Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:06.759
Our sermon text reading is John,
Chapter six, verses forty one, hundred
2
00:00:06.759 --> 00:00:16.589
and forty seven. John Six,
forty one to forty seven. So the
3
00:00:16.629 --> 00:00:20.949
Jews grumbled about him because he said
I am the bread that came down from
4
00:00:20.949 --> 00:00:25.579
heaven. They said, is not
this Jesus, the son of Joseph,
5
00:00:26.140 --> 00:00:29.739
whose father and mother we know?
How does he now say? I have
6
00:00:29.899 --> 00:00:34.579
come down from heaven? Jesus answered
them. Do not grumble among yourselves.
7
00:00:35.259 --> 00:00:38.369
No one can come to me unless
the father who sent me draws him,
8
00:00:38.770 --> 00:00:42.250
and I will raise him up on
the last day. It is written in
9
00:00:42.289 --> 00:00:47.369
the prophets, and they will all
be taught by God. Everyone who has
10
00:00:47.409 --> 00:00:51.640
heard and learned from the father comes
to me. Not that anyone has seen
11
00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:55.799
the father, except he who is
from God. He has seen the father
12
00:00:56.719 --> 00:01:00.079
truly, truly, I say to
you, whoever believes has eternal life.
13
00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:11.349
Thus ends the reading of God's holy
word. You may be seated. Well,
14
00:01:11.390 --> 00:01:15.709
buzz lightyear was one of the he
was the supreme toy to have graced
15
00:01:15.870 --> 00:01:23.739
Andy's room in years. He was
the envy of all the toys belonging to
16
00:01:23.900 --> 00:01:30.340
Andy, even the envy of Andy's
now formally prized possession and woody, a
17
00:01:30.459 --> 00:01:36.569
cowboy and with buzzes, capabilities and
powers, who wouldn't envy him? Who
18
00:01:36.650 --> 00:01:41.730
wouldn't flock to him? How could
he not steal wood? He is thunder.
19
00:01:42.409 --> 00:01:46.329
He came from the Galactic Universe,
after all, he had a jet
20
00:01:46.450 --> 00:01:52.239
pack, lasers coming out of his
space suit and he could fly, or
21
00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:57.280
so he thought. And if you've
seen the cinematic masterpiece that is toy story,
22
00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:02.670
the original, you know that buzz
light ear and would the cowboy become
23
00:02:02.790 --> 00:02:09.590
the bestest of buds eventually, but
it wasn't always that way. Upon arrival
24
00:02:09.710 --> 00:02:15.819
to Andy's home, Buzz Light Ear
was an asteroid in woody's boots and in
25
00:02:15.979 --> 00:02:22.780
buzzes beginning days, days where he
would unintentionally bring nothing but conflict and division.
26
00:02:23.099 --> 00:02:27.460
He was delusional. He thought he
could fly. He was under the
27
00:02:27.460 --> 00:02:31.090
impression that he could fly. Would
he would call it falling with style,
28
00:02:31.289 --> 00:02:38.490
but buzz was confident in his aerodynamic
abilities, and so he let others to
29
00:02:38.610 --> 00:02:43.330
believe the same. They all believed
that would. He was wrong. In
30
00:02:43.370 --> 00:02:47.680
the buzz is right. The buzz
really could fly, seeing with anger at
31
00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:52.919
the loss of being and he's number
one toy. Would he stuck it hard
32
00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:57.599
to buzz one day when he said
you are a toy, you can't fly.
33
00:02:59.349 --> 00:03:02.430
Of course buzz didn't like to hear
this and he threw it away out
34
00:03:02.469 --> 00:03:07.949
of his mind. It's not true, and so he remained delusional until a
35
00:03:07.990 --> 00:03:14.740
very low point in his life,
by which he recalled what he's hurtful but
36
00:03:14.860 --> 00:03:20.979
truthful words. He is a toy, he can't fly. Trying to do
37
00:03:21.180 --> 00:03:23.900
so was going to get him to
trouble. It's going to get him hurt.
38
00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:27.330
It was a hard truth to swallow
and digest that day, but it
39
00:03:27.490 --> 00:03:31.409
was a truth nevertheless. Buzz didn't
like being told that, and I know
40
00:03:31.490 --> 00:03:38.370
it's a fictitious story, but it's
representative of what we humans don't like.
41
00:03:38.530 --> 00:03:43.560
We don't like being told that we
can't do something. We don't like that
42
00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:47.319
kind of negativity. We can't handle
that kind of negativity in life. We
43
00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:52.439
don't want to surround ourselves with people
who tell us we can't do something.
44
00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:58.509
In fact, that kind of negativity
usually propels us to try to prove that
45
00:03:58.669 --> 00:04:04.150
Naysayer wrong. Just watch any movie
and a TV show made an America and
46
00:04:04.750 --> 00:04:13.460
you have basically adversity overcome by ability. Look at the person's trial. Look
47
00:04:13.500 --> 00:04:18.100
how that person was able to persevere, and now that person was able to
48
00:04:18.259 --> 00:04:26.170
haun his own accomplish whatever was before
him. But here in our Texas evening,
49
00:04:26.209 --> 00:04:29.170
we are told by Jesus Christ,
a son of God no less,
50
00:04:29.290 --> 00:04:36.490
that there is something that sinful humans
cannot do, and it's not something insignificant
51
00:04:36.649 --> 00:04:42.639
like hold your breath under the water
for ten minutes. That has no relevance
52
00:04:42.680 --> 00:04:45.680
or bearing in your life, and
no one's going to look down upon you
53
00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:50.800
if you can't do that. Christ
tells us here that the most important thing
54
00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:59.310
that anyone must do to be saved
he can't do. It's not possible.
55
00:05:00.949 --> 00:05:06.540
We come, then, to the
longest chapter in John's Gospel, a chapter
56
00:05:06.620 --> 00:05:14.860
that begins with thousands of people apparently
following Jesus and a chapter that ends with
57
00:05:15.420 --> 00:05:21.290
everyone abandoning him except for twelve,
one of whom is of the devil.
58
00:05:23.569 --> 00:05:29.889
So much for evangelistic success, so
much for making friends and influencing people.
59
00:05:31.610 --> 00:05:36.399
Maybe Jesus should have sat at the
feet of those modern day soul winners who
60
00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:41.079
just need a few minutes of your
time and they'll convert you lickitty split.
61
00:05:42.920 --> 00:05:46.519
Well, be that as it may, I do think Jesus has a better
62
00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:54.350
truthful message than some would pretend to
have. Jesus says some very hard to
63
00:05:54.470 --> 00:06:00.509
swallow words in this text. Well, actually not hard to swallow, but
64
00:06:00.870 --> 00:06:10.139
impossible to believe. On Your own
words, truthful, but hard and impossible
65
00:06:10.220 --> 00:06:15.779
to believe. Before we look at
those words, I want us to see
66
00:06:15.779 --> 00:06:23.810
several please from Christ, several invitations
to come to Christ, to believe on
67
00:06:24.009 --> 00:06:29.089
him as the one whom the father
has sent to save a people for himself.
68
00:06:30.529 --> 00:06:32.879
In that light, Jesus compares himself
to the manner in the Wilderness.
69
00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:43.759
That's what John Sixth is about.
Basically, it does a miracle. People
70
00:06:43.800 --> 00:06:49.149
want this manner, I want to
always be fed with this, and so
71
00:06:49.269 --> 00:06:54.350
they want to go to the source
of that bread. and Jesus says I
72
00:06:54.589 --> 00:06:59.550
am the manner from all that,
from all way back then in the wilderness,
73
00:06:59.790 --> 00:07:03.660
first generation of Israelites, and he
says, in effect in Verse Thirty
74
00:07:03.699 --> 00:07:06.980
Five, I am the true bread
that has come down from heaven, from
75
00:07:08.019 --> 00:07:12.300
God. I'm the one who gives
life to the world, I'm the one
76
00:07:12.339 --> 00:07:18.889
who sustains the world, who nourishes
the people of God, unlike the man
77
00:07:18.970 --> 00:07:23.649
in the Wilderness, it came one
day, was gone the next. Christ
78
00:07:23.810 --> 00:07:29.129
has always been Chris Rice will always
be. He is the eternal bread of
79
00:07:29.290 --> 00:07:34.040
God. Unlike the men in the
Wilderness, which satisfied only for a time.
80
00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:38.639
They would eat it, but then
the next day they'd be hungry.
81
00:07:38.680 --> 00:07:45.709
Christ is the true bread that win
consumed, or in the Greek win munched
82
00:07:45.910 --> 00:07:53.709
on, brings about lasting satisfaction,
lasting nourishment. You're only going to get
83
00:07:53.750 --> 00:07:58.699
that from Christ himself. And so
he says, come each of this bread,
84
00:07:58.819 --> 00:08:03.579
take my life, take it upon
you. And in verse forty,
85
00:08:03.660 --> 00:08:09.259
Jesus says that it is the will
the father that everyone who looks on the
86
00:08:09.379 --> 00:08:18.170
sun with faith will have eternal life. And so he invites, rather commands,
87
00:08:18.290 --> 00:08:24.209
the people to look upon him.
Reminiscent of John Three, all the
88
00:08:24.250 --> 00:08:26.360
way back to numbers twenty one,
when the bronze serpent was raised up,
89
00:08:28.360 --> 00:08:31.199
if you looked at that when you
were bitten by a snake, you'd be
90
00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:35.399
healed. Jesus says, I was
like that. I'm we put up on
91
00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:41.710
a cross. Look upon me,
he says, have the eyes of faith
92
00:08:43.509 --> 00:08:50.149
see me for who I really am. Gaze by faith upon me. And
93
00:08:50.269 --> 00:08:52.750
even in verse forty, seven,
as our text says. Truly, truly,
94
00:08:52.789 --> 00:09:00.019
I see it, whoever believes has
eternal life. has present tense.
95
00:09:01.620 --> 00:09:09.419
If you believe in Christ, you
have life eternal. There we have it.
96
00:09:09.539 --> 00:09:13.169
We have the these commands, these
imitations from Jesus, these promises,
97
00:09:13.690 --> 00:09:18.570
rock solid take of the bank,
promises that if you trust in him,
98
00:09:18.450 --> 00:09:26.399
you will have eternal life and he's
the only one that can give it to
99
00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:33.159
you. After giving these invitations to
come to him, to feed upon him
100
00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:37.879
for True Eternal Life, he then
tells the people who are dead set against
101
00:09:37.919 --> 00:09:46.669
him that there's a problem and it's
a monumental problem. And now we come
102
00:09:46.710 --> 00:09:50.190
to those utterly impossible to believe in
your own words, he says in Verse
103
00:09:50.269 --> 00:09:58.460
Forty Four, no one can come
to me, no one can come to
104
00:09:58.539 --> 00:10:03.860
me. Coming here is a metaphor
for believing in him and this chapter,
105
00:10:03.940 --> 00:10:07.210
as we saw, Jesus has already
use many metaphors for trusting in him.
106
00:10:07.409 --> 00:10:09.970
Coming to him as one of them. Eating the spiritual manner, eating his
107
00:10:11.090 --> 00:10:16.169
flesh, drinking his blood, looking
upon him, these are all tangible ways,
108
00:10:16.769 --> 00:10:22.799
images that the Lord is bringing to
bear that we might see were taking
109
00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:28.399
Christ upon ourselves. We are trusting
in him. I take your pick,
110
00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:33.720
using any of his metaphors. No
one can do it on his own.
111
00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:37.149
No one can come to him,
no one can eat the spiritual man,
112
00:10:37.629 --> 00:10:41.389
no one can eat his flesh,
no one can drink his blood, no
113
00:10:41.549 --> 00:10:48.990
one can look upon him by faith
on his own, like a fish out
114
00:10:48.990 --> 00:10:56.940
of the water who cannot swim.
Neither can we come to Christ. And
115
00:10:56.059 --> 00:11:00.059
there's no one out there that can
say I'm going to be the exception,
116
00:11:00.139 --> 00:11:03.299
I'm going to prove God wrong,
I'm going to believe in him on my
117
00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:09.289
own. I sure anybody would want
to say that, but even if someone
118
00:11:09.370 --> 00:11:15.009
wanted to, he couldn't, because
this is not a statement of permission.
119
00:11:16.330 --> 00:11:20.320
Jesus is not saying no one is
permitted to come, as if God is
120
00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:24.360
kind of barring things. You can't, you're not allowed to. It's not
121
00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:30.000
a statement of permission, it's a
statement of ability. No one can,
122
00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:37.870
no one is able, no one
has the spiritual capacity capability to trust in
123
00:11:37.429 --> 00:11:43.190
Christ. Can the one in the
flesh submit to the law of God and
124
00:11:43.269 --> 00:11:48.179
do what pleases God? Impossible.
Can the center see and enter into the
125
00:11:48.179 --> 00:11:56.220
Kingdom of God on his own?
Certainly not. Can the Ethiopian change his
126
00:11:56.299 --> 00:12:00.899
skin? Can the leopard change its
spots, then neither can you, who
127
00:12:00.899 --> 00:12:05.889
are accustomed to evil, do good. Can someone who is a slave to
128
00:12:05.970 --> 00:12:09.730
sin, in a natural born child
the devil, free himself from that devilish
129
00:12:09.730 --> 00:12:20.559
slavery? Absolutely not. Augustine,
speaking of the human after the fall,
130
00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:31.070
but before conversion, says that human
is not able not to sin. How
131
00:12:31.070 --> 00:12:37.549
about that for a double negative?
Latin was all about. Those we who
132
00:12:37.549 --> 00:12:41.830
speak the nish, not so much. No one is able not to sin.
133
00:12:43.350 --> 00:12:48.620
You can't not sin. That's all
you do. Sin has pervaded every
134
00:12:48.820 --> 00:12:56.019
aspect of our being, our will, our emotions, our bodies, every
135
00:12:56.139 --> 00:13:01.690
aspect of our being. And All
we do twenty four seven, as Calvin
136
00:13:01.730 --> 00:13:07.929
says, is pomp out idols.
We are idle factories. Our hearts are
137
00:13:07.970 --> 00:13:13.279
just constantly pumping them out on the
conveyor belt, one idol after another.
138
00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:16.799
That's all we do, twenty four
hours a day, seven days a week,
139
00:13:16.840 --> 00:13:26.600
after the fall, before conversion.
Because of this, John Calvin says,
140
00:13:26.759 --> 00:13:31.870
we ought not to wonder if many
refused to embrace the Gospel. Now,
141
00:13:33.710 --> 00:13:37.470
those of us who trusted in Christ, we might say, well,
142
00:13:37.750 --> 00:13:41.580
the Gospel is the good news it's
the best news that anyone could ever receive.
143
00:13:43.740 --> 00:13:46.860
Why wouldn't someone want that news?
Yeah, but you're looking at it
144
00:13:48.059 --> 00:13:52.580
from a state of conversion, Calvin
says. We are not to wonder if
145
00:13:52.620 --> 00:14:00.769
many refused to embrace the Gospel,
because no man will ever of himself be
146
00:14:00.929 --> 00:14:05.490
able to come to Christ. Can't
do it. Won't do it. There's
147
00:14:05.529 --> 00:14:11.720
a want to do it. In
his enmity. He is nothing but hostile
148
00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:16.759
to God. He has no inkling
of a desire to come to Christ.
149
00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:24.830
Can't. It's not that God is
barring him from coming to said he,
150
00:14:26.029 --> 00:14:31.830
in his own sin, has made
himself totally unable to come to trust.
151
00:14:33.950 --> 00:14:37.659
Someone might cry foul, someone might
object, say I asked, that's US
152
00:14:37.700 --> 00:14:45.259
unfair. Well, I'd say he'd
be in good company, but it's actually
153
00:14:45.340 --> 00:14:48.419
bad company, because that's pretty much
the same thing that said in verse sixty.
154
00:14:48.580 --> 00:14:50.659
When many of his a side has
heard it, they said this is
155
00:14:50.700 --> 00:15:00.330
a hard saying. Who can listen
to it? Answer no one can listen
156
00:15:00.370 --> 00:15:05.929
to it. No one can spiritually
discern the truth of this on his own.
157
00:15:07.320 --> 00:15:11.320
So one might say. But this
is the land of the free or
158
00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:16.039
Americans, after all. At least
we live in America. We're all about
159
00:15:16.039 --> 00:15:20.399
freedom here. How, then,
can can Jesus say that I can't come
160
00:15:20.509 --> 00:15:26.710
to him on my own? And
how can't I come? He's invited me
161
00:15:26.750 --> 00:15:31.149
to come, he's commanded me to
come. Therefore I can come. Right.
162
00:15:33.309 --> 00:15:37.659
All that mistaken way of thinking was
promoted by heretic by the name of
163
00:15:37.820 --> 00:15:46.659
Pelagius, Fourth Fifth Century Theologian who
wrestled with Augustine on this very issue and
164
00:15:46.820 --> 00:15:52.690
whether humans are able to believe on
their own. For instance, Pelagius said
165
00:15:52.730 --> 00:15:56.769
this. No one knows the extent
of our strength better than God, who
166
00:15:56.850 --> 00:16:02.210
gave us that strength. And if
he stops there, he's right. Of
167
00:16:02.409 --> 00:16:07.159
course, your Creator knows you better
than you know you and know better than
168
00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:11.120
anyone else knows you. Yes,
amen to that. Now he doesn't,
169
00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:18.590
and there, when he should have, he says God has not willed to
170
00:16:18.750 --> 00:16:25.909
command anything impossible, for God is
righteous and will not condemn anyone for what
171
00:16:26.029 --> 00:16:30.429
they could not help, for God
is holy. So for Polagius, the
172
00:16:30.629 --> 00:16:37.820
command implied the ability. You're commanded
to do something, clearly you are able
173
00:16:37.179 --> 00:16:45.379
to do it, and the rationale
is that if it were to be otherwise,
174
00:16:47.250 --> 00:16:52.129
God wouldn't be righteous. God's holiness
is on the line. If you
175
00:16:52.210 --> 00:16:55.649
were to ever command you to do
something you can't in your own strength do,
176
00:16:56.250 --> 00:17:04.720
God's not holy. This isn't just
Pollagius. This is a common belief
177
00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:11.039
today, and its stems from the
basic belief that mankind is basically good.
178
00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:18.630
This is popularized by a song on
the radio, country song, called I
179
00:17:19.349 --> 00:17:26.309
believe most people are good. This
is a country song artist, creed,
180
00:17:26.710 --> 00:17:30.259
and he has a lot of harmless
statements of this. Creed, let me
181
00:17:30.339 --> 00:17:33.619
read some of these. I believe
kids oughtest stay kids as long as they
182
00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:38.259
can turn off the screen, go
climb a tree get dirt on their hands,
183
00:17:40.299 --> 00:17:44.259
to which we'd say a hearty amen. More tree time, less screen
184
00:17:44.369 --> 00:17:49.569
time. Right. I believe we
got a for even make amends. Yes,
185
00:17:52.049 --> 00:17:56.569
forgiveness. Yes, that's what we
Christians are all about. I believe
186
00:17:56.609 --> 00:18:00.920
most Friday nights look better under neon
our stadium lights. Okay, you like
187
00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:08.880
football, sure, harmless. It
does say some other harmful things. I
188
00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:14.390
believe you love who you love.
Ain't nothing you should ever be ashamed of.
189
00:18:15.190 --> 00:18:21.390
I believe most mamas ought to qualify
for sainthood. Well, the good
190
00:18:21.470 --> 00:18:23.109
news is, if these Mamas are
in Christ. They are already saints.
191
00:18:25.150 --> 00:18:33.940
Hey men. But throughout this song, this creed, he says to two
192
00:18:33.980 --> 00:18:36.859
basic things. Well, he says
your faith. I believe if you you
193
00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:40.059
just go by the nightly news,
your faith in all mankind would be the
194
00:18:40.099 --> 00:18:44.329
first thing you lose. Maybe we
shouldn't have faith in mankind to begin with.
195
00:18:45.049 --> 00:18:49.289
Maybe the the nightly news, is
an accurate representation of what sinful humanity
196
00:18:49.369 --> 00:18:57.880
can do. But throughout this song
I believe most people are good. Seven
197
00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:02.680
Times I believe most people are good. I believe most people are good,
198
00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:11.029
and God is saying I know most
people are not good. I know all
199
00:19:11.269 --> 00:19:22.470
humans are wicked in and of themselves. The song is not the picture the
200
00:19:22.549 --> 00:19:27.259
scripture paints. For sinners, we
are commanded to believe the told. We
201
00:19:27.380 --> 00:19:33.420
can't consider an analogy. You have
a homeowner who has a huge backyard and
202
00:19:33.539 --> 00:19:40.609
he graciously lets his the neighborhood kids
playing it. He said go play,
203
00:19:41.089 --> 00:19:45.650
the world is your oyster. Paint
the town red. Just do not do
204
00:19:45.849 --> 00:19:51.130
anything to harm yourself or each other. And one day a couple of kids
205
00:19:51.410 --> 00:19:55.920
take a shovel from his backyard and
they dig and dig and dig this massive
206
00:19:56.039 --> 00:19:59.599
hole. Having dug the hole.
They thought it would be a fun idea
207
00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:04.599
to dance around it, to pretend
to almost push each other into it and
208
00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:14.150
to play around it. Must Be
Boys, until one day a couple of
209
00:20:14.230 --> 00:20:19.470
them fall into it. They cry
and cry and cry, and the homeowner
210
00:20:21.309 --> 00:20:25.220
here's something going on. He runs
in the backyards. What do you what
211
00:20:25.299 --> 00:20:27.740
are you doing? What are you
done? Didn't I tell you not to
212
00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:34.339
harm? You harm yourself or each
other. And then the people in the
213
00:20:34.930 --> 00:20:41.170
hole, they say, get us
out of here. It's your fault.
214
00:20:41.890 --> 00:20:47.769
This is your backyard, this is
your shovel we used to open up this
215
00:20:48.250 --> 00:20:55.839
massive whole. It's your fault.
How dare you not stop us? This
216
00:20:56.079 --> 00:21:00.279
is on you, homeowner, on
us. Be Strange, wouldn't it?
217
00:21:02.200 --> 00:21:10.549
Of course, the analogy is not
perfect. God's not this homeowner who doesn't
218
00:21:10.670 --> 00:21:17.710
know what's going on in his backyard. It's even more than that, because
219
00:21:17.750 --> 00:21:22.259
the scriptures say that in Adam we're
not just weak, we're not just in
220
00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:30.299
a bad predicament. The scripture says
we're dead and our trespasses and since the
221
00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:38.690
dead don't believe, the dead can't
believe, go to cemetery, start issuing
222
00:21:38.769 --> 00:21:48.359
commands. See the fruit of your
labor. Nothing. They won't, they
223
00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:55.359
can't. All this is bad news
have. She's the worst kind of news
224
00:21:55.400 --> 00:22:00.559
you could ever receive. One you
say you can't do this thing. Do
225
00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:07.269
you absolutely have to do to be
saved from the wrath of God? If
226
00:22:07.750 --> 00:22:14.710
left there, we are doomed to
our own destruction. We are doomed to
227
00:22:15.029 --> 00:22:23.779
our own self enslavement because of our
sin. If left there, thankfully Jesus
228
00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:29.859
didn't. Didn't finish verse forty four
with no one can come to me.
229
00:22:30.609 --> 00:22:36.450
That's not the rest of that's not
the whole verse. He says no one
230
00:22:36.490 --> 00:22:40.490
can come to me unless the father
was sent me, draws them and I
231
00:22:40.490 --> 00:22:45.039
will raise them up on the last
day. The hope lies in that.
232
00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:53.279
UNLESS, what a beautiful unless,
probably the finest unless you could ever encounter.
233
00:22:56.839 --> 00:23:00.589
Something must happen, something outside of
us must take place. The father
234
00:23:00.630 --> 00:23:06.829
must draw us. This word draw
is used about ten times in the New
235
00:23:06.910 --> 00:23:12.180
Testament and and in every single case
it carries the idea that the thing being
236
00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:18.259
drawn, the thing being dragged,
cannot but be drawn or dragged. It
237
00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:25.500
must be so moved. In John
Eighteen, verse ten, Peter Draws His
238
00:23:25.700 --> 00:23:33.490
sword, and so the sword is
drawn. The sword doesn't argue against Peter.
239
00:23:33.809 --> 00:23:38.289
No, I will not be drawn. It is drawn. Same thing
240
00:23:38.410 --> 00:23:44.039
and John Twenty one, six and
and eleven. The boat's net is dragged.
241
00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:49.759
It can not but be dragged.
It of necessity is taken where the
242
00:23:49.880 --> 00:23:56.670
disciples take it. Of course,
those are impersonal, in animate objects.
243
00:23:59.190 --> 00:24:03.829
But Act Sixteen nineteen speaks of Paul
and Silas who are dragged into the market
244
00:24:03.869 --> 00:24:07.869
place. Though they may have wanted
not to be dragged in the market place,
245
00:24:08.029 --> 00:24:15.099
they could not not be dragged into
the market place. Same thing with
246
00:24:15.700 --> 00:24:18.660
acts twenty one verse thirty, when
Paul is dragged out of the temple.
247
00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:22.619
He might not want to, wanted
to be dragged of the temple, but
248
00:24:22.740 --> 00:24:30.890
he was draged of the temple.
When God draws his people, they come
249
00:24:32.369 --> 00:24:38.359
of necessity, by the power of
the spirit, they come. Jesus,
250
00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:41.440
in Verse Sixty Five, says the
same thing, but in a little different
251
00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:45.759
words. In sixty four and sixty
five he says, but there are some
252
00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:49.000
of you who do not believe,
for Jesus knew from the beginning who those
253
00:24:49.079 --> 00:24:52.710
were who did not believe and who
it was who would betray him. And
254
00:24:52.869 --> 00:24:57.349
he said this is why I told
you, then no one can come to
255
00:24:57.509 --> 00:25:08.420
me there it is unless it is
granted him by the father. Faith must
256
00:25:08.420 --> 00:25:15.900
be granted. Faith is a gift
from God. This is not something that
257
00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:21.140
we muster up for within, not
something. It's not our own contribution to
258
00:25:22.289 --> 00:25:30.170
status of salvation. This is what
the Lord provides. When God draws people,
259
00:25:30.210 --> 00:25:33.930
they come. If they're not drawn, they don't, but if God
260
00:25:34.009 --> 00:25:41.880
grants it, they do. As
hard as these words are, they are
261
00:25:41.960 --> 00:25:47.400
nevertheless true, straight from the son
of God's mouth. But do you see
262
00:25:47.559 --> 00:25:52.029
the hope that lies in this verse? It again lies in that unbelievable unless.
263
00:25:53.789 --> 00:25:56.309
Can the one in the flesh submit
to the law of God and do
264
00:25:56.549 --> 00:26:02.509
what it's pleasing to God on his
own? No, but he can if
265
00:26:02.549 --> 00:26:07.019
he's born of the spirit. Can
the sinner see and enter into God's kingdom
266
00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:12.299
on his own? No, but
he can see, he can enter if
267
00:26:12.339 --> 00:26:18.289
the spirit gives him life. Can
the Ethiopian change his skin? No,
268
00:26:19.450 --> 00:26:26.369
but God can change his heart.
You, who have been enslave to sin
269
00:26:27.009 --> 00:26:30.890
and that child of the devil,
cannot free yourself, but if the son
270
00:26:30.930 --> 00:26:37.279
of man sets you free, you
will be free. Indeed, with man
271
00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:47.910
this is impossible, not difficult bolt, not a really huge challenge, not
272
00:26:48.190 --> 00:26:56.109
for the strong only, not just
give it enough time and some will prevail.
273
00:26:56.190 --> 00:27:07.059
Impossible with man, but with God
all things are possible. With God,
274
00:27:07.259 --> 00:27:11.059
the Father Drawing us to the sun, with the sun setting us free,
275
00:27:11.980 --> 00:27:15.769
but the Holy Spirit birth in us
to see and to come. We
276
00:27:15.849 --> 00:27:22.609
are taken from not able not to
sin to able not to sin. We
277
00:27:22.730 --> 00:27:29.650
are our status has changed. Now
sin is no longer our master, the
278
00:27:29.809 --> 00:27:36.240
devils no longer our father. Now
we are able to resist the temptations.
279
00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:41.240
We're able to resist the devil and
he will flee from us. Now sin
280
00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:47.349
no longer has dominion over us,
so we don't have to subject our bodies
281
00:27:47.470 --> 00:27:55.549
to its desires, to its will. We're able not to sin. And
282
00:27:55.710 --> 00:27:57.660
even now, as we feed upon
the bread of life, Jesus Christ,
283
00:27:59.059 --> 00:28:03.099
we grow more and more like him. We put away that stale, dry
284
00:28:03.140 --> 00:28:07.579
bread of another and we enjoy the
warm, fresh out of the oven,
285
00:28:07.660 --> 00:28:14.690
bread of God, the only bread
that true satisfies, that eternally nourishes our
286
00:28:14.930 --> 00:28:21.849
soul's deepest longings. And praise God
that the process does not end with simply
287
00:28:22.210 --> 00:28:26.359
able not to sin, because that
means we are still frail and able to
288
00:28:26.599 --> 00:28:37.359
sin. The process doesn't end there. One day we will be taken to
289
00:28:37.480 --> 00:28:41.200
a whole new level. We will
be taken to the level of not able
290
00:28:41.910 --> 00:28:48.750
to sin. One day, sinning
will be the impossibility. Oh I long
291
00:28:48.910 --> 00:28:53.269
for that day, don't you?
Oh my goodness, yes, I hate
292
00:28:53.549 --> 00:29:02.539
sin. I hate my own sin. I can't wait. Someone asks you
293
00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:04.420
in Heaven, you're going to send
it a nose. Not even in my
294
00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:08.819
thought you would even ask the question. Sin In would be an impossibility.
295
00:29:10.970 --> 00:29:15.769
Praise God for his perfect work of
drawing his people to a son. Praise
296
00:29:15.849 --> 00:29:19.250
God for this grace, this grace
that comes from God and his work alone.
297
00:29:19.769 --> 00:29:26.200
We Love we love God because God
first loved us. We believe in
298
00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:32.200
God, in Christ, because God
first gifted us with that faith. We
299
00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:40.589
come to Christ because God first came
to us. Let's pray
