miracles?
• The miracles were intended to show that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and not that He is just a Rabbi.
• They had seen this massive miracle the day before and they still didn’t believe.
• How about you and I? Have we learned who He really is from the miracles?

So, they ask this question and Jesus never answers it. He ignores it.

• He doesn’t tell them that He walked on water; He doesn’t tell them about the incident with Peter; He doesn’t tell them about the miracle of calming the storm and the boat immediately coming to the shore.
• He doesn’t tell these people any of that.
• And some people would say, “He should have told them! They might have believed who He was then.”
• If they didn’t believe who He is after the miracle the night before they aren’t going to believe any additional miracles that He has performed.

So, they ask Jesus, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” and instead of answering their question Jesus gets right to the point. Look at vs. 26:

 John 6:26  Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, (Here is the truth! Jesus is making a critical statement here) I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs (not because you saw the miraculous feeding and healing that took place and those things have convinced you that I am the Son of God. You are not here because you followed the signs that pointed to Me as Savior and Messiah and Lord).

You are here; vs. 26:  because you ate of the loaves, and were filled.

• They only wanted the free food and the healing of their sick.
• They only wanted their desires met on the spot by Jesus; they wanted Jesus to give them whatever they wanted.

Out of all of these people apparently no one learned what the miracles were intended to teach them; that He is the Son of God and that by believing you can have life in His name.

• And this still goes on today. People still treat Jesus as though He is a genie in a bottle who is supposed to give them what they want when they want it.
• And what is sad is if He doesn’t give them what they want they are quick to leave.
• In fact, if you look at vs. 66 many of His disciples abandon Him.

I am sure that most of you have experienced this. And I don’t mean to be negative or critical about people. We often try to help people with the hope that they will come to know Christ but unfortunately the help we try to give them is not what they want.

I can’t tell you the number of times that someone has come to the office during the week and they want help; they need gas or food or help with their rent; or they need some place to stay.

• And they will almost always tell you that they “believe in Jesus” and they used to go to church in this town or that town.
• And they often ask about what time our services are and “Do you know brother Franklin who lives in Parkersville?”
• They think they are saying all the right things.
• So, we try to help them and in most cases we should to some extent.

But we know that they will probably never come to our services? Once in a great while you will have someone who will come once or twice. But it is rare for someone to consistently attend.

• But the only reason they come, is not to learn about Christ, not because they want to follow Him, it is because they want Him, through us, to give them what they want.
• And there have been times when they have gotten angry when we didn’t.

We have conducted a food pantry, a clothing room, and given money to Helping Hands and as far as I know we have not garnered anyone from those efforts.

• We don’t help because of who they are, we give because of Whose we are.

I am not against youth groups, or clothing rooms, or food pantries, or Bible camps, or other acts of fellowship and evangelism.

• As God’s people we should do what we can to try and bring people to Christ.
• But at the same time, in spite of our best efforts, the harvest may be rather small because people don’t want to follow Christ they just simply want Him to give them what they desire.
• They want a genie in a bottle.

Here in this passage this huge crowd of people didn’t come to Christ for the right reason. They came just to have their needs satisfied.

• And today there are a lot of preachers who misrepresent Christ this way.
• “Just come to Jesus and He will make you rich; He will give you financial security; He will make you well!”
• Well, Jesus does promise that; but not in this life. He promises the riches of heaven; the security of heaven and a new body that will never die.

And one thing we need to realize about this passage. Jesus knew what was really in their hearts and minds.

• Just like He knows what is in our hearts and He knows what our motive is.
• And He will not come to man on man’s terms.

So, Jesus knows what is in their hearts and minds; the only reason they are seeking Him is because they “ate the loaves, and were filled.”

Now, look at vs. 27:  “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal.”

 Now, don’t misunderstand. Jesus is not saying here that we shouldn’t “work for our food.”

• Jesus has told us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
• And the apostle Paul has said that if a “man will not work, let him not eat.” 2 Thess. 3:11.
• So, Jesus is not saying, “Don’t work for food; don’t work for what you need to sustain your life.”
• We must have food!

But just as Jesus has said, “If a man will not work, let him not work” Jesus also said, “That man shall not live by bread alone” and that is Jesus’ point here.

• What good is it if you have all this food to eat; you have fish and loaves; and for us we might have steak, and potatoes and chicken and dumpling and apple pie or German chocolate cake.
• But what good is it if you have all these wonderful foods but you don’t obtain eternal life?

Now, look at vs. 27 again:  “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life…

• Where do you get this food that endures to eternal life?

 Well, look at the rest of the verse: Which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal.”

• The only One who can give this food for eternal life is Jesus.

 And this isn’t a hollow declaration. This isn’t a false claim. God has “set His seal” or authenticated Jesus as the source of this food that endures to eternal life.

• How did God authenticate Jesus and this promise?
• With the miracles. When Jesus took those 5 loaves and 2 fishes and fed all those people; when Jesus healed the sick and made the blind to see and the lame to walk.
• When Jesus saw His disciples straining at the oars even though they were 3 or 4 miles out on the sea after it was dark, when He walked across that water and calmed that storm; and when their boat immediately made it to shore.
• And when these people came to Him and He already knew what was in their hearts and in their minds; God authenticated Jesus as His Son and gave Him the authority to give the food which endures to eternal life.

And if you look at vs. 35 Jesus tells you what that food is;  vs. 35 Jesus says, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

• When you have Christ you have everything you will ever need for eternal life.
• He is the one that God has sealed; that God has authenticated.
• Some may tell you that need more or someone else; but Jesus has paid it all.

But, if you don’t have Christ you have no hope and that is what these people were doing; they were ignoring who Christ was and the eternal salvation that was in Him, all for a few fish and crackers.

• They were literally starving to death!

So, let me give you one more true or false question: True or False: Jesus is Lord and not you or I.

These people in John 6 thought they were Lords. They wanted Jesus to do what they; wanted and they were willing to settle for physical food.

• But, if you and I honor Him as Lord He will give us food that endures to eternal life.
• These people came to Christ for the wrong reason. Will you come for the right reason?

Heads Up

Heads Up

John 6:16-21

When someone gives you a “heads up”, what are they doing?

• Last night the National Weather Service gave us a “heads up” about the weather.
• You start to go on a trip and someone says, “I will give you a “heads up”, highway 183 is blocked.”
• Public health officials sometimes give us a “heads up” about a virus that is making its rounds.
• So, we know what a “heads up” is; it’s an advanced warning.
• And that is what we have here in this passage that was read.

When we were baptized, according to Acts 2:38, our sins were forgiven.

• But, when we’re baptized, according to Matthew 28:18-20 we also became disciples or followers of Christ.
• And as a disciple of Christ we have been commissioned “to go and make disciples of other nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
• And just reading that it doesn’t sound all that difficult.

But, in John 6 and Mark 6 and Matthew 14 Jesus gives us a “heads up” when it comes to being a disciple which may cause some to think twice before following Christ.

• And this may be why some just want to be baptized for the forgiveness of sin and not be a disciple!
• Let’s look starting in vs. 15.

If you remember from last week Jesus has just performed a massive miracle when He fed a huge crowd from 5 loaves and 2 fish.

• And afterwards, in vs. 15, the people wanted to take Jesus by force and make Him king.
• They wanted Jesus to be what they wanted; they wanted to manipulate Him for their own selfish ends; much like most people want to do today.
• People want Jesus to permit what they want and justify what they want.
• They want a Jesus who will permit them to live an immoral lifestyle; permit then to be involved in an adulterous or perverted sexual relationship; who will allow them to cheat, lie, steal, be a drunkard.
• People often force Jesus to be what they want Him to be.

But the reality is Jesus comes to no man on man’s terms.

• He doesn’t give in to ever changing whims and fancies; He will not be a quick fix for felt needs.
• He calls on sinners to mourn for their sins, to be penitent, and to acknowledge Him as sovereign Lord and to be obedient to Him.
• And like He does here in vs. 15, He will always withdraw from the superficial crowd.

So, Jesus withdrew to the mountain away from this crowd that wants to force Him to be king.

• And now look at vs. 16. It says, when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, and after getting into a boat they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. 17 And it had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

 Now, in Matthew’s and Mark’s account of this they both say that Jesus “made” His disciples get in the boat!

• The KJ Version says that Jesus “constrained” His disciples to get in the boat.
• Why would Jesus “make” His disciples get in the boat?

Apparently there were some things that Jesus wanted His disciples to learn about being a disciple.

• So, what is it He wanted them to learn?

Listen, up to this point Jesus’ disciples have not personally experienced much in the way of difficulties; they have experienced some hardships while traveling with Jesus; some sore feet from walking; and in Matthew 10 when Jesus sent them out “to preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand” He warned them that they would be rejected, and be hated, and perhaps even be persecuted.

But, telling is much different than showing.

• So, Jesus is going to show them what it is like to be a disciple.
• But up to this point in John 6 things have been relatively “smooth sailing” for them.
• So, to prepare them, to teach them, to train them and to test them, Jesus “constrains” them to get in the boat.

And they do. They get in the boat! And that is what Jesus wants us to learn: disciples obey even when they don’t fully understand.

• And look at vs. 18.

Jesus “makes His disciples” get in the boat, it is dark, and “the sea began to be stirred because a strong wind was blowing.”

• The “smooth sailing” is over.
• And those of us today who are His disciples, if we have it in mind that following Jesus, obeying Jesus (He made them get in this boat and they did); if we have it in mind that obeying Jesus is always going to be “smooth sailing” for us we need to think again.

Look at vs. 19: When therefore they had rowed about 3 or 4 miles…

• Matthew says that their boat was being “battered by the waves for the wind was contrary.”
• So the disciples are battling the waves and the wind; and now look at what Mark says in Mark 6:47:

 47 And when it was evening, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and He (Jesus) was alone on the land. 48 And seeing them straining (tormenting; painfully struggling) at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them,

• These disciples “strained at the oars” until the “fourth watch of the night”; that would put this somewhere between 3 and 6 o’clock in the morning.
• They have been battling these dangerous high winds and battering waves basically all night.
• And remember, Jesus made them get in this boat.
• And that is what we need to learn

Being a disciple of Christ, obeying Christ can lead us into some pretty scary circumstances; seemingly overwhelming circumstances, some discouraging circumstances all because you are doing what the Lord told you to do.

• There will always be strong winds against us; darkness does not like the light so some people will hate us; some will reject us; some will accuse us of things we would never do just like they did Jesus (a blasphemer; of the devil); and we will be criticized for things they think we should do but don’t.

There will always be “waves” to toss us; and batter us; and threaten us. (Doctrine; fads; opinions).

• And just like these disciples there will be times when it doesn’t seem like we are “getting anywhere.” We can teach and preach and we will have times when we wonder if we are doing any good. (Sabbath question). We will have times of discouragement.
• And we will always have to fight the forces of darkness; Satan is relentless; he will do anything he can to hinder and stop us.
• And there will always be times when we have to “strain at the oars” to make any headway.

For these disciples it was a struggle and it will be for us too.

• But notice, they didn’t quit; they didn’t give up; and they didn’t turn around and say, “Forget it. We will let the wind blow us where it wants us to go.”
• They continued with all of their might to do what Christ told them to do.
• That is what disciples of Christ do.
• Unfortunately, some disciples are “circumstance disciples” and quit as soon as things get a little difficult or don’t go the way they think they should.

So, the disciples are out on the sea, they are straining against the wind and the waves and in Mark 6:48 Mark tells us that “Jesus could see them straining at the oars.”

• Wait a minute. Vs. 19 here in John 6 tells us that they had rowed about “3 or 4 miles” and Mark tells us it was “the fourth watch of the night” how could Jesus see them?

Look at this in Psalm 33:18. The writer says the “Lord’s eyes are on those who fear Him and whose hope is in His unfailing love.”

• And here is Hebrews 4:13: And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
• Our Lord knew that these disciples were struggling and straining, and He knows when we are too.

And look at vs. 19 again in John 6. Jesus sees them struggling and look what He does.

When therefore they had rowed about three or four miles, they beheld Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened.

• Jesus “constrained” these disciples to “get in this boat.”
• When they have done all they can do, did they think that Jesus was going to abandon them?

And the same is true for you and I.

• We as His disciples are obeying what He commands; and sometimes we find ourselves in a hard, difficult situation; perhaps even in a scary, dangerous situation; do we think that Jesus is going to abandon us?

Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20:  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. “

In Hebrews 13:5 the Lord said: “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

• Obeying His commands may cost us everything we have; perhaps even our lives; but He will never abandon us.

So Jesus sees them struggling; and He comes to them; and notice how He comes: Walking on the sea!

• The very thing that was threatening their lives is under His feet!
• It is under His dominion!

Do you remember what Jesus said in Matthew 28:18 right before He sent these same disciples out in what we call the “Great Commission?”

• “All authority has been given to Me.”
• That is His point here.

And the first thing you and I need to recognize as a disciple is when we find ourselves in a difficult situation because we are obeying what Christ has commanded is Who has dominion; Who is Sovereign over the circumstances that we are facing.

• Whatever is threatening you they are under His feet.

And then we must do what they did. Jesus walks on the sea; He draws near to the boat; they are frightened (Mark says they thought He was a ghost) and they cried out; and in vs. 20 He speaks to them and says, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

• And now vs. 21: They were willing therefore to receive Him into the boat;

 I don’t know if it is pride or stubbornness or something else but far too often we face a difficult situation and we fail to let Jesus come into the boat. (Marriage; parenting; job; life)

• They won’t let Him do what really needs to be done.

And look at the end of vs. 21. They receive Jesus into the boat; and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

• Jesus made all the difference. It is amazing how when we get Jesus in the boat and problems disappear.
• Leave Him out and the struggle will continue on and on.

Now, John leaves out one of the most interesting parts of this story. In Matthew’s account found in chapter 14 starting in vs. 25 Matthew says:

25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were frightened, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”  32 And when they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

• Doubt can sink anyone! Doubt what Jesus says! Doubt what Jesus commands!
• Individuals and whole congregations have fallen apart because of doubt.
• Doubt can cause us to abandon our faith and our Lord.

The Hebrew writer says in Heb 10:35:  Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

• Peter was so confident in the Lord that he got out of that boat and walked on the water.
• But then he saw the wind and he became afraid and began to sink.
• The wind; and it can come in many different forms; doctrine; personal preferences; emotions; false beliefs; deceitful men) can destroy our confidence.
• We must stay focused on Jesus.

So, these are all things we learn in disciple school.

• Disciples of Christ always do what Jesus commands.
• And, following Jesus is not always smooth sailing.
• His commands can take us places that are scary, even dangerous as well as discouraging.
• And there will always be wind, and waves, and darkness beating against us.
• But we must continue to row; we can’t quit.
• We need to keep in mind that Jesus sees.
• And He will never abandon us.
• And it is important to let Him in the boat.
• Never doubt; be confident.
• Stay focused on Christ.
• Jesus is the Son of God.

Feeding of the Five Thousand

THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND

John 6:1-14

The verses that were read are commonly referred to as the “Feeding of the Five Thousand” and this is one of the most familiar stories in the Bible.

• For many of you this may have been the first story you ever heard in Bible School when you were a child; and some of you may be thinking, “Oh no, another sermon on the feeding of the 5000.”

Well it is. This is another sermon on the feeding of the 5000. But this story is important for several reasons.

• In this story Jesus performs another miracle. It is the only miracle of Jesus that is recorded in all 4 gospels which tells me that there is something here that God wants us to learn.

And this miracle that Jesus performs is massive because of the sheer number of people who were participants of this miracle.

• When you consider vs. 10 says that there were 5000 men and when you add everyone up, the men, women, and children, you could have a crowd of between 20-25 thousand people.
• There is no other miracle that Jesus performs that involves more people. And those who were there didn’t just see it; they ate it.
• It is a miracle that was not debated. No one in this crowd of 20,000 plus people ever came back and said “This didn’t happen.”

This miracle has never been denied until more modern times when critics have decided that it really wasn’t a miracle at all. They say that what happened is a little boy gave up his lunch and said, “Wow, let’s all share.” And so everybody reached into their knapsacks and pulled out whatever they had and you had this great experience of sharing. (Mark 6:38)

• The only reason why critics would come up with that in their minds is to discredit the Bible and deny the deity of Jesus Christ.
• This miracle has never been legitimately denied.

All four gospel writers use this miracle of feeding of the 5 thousand to show and prove that Jesus is who He claimed to be.

• In fact, remember what John’s purpose is for recording the miracles found in his gospel, John 20:30-31:

Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

• So, like Matthew, Mark, and Luke, John records this miracle so that we might believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
• That is why this story is here.

So this is a very familiar story; it is a massive miracle; it is an undeniable miracle; it is a very important story because is proves who Jesus is;

• But there is another reason why this story is so important. It is important because it is one of the most tragic and heartbreaking stories in the New Testament.

Now, in vs. 1, Jesus is no longer in Jerusalem like He was in chapter 5. He is now in Galilee and in this story He has gone to the “other side of the Sea of Galilee.”

• He has gone there for several different reasons.

One, He is very much aware that the Jewish leaders back in Jerusalem want to kill Him; He is also aware that John the Baptist has been executed (Matthew 14:13) so to avoid an untimely death He leaves Jerusalem and comes to Galilee.

• When He come to Galilee His home base is in Capernaum and while at Capernaum He has been very busy; He has been going around to the villages of Galilee and He has been healing and teaching and casting out demons and in the process He has been drawing huge crowds and so to get a break , to get some rest, He goes to the “other side of the sea.
• And Mark 6:30 tells us that His disciples had just returned from teaching and preaching and so Jesus wants to meet with them to rest and find out how they were doing.
• So, Jesus and His disciples go to the east side of the sea of Galilee and Matthew and Mark tell us that this area is a “desert” or “desolate place.”

And when they get there vs. 3 tells us that Jesus went up on the mountain and there sat with His disciples.”

 And John says in vs. 4 that “the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.”

• And that is interesting because there seems to be some similarities in this story to the Exodus account that took place after the first Passover. For instance, Jesus and the people cross to the other side of the sea, they are in a desolate place, they need food, Jesus asks “Where are we going to buy food, that these might eat?” much like Moses did in Numbers 11:13, then Jesus provides food for them, much like God did when the Jews were in the wilderness. .
• So, there seems to be some similarities here of the Exodus in this story; perhaps to teach these people that Jesus is equal to God.

But, then in vs. 2, we are told that Jesus was being followed by a great multitude.

• And this is where the sad or tragic part of this story begins.

Notice in vs. 2 why these people are following Jesus: because they were seeing the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.

• That is why they were coming!
• Understand, this was a primitive world; it would be nearly 2 thousand years before a disease was ever properly diagnosed.
• People didn’t know what was wrong with them; pathology hadn’t been discovered.
• There were no true diagnoses of issues or illnesses so the people had no hope; there was no medicine.
• And just like it is today almost everyone had something wrong with them

So, if someone came along who could heal all their diseases; and then feed them too…

• Listen, the battle for daily bread was a lifelong battle in these days.
• They didn’t have supermarkets, or preprocessed foods; didn’t have refrigerators; it was a battle for every meal…
• So, if someone came along who could heal all their diseases and feed them too, what are you going to do? You are going to follow them.

So, that is what these people do.

Now, look at vs. 5:   Jesus therefore lifting up His eyes, and seeing that a great multitude was coming to Him, said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?”

• What Jesus does here is he points out that the situation is impossible. You have all these people; it is a desolate place; how are we going to feed them?
• There are no stores; no place to buy bread; and not enough money if there was!
• And He doesn’t really want help from Philip anyway, look at vs. 6:

  6 And this He was saying to test him; for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.

• Jesus is testing Philip’s faith.
• All of these months the disciples have seen what Jesus can do. They have seen Him heal a man who was sick for 38 years.
• They have seen Him turn water into wine; they have seen Him heal the nobleman’s son.
• They have seen all the miracles that Jesus has performed that prove that He is God.
• And they have heard His teaching.
• As God He had created all things; surely He can make supper for everyone here.
• Philip should have known that but instead, Philip says, “Two hundred denarii is not sufficient to buy them all food.”
• Jesus wants Philip and the rest of the disciples to realize how impossible this situation is!
• This is a situation that is more than man can take care of.

 Look at vs. 8:  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?”

• In Mark’s account, in Mark 6:38, Jesus has told the disciples to go into the crowd and see how many loaves they had.
• So, Andrew comes back and says, “There is a lad here who has 5 barley loaves and two fish.”
• That’s it! Not going to feed many with that! For man, this is an impossible situation.

So, in vs. 10 Jesus tells His disciples to have the people sit down. (In Matthew, Mark and Luke’s accounts the disciples wanted to send the people away.)

• But Jesus tells the disciples to have the people sit down. (That in itself is a miracle. How do you get this many people to all sit down?)

Then In vs. 11 Jesus takes the loaves and fish, gives thanks for them, then He distributed the fish and loaves to those who were seated; and they all had as much as they wanted.

• There was no fanfare; no voice from heaven; no lightning; no thunder; He just kept passing out crackers and fish;
• Fish that have never swam; fish with no mama fish; fish that never ate a bug.

And crackers that were never baked; 5 crackers in which the grain had never been crushed.

• 5 cracker had been baked and 2 of the fish had swam; but not the rest.
• Where did they all come from? Jesus created them!
• This miracle is a great creation miracle and confirmed to everyone that Jesus is God. (Did these people tell their grandkids about this later on? You would think so.)

And in vs. 12, when the people were filled, Jesus told the disciples to “Gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost.”

• And in vs. 13 they gathered the fragments and filled 12 baskets with fragments from the barley loaves which were left over.”
• Who were these 12 baskets of fragments for? How many disciples were there?

This is a stunning miracle! How in the world could any of these people possibly exhibit any lack of faith in Jesus? He had healed their sick; He had fed them all; this was a massive miracle!

• How could they not possibly believe who Jesus claimed to be? How could they not understand who He was?
• That is what makes this all so tragic!

In fact, look at vs. 14: When therefore the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is of a truth  the Son of God, the Savior of the world.”

 No, they said, “This is of a truth God in human form; teach us and we will obey!”

• No.

 Look at what it says: When therefore the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is of a truth the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

And look at vs. 15: Jesus therefore perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force, to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

• These may be some of the saddest words in the Bible.
• After seeing this massive miracle did no one say, “Please forgive my sin; I will deny myself and follow after you?”
• Was no one convinced to repent; to mourn over their sins; to realize how spiritually bankrupt they were?
• Did no one humble themselves; sacrifice their lives; take up their cross; pursue holiness; be willing to endure persecution for the cause of Christ?

Here in this story Jesus demonstrates His power to show that He is deity hoping these people would listen to and obey His word; but it seems that no one did?

Perhaps years later when some of these people saw this man who had fed them from 5 loaves and 2 fishes being crucified and then 3 days later be raised from the dead; maybe then they realized who He really is. I hope so. But it wouldn’t surprise me if they didn’t.

• Because people today through the word, see this same massive miracle that proclaims Jesus to be God and the Savior of the world, and they too refuse to listen to His word and obey.
• Do you and I?

Four Witnesses

Resurrection Day

RESURRECTION DAY

John 5:28-29

Last week I talked to you about what Jesus says here in these verses; we talked about the “last day” when the Lord will return and the final resurrection and judgment will take place and there will be a resurrection to life; and a resurrection to judgment (condemnation).

• Once again, those are the only two possibilities: heaven or hell.
• There is no indication from the scriptures that there is nothing beyond the grave.
• There is no indication that there is an in-between or an intermediate place of a final purification of the soul; no Purgatory as some teach today.
• There are no alternatives, only a resurrection to life or a resurrection to judgment.
• And once the final judgment takes place there will be no changing from one to the other.

So, we talked about those things last week but there are some other things that we need to learn or be reminded of when it comes to the final judgment and the two resurrections.

• There are several passages of scripture that speak of the final judgment and resurrection and so it seems that our Lord wants us to know about the coming final judgment so that we might be ready when it comes.
• So, for salvation’s sake let’s learn some more truths about the final judgment and resurrection.

So, if you would look with me at Matthew 25 starting in vs. 31.  In this passage Jesus gives a dramatic, symbolic description of the final judgment. Look at what He says:

“When…not “if” but “when.” We can count on this happening!

• In fact the apostle Paul says in Acts 17:31 that “God has fixed a day in which He will judge the world…
• A lot of people will still be alive when He comes!

In 1 Cor. 15 starting in vs. 35 the apostle Paul says that when the Lord comes again that “those who have died will be raised with an imperishable body…and we don’t know for sure what that will be like; 1 John 3:2…

• But then He says in vs. 50: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
• People will still be alive when the Lord comes again but they will be changed.

So, back to Acts 17: 31: God has fixed a day (it is set) in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

• The proof that on the last day there will be a resurrection to life and a resurrection to judgment is the empty tomb of Jesus.
• So, this “when” in Matthew 25:31 is not an “if”; it is an assured thing!

So in Matthew 25:31 Jesus says “When?”

• That is the question that everyone wants to know. “When” is this final judgment going to happen?
• Everyone wants to know “when” because if I know when it is going to happen I’ll make sure I am ready.
• “I will live an immoral, sensual, materialistic, lifestyle, a lifestyle that everyone says is so much fun; that the world says you must live if you want to be famous or powerful or rich; a lifestyle that consists of wild parties, drunkenness, and carousing and greed, and strife; I will live that kind of lifestyle and then just a few hours before the Lord comes in judgment I will repent and be baptized and squeeze through before it is too late!”
• So, that is what everyone wants to know: “When?”

But, look at what Jesus says in Matthew 24 starting in vs. 42: Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 “For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

• If you look at vs. 36 Jesus says that “no one knows the day or hour when the Lord will come again, not even the angels, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”
• But what people do is they think “I have plenty of time to get ready” or like in 2 Peter 3:3 people think “He is not coming at all” simply because He hasn’t come back yet.
• Well, listen, “yet” does not mean “never” and those who have that kind of thinking are going to be very disappointed “when” He does come.

Now, vs. 45:   “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 47 “Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ 49 and shall begin to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and shall cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; weeping shall be there and the gnashing of teeth. 

• I think it is interesting that the “master” in this story assigns “the evil slave a place with the hypocrites” but isn’t that what an individual is who wants to live an ungodly lifestyle and then try to squeeze through at the last minute.
• A faithful Christian lives a faithful life all the time.

Look at what the apostle Paul says in 1 Thess. 5: 2-3 “the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night (you don’t know when He is coming). 3 While they are saying “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

• When I was a kid my parents would go somewhere and they would say, “We will be back in a little while. While we are gone you kids wash the dishes and clean the kitchen.”
• Do you know what we did? We went in and cleaned the kitchen because we didn’t know whether they were going to be gone 15 minutes or two hours.
• What we did know is we better have the kitchen clean when they got home.

So, no one knows when the Lord will come back again. And there is something else that no one knows. Look at James 4:13 says “no one knows what their life will be like tomorrow.  We are like a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

• No one has a guarantee of tomorrow and if you or I are thinking that we will wait to the last minute to get ready for the judgment, we may not live that long; the judgment for us may come sooner than we expect.
• Every cemetery in the country reminds us of that.

So, everyone wants to know “when.” But no one knows “when” the judgment will take place except for God.

• And we can speculate.
• Just in the last 23 years there have been 30 predictions by notable scholars and religious leaders saying the world is coming to an end and yet we are still here.
• I have had people tell me that we must be near the end because people are so bad and immoral.

Well, we are nearer to the end than we were yesterday.

• And as far as people being so bad, listen things were pretty bad when our Lord walked on this earth. (Jesus said there were wars and rumors of wars.)
• And less than a hundred years ago things were pretty bad when the whole world was at war; and still the Lord didn’t come.
• The thing is, we can speculate but only the Lord knows when He will return and we must be ready when He does.

So, back to Matthew 25:31 and Jesus’ symbolic description of the final judgment:

 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 “And all the nations (all people) will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

 Now, look at vs. 41:  “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

And now vs. 46: And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

• So, again, there are only two possibilities: eternal punishment or eternal life.
• And once the judgment takes place there will be no changing it.
• And no one will be able to say, “Hold on. Give me just a few minutes to get ready.”

So, how do we or anyone make sure they are ready for the final judgment? How do we assure ourselves of being resurrected to life? Well, because God desires that all men would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 4:4) you can find the answer to that question in every book of the New Testament.

• But let me give you just a few verses that sum up what we must do in order to be assured of a resurrection to life.

John 5:24  “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears (this is not just a general hearing. This is an effectual hearing; a hearing that causes a change in you; a transformation; it speaks of hearing and obeying His word: obeying whatever He commands)  My word, and believes Him who sent Me,

• Notice Jesus doesn’t say “Believes in Him who sent ” Instead He says, “Believes Him who sent Me.” What is it they were to believe?
• Well, let me ask, “Why did God send Jesus?”
• He sent Jesus because of sin; sin has condemned us and caused us to be dead and we cannot save ourselves; we need a Savior!
• And the individual who “hears” Jesus’s word, and obeys that word, and believes that they are condemned by their sin and that only Jesus can save them; what does the rest of the verse say?
• That person has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

 His word, the Bible, is not just intended to tell you how to be a good person. It does that for sure.

• But this book is primarily intended to tell you and I how to be resurrected to life!
• To deny it, to ignore it, to refuse it is to condemn oneself to a resurrection of condemnation.

 Now, look at vs. 28-29: Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, 29 and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

• Do not get the idea from this verse that you can simply do “good deeds” and be resurrected to life.
• Romans 3 and Romans 5 and Galatians 3 and Eph. 2: 8-9 tells us that no one is justified by their works.
• You cannot do enough “good deeds” to save yourself.

But, once you have been saved by your faith and obedience to Christ, if you or I don’t do those things that are “good” in the eyes of God; if we continue to do that which is “evil” there will be no resurrection to life.

So, a day of judgment is coming, we don’t know when. But when it comes there are only two possibilities: a resurrection to life or a resurrection to judgment or condemnation.

• You and I can “pass out of death into life” if we will “hear and obey the words of Jesus”; believe that sin has condemned us and that only in Christ and through Christ can we find salvation; and once we have been washed clean by His blood at baptism we do that which is “good”in His sight.

 

 

 

 

 

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