Jesus Words: Life or Death 9/19/21

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John 6  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  32:02
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This morning. I've I've come to the final part of John chapter 6 and I just want to give you a heads-up, warning if if You don't want to hear the tough words of Jesus. If you don't want to be confronted with belief in Jesus and just leave now. Okay, everything that Jesus says in John, chapter 6 is tough and difficult and he doesn't let up at through the whole thing. And I'm just warning. You, if you are going to hear the words of Jesus, be ready to hear his words and receive his promise, or here is warning and walk out of here and recognize that you've got either this thing between life and death With Jesus words. And, you know, thank you Joe for wherever they may be very left, but I know Joanne and Mary had to leave but I thank you for choosing those. Those songs. The songs were just went right along with what we're talking about this morning. These are the wonderful words of life of Jesus, but they're also the destructive words of death. For those who don't believe, that's what we're talkin about today. We're in the end of John chapter 6. We have the aftermath of Jesus sign that he's fed. The 5000. He's teaching that he's the son of God. He's the bread of life. He is the god, man. And so we must receive him in Trust and Believe to have eternal life. He's fed the crowd. He's taught the crowd. And now we see the response at the end of John. Chapter 6 is words are challenging to believe. He says, I am the bread of life, unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood. You have no life and you. And so we come to verse 60 where it says, many of his disciples heard it. And they said, this is a hard saying, who can listen to it. In other words who can receive this crazy, man. Who can listen to it? Who can eat is, who can eat is Flash, who can drink his blood, who can fear love and trust this man who made such utter lie. Ridiculous claims, because we're smart dudes. We know a little thing or two about life, and we know that Jesus is just another man. And we know that men should not say such things, right? The starting at the end of verse 62. Jesus is going to deal with their unbelief and he's going to do this in any way that just intensifies who he is. He gets a promise and a warning. Now. These aren't strictly one after the other, both are throughout the passage. But let's break them down like this. Jesus Is God, Jesus is the god of life. He is like himself. And so Jesus, words are life to those who believe. Now, again, we're not going strictly verse by verse hear. This idea is all the way through John chapter 6. How many times I've been talking about? John chapter 6 for Life. The last month. How many times has Jesus said, he is the bread of life that believing in him results and eternal life. That's what he says over and over and over throughout the passage believing in Jesus, do requires that. We hear. In some way. We hear his word. We're not just kind of getting a warm fuzzy feeling about Jesus who that feels good know, we're hearing words that Jesus speaks. We're receiving those words. And then with that intake we're kind of dealing with those words. Jesus is the only person in all of history. Who is never once lied? Ever thought about that. Jesus said I am the way and the truth and the life. As God, truth is his very nature. Just as Jesus said, that lies are the very nature of Satan. The truth is the very nature of God himself, still Jesus, as the God man says it is written in the profits. They will all be taught by God, boo. How does God teach people? And then Jesus goes on everyone who has heard and learned from the father comes to me. How does God teaches? What if we heard and learned from the father, he uses words. That's how God created the world, so that people could communicate with each other. And so that God could communicate with us. Jesus is saying, I am the teacher. I am God. So, Jesus being the God man says in verse 63. Is the spirit who gives life, the flesh is no help at all. The words that I spoken to, you are spirit and life. So just as Jesus is not a mere man. So Jesus words are not mere words. His words and part life. I hope friends that you come here this morning not to hear my words, but to hear the words of Jesus, right? That's that's the words. You need to hear. That's those are the words that give you life, Jesus words and part life. Is Jesus is said throughout John chapter 6 by his words and his miraculous signs. He is God In the Flesh. He is the bread of life, life is dependent on him, life belongs to him. Life is in him, right? I talked about several weeks back and creation the try, you know, God traits to try Universe, father, son. Holy Spirit, creates time space matter, right? God, the Father creates time, space and matter about nothing. God, the spirit energizes that creation and God the son speaks life into that creation. Jesus said, yes. Jesus said, let there be light and there was, like Jesus said, let there be life and there was life right? When God created. When God speaks, that is reality. Now that's amazing to me when God speaks. There's reality you and I can't do that. I mean I would just say cheeseburger and in but that doesn't happen. Unfortunately, you know, I can't treat reality. Although it's funny how people think they can create reality with their words. People can't do that. God can do that. See there is a source and that is God and end. He is the source of all reality and the effect of his words are life. Got us the stores. The effect is life and his words are the go-between, right? Jesus words are spirit and life. That's what Jesus says here in John chapter six, verse 63. What when Jesus says, this will come back to verse 66 in a little bit, but we read that many of his disciples turn back and no longer. Walked with him. Jesus says my words are Spirit. My words are life. And what did they do? They said we're out here. We can't handle. This is too weird, too. Bizarre. This dude, shouldn't be saying these things, but Jesus says, my words are spirit and life. Now this group of disciples leaving that sad and terrible. But there's also a moment of immense Beauty in the story. When the larger group of disciples left. Jesus said to the 12. Do you want to go away as well? And Simon Peter answered him. Lord to whom, shall we go? To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that. You are the Holy One Of God. These are wonderful words, beautiful words. Wonderful Words of Life. Sing them over again to me. I want to hear him over and over again. And I love this confession. That Peter gives here to whom else. Are we going to go? It's in there is no one else who has the wisdom and Perfection and truth of Jesus. I mean, there's a lot of people we could maybe put on the top of the list, my mom. Yeah. She's right up there. I got to say that she's here, you know, but but you know, even my mom as much as I love her she's not always going to be around. As much as your people, you care, for the most, you know, sometimes they let you down, don't they? We all do that. In fact, a lot of people put their trust in the government or some politician. If I how does that work out for you? I mean whom else to whom else. Are we going to go? That's such a great question. I mean, who has all of this truth and wisdom Perfection, there is no other person in all the universe that has the words of eternal life. Now, let's talk about the opposite of that. If God is life. Jesus says, he's the bread of life, right? Have got his life. Then the way to receive that life is to receive those words to hear those words to trust. Those words to to hear those true words of Jesus. And trusted those words are true. That is what believing in. Jesus is all about. Hearing Jesus words and receiving them. Jesus says it in many different ways to out the passage, right? Listen to the true words of Jesus, trust at their true live is if they're true internalized, Jesus, so much. That Jesus says, if you don't eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you and all the Galilean Jews are thinking you. Yuck. I don't want to do that. I don't want to receive this. Crazy man. He's just another man. Jesus has given a promise here and I hope you will hear the promise that you can trust the wonderful words of life. But there's also a warning here. Be very careful when you hear the words of Jesus because there's a warning. Jesus Is God, Jesus is the god of life. And so Jesus, words are death and destruction to those who don't believe. The opposite of hearing and believing of course, is not hearing and not believing those who don't hear and don't trust his words. They deny reality of God creates reality. And we put her hands over our ears and say, I'm not listening. Then we just flat-out deny reality when God. Speaks when Jesus speaks nieces on the bread of life and they say this is a hard, it's hard teaching who can listen to it.

We're just denying reality. We're not believing and trusting God when it comes to spiritual and moral issues. Every single moment of the world, people deny reality. Don't they? Now, most of us would not jump off a ladder and say I Can Fly. We do. We don't deny that reality. But when it comes to spiritual and moral issues, most people deny reality. This is why Christianity is still with pensive because it's so exclusive. There's only one way, there's only Jesus way, only his words are the words of eternal life to whom else. Are we going to go? The reality? Is that the only Jesus Is God only Jesus is the bread of life and only trusting him is what leads to return alive. There is no other way. How Jesus identity of God, as God means that we have to pass that we can go down. I need to be really careful. Hear it. It makes it sound like there's a choice between two pads that the path of life in the path of death, but Choice isn't the best way to describe it. I think it's more like this, the path of death is the road that were all on. Were already on it. We are all born into sin. Write the scripture, says it all. Have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The path of death is a Rover, all on the path of life is the exit off of it. In other words as Sinners, you are already dead and send and you can't just choose the life of Jesus without his help will. Jesus helps us get off the freeway of death by doing. God does the create life, he speaks a Word of Promise and he says to you. I am the bread of life. He says to you eat my flesh. Drink, my blood. Will you receive it? He puts this big sign up and says exit now. Here. I am right here. He speaks life into existence. Jesus is the exit ramp. His words are the sign on the freeway. So to refuse to believe Jesus is to stay on the path of death. And that's what everybody wants to do. Right? I mean, we don't want to believe the crazy ridiculous words and claims of Jesus. We sometimes here is worth, but we won't receive them. The Galilean crowd, doesn't want to eat Jesus. Flesh. They don't want to drink his blood. They don't want to receive his word. The sign on the freeway of death that says, this is life exit. Now, they just smash into it. And they died. Now, I saw this video, I couldn't help showing you this because it's just a really good illustrations of this. Will see if it will play go. There we go. Fat dumb and happy dump truck. Guy driving down the freeway sign their oops, bad day for everyone, right? So now this is a great illustration, but it's not a perfect, illustration of be a perfect illustration. If that guy was doing it totally intentionally, right? Haha, sign taking it out, right. Have your perfect. Illustration of everybody driving on this highway. This is the highway of death. We're all on the highway of death sign, stupid sign. Don't care about the sign. I'm taking it out. You know, this is what humans do. I can't think of a really better illustration of this. I mean, why am I talking about all this death and destruction and not believing Jesus word because Jesus talked about it right here in verse 63, Jesus snowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this. He said to them. Do you take offense at this? That's where the fence here is much stronger than our English word defense. The word in Greek. Okay, we have it's like a daily thing to be offended in our world. Now, right? I'm in. And if you, if you live in that offense all the time, you just would go bananas. So so we have to just let it roll off. And and a lot of times people think of being offended. It's just really being annoyed or bothered by someone else. What this word is so much stronger. A better way to express. Jesus word here in English and just a better way to stay. It might be are my words and my claims a death trap to you. So this this word means to be caused to be. Fatally traps. Will you trip over my words? Jesus says and die. Are you falling into the Death Pit? Because of me, the Death Pit is turning away from the bloody body of Jesus and cruising on down the superhighway a death. The lifegate is turning aside exiting through the bloody man on the cross. And trusting, that would happen. There is sufficient for all of your needs and every moment of your life. So that's crazy. I don't want to do that. What is it? That was so fatal was it that I am the bread of life was it that you need to eat? My flesh and drink my blood, what and traps, you what? Impales? You on the spike. If believing God leads to life what is not believing leads to at least to death, right? So you better be careful when you hear the words of Jesus? It was either gave you life or it will give you death. Jesus said, whoever believes in me, will not perish that famous first. Will not perish people. Missed that part whoever believes will not perish, but have eternal life, just a couple of verses later, John 3:18, but whoever does not believe is condemned already. He's already on the super highway of death. Whoever does not believe is condemned already because he is not believed in the name of the only son of God. Ever thought about that unbelief was the very first sin. Unbelief will be the very last second. Unbelief is Dustin. It is sin. If you boil sin down into one word. It's not trusting. God. Not trusting his words. Jesus said that the way of life is narrow. And few find it when I want to be where everybody's cruising the long fat dumb and happy. Right? Jesus said, enter by the narrow Gates. Talking about himself. The world's gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction those who enter by. It are many for the gate is narrow.

The gate is narrow on the way is hard, that leads to life. And those who find it are few are exit, gates is Jesus trusting. The precious words of Jesus said, he is true is right. He's good. Trusting his promises when Jesus speaks. His words are that big sign on that super highway of death? And yeah, you may have to cross 25 Lanes of traffic to get there.

What's less hard? Isn't it? I don't want to cross 25 Lanes of traffic. I just want to go along with what's easy. It seems impossible. This is a hard teaching Jesus who can listen to it. Wouldn't it? Just be easier to just smash into the sign. Wouldn't it just be easier? So the choice I guess we can put it that way. Once you've heard this word of Truth with Jesus is giving you. Once you've heard this word of Truth is whether you're going to receive it. Believe me. It is Splash. Drink is blood. Will you hear his words and live? Or will you hear his words and die?

Moses said, a similar things thing to the Israelites in Deuteronomy.

He said I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you today. That's step before you life and death blessing and curse, therefore choose life that you and your Offspring may live. Loving the Lord, your God obeying, his voice and holding fast to him for. He is your life. What is choosing life? Choosing life is obeying. God. Obeying his voice holding fast to him. Jesus words are a death. Trap to those who don't believe they crashed. In the words of Jesus. They died on them. They don't believe Jesus is God's. They believe he's a mere man of this. Passage as studying. This I just I can't believe how modern right now up-to-date John chapter 6 is, I mean, Jesus is talking to people on the North Shore of the lake of Galilee, 2,000 years ago. And yet, it seems like he's speaking to our culture right now at the Saint. It's just amazing to me, people all over the world right now, are blathering on and the internet and, and all over the place about how Jesus claims are ridiculous. Who can believe that Jesus must be a nutcase. Jesus must be a liar. Jesus must not have even existed, because how could such a ridiculous man, even ever exist. It's all over the place. It's such a hard teaching who can listen to it. I'm just going to smash into the sign. Don't care. I'm not listening. I'm just going to put my hands over my ears and not listening. I don't want to receive it. Prince preaching Christ crucified for our sins is never going to be mainstream. Never, it's always going to stop that. The way is narrow and few will find it. Isn't it? Funny? How people would do anything and everything to avoid the words of Jesus? I'm not listening putting my hands over my ears. I'll believe in aliens and crystals, and Elvis and a billion other things. Anything except for Jesus? The phrase, the more things change, the more they stay, the same comes to mind.

Jesus carries on this line of questioning about challenging them and their faith will. What if you stall this, God of mad that the son of man got in the flash returning to Heaven? Would you believe then? 462. What if you were to see? The son of man is spending to where he was before. In other words. What if you saw God who is come down to earth? What if you saw him, go back to Heaven, would you believe then? He's exposing the true real issue here. They don't believe Jesus is telling the truth. If he's God, he's telling the truth. He's just another do then it doesn't matter what he says. Now, I think that most people live, like Jesus is just another dude, right? They hear the words of Jesus and the crash right into him. They don't take the exit. I don't trust Jesus. Last week I talked about this title here and John 662. The son of man. This is the third time Jesus to use the sprays in John 6. Jesus is the son of man. Talk about this title last week when Jesus calls himself the son of man, he's saying he as God is one and the same as man. In other words, the title, son of man. Is that biblical title that name for that physical man? Who is God in the Flash?

There's a great book about Martin Luther by Eric metaxas. His name, right? And he uses some really Earthly language quoted from Martin Luther to put this into perspective. Luther's, defining moment of understanding the Christian faith happen while he was in the tower of the monastery where he lived and where he studied. Now, the tower that house the that Tower also house the bathroom for the month. So later on Luther recounted that this moment of understanding Romans 1:17, the salvation by faith in the righteousness of God, given as a gift to men through Jesus happened, while he was on the toilet, so to speak. And it was maybe a play on words that his study was upstairs above the bathroom. They called it the cloaca Tower. That's an old Latin word. That means sewer. So here is Martin Luther study that's in the sewer Tower. Okay. So he made this this kind of a witty phrase. He said that even in this life in this toilet. God gives us Noble gifts. He's kind of Earthly language Luther said this to emphasize, that God becoming a human born into the human filth of sin and death was so shocking. And so unbelievable. On Soma taxes, in his book about Martin Luther summarizes here. I think this is great. He sits a specific point here, is that the infinites and a mission and omnipotent Creator. God Of Heaven did not send the Earth on a golden Cloud. He came to us through screaming pain, through the bloody Agony of a maiden's vagina and a cattle stall filthy with and stinking of dung. This is how humans answer the world. And if God would enter the world as a human being you must introduce that way. It was the only way to reach us where we are and as we are and because of his love for us, he did not shrink from this approach violin difficult as it must be. Luther song This the very essence of Christian theology. God reach down not halfway to meet us in her violinist. But all the way down to the fal dregs of our broken Humanity. The cloaca was not only literally that place in the tower where he went to the bathroom, but also the essence of this world, a world not merely be brined with but filled with and consisting of thin and filth and misery and death for God to come into. The spouse world is for him to come most of the way into hell. The world is the antechamber to hell and eternal life. And unless we allow the god of life to come here. We do not allow him to redeem. Has he cannot redeem and resurrect. What is not foul in the bed, but we are both This is what God did. Jesus, the son of man, if this God, if you saw this, God returning to heaven and All His glory. Would you believe then? 466, give the response. After this, many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

I Think Jesus saying, even if you saw this glorious Ascension into heaven, you still wouldn't believe because you don't believe my words. The crashed into the words of Jesus and they died on them.

I just wrap this up here. What about you? Will you Bumble along on the Highway to Hell? Or will you trust? Jesus says the man with the words of eternal life?

The father is drawing everyone to Jesus by his precious words by his revelation of himself, as a bloody sacrifice in your play. And yes, you are going to trip over him one way or the other. You either going to trip over him and die. Are you going to trip over him and live?

I don't know about you. But I choose to be a Christian since I've heard these words and I have to choose that every single day. If not, just something I did once. I belong to Christ. He has the words, return a life. I trust him. Does that mean I will trust him tomorrow? Well, we'll see. But right now I'm going to say I trust him. He is the wonderful words of life. And that's what we do when we come here on Sunday morning. We hear the wonderful words of life and we received them. Oh mighty God. Thank you. That you have the words of life. And that you give us your gifts.

Father. Now, as we perceive, The Lord's Supper.

Would you give us the grace? I just receiving you. I'm trusting you. Trusting your words. We love you. We thank you. We praise you. We receive you. In Jesus name, amen.

Receive his words. and we, And take all that he is into our very bodies.

If we remember what Jesus did on the cross. Receive his body and his blood. the scripture says, For I received from the Lord, why I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus on the night. When he was betrayed took bread. And when he'd given thanks, he broke it. And said, this is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me?

In the same way. He also took the cup after supper saying this cup is the New Covenant in my blood. Do this. As often as you drink it in remembrance of me?

For as often as you eat this bread. And drink the cup. You proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

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