Jesus, The Requirement of God

John 6:28-29

When last we looked at the book of John,
Jesus had just performed His fourth sign.

1st sign – Water to Wine
Jesus takes what is old and makes it new
2nd sign – Healing the Temple Ruler’s servant
Jesus has power over sickness
3rd sign – Healing the man at the Bethesda Pool
Jesus delivers men from bondage
4th sign – Feeding the Five thousand
Jesus is the provider

John 6:14 “Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

They knew that Jesus must be the Messiah of God.

The problem was that they were steeped in selfishness
Instead of surrendering their lives to Jesus
They tried to force Jesus to surrender to their desires.

John 6:15 “So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.”

Their selfishness caused Jesus to withdraw away from them.

That night that Jesus would then cross the sea of Galilee.
As the disciples were in the middle of the sea “straining at the oars”
Jesus came walking to them on the water, and having received Him into the boat, immediately the boat was at the shore.

This 6th sign showed Jesus power over nature, and thus His divinity.

Now that Jesus had crossed the lake,
The crowd was even more mystified and was now even larger.

It is at this point that we began
The second sermon of Jesus in the book of John.

This second sermon of Jesus consists of 8 points.
Each point is the response that Jesus gives
To a statement or question given by the crowd.

Last Sunday night we looked at the first point of Jesus sermon as we saw that Jesus is the misunderstood One.

The crowd approached.
John 6:25 “When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

This was the first question / statement of the crowd.
It was a question of flattery.

Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and gave us the first point.
FOCUS

John 6:26-27 “Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”
Their commitment to Him was only given out of selfishness,
And Jesus knew it.

He then corrected their mindset by telling them
Not to work or strive for that which does not last,
But to work for that which is eternal, which He would give them.

It was all about focus.
And the crowd should have understood the point.

BUT THEIR NEXT STATEMENT REVEALS THEY STILL DIDN’T
Vs. 28, “Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”

Jesus had just told them not to “work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life”, but He also said, “which the Son of Man will give to you.”
They completely missed the GRACE aspect of that.
All they heard was the word work,
And it obviously threw them into a legalistic tailspin.

“What works should we do to get this eternal food?”

It is not so different from the question the rich young ruler first asked.
Matthew 19:16 “And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?”

It was to have the mindset that you could do some good thing And thus obtain eternal life or eternal food.

Now, we being Baptists immediately shun the notion of works.
We know by heart the often quoted verse from Ephesians.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

We know that salvation is by faith through grace. It is not by works.
And so that makes their question off the mark.

But you see what has happened in Baptist circles
Is that we have so minimized the necessity of works,
That we have built a theology that has no use for works at all.

And this also is not true.

While we understand that you cannot do enough good to save yourself,
I want to take a second and show you this morning
THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR WORKS.

In the N. T., there are two types or categories of “works” mentioned.

1) THE WORK THAT IS PLOWING (prepare the soil for the seed)
2) THE WORK THAT IS PRODUCE (evidence of the seed)

NOW YOU WILL REMEMBER JESUS PARABLE OF THE SOILS, in which Jesus outlined the hard soil, the rocky soil, the weedy soil, and the good soil.

To that parable Jesus gave this answer.
Luke 8:11-15 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. “Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”

The seed represents the word of God.
The soil represents the heart.

Every farmer knows that there is work which must be done to the soil before it is ready for the seed. PLOWING

That is one type of work that the Bible talks about.
It is the work that is done on our heart
To prepare our heart for the seed that is soon to follow.

Let me give you an example.
We all know the purpose of John the Baptist.
Here is what John had to say about himself.
Matthew 3:1-3 “Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, “THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'”

John came before the king in order to prepare the way for Him.
In other words, John was a tiller of the soil.

HE WAS PREACHING REPENTANCE, NOT SALVATION.

Remember what he said?
Matthew 3:11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

He was preaching that people should prepare the soil of their heart
For the seed that was soon coming.

And John did preach that there were works to be done.
Luke 3:7-14 “So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? “Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘ We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. “Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what shall we do?” And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.” And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.”

Now you will notice that these crowds asked the same thing of John That the Jews in chapter John 6 asked of Jesus.

Only John actually tells them a work to do.

These are the works of BROKENNESS
The works of REPENTANCE
The works of one who is WILLING TO CHANGE.
IT IS IMPORTANT WORK.

Many of you can probably see how God did this plowing in your heart.

THESE WORKS ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT
BUT THIS IS NOT THE END
The problem is many people think these works are the end goal, Or that these works are the solution.

Repentance is not the end.

Acts 19:1-7 “It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them, ” Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. There were in all about twelve men.”

Their hearts had been plowed, but they were not yet saved.

In fact to stop just at repentance can be very dangerous.
Matthew 12:43-45 “Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. “Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. “Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”

THIS IS THE POINT.
One type of work is the work of plowing,
Where your heart must be prepared for the seed of the word of God.

The second type of work is THE WORK OF PRODUCE,
This is the work that evidences the seed is in your heart

After the farmer plows the field, and plants the seed,
He begins to look for a plant to spring up,
But ultimately he is looking for the fruit.

A wheat farmer wants to see wheat.
A cotton farmer wants to see cotton.

And while a plant is a good sign, even the Bible teaches
That some aren’t accurately identifiable until you see fruit.

Matthew 13:26 “But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.”

You see some works are for the purpose of
Giving evidence that your heart has accepted the seed.
Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

We call them the fruit of the Spirit.
John spoke of many in his 1st epistle. (obedience, brotherly love, endurance)

The point is there are works that should be evident
If you truly have the seed in your heart.

Now, hear me again. These works can’t save you either.

Let’s make an illustration.
Take a town drunk
Now, suppose God starts plowing his heart.
And he starts coming to church, maybe even reading his bible, and determines to stop drinking.

DOES THIS MEAN HE IS SAVED? – NO.
Now suppose he stays in church a long time
Eventually starts teaching Sunday School,
Gives money, gets remarried, and goes out on visitation.

DOES THIS MEAN HE IS SAVED? – NO

WORKS CAN’T SAVE.
They are an essential part of salvation,
But they are not the solution.

God is not just trying to get men to do more works.
WORKS ARE NOT THE ANSWER

But that is exactly what these people wanted.
HOW TRUE THIS IS OF TODAY EVEN.

It seems that more and more people are trying to find the answer To their eternal problem with works.

They think if they will go to church, and read their Bible they will go to heaven.
They think if they will do good and not bad, then they will be safe.

It won’t work, and this morning I am going to show you why.

It is the next point in Jesus second sermon.
He already spoke of having focus.
This morning He speaks of having FAITH
Vs. 29, “Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

The ultimate aim of God is not just for you to have good works.
The ultimate aim of God is for you to believe in Jesus.

DO YOU WANT ETERNAL LIFE?
DO YOU WANT THE FOOD THAT ENDURES TO ETERNAL LIFE?
DO YOU WANT TO BE PLEASING TO GOD?
THEN BELIEVE IN JESUS.

You can see this in Peter’s Pentecost sermon.
You will remember John told them to do certain deeds.
Look at what Peter says.

Acts 2:36-40 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”

You can see here that the end result is not repentance.
The end result is belief in Jesus.

Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”

But in order to be faithful, we must answer yet another question.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BELIEVE IN JESUS?

That is a good question for today.
Because the word “believe” doesn’t mean much any more.

Today we think the word believe means to agree with a statement you can’t prove wrong.

We think it means to intellectually agree with something.

This is not what the word “believe” means in the Bible.

James 2:19 “You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.”

The word “believe” translates: PISTEOU

To PISTEOU in Jesus literally means
“to run to Him, to trust Him, to yield to Him, to obey Him”

That means that in John 6:29, Jesus responds to their question by saying.
“This is the work of God, that you run to, trust in, yield to, and obey Him whom He has sent.”

DO YOU GET THE PICTURE?
This then is why we have that second set of works

The point is if you truly believe in Jesus, your life will evidence it.
HOW?

OBEDIENCE & ENDURANCE
OBEDIENCE
John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

1 John 2:3-6 “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, ” I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”

Hebrews 3:18-4:2 “And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.”

PERSEVERANCE
Luke 8:13 “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.”

Hebrews 3:12-14 “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,”

And Jesus sums both of these up in John 8:31
John 8:31 “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;”

Can you see what God is asking for when He is asking you to believe in Jesus?
This is the point I want you to see this morning.

God does not require some long list of good works that you must perform in order for you to be saved. God requires one.

God requires that you believe in Jesus.
(that will produce works)

But the point is Jesus is the One that matters.

Revelation 20:11-15 “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

God requires you to completely and totally yield your life to Jesus.
He is not asking for good works
He is not asking for church attendance
He is not asking for Bible knowledge

WHAT GOD WANTS IS FOR YOU TO BELIEVE IN JESUS
“to run to Him, to trust Him, to yield to Him, and to obey Him”

If you have never come to faith in Jesus,
Then understand no amount of works will cut it.
God wants you to believe in Jesus.
I also say this because we’ve a mission team about to leave
The lead-off team this year is Mission El Paso.

We are about to send 15 individuals into the highways and the hedges.
And I want you all to clearly understand why we are sending you.

We are not sending you to bring social reform to a rough community.
We are not sending you for humanitarian aid to a poor community.
We are sending you to lead people to believe in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

We are sending you to show what it means to believe in Jesus.
To lead them to “run to, trust in, yield to, and obey Jesus”

JESUS IS THE REQUIREMENT OF GOD
JESUS IS WHAT GOD EXPECTS OF YOU.

Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”

Jesus, The Misunderstood One

John 6:14-27

This morning we sawhow Jesus has the power to satisfy your soul, And we looked at perhaps the most famous miracle in the Bible.

He took what was given and used it to feed a multitude.
It didn’t matter that He was tired, it didn’t matter that He was grieving.
He took the opportunity to show the true self-sacrificing love that characterized His life.

But it really all goes down hill from there.

For at the start of this chapter all are enamored with Jesus, By the time the chapter is over, all will have abandoned Him.

The reason is because there is no person in the course of history who has ever been more misunderstood than Jesus.

This chapter is a better picture of why men miss Jesus
Than any in the entire Bible,

And soon we will find that the miracle He worked this morning was certainly a sign, but also a set-up.

Vs. 14, “Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

It would seem that all is well, and that the people are on the right track.
They saw the sign and they gave the proper interpretation.

This is something that people also do today.

Certainly there are some in the world who argue the deity of Jesus,
But by in large, most people in our day are willing to agree that Jesus is God’s Son, the Savior of the World.

Most people we talk to will acknowledge the power of Jesus,
And the miracles of Jesus, and the work of Jesus.

Most are in hearty agreement with this crowd.

But that is not enough.
James 2:19 “You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.”

It is not enough just to know who Jesus is, or to have an intellectual belief about who He is. Satan knows that.
Jesus is looking for far more.

So many I talk too in the world will tell me they believe Jesus is the Savior.
Yet there is no fruit to their lives.

I hear statements like:
“I know God has always been with me”
“I have a very real belief in God”

That often leaves us stumped as what to say.
How do you argue with a person who claims to believe in God, and who gives God honor for always being with them?

I’ll tell you how.
There is no doubt that God is with them. The fact that they are still breathing proves that. It is not about what God has done for you,
It is about what you are doing for God.

These people here knew the facts about Jesus,
And that it was Jesus who fed them,
BUT THAT DIDN’T MAKE THEM SAVED.

Verse 15, “So Jesus, 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 people missed the point completely.
This is evident because they try to command Jesus
Instead of submitting to His commands.

These people intend “to come and take Him by force to make Him king”

By now, you ought to know
This is not the proper response to the revelation of God.

When Peter first saw the power of God in Jesus, look at his response.
Luke 5:6-8 “When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!”

Luke 5:11 “When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.”

When the woman at the well was convinced, look at her response.
John 4:28-29 “So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?”
When you are allowed to see who Jesus really is,
You don’t come to Him in selfishness,
You come to Him in submission.

When Jesus reveals Himself to you.
The proper response is to totally yield to Him.
The improper response is to use Him for your own selfish gain.

That is what these people did,
And that is what so many do today.
They recognize the power of Jesus,
But they come to Jesus with improper motives.

Our command in the Bible is to Love God with all our heart.
Yet many come to Jesus in lust.

James 4:2-3 “You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

These people came to Jesus in selfishness,
So Jesus is forced to flee.

Vs. 15 says, He “withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.”

And then our story progresses.

Vs. 16-17 “Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.”

We can draw some conclusions from what John said,
1) We know Jesus told His disciples to cross the sea, or they wouldn’t have at all.
2) But they selfishly waited until dark.
3) Their slothfulness got them in trouble.

Now they were in the middle of night, in the middle of dark, in the middle of the lake, in the middle of a storm.

Mark helps us understand that this is the case.
Mark 6:41-52 “And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces, and also of the fish. There were five thousand men who ate the loaves. Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.”

Jesus told them to “immediately” get in the boat and go.

No doubt Jesus knew the storm was on it’s way,
But the procrastination of the disciples proved costly.

Now they were not just in a storm, “they were straining at the oars”

Can we ever get ourselves in trouble by not listening to Jesus?

When we fall out of a submissive mindset into a selfish mindset,
We are asking to be caught in the middle of a storm.

But even then, the grace of Jesus proves supreme,
For when He comes walking on the water, and they receive Him, all is well.

“Sometimes He calms the storm, other times He calms His child.”

But there is another key word we find in John’s gospel.
Vs. 21, “so they were willing to receive Him”

This ties right in with the problem of the multitude.
Jesus is not recruited, Jesus is received.

We don’t force Jesus to do anything,
We submit to what Jesus wants to do.

Let’s not forget who is in charge.
When a person alters their thinking from selfishness to submission,
Then they are ready to receive the salvation of Jesus.

John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,”

John 4:45 “So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.”

When you try to selfishly manipulate Jesus into being a way
To meet all your selfish desires, you will never find Jesus.

So many in our world think that Jesus is there
To fulfill all our desires, and to yield to our requests.
NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH

We are here to fulfill the desires of Jesus
And to yield to His requests.

This is where so many people misunderstand the person of Jesus.
He came to this earth and He served man,
But do not misunderstand, Jesus is Lord.

He served to give us an example,
He didn’t serve because you are the boss.

BUT THE CROWD COULDN’T GET PAST THAT
Look at verses 22-24
“The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus.”

Crowds from both sides are going miracle crazy
JesusMania is at an all time high!

And even this happens today.

I remember in Jr. High Jesus got real popular for a while. Every kid signed their notes “Jesus loves you”

Then in college He got real popular again as WWJD swept the nation.

Sometimes JesusMania breaks out,
Not because people are submitting to Him,
But because in their utter selfishness people think Jesus is the answer to all their problems.

But it is at this point that the crowd unleashes their first of 8 questions / statements that will open the door for this next sermon of Jesus.

Verse 25, “When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

Notice they even call Him Rabbi. They are buttering Him up. They are acting concerned. Right now Jesus is a novelty and they don’t want to miss anything.
And at this point Jesus begins His second sermon
That reveals His real purpose and how men must really come to Him.

And in this first leg of Jesus second sermon, we are going to examine four simple attributes of Jesus, but in these learn what Jesus says to those who simply have “JesusMania”

4 attributes of Jesus
#1 THE PERCEPTION OF JESUS
John 6:26

Now this crowd has come to Jesus buttering Him up,
And has now followed Him from who knows where.

But when they get to Jesus, He seemingly stops them cold with this statement.

“You seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.”

Now as you remember, Jesus is the Heart Reader.
John 2:23-25 “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.”

Jesus had them pegged.
They had no intention of living for Jesus
They had no intention of submission
They just wanted Jesus to keep meeting their physical needs.

THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT WE SEE TODAY

You have to be very careful preaching sermons like the one this morning.
I believe they are true, but be careful offering too much benefit and not enough cost to your salvation message.

We have too many willing to jump on board
With an all benefit no cost Jesus.

We call them the WEEDY SOIL.
Matthew 13:22 “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

There are many who want a Jesus who is all benefit and no cost.
But that is not the Jesus of the Bible.

This is why Jesus always made people count the cost.
He never told people to jump without thinking.
If you’ll remember that’s what got Peter in trouble all the time.

TURN TO LUKE 14:15

When people only come to Jesus in selfishness seeking their benefit, they are destined to fall away and Jesus knows it.

But it’s not as though Jesus wants to run them off, look at the next point.

#2 THE PLEADING OF JESUS
John 6:27a
“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life,”

Now think about this crowd for a second.
They had traveled from who knows where to get to Jesus.

They were just committed to the wrong thing.

They were working hard to gain their selfish desires.

People will push themselves to unthinkable limits
For a little MONEY, for a little PRESTIGE, for a little POWER.

But Jesus says, don’t work for those things,
But work for the food which endures to eternal life.

What is it Mark Cahill says?
“If it doesn’t matter 100million years from now, it doesn’t matter.”

Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”

Jesus said:
Matthew 16:26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Suppose a kid graduates highschool and determines
To do whatever it takes to make a million dollars.

I can give you two absolute facts in this scenario.
1) Acquiring the million dollars is only possible
2) Leaving the million dollars is absolute

Don’t work for what perishes.

TURN TO PSALM 73
Jesus said don’t work for what doesn’t last,
BUT WORK FOR THE ETERNAL FOOD.

Hebrews 2:1-4 “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.”

“pay much closer attention” translates PROSECHO
“to moor a ship or tie it up”

“drift away” translates PARARHEO
“refers to a ship that has been allowed to drift”

Luke 13:23-25 “And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. “Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘ Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘ I do not know where you are from.”

You have to work and focus to enter salvation.
But don’t stop there, because if you do your theology will be off.

#3 THE PURPOSE OF JESUS
John 6:27b
“which the Son of Man will give to you”

You see Jesus tells you to work for salvation,
But He is very open and honest in the fact that you cannot earn it.
However, Jesus will give it to you by His grace.

WELL HOW CAN IT BE THAT I AM SUPPOSED TO WORK FOR IT IF I CAN’T EARN IT?

Because if you will work for it,
You will be ready to receive it when Jesus offers it.

Consider this story.
Luke 18:9-14 “And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Neither could earn it, but you can see that one
Was far more ready to receive it.

You must be focused on eternal things and on your need
For the salvation that only Jesus can supply.

When you are, then you are ready to receive Jesus.
Otherwise Jesus will always just be a novelty
That you think exists to meet your needs.

The purpose of Jesus is to give salvation.
The purpose of Jesus is to save you from sin.

#4 THE POWER OF JESUS
John 6:27c
“for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”

Jesus here tells you why He has the power to save you.
He has been given the seal of God.

You know what that means.
When a king would send an ambassador, particularly one with authority, he would send his seal with Him.

When someone stamped an order with the king’s seal,
Many times even the king could not reverse it.

Remember Darius in the story of Daniel?

Well Jesus holds this seal.
SO WHAT IS IT?

Ephesians 1:13 “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,”

The seal of God is the Holy Spirit.
It is the power of God on Him
That reveals He has the Father’s authority.

IS THIS NOT WHAT HE ALREADY SAID?
John 5:36 “But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish — the very works that I do — testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.”

Can you see the point Jesus is making?
You don’t come to Jesus wanting some carnal, fleshly desire met.
You come to Jesus in total submission seeking salvation from your sins.

When you come to Jesus like that,
He will save you for He has the power from God to do so.

Yet many don’t see this.
Many do not understand the true Jesus.

You come to Jesus when you submit to Jesus.

SO HOW HAVE YOU COME TO JESUS?
Is He just a novelty that will always be there any time your boat gets tossed, or is He the absolute Lord of your life?
To come to Jesus in selfishness
Will cause Him to depart alone up the mountain,

But to come to Him in submission will cause Him to get into the boat And take it safely to the shore.
John 6:27 “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”

Jesus, The Satisfying One

John 6:1-13
We are looking for the Biblical Jesus.

We just recently heard Jesus first sermon in the book of John.

Jesus talked about His unique relationship with the Father.
He is the Father’s Son
He is the Father’s Standard
He is the Father’s Savior
He is the Father’s Sermon

The point to that sermon was that if you miss Jesus,
You have missed everything. What a lesson for us in life.

What a lesson for you who are graduating
And about to take on the world.
If you miss Jesus, you have missed everything.
Money without Jesus…
Education without Jesus…
Popularity without Jesus…
Power without Jesus…
Religion without Jesus…

It is all empty. If you miss Jesus, you miss the point completely.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”

Jesus spent His entire first sermon reminding us
That He is the One whom the Father wants you to see.

But, as we noted, they still didn’t see Him.
John 5:39-40 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”

Despite Jesus teaching,
Despite the witness of the Father, John the Baptist and Scripture,
These Jews still refused to listen to Jesus.

Now, on the heals of sheer mental exhaustion from butting heads with them, Jesus retreats just to get away.

Verse 1, “After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias).”
It is here that our story takes place.

Jesus is about to perform His most famous miracle.
He is about to feed the 5,000. I call it the most famous
Because it is the only one that found it’s way into all four gospel accounts.
That in itself shows us that we should pay attention.

And as we study this miracle, there are four truths about Jesus that I want you to see this morning.

#1 THERE IS NO PROBLEM TOO PETTY THAT JESUS WILL NOT TOUCH IT.
John 6:1-5

All John shows us is that Jesus wants to get away.

Matthew 14:13-16 “Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!”

Matthew shows us that this miracle also occurred
Just after Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist.

If ever there was a time for Jesus just to pull away, this was it.

But as Matthew, Mark, and Luke all show us,
Jesus was overtaken by compassion.

Matthew 14:14 “When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.”

Mark 6:34 “When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.”

Luke 9:11 “But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.”
Even though Jesus was tired,
Even though He was possibly a little discouraged,
Jesus still found time to preach the good news and heal the sick.

While we are no doubt impressed with His focus,
We do understand why He did it.

But you see John leaves all that out.
All John shows us is Jesus concern for their hunger,
This is where we cross the line.

John shows us that as Jesus saw the crowd, He asked Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?”

The gospel and the sick, those are the two main things.
Surely He had done enough.
Food was not that big of a deal. Surely they made provisions.

AFTER ALL, WHEN JESUS WAS TEMPTED BY SATAN DIDN’T HE ALREADY REVEAL THAT THIS WAS A MINOR ISSUE?

Matthew 4:2-4 “And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'”

This problem was too petty to deal with.
There was no reason for Jesus to worry about such insignificant things as their hunger.

WE SAY THAT BECAUSE IT WASN’T OUR PROBLEM.
No problem is too small when it is our problem.
How many times have we prayed because of a head-ache?
How many times have we prayed because some one looked at us crossways and caused a bad day?

The point is Jesus deals with petty problems.
It may not seem big to everyone else, but it is big to you,
And Jesus cares about you.

1 Peter 5:6-7 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

Many of Jesus miracles seemed necessary, but not all did.
He didn’t have to turn the water into wine.
He didn’t have to give Peter a large catch of fish.
BUT
That couple was about to be embarrassed, and He cares about that.
Peter was awfully discouraged, and He cares about that.

Jesus cares about you, even if your difficulty seems petty.
BILLY GRAHAM “and please let me find my hat.”

WE’VE ALL PRAYED ABOUT PETTY THINGS LIKE THAT HAVEN’T WE?
But the good news is Jesus cares.

Even when He is tired…
Even when He is grieving…
He still cares enough to meet the needs that seem a little too petty.

WHAT ARE YOU FACING?

It may be huge, like an illness,
Or it may be petty, like a little discouragement.

The Bibles says that Jesus is compassionate and that He cares,
And there is no better proof than the fact that He was willing to feed this multitude of people even when He shouldn’t have felt like it.

BUT ALSO, AS A CHRISTIAN, AM I MINISTERING LIKE JESUS DID?
Am I so in tune with others that even when I am having a bad day,
I am still willing to put others first.

God spanked me this week.
Thursday was a hectic day.

Sometimes we have to remember to minister like Jesus did.
Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Of course that verse goes on to say, “Let your attitude be like Jesus who: although existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped…”

Jesus is our chief example, but He is also the One you can run to today.

There is no problem too petty that Jesus will not touch it.
#2 There Is No Dilemma Too Difficult That Jesus Cannot Fix It
John 6:6-7

Now we see this is a test
And unfortunately, as we often do, Philip took the bait.

“Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.”

6 months wages wouldn’t buy enough bread to even give everyone a taste.

The point was Philip saw a problem too big to be solved.

Such ways of thinking are not foreign to us.
“It’s impossible”
“It can’t be done”
“I don’t see any way it can work out now”
“The test is positive – the deadline is past – the results are in”
We know an impossible situation when we see one.

Try these on for size.
John 5:7 “The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
BUT JESUS RESPONED
John 5:8 “Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.”

Mark 5:35 “While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?”
BUT JESUS RESPONDED
Mark 5:36 “But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.”

Luke 8:23-24a “But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”
BUT JESUS RESPONDED
Luke 8:24b “And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.”

John 4:11-12 “She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? “You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?”
BUT JESUS RESPONDED
John 4:13-14 “Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

John 3:4 “Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”

BUT JESUS RESPONDED
John 3:14-15 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.”

Mark 9:21-22 “And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. “It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”

BUT JESUS RESPONDED
Mark 9:23 “And Jesus said to him, ” ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”

AND THEN OUR PERSONAL FAVORITE
John 11:39 “Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

BUT JESUS RESPONDED
John 11:40 “Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

SO WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?
You have laid crippled for 38 years…NO
You have a hand that is withered…NO
You were born blind…NO
You are dead…NO

There is no dilemma too difficult that Jesus cannot fix it.
There was never anything He couldn’t handle.

That’s why we read this verse again.
1 Peter 5:6-7 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

Cast your cares upon Him.
Take your problems to Him.

I’m not going to promise you He will give you the answer you want.
Remember the woman at the well just wanted water,
Jesus wanted to deal with the sin in her life.

That’s because sometimes we don’t see our biggest problem.

We see our biggest problem as a lack of money
Jesus sees our unwillingness to trust Him with our finances.

We see our biggest problem as a lack of joy
Jesus sees our unwillingness to walk in obedience, which brings joy

We see our biggest problem as guilt
Jesus see our unwillingness to repent

We have to let Jesus fix the real problem,
But rest assured, He can fix any problem.
#3 There Is No Sacrifice Too Small That Jesus Cannot Use It
John 6:8-10

That’s like sending a tube of super glue to the Titanic.
That is exactly what Andrew thought.

While Philip saw a problem too big,
Andrew saw a solution too small.

But they have forgotten a very important fact.
There is no sacrifice too small for Jesus.

I WONDER IF YOU REMEMBER THE TWO TIMES JESUS USED MEDICINE TO HEAL PEOPLE?

Jesus used medicine to give sight to a blind man,
He used medicine to cause a mute man to speak.

John 9:6 “When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes,”

Mark 7:33-35 “Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly.”

DID YOU CATCH THE MEDICINE JESUS NEEDED?
Spit.
WHAT IF A DOCTOR DID THAT TODAY?
You wouldn’t do a thing with that. No doctor can heal you with spit.

BUT IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH FOR JESUS
Jesus just was just delighted that there was a lot of grass so the people would have a place to sit.

The point is, there is no sacrifice too small
That Jesus can’t use it.

He honored the widow for her mites.
Mark 12:41-44 “And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

He honored Mary for her perfume.
Matthew 26:12-13 “For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. “Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”

He honored the disciples for following Him
Matthew 19:27-28 “Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

None of them gave very much, but each of them gave all they had.
It’s not the size of the gift that Jesus honor’s
It’s the size of the sacrifice.

What this boy had was meaningless. He had enough for himself.
And if you read commentaries they will tell you that Barley bread was just about awful to eat, and the fish were probably pickled fish, about like a sardine, just to help get the bread down.
What this boy had wasn’t much, but he gave all he had.
HE ENDED UP WITH A FEAST.

We learn two things here.
1) God blesses those who sacrifice

2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

2) God can use your sacrifice to bless others

The question is will you give what you have?

Acts 3:1-9 “Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene — walk!” And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God;”

You may not think you are worth much,
But not sacrifice is too small that Jesus cannot use it.

That’s what makes giving such a blessing.
2 Corinthians 9:10-15 “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

There is no problem too petty that Jesus will not touch it
There is no dilemma too difficult that Jesus cannot fix it.
There is no sacrifice too small that Jesus cannot use it.
#4 There Is No Belly Too Big That Jesus Cannot Fill It
John 6:11-13

Now Philip was earlier concerned about them getting a taste, but John says they ate “as much as they wanted”

And in verse 12 he says, “When they were filled”

Psalms 81:10 “I, the LORD, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.”

Where we often see a salad bar, Jesus sees a buffet.
There is no hole too deep…
There is no hurt too raw…
There is no pain too real…

Jesus doesn’t even use the word “too” in His vocabulary.
For if He did, then certainly the sin of the world
Would have been too high a debt.

But there is nothing out of reach when we are talking about Jesus.

JESUS IS THE SATISFYING ONE.
And not just empty stomachs.

It was Jesus who satisfied our sin debt.
Romans 3:23-24 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;”

Colossians 2:13-14 “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

It was Jesus who satisfied the wrath of God.
Romans 5:9-10 “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

Isaiah 53:10 “But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.”

It is Jesus who can satisfy your soul
Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Jesus is the One who satisfied God,
And He is the one who can satisfy you.

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU CAME INTO THIS PLACE WITH THIS MORNING.

You may be a graduate and you came in here with the world in front of you. I’m here to tell you only Jesus will satisfy the hungers you have.

Maybe you came in here with a deep hurt that seemed too big. I’m here to tell you Jesus has the power to fix it.

Maybe you came with a little problem but it seemed to petty. I’m here to tell you that Jesus cares and He will listen.

Maybe you came in here with a hunger in your soul for something more. I’m here to tell you that Jesus is the answer.

He is the One that can forgive your sin, save your soul,
Change your life, and secure your eternity.

Of all the things that you could taste, only Jesus satisfies.

1 Peter 5:6-7 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

Jesus, The Father’s Sermon

John 5:37-47

We have been saying all along that Jesus here is preaching His first sermon in the book of John.

The unique relationship that He has with the Father.

Up to this point, the sermon has been all about Him.
Jesus has alluded to Himself at least 25 times.

He has spoken about how He is the Father’s Son and as such He:
Shares His Father’s Passions
Sees His Father’s Plan
Shows His Father’s Power
Shares His Father’s Praise.

Jesus has spoken about how He is the Father’s Standard and as such the:
Pathway of Salvation
Provider of Salvation
Plumb-line of Salvation

Jesus has spoken about how He is the Father’s Savior
He is the One the Father has given the works to testify about.

But here at the end of the sermon,
Jesus takes a shift in focus.

This last point shifts it’s focus from Jesus to them.
In these last 11 verses Jesus will use the word “You”
About twice every verse. Over twenty times.

JESUS SHIFTS TO APPLICATION.
And to simply put it, Jesus point tonight is:
If you have failed to see Me, you have missed the point.

Tonight we are going to see the conclusion of Jesus’ sermon, and that is that He is the Father’s Sermon.

Hebrews 1:1-2a “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son.”

Jesus is the perfect word and final sermon of God.
Indeed Jesus has been the point of God’s sermon since the beginning.

If you aren’t following Jesus,
Then you have missed the entire message of God.

Here Jesus is confronting these who refuse to see that He is God’s Son,

He is showing them that because they do not honor Him,
They are not honoring the Father.

John 5:23b “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

Jesus is going to show them
What their refusal to honor Him says about them.

This is one of those passages of Scripture that can cut to your heart and cut their quick, for this is one of those passages that takes what you do and then tells you what you are.

We generally don’t like passages like this too much, because it shows us truths about ourselves that we really don’t want to see.

You are going to see five facts about a person who does not honor Jesus.

Despite what a person may claim, despite what they say, if they do not honor the Son by the full surrender of their lives to Him, then these five facts are true about them.

#1 EMPTINESS
John 5:37-38

Now notice that here again Jesus speaks very plainly as to the fact
That He is from the Father.

“And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me”

The Father has been telling people who Jesus is,
But the problem is that men didn’t hear it or see it.

“you have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.”

If you haven’t heard God testify to Jesus,
then you haven’t heard from God.

People all over the world make claims about hearing from God, but if they have never heard God testify about Jesus, then they have never heard from God.

“nor seen His form.”
WELL NOW HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE. NO ONE HAS HAVE THEY?

John 14:9 “Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

Colossians 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”
But Jesus isn’t finished.

Vs. 38, “You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent.”

Jesus has just taken a step further.

Earlier it was that you have not heard God’s word.
Now He says you don’t have it abiding in you.

DOES GOD’S WORD ABIDE IN PEOPLE?

I can tell you without a doubt it does.
It is probably the main thing I noticed
About myself when I got saved.

I got saved and found the word in my heart.
It came to my mind.
Reading the Bible was more confirmation than anything.

God’s word looks good in leather, but it fits best in the heart.

God commands that we allow His word to abide in us.
Deuteronomy 6:6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.”

Psalms 40:8 “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.”

Not only that, but God promised to put His Law in our hearts.
Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 “You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

HOW CAN WE TELL IF GOD’S WORD IS IN A MAN’S HEART?
Psalms 37:31 “The law of his God is in his heart; His steps do not slip.”

Psalms 119:11 “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.”

Isaiah 51:7 “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, A people in whose heart is My law; Do not fear the reproach of man, Nor be dismayed at their revilings.”

Jeremiah 15:16 “Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.”

Jeremiah 20:9 “But if I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it.”

When people come to Jesus, God writes His word in their heart.
It is not an external thing. It is not just forcing yourself to obey.

When you come to Jesus, His word gets inside of you
And starts showing from the inside out.

It becomes like a fire in your bones.
But when you don’t come to Jesus, it proves that God’s word does not abide in you, for if it did, you would love Jesus.

“You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent.”

Now the wild thing about this is that these are the highly religious people.
These are the people who claim to be the closest to God,
But yet their heart is serious trouble.

Psalms 95:10 “For forty years I loathed that generation, And said they are a people who err in their heart, And they do not know My ways.”

Hebrews 3:7-12 “Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. “THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, ‘THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS’; AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.'” Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.”

When you don’t come to Jesus, it is proof that your heart is empty,
You do not have the word of God abiding in you,
For if you did, you would be a follower of Jesus.

This is also why so many cannot grasp the word of God.
They can read it, but it isn’t in them.

1 Corinthians 2:14-16 “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.”

If you have never surrendered to Jesus, your heart is empty.
You know nothing of the passions of God.

Emptiness
#2 FUTILITY
John 5:39-40

Last week after the sermon Lee Kidd came up to me and pointed these two verses out as the saddest two verses in the Bible.

It is the picture of a person who knows they need life after death, and so they turn to the Bible hoping to find the solution, but they will not accept the solution and so a life of searching still lands them in hell.

We live in a world today with a whole
Group of people who have defined themselves as seekers.

I saw an ad in the Lubbock times for a church yesterday.
First Unitarian Universalist Church
Freedom, Tolerance, Reason
A group of non-dogmatic seekers

The problem is many have looked at seeking as finish line.

A non-dogmatic seeker is by definition
Seeking truth they don’t believe exists.

In other words they just want to seek and stop there.
They don’t really want to find.

I’ve told you many times before, I do not agree with the seeker sensitive movement. I do not agree with catering to seekers.

I agree with preaching the gospel to every man, woman, and child, on this earth, but I do not agree with targeting seekers.

That is because if they are really a seeker, they will find.
Matthew 7:8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

People who spend a lifetime seeking are not really seekers,
They are suppressors.

Romans 1:18-19 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.”

How else could you read the Bible your entire life and not come to Jesus?
If you can read the Bible and not give your life to Jesus,
Then you are a suppressor of the truth, and your quest has been in vain.

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY?

Because the Bible only has one subject: JESUS
It is all about Him.

W.A. Criswell preached a sermon known as “The Scarlet Thread”
He mentioned how throughout Scripture there is a scarlet thread of Jesus that runs from Genesis to Revelation. You can take any book of the Bible and preach Jesus.

Genesis Ark of God (Gen. 7:1 & 1 Pet. 3:18-22)
Exodus Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:1-13 & 1 Cor. 5:7)
Leviticus High Priest (Lev. 16:29-34 & Heb. 5:8-10)
Numbers Pillar of fire and the Cloud (Num. 14:14)
Deuteronomy Prophet greater than Moses (Deut. 18:15-18)
Joshua Leader in Battle (Joshua 24:8)
Judges Judge of Israel (John 5:22)
Ruth Kinsmen Redeemer (Ruth 4:14)
Samuel Anointed of God (1 Sam. 16:12)
Kings King of Kings (Rev. 19:16)
Chronicles Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16)
Ezra The Restorer (Ezra 9:8-9)
Nehemiah Wall around His people (Neh. 6:15-16)
Esther One chosen for such a time as this (Esther 4:14)
Job Living Redeemer (Job 19:25)
Psalms Great Shepherd (Psalm 23)
Proverbs Wisdom of God (Prov. 8)
Ecclesiastes Abundant Life (Ecc. 12:13-14 & John 10:10)
Song of Sol. Beloved Groom (SOS 2:8)
Isaiah Won. Coun., Mty God, Ever. Father, P of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)
Jeremiah Potter of the Clay (Jer. 18)
Lamentations Weeping Prophet
Ezekiel Son of Man
Daniel Ancient of Days, 4th man in the fire (Daniel 7:9-10)
Hosea Harlot’s Husband (Hosea 1:2)
Joel Refuge for His people (Joel 3:16)
Amos Tabernacle of David (Amos 9:11-12)
Obadiah Protector of Jacob (Obad. 1:15-18)
Jonah One who spends 3 days and 3 nights in the earth (Matt. 16:4)
Micah Ruler from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
Nahum Jealous God (Nahum 1:2)
Habakkuk God of my salvation (Hab. 3:18-19)
Zephaniah The Lord in your midst (Zeph. 3:15-17)
Haggai Signet Ring of God (Haggai 2:22)
Zechariah The Righteous Branch (Zech. 3:8, 6:12)
Malachi Refiner’s Fire (Mal. 3:3)

The Bible is all about Jesus.

1 Peter 1:10-12 “As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven — things into which angels long to look.”

If you are not willing to see Him,
Then all your Scripture reading is in vain.

That is what these people did.
Vs. 40, “And you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”

Jeremiah 6:16-21 “Thus says the LORD, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ “And I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’ “Therefore hear, O nations, And know, O congregation, what is among them. “Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people, The fruit of their plans, Because they have not listened to My words, And as for My law, they have rejected it also. “For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba And the sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable And your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me.” Therefore, thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am laying stumbling blocks before this people. And they will stumble against them, Fathers and sons together; Neighbor and friend will perish.”

Emptiness, Futility
#3 DECEPTION
John 5:41-43

Now Jesus starts this section off with a premise.
“I do not receive glory from men;”

“I’m not saying this because I need you.
I’m saying this because I know you and you need Me.”

Then look at what He says.
“but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.”

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?
“I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.”

Jesus says, you don’t love God.
I know this because I came from God and you don’t love Me.

If you don’t accept Jesus, then you do not love God.

If you cannot accept His Son, how can you accept the Father?
What this means is that your claims to love God are mere deception.
It is that high form of hypocrisy that we often talk about.

Titus 1:16 “They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.”

In other words, your entire religion is a lie.

How many times have we talked about how the prophets don’t just want you being religious for the sake of religion?

How many times have we talked about how loving God is not to just go through the motions.

If you want to love God, then give your life to Jesus Christ.
John 8:42 “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.”

Emptiness, futility, deception
#4 SELFISHNESS
John 5:44

Here Jesus actually points out the inhibitor to their faith.

“How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?”

In other words, if you only want glory from men,
Then how can you be a believer in God?

SELFISHNESS DOESN’T LEAD TO SALVATION
Matthew 16:21-24 “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

James 4:6 “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

This is the reason many people will not come to Jesus.
It requires death to self, it requires hatred of self, it requires denial of self, Many love themselves to much.

Luke 14:26-27 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

Was it not because of this self love that the Rich Young Ruler went away sad?

Emptiness, Futility, Deception, Selfishness
#5 CONDEMNATION
John 5:45-47

Here is perhaps the hardest of all.

These people thought that they could reject Jesus,
But still be ok because they were disciples of Moses.

They say, “Moses won’t accuse me, I’m on Moses side”

John 9:28-29 “They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. “We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.”

DO YOU KNOW WHAT JESUS SAYS TO THAT?
“if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe His writings, how will you believe My words?”

Jesus point is yet again clearly seen.

You cannot claim to love the Bible and not love Jesus.
You cannot claim to love God’s prophets and not love Jesus.
Jesus is the main point of all of them.

If you don’t come to Jesus,
Then you are under condemnation.

John 3:18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

“Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.”

It is a sad person who is looking to the Law for salvation.

Romans 7:9-11 “I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.”

Romans 8:1-4 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Some day it will be the knowledge of God’s word
That will be the harshest condemnation on people.

Luke 12:42-48 “And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. “Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. “But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”

The Law can only condemn.
It has no power to save.

The point to this text is simple.
Jesus is the Father’s Sermon.

Jesus is what the Father has been trying to show people
Since the dawn of creation.

If you have missed Him, you have missed everything.

This is what God wants you to see more than anything else.
Matthew 17:1-5 “Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”

DON’T GET SO CAUGHT UP IN RELIGION THAT YOU MISS JESUS
The greatest tragedy of all is to have your name written on the church role, but not written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Jesus, The Father’s Savior

John 5:31-36

Last Sunday morning we began looking
At this first sermon of Jesus in the book of John.

He had healed a man who had been crippled for 38 years,
But He did it on the Sabbath, just as He had been doing.

This infuriated the Jews, but Jesus said that it was OK because this was what His Father God was doing too.

John 5:18 “For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.”

They were infuriated with the fact
That Jesus would call Himself the Son of God.

Their anger prompted this first sermon of Jesus.
It is a four-part study, in which
Jesus outlines the unique relationship He has with the Father.
We see the third point this morning.

Jesus has already shown us that He is the Father’s Son

Sunday night, Jesus showed us that He is the Father’s Standard.

But this morning we look at the third point of Jesus sermon, and that is that
Jesus is the Father’s Savior.

I don’t mean that God needs to be saved,
But rather that Jesus is the anointed Savior of God.

We have already studied this point a little in the book of John.

John 1:29-34 “The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! “This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ “I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

We learned there that Jesus was the Sent One of God.
He is the Only One that God has ever endorsed.

This is the point that Jesus is making about Himself.

Jesus is going to show us that He is the only Savior
Whom God has ordained.
He is the only Savior whom God has anointed.

In a pluralistic world it will do us good to realize
That Jesus and Jesus alone is God’s anointed Savior.

The Jews had questioned Jesus claim to be from the Father,
Now Jesus is showing them that He is the One the Father sent.
He is the Messiah.

This is significant.
All throughout the Bible, it mattered who God anointed.

1 Samuel 16:1-13 “Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons.” But Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ “You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you.” So Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?” He said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, ” There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, ” Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.”

All that mattered was whom God chose.
Height didn’t matter, appearance didn’t matter.
If God chose Him, it was a done deal.

All others were destined to fail.

Saul tried to hold on to the kingdom.
1 Samuel 20:30-31 “Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? “For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die.”

But Saul was no longer God’s anointed.
The Philistines would attack Saul.
They would kill Jonathon and Saul would fall on his own spear.

Absalom tried to steal the kingdom from his father.
2 Samuel 15:10 “But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘ Absalom is king in Hebron.'”

But Absalom was not God’s anointed.
And so Absalom’s mule proved to be too tall, he got his hair hung in a tree and Joab thrust three spears into him.

Sheba tried to share the kingdom and lead 10 tribes away.
2 Samuel 20:1-2 “Now a worthless fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet and said, “We have no portion in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!” So all the men of Israel withdrew from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah remained steadfast to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.”

But Sheba was not God’s anointed.
So at Joab’s request the people of Abel Beth-maacah
Threw Sheba’s head over the wall.

There was only one anointed King and all others failed.

This is a lesson we must remember as well.
There is only One whom God has anointed as Messiah.
There is only One whom God has anointed as Savior.

No matter His appearance
Isaiah 53:2 “For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.”

HE IS STILL GOD’S MESSIAH
Isaiah 53:10-12 “But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.”

Jesus point here is that He is God’s anointed Savior. He is God’s Messiah.

The problem is that just as Isaiah said, many didn’t see Him.
In this sermon, Jesus reveals why there is no doubt that He is the Messiah.

He will show us three testimonies about His Messiahship.
#1 THE UNBELIEVED TESTIMONY
John 5:31-32

“If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.”

His point is that if He testifies about Himself,
That won’t be acceptable to the people.

He was speaking in reference to the Law.
Deuteronomy 19:15 “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.”

Jesus point was if He just shows up and claims to be the Messiah, No one will believe Him because He is testifying about Himself.

And sure enough they didn’t.
His testimony was unbelieved.

Jesus claimed to be God and they didn’t believe Him.
John 8:58-59 “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.”

John 10:33 “The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”

Jesus claimed to be God’s Son and they didn’t believe Him.
John 5:17-18 “But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.”

Jesus claimed to be the Savior of the World and they didn’t believe Him.
John 8:31-33 “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

Jesus claimed to be the Messiah and they didn’t believe Him.
Mark 14:60-64 “The high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? “You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.”

Jesus claimed to be from Heaven and they didn’t believe Him.
John 6:41-42 “Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?”

Jesus claimed He’d go back to Heaven and they didn’t believe Him.
John 6:61-63 “But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? “What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

Jesus testimony about Himself has been unbelieved by the Jews and even by most in the world today.

Dr. Phil claims to be a doctor and people believe him.
Tom Brady claims to be a quarterback and people believe him.
George Bush claims to be president and people believe him.

But Jesus comes and claims to be the Son of God,
And for the most part people don’t believe Him.

And there is a reason why they don’t.
John 8:42-47 “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. “Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? “He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
The reason people don’t believe Jesus
Is because they are not of God, and Jesus is God.

But their excuse was
That He couldn’t be trusted because what He said He said about Himself.
John 8:13 “So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.”

What a pathetic reason not to believe,
Yet that is all the excuse it takes for some people.

Jesus said “Follow Me” and yet people won’t believe Him.
They need more proof.
They need a sign.
They want God to jump through hoops and write it on the wall.

It doesn’t matter that what He said is the truth,
They aren’t willing to believe what He said.

His is the unbelieved testimony.
That is why Jesus said.
“There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.”

But there is a second testimony about Jesus.
#2 THE UNRECEIVED TESTIMONY
John 5:33-35

Jesus testified about Himself, but they wouldn’t believe His testimony.
So Jesus points them to a second testimony about Himself.

It is the testimony of John.
And they knew what that testimony was, for they had already sent to him.
John 1:19-24 “This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.”

These Jews went to find out what John was teaching, and John testified to the truth.

Now Jesus wants you to know He didn’t need John’s testimony.
Vs. 34 “But the testimony which I have is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.”

He didn’t need John to testify about Him, but you do.
Jesus doesn’t need men to testify about Himself, but you do.
Jesus does not need men to travel around the world, but the world does.

But the tragedy is, even that witness is often times not received.
See verse 35, “He was a lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.”

Now notice John wasn’t the light, John was a lamp.
A lamp uses borrowed light and carries that light to the darkness.

Jesus is the Light of the World, John simply carried His light,
And for a while the people liked it.

“you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.”

John was a sensational act to them. Much like Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 33:30-33 “But as for you, son of man, your fellow citizens who talk about you by the walls and in the doorways of the houses, speak to one another, each to his brother, saying, ‘ Come now and hear what the message is which comes forth from the LORD.’ “They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain. “Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them. “So when it comes to pass — as surely it will — then they will know that a prophet has been in their midst.”

They enjoyed listening to John for a little while,
They thought he was a good show,
But they didn’t truly receive his testimony.

THEY EVENTUALLY REJECTED JOHN
Matthew 11:14-19 “And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear. “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘ He has a demon!’ “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

Not only did they not believe Jesus testimony about himself, They didn’t receive the testimony of the preacher that said the same thing.

This applies today.
People don’t believe Jesus because He testifies of Himself.
People don’t believe His prophets because they find some fault in them.

It is amazing today how many excuses people can give
For not wanting the truth.

“We can’t believe John he’s a psycho that lives in the wilderness”
People use all sorts of excuses why not to believe a preacher.
He is too long…
He is too serious…
He is too boring…
He is too ugly…

People will look for any reason whatsoever to disbelieve the truth.
Not because the truth is wrong, but because they don’t like the truth.

But come the judgment they won’t have a leg to stand on.
“Depart from Me, I never knew you.”
It’s not my fault God, I didn’t believe because my preacher…

But there will be many in hell with similar excuses.

Maybe you can not believe the testimony of Jesus
Maybe you can not receive the testimony of His preachers
They are the Unbelieved Testimony and the Unreceived testimOny
#3 THE UNDENIED TESTIMONY
John 5:36

You can live your life claiming Jesus claim about Himself can’t be trusted.
You can live your life shooting holes in the preachers He sends.
But there is one testimony you cannot deny.

The testimony which the Father has given Him.
HIS WORKS

That testimony is greater than any.
1 John 5:9 “If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son.”

Jesus said you can doubt Me, you can doubt John,
But what are you going to do with the power God is revealing in Me?

“for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish – the very works that I do – testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.”

John 10:25 “Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.”

John 10:38 “but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”

John 14:11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.”

TURN TO ISAIAH 35
This is a Messianic prophecy.

Verses 1-4 talk about THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOR
But how will we know who He is?

Verses 5-7 talk about THE POWER OF THE SAVIOR
Look at what Isaiah said He would do.

“the eyes of the blind will be opened.”
John 9:32-33 “Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. “If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

“the ears of the deaf will be unstopped”
Mark 7:32-35 “They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him. Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly.”

“the lame will leap like a deer.”
John 5:8-9 “Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.”

“the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.”
Matthew 9:32-33 “As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Him. After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
AND ISAIAH SAID IT WILL HAPPEN A LOT
“for waters will break forth in the wilderness and streams in the Arabay. The scorched land will become a pool and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, it’s resting place, grass becomes reeds and rushes.”

Matthew 11:2-6 “Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. “And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”

Isaiah said you will know the Messiah by His power.

Verses 8-10 talk about THE PURPOSE OF THE SAVIOR

The Messiah would be the way of salvation
For all those who would turn from their sin.
“A highway will be there, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for him who walks that way, AND FOOLS WILL NOT WANDER ON IT.”

God had promised a Messiah that would come
And save all those who would turn from their sin and follow Him, And you would know Him because of the power that He had.

THIS IS THE POINT THIS MORNING.

You might not believe the testimony of Jesus…
You might not receive the words of a preacher…
BUT YOU CANNOT DENY THE POWERFUL WORKS OF JESUS

Jesus is the Father’s Savior.
He is God’s anointed to save the world.
There is no one else.

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,”

This morning I’m going to ask you not to be foolish,
But to take the advice of Jesus.

John 14:11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.”

Do you know of anyone else who gave sight to the blind?
Do you know of anyone else who unstopped deaf ears?
Do you know of anyone else who made a paralytic walk?
Do you know of anyone else who gave the ability to speak?

He is God’s Savior and He will save you today.
Matthew 16:24-25 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”

Jesus is the Father’s Savior
IS HE YOURS?