Fellowshipmtz

John 7:1-8

John 6:22-66 (part 2)

Last week we focused on key words, themes, and progressions.  This week we (quickly) work through the narrative between Jesus and the large crowd of (fickle) disciples.  Pro Tip: The two messages compliment one another.
Earlier in the worship gathering, a relevant quote pertaining to God's sovereign grace and the free call of the gospel (John 6:35-40) was as follows:
"Do you want to be one of God's people?  These blessings which God gives to them, do you want to have them?  
You may have them, if you will.  If you will not have them, I pray you do not quarrel with God because He chooses to give them where He wills.  There are two great truths which from this platform I have proclaimed for many years. The first is that salvation is free to every man who will have it; the second is that God gives salvation to a people whom He has chosen; and these truths are not in conflict with each other in the least degree."   - Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)

John 6:22-66

Jesus's "Bread of Life" discourse becomes the turning point from the apex of His popularity onto a road that leads to Calvary (His crucifixion).  The single discourse with the crowd consists of five engagements (progressions).  At the end of the day they (and we) must decide:  Are we seeking Jesus because we recognize our desperate need of Jesus? or because we are intent on using His power to our own advantage?

John 6:14-21

Sandwiched between the miracle of feeding the 5000 (6:1-15) and Jesus's teaching the next day culminating in His claim, "I am the bread of life" -- John narrates the how that night Jesus came to them walking on water during a windstorm (verses 16-21).  At first glance it seems somewhat out of place, but it's really not!

Jesus feeding the 5,000 is one of his most well-known and encouraging miracles. This is such a significant miracle that it has been recorded in all four gospel accounts. We explore John's telling of this miraculous event and what his perspective has to teach us about Jesus as the Son of God. 

The remaining portion of John 5 shows us the leaders of the Jews beginning to persecute Jesus and conspire about his eventual death. As Jesus responds, he asserts his own identity as the Son of God. Christ explains what it means for him to come from the Father, and he also provides undeniable proof of his messiahship. 

*Please be warned there will be a brief increase in volume towards the end of the sermon. This is due to the editor enhancing the volume so anybody listening can hear the video testimony.*

Jesus meets a suffering man beside the pool of Bethesda where the sickest in Jerusalem gather. Jesus grants the man a miraculous healing which enables him to walk right away. His experience allows us to see how Jesus meets his people in their hopelessness and ministers to them there. We also deal with the matter of healing miracles. We conclude that God can and does still heal today, but it's his gift to extend or not extend. What remains certain through all sin, suffering, and physical illness is that we have a living hope in the Son of God.  

John 4:43-54

In this passage we consider the apparent disparity between Jesus saying He has "no honor in His hometown," but upon His arrival, "the Galileans welcomed Him."  But the main message that rings throughout the entire chapter is that living faith rests upon the word of Jesus/God, not upon "signs and wonders."

This sermon wraps up our preaching on the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. We continue to consider how this conversation reveals the identity and purpose of Christ. As the unnamed woman believes on Christ and runs back to the village to tell everybody about him, the disciples return and hear from the Son of God how his food is to do the will of the Father. 

In John 4, Jesus walks into Samaria and meets the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. As their conversation commences, they will dialogue about living water, true worship, and spiritual food. This sermon covers their introduction to each other, as well as Christ being the living water as the first subject of their conversation.