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John 6:60-66 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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I get the privilege of preaching from two passages at the end of John chapter 6, one today and one next Sunday, Lord willing.
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! I have an amazing passage that communicates some very encouraging truths.
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!
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Today I will be reading the entire section because there's a sense in which they're both intertwined.
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But each one does stand alone and has a chiastic center that we'll be looking at.
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So today let's look at the whole passage and then we'll be focusing just on the first.
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John 6, 60.
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It is the spirit who gives life.
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The flesh is no help at all.
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The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
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But there are some of you who do not believe.
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For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe and who it was who would betray him.
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And he said, this is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the father.
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After this, many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
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So Jesus said to the twelve, do you want to go away as well?
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Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go?
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You have the words of eternal life.
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And we have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God.
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Jesus answered them, did I not choose you, the twelve?
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And yet one of you is a devil.
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He spoke of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
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Heavenly Father, we look to you and your word this morning, asking that your spirit would move among us, illuminate us,
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allow us to breathe the fresh life that your word provides.
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Help us to see your truths and cling to them, cling to Christ,
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instead of drifting away.
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Through your spirit, feed our souls and strengthen our faith today.
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In Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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There are a few passages in scripture that show the divide between true and false disciples as well as this one does.
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In the midst of a crisis of faith,
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where many of Jesus' disciples turned away from following him,
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Peter makes an amazing, faithful confession.
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Lord, to whom shall we go?
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You have the words of eternal life,
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and we have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.
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Now, I believe that confession is a clear demonstration of the drawing love of the Father,
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the life-breathing breath of the Spirit,
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and the keeping power of our Savior.
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This same kind of faith and divine preservation can be seen throughout the history of the church.
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Through the crises of faith that happened in each generation,
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and though from generation to generation that crisis or crises differed,
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God has continued to preserve a remnant of true believers who remained faithful to him.
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And you don't have to look far around you to see the same contrast in our generation.
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We've seen pastors, worship leaders, Christian authors,
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even friends or family members who once professed faith,
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now saying,
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I am no longer a Christian.
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Their reasons vary.
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Some talk about suffering.
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Some talk about unanswered prayer.
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Church hypocrisy.
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Unanswered peace.
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The difference between science and the Bible.
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Apparent contradictions in the Bible.
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Moral restrictions.
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Divine justice.
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And the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ.
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And they can use any kind of new terminology they want to justify it,
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but it is simply unbelief.
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At the same time,
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the church is still alive and growing and in many places thriving.
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God's faithfulness to his people is unchanging.
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And he wants to strengthen you today to endure well.
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The question I believe this text puts before us this morning
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is how do we respond when Jesus's words confront us
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or when others walk away?
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And the wisdom I believe this passage also provides is this.
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When confronted with Jesus's difficult teachings,
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he wants you,
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he wants me to hold on to his words,
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to be strengthened by the life that the spirit gives through them.
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I believe this text shows us at least three reasons
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to cherish and hold on to Christ's words.
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One,
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because they expose your sin.
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Two,
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because they are your life.
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And three,
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because he
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holds on
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to you.
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So let's start
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with considering the first reason
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to hold on to Jesus's words.
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Verses 60 through 62.
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Hold on
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to his words
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because they expose your sin.
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When many of his disciples heard it,
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they said,
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this is a hard saying.
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Who can listen to it?
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But Jesus,
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knowing in himself
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that his disciples were grumbling about this,
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said to them,
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do you take offense at this?
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Then what if you were to see
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the son of man ascending
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to where he was before?
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Now,
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verse 60
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introduces us
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to another group
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of people.
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They weren't just the crowds
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that followed
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because of the signs.
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They weren't
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the religious leaders
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from Judea
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called in this passage
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the Jews
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who were
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already
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predisposed
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to find fault with Jesus.
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No,
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these were his disciples.
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People who had committed
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to follow him
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and to learn
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from his teachings.
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But they found
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Jesus' words
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hard.
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The term used here,
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skleros,
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translated hard,
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doesn't mean
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hard to understand.
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It means
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hard to accept.
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they obviously
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didn't understand
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all that he was saying.
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But they resisted
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what they did understand.
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John's use
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of the term
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grumbling
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in verse 61
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puts these disciples
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in the same category
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as the unbelieving
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children of Israel
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who grumbled
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in the wilderness
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when the manna,
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when they
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got tired
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of the manna.
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the claims
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Jesus made
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earlier
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about coming
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from heaven
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and his superiority
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to Moses
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most likely
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bothered them
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as well.
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And his words
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about eating
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his flesh
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and drinking
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his blood
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provoked them
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and exposed
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the true state
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of their hearts.
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They really
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didn't
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believe.
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this is what
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Jesus knew
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in himself
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when he responded
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to their grumbling.
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He then says
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to them,
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do you take
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offense
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at this?
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Then what
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if you were
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to see
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the son
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of man
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ascending
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where he was
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before?
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Now this
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response
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might not
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be easy
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to understand
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but I believe
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it is
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instructive.
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he refers
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to himself
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as
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the son
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of man
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a messianic
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title
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and he
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speaks of
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ascending
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to where
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he was
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before
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another
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affirmation
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of his
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pre-existence
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both
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things
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that they
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had
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trouble
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believing.
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Yet
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he used
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those words
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to indicate
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that their
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offense
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was
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unfounded.
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In
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essence
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he was
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saying
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if you
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can't
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accept
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my
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words
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now
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how
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will
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you
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respond
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when you
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see me
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exalted?
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And
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perhaps
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understand
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that that
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exaltation
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had to
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come
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through
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death
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and
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resurrection.
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And
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what's the
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greater
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offense
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anyway?
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The
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image of
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eating
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flesh and
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blood
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or
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of
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death
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of the
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Messiah
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king
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through
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envy
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and
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jealousy.
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Their
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offense
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wasn't
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just a
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metaphor,
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wasn't
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just about
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the
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metaphor,
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it was
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about his
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identity
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and his
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mission.
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He had
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said earlier,
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don't work
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for the
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food that
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perishes,
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but for the
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food that
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endures to
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eternal
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life,
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which the
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son of
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man will
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give you.
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They
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couldn't
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accept that.
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They
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couldn't
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accept that
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he was
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the son
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of man
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from heaven
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and they
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couldn't
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accept what
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he was
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saying about
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their own
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misplaced
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priorities.
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Whether
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they could
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understand it
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or not,
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Jesus was
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simply saying
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that eternal
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life comes
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through
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believing in
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and partaking
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of him
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as the
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one
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who gives
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his
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flesh
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and blood
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for the
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life of
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the
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world.
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The
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apostle
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Paul
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refers to
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the
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preaching
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of the
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cross
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as a
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stumbling
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block
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to the
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Jews
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and as
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folly
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to the
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Gentiles.
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But he
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adds that
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those who
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are called
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both Jews
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and Gentiles,
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Christ is
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the power
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of God
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and the
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wisdom
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of God.
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But these
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disciples
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considered
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hard and
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couldn't
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believe is
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that God
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has provided
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for you
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to live
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through
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Christ.
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Even when
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we don't
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fully understand
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his words,
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we must hold
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on to them
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for our
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own
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eternal
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good.
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How do
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you respond
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when
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Jesus'
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words
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expose
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your sin?
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Do you
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receive them
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with faith
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or do you
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struggle
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with them?
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Every
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difficult
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teaching
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of
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the
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Bible
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exposes
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what's in
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our heart.
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It shows
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us where
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we're at.
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And let
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me tell
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you,
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after 40
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years,
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it doesn't
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get any
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different,
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any better.
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When you
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open your
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Bible and
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the words
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cut deep,
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someone said,
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remember,
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they are
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words that
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heal.
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God's
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truth is
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like a
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surgeon's
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scalpel.
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It may
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sting,
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but it
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never cuts
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to harm.
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It cuts
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to heal.
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And so,
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when confronted
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with Jesus'
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difficult words,
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hold on
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to them.
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When they
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show you
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your sin,
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take them
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before God
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in prayer.
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So that's
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the first
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reason,
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then,
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to hold
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on to
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Jesus'
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words because
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they gracefully
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expose our
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sin.
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Now the
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second reason.
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Hold on to
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the words of
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Jesus because
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they are
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your life.
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for 63.
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It is the
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spirit who
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gives life.
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The flesh
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is no help
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at all.
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The words
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that I have
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spoken to
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you are
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spirit and
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life.
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In this
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verse,
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we come to
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the central
14:41
verse of
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the passage,
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the chiastic
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center,
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what some
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have called
14:45
the interpretive
14:46
heart of
14:47
the passage.
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church.
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And Jesus
14:50
really is
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continuing his
14:52
response to
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their offense
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as well as
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expanding on
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the teaching
14:57
of the way
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to life.
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The disciples'
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unbelief had
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blinded them
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to the most
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significant part
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of Jesus'
15:07
teaching.
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Their focus
15:08
on the
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flesh and
15:09
blood imagery
15:10
and the
15:12
idea of
15:13
coming from
15:14
heaven caused
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them to miss
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the entire
15:17
point of
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his message.
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He had been
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showing them
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the way
15:21
one gains
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eternal life
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and that was
15:25
centered in
15:26
him.
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The word
15:28
life is
15:28
mentioned
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directly and
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alluded to
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in various
15:32
ways 25
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times or more
15:34
in this
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chapter alone.
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It speaks
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of never
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hungering,
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never thirsting,
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never being
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cast out,
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being raised
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on the last
15:47
day, never
15:48
dying and
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living forever.
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Now, in
15:54
this passage,
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he adds,
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it is the
15:57
spirit who
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gives life.
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Well, that
16:01
thought echoes
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Ezekiel 37.
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If you remember
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Ezekiel's vision
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of the valley
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of dry bones
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where God
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tells Ezekiel
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to call to
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the corners
16:14
of the earth
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for the
16:16
breath to
16:16
come and
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it did
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and brought
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those bones
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back to
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life.
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And then
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God interprets
16:27
that vision
16:27
for him,
16:28
saying this
16:28
is the
16:29
spirit of
16:29
God and
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the spirit
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breathes
16:32
life into
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the people
16:34
of Israel.
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And then
16:38
again in
16:38
John 3,
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we saw
16:39
that there
16:41
Jesus tells
16:42
Nicodemus,
16:43
you must be
16:44
born of
16:45
the spirit.
16:47
The flesh
16:48
is no help
16:48
at all.
16:50
No amount
16:51
of human
16:51
effort,
16:52
reasoning,
16:53
or religion
16:54
can produce
16:54
eternal life.
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Only the
16:57
spirit can.
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And with
17:00
this word,
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Jesus addresses
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the real
17:04
issue that's
17:06
in the heart
17:06
of man,
17:08
self-reliance.
17:11
D.A.
17:12
Carson
17:12
writes,
17:13
this phrase
17:13
sums up
17:14
the entire
17:15
problem of
17:16
human self-reliance.
17:18
We cannot
17:19
produce
17:20
spiritual life
17:21
through human
17:23
means.
17:24
But notice,
17:26
the spirit
17:26
gives life
17:28
through
17:29
the words
17:31
of Christ.
17:32
the words
17:33
I have
17:33
spoken to
17:34
you
17:34
are spirit
17:36
and life.
17:38
The words
17:39
themselves,
17:40
even the
17:41
difficult
17:42
ones,
17:44
are spirit
17:45
and life.
17:48
Andreas
17:48
Kostenberger
17:49
writes,
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Jesus'
17:52
words are
17:53
spirit because
17:53
they are
17:54
animated
17:55
by his
17:56
spirit
17:56
and communicate
17:58
spiritual
17:59
truth.
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They are
18:01
life
18:01
because
18:02
they
18:03
mediate
18:03
the life
18:05
of the
18:05
kingdom
18:05
to those
18:07
who receive
18:08
them
18:08
by faith.
18:13
J.C.
18:14
Ryle
18:14
adds this,
18:15
the Christ's
18:17
words,
18:18
when received
18:19
and believed,
18:20
quicken the
18:21
soul,
18:21
feed the
18:22
heart,
18:23
and sanctify
18:24
the life.
18:25
life.
18:26
The same
18:28
spirit who
18:28
gave life
18:29
to sinners
18:30
then works
18:32
through the
18:32
word of
18:32
God
18:33
today.
18:35
You cannot
18:36
separate
18:37
spiritual
18:39
vitality
18:40
from the
18:42
word of
18:42
Christ.
18:44
When you
18:45
receive his
18:45
word in
18:46
faith,
18:47
the spirit
18:47
uses it
18:48
to awaken
18:49
and sustain
18:51
life in
18:52
you.
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So,
18:57
what if
18:58
you feel
18:59
spiritually
19:00
dry?
19:03
Don't look
19:04
to something
19:05
novel.
19:07
Don't look
19:07
to the
19:08
wisdom of
19:08
this world.
19:10
Look to
19:11
Christ.
19:12
Go to
19:13
Jesus.
19:13
Hold on
19:14
to his
19:14
words.
19:15
Feed your
19:16
soul on the
19:17
word of
19:17
God because
19:17
his words
19:18
are spirit
19:19
and life.
19:22
Read the
19:23
scriptures daily.
19:24
Meditate on
19:25
them deeply.
19:26
Obey them
19:27
joyfully.
19:30
Someone once
19:31
said,
19:32
if your
19:32
Bible stays
19:32
closed,
19:33
your faith
19:34
will grow
19:35
cold.
19:37
But when
19:38
you feed on
19:38
the word,
19:39
the spirit
19:39
will breathe
19:40
life into
19:41
your soul.
19:43
And I
19:44
believe that's
19:45
what God
19:46
intended when
19:47
he said,
19:48
man shall
19:48
not live
19:49
by bread
19:50
alone,
19:52
but by
19:52
every word
19:53
that proceeds
19:54
from the
19:54
mouth of
19:55
God.
19:57
So,
19:58
hold on
19:59
to Jesus'
20:00
words because
20:01
they expose
20:02
your sin,
20:03
because they
20:04
are your
20:04
life,
20:05
and now
20:05
thirdly,
20:06
hold on
20:07
to the
20:07
words of
20:08
Jesus because
20:09
he holds
20:11
on to
20:12
you.
20:14
But there
20:15
are some
20:15
of you who
20:16
do not
20:16
believe.
20:17
for Jesus
20:18
knew from
20:19
the beginning
20:19
who those
20:20
were who
20:21
did not
20:21
believe,
20:22
and who
20:23
it was
20:23
who would
20:25
betray
20:26
him.
20:28
And he
20:29
said,
20:29
this is why
20:30
I told you
20:31
that no one
20:32
can come to
20:33
me unless
20:34
it is granted
20:35
to him
20:36
by the
20:37
Father.
20:40
After
20:40
this,
20:41
many of
20:42
his disciples
20:43
turned back
20:44
and no
20:45
longer
20:45
walked with
20:45
him.
20:48
Jesus
20:48
states
20:49
plainly
20:49
what we
20:50
have
20:51
assumed
20:52
all along
20:52
that
20:52
there are
20:54
some of
20:54
you
20:55
who do
20:56
not
20:56
believe.
20:58
And John
20:58
comments that
20:59
Jesus knew
21:00
this all
21:01
along.
21:02
And knowing
21:03
this,
21:05
I think it's
21:05
interesting that
21:06
he didn't
21:07
soften his
21:09
message.
21:09
he didn't
21:11
try somehow
21:12
to eliminate
21:13
the
21:14
response,
21:15
the
21:15
offense.
21:19
You see,
21:20
unbelief
21:21
is more
21:22
than doubt.
21:24
It is
21:25
resistance.
21:26
It is
21:26
rebellion
21:27
against the
21:29
truth.
21:31
It's not
21:31
just
21:31
innocent
21:32
doubt.
21:34
It's
21:35
rejection.
21:37
rejection.
21:39
And John's
21:39
gospel
21:40
portrays
21:41
unbelief
21:41
in various
21:42
ways.
21:42
It's the
21:43
rejection
21:43
of the
21:44
light.
21:45
It's the
21:46
love of
21:47
darkness.
21:48
It's
21:48
the
21:50
hardness
21:50
of heart.
21:53
And yet
21:53
Jesus knew
21:54
also
21:55
that this
21:57
unbelief
21:58
would serve
21:59
God's
22:01
plan.
22:02
He knew
22:03
who it
22:04
was
22:05
who would
22:06
betray him.
22:07
God's
22:08
And at
22:11
this point
22:11
we are
22:12
told
22:12
that many
22:16
turned
22:18
away from
22:18
him.
22:19
Unbelief
22:20
results
22:21
in that
22:23
apostasy.
22:27
But Jesus'
22:28
final words
22:29
in the
22:29
section are
22:30
both
22:30
challenging
22:32
and
22:33
confronting
22:33
or comforting.
22:36
Yeah,
22:36
they're both
22:37
that too.
22:39
No one
22:39
can come
22:39
to me
22:40
unless it
22:41
is granted
22:42
him by
22:44
the
22:44
Father.
22:46
These
22:46
words
22:47
are also
22:48
hard words
22:49
for many.
22:52
No man
22:53
can come
22:54
to me
22:55
unless it
22:56
is granted
22:56
him by
22:56
the Father.
22:57
He stated
22:58
that once
22:58
before and
22:58
he's telling
22:59
them that
22:59
this is the
23:00
reason why
23:01
I said it
23:01
before and
23:02
he repeats
23:02
himself.
23:03
And the
23:04
context in
23:05
which he
23:05
said that
23:06
before was
23:06
the grumbling
23:07
of the
23:08
Jews.
23:10
How can
23:11
this man
23:11
give us
23:13
his flesh
23:13
to eat?
23:14
And his
23:15
answer was
23:16
no one
23:18
can come
23:19
to me
23:20
unless the
23:21
Father draws
23:21
him.
23:24
And here he
23:24
says it a little
23:25
different.
23:25
No one can
23:26
come to me
23:26
unless it's
23:27
granted to
23:28
him by the
23:28
Father.
23:29
Now those
23:30
words challenge
23:32
our pride.
23:36
It challenges
23:37
us deeply
23:38
because the
23:39
implication here
23:40
is that it
23:42
really has
23:43
nothing to do
23:43
with you.
23:46
And I have
23:46
to admit that
23:47
this is probably
23:47
one of the
23:48
in the
23:50
what is it
23:52
40 years
23:53
that I've
23:53
been a
23:53
Christian
23:53
probably one
23:54
of the
23:54
most
23:55
difficult
23:57
words I've
23:58
heard people
23:58
complain about
23:59
Christians
24:00
complain about
24:01
this idea
24:02
that no one
24:04
can come
24:05
to him.
24:06
And the
24:07
objection is
24:08
well how
24:09
can God
24:10
not give
24:10
you and
24:11
me a
24:11
choice?
24:14
And that
24:15
is the
24:15
implication
24:15
here that
24:17
these people
24:19
who walked
24:20
away really
24:20
didn't have
24:21
a choice.
24:23
But that's
24:24
not true.
24:25
All it
24:26
says is
24:28
that no
24:29
one can
24:30
come to
24:30
me unless
24:31
it's
24:31
granted to
24:32
him by
24:32
the
24:32
father.
24:34
You see
24:35
these people
24:35
had a
24:36
choice.
24:37
They made
24:38
that choice
24:38
and their
24:39
choice followed
24:40
the natural
24:41
inclinations of
24:42
their unbelieving
24:43
heart.
24:44
God.
24:49
They were
24:50
free to
24:50
choose and
24:51
they chose
24:52
what they
24:53
wanted.
24:55
And it's
24:55
still true
24:56
today.
24:58
To come
24:59
to Christ
25:00
requires more
25:01
than
25:01
a simple
25:05
choice.
25:06
It requires
25:07
the grace
25:08
of God.
25:08
God.
25:09
Because all
25:10
men have
25:11
inherited our
25:13
father's
25:13
Adam's
25:14
nature.
25:17
And that
25:18
nature is a
25:19
nature of
25:20
sin and
25:22
death.
25:23
And it
25:24
takes the
25:25
grace of
25:26
God to
25:27
draw.
25:28
It takes
25:29
the grace
25:30
of God to
25:31
give us
25:33
faith.
25:34
faith.
25:35
In fact
25:36
that is
25:36
the
25:37
implication
25:38
of what
25:38
Jesus had
25:39
said earlier
25:39
as well.
25:45
I didn't
25:45
write this
25:46
down but I
25:46
have to
25:46
read it.
25:49
So let
25:49
me look
25:49
for it.
25:58
In
25:59
verse 35
25:59
Jesus
26:00
says
26:00
I
26:03
am the
26:04
bread of
26:04
life.
26:05
Whoever
26:06
comes to
26:07
me
26:07
shall not
26:08
hunger.
26:09
And whoever
26:10
believes in
26:11
me
26:11
shall never
26:12
thirst.
26:15
Now this
26:16
is an
26:16
example in
26:17
Greek of
26:18
a Hebrew
26:19
parallel
26:19
ism.
26:22
And it's a
26:23
synonymous
26:23
parallel.
26:25
It says
26:26
two things
26:27
that are
26:28
basically the
26:28
same.
26:29
One
26:29
whoever
26:30
comes to
26:31
me
26:31
shall not
26:32
hunger.
26:33
And two
26:33
whoever
26:34
believes in
26:35
me
26:35
shall
26:36
never
26:36
thirst.
26:40
The
26:40
parallels
26:41
are
26:41
come to
26:43
me and
26:43
believe in
26:44
me.
26:45
And
26:46
shall not
26:47
hunger
26:47
and never
26:49
thirst.
26:49
Both
26:50
references
26:51
to life.
26:51
God
26:53
and the
26:55
implication
26:56
there is
26:56
that
26:57
coming to
26:57
Christ
26:58
is the
26:58
same
26:59
as
26:59
believing
27:00
in
27:00
me.
27:03
And so
27:04
when we
27:04
read
27:05
this
27:06
chapter
27:06
here or
27:07
this
27:07
verse
27:08
here
27:08
where
27:09
Jesus
27:10
emphasizes
27:11
at this
27:11
critical
27:12
point of
27:12
a crisis
27:13
of faith
27:14
where he
27:14
could have
27:14
said
27:14
anything.
27:15
He could
27:15
have tried
27:16
to soften
27:16
his
27:16
message.
27:17
He could
27:17
have
27:17
tried
27:18
to
27:18
encourage
27:20
them to
27:21
faith
27:22
somehow.
27:23
He
27:23
basically
27:23
concluded
27:24
that
27:25
no one
27:27
can
27:27
come
27:28
to me
27:29
believe.
27:30
In other
27:31
words
27:31
believe
27:33
unless
27:34
it is
27:35
granted
27:35
him
27:36
by the
27:37
father.
27:40
Definitely
27:41
hard
27:41
words
27:42
but the
27:44
word of
27:44
God.
27:46
These
27:46
words
27:46
challenge
27:47
our
27:47
pride.
27:48
They
27:48
remind
27:48
us
27:49
though
27:49
that
27:50
salvation
27:51
is by
27:52
grace
27:52
alone.
27:54
And
27:54
they bring
27:55
us
27:55
comfort
27:55
assuring
27:57
us that
27:58
those to
27:58
whom the
27:59
father
27:59
draws
28:00
Jesus
28:01
will
28:01
never
28:02
lose.
28:04
That's
28:05
the
28:05
assurance
28:05
we have
28:06
verses
28:06
37
28:07
through
28:07
39.
28:09
All
28:09
that
28:09
the
28:09
father
28:09
gives
28:10
me
28:10
will
28:10
come
28:10
to
28:11
me
28:11
and
28:11
whoever
28:11
comes
28:12
to
28:12
me
28:12
I
28:12
will
28:12
never
28:13
cast
28:14
out.
28:15
This
28:15
is
28:15
the
28:16
will
28:16
of
28:16
him
28:16
who
28:16
sent
28:17
me
28:17
that
28:18
I
28:18
should
28:18
lose
28:19
nothing
28:19
of
28:20
all
28:20
that
28:20
he
28:20
has
28:21
given
28:21
me
28:21
but
28:22
raise
28:22
it
28:23
up
28:23
on
28:24
the
28:24
last
28:24
day.
28:27
This
28:27
is
28:28
why we
28:28
need to
28:28
hold
28:28
on
28:29
to
28:30
Christ's
28:30
words.
28:32
One of
28:33
my
28:33
favorite
28:33
psalms
28:34
is in
28:34
is
28:35
psalm
28:35
63
28:36
and
28:36
one of
28:36
my
28:39
favorite
28:39
verses
28:39
in that
28:40
psalm
28:41
my
28:41
soul
28:42
clings
28:43
to
28:43
you
28:43
your
28:45
right
28:45
hand
28:45
upholds
28:46
me.
28:50
Two
28:50
sides
28:51
of the
28:51
coin
28:51
my
28:51
soul
28:52
clings
28:52
to
28:53
you
28:53
your
28:53
right
28:54
hand
28:54
upholds
28:55
me.
28:58
Over
28:59
quite a
29:02
few years
29:02
now I've
29:03
had the
29:03
privilege of
29:04
holding
29:04
many
29:04
babies
29:05
in my
29:06
arm
29:06
14
29:08
of my
29:08
own
29:09
children
29:09
29
29:11
of my
29:12
own
29:12
grandchildren
29:13
plus
29:15
many
29:15
others
29:15
and I
29:18
learned
29:19
early
29:19
that
29:20
babies
29:22
have
29:23
and
29:25
Renee
29:25
tried to
29:26
tell me
29:26
it was
29:26
something
29:26
about a
29:27
moral
29:28
or
29:28
palmer
29:29
reflex
29:29
and she
29:30
wasn't
29:30
sure which
29:31
one it
29:31
was in
29:32
this
29:32
case
29:32
but
29:33
they
29:35
have
29:35
this
29:35
reflex
29:35
so that
29:36
when
29:36
you're
29:36
holding
29:37
them
29:37
and
29:38
if
29:38
you
29:38
were
29:38
walking
29:39
and
29:39
stumbled
29:39
a little
29:40
bit
29:40
they
29:41
would
29:42
react
29:43
and I
29:44
remember
29:45
one time
29:45
specifically
29:46
when one
29:47
of
29:47
my
29:48
children
29:50
were
29:51
holding
29:52
onto my
29:53
hand
29:53
while I
29:54
was
29:54
walking
29:54
and I
29:55
did
29:55
sort of
29:56
release
29:56
my grip
29:57
a little
29:57
bit
29:58
and I
29:58
felt
29:58
a strong
29:59
little
30:01
finger
30:02
hand
30:03
grabbing
30:04
onto
30:04
my
30:04
finger
30:05
and it
30:06
was a
30:06
it was
30:07
a great
30:07
feeling
30:08
to experience
30:08
that
30:09
and
30:11
and
30:15
I
30:15
realized
30:16
that if
30:19
I were
30:19
to slip
30:20
and release
30:21
that grip
30:22
would never
30:23
have held
30:24
that baby
30:24
there was
30:27
just no
30:27
way
30:28
but
30:30
he gripped
30:31
anyway
30:32
he gripped
30:33
because
30:33
that's
30:34
what he
30:35
needed
30:36
and this
30:38
verse
30:39
reminds me
30:41
so much
30:42
of that
30:42
experience
30:43
my soul
30:44
clings
30:45
to you
30:45
your
30:47
right hand
30:48
holds
30:50
me
30:51
take
30:54
heart
30:55
if you
30:55
belong to
30:56
Jesus
30:56
he will
30:57
not let
30:58
go
30:58
you
31:00
might
31:00
feel
31:01
weak
31:01
your
31:02
grip
31:02
might
31:02
slip
31:03
but
31:04
his
31:05
grip
31:05
never
31:06
does
31:06
when
31:09
others
31:09
walk
31:09
away
31:10
don't
31:11
interpret
31:12
that as
31:12
a failure
31:13
of the
31:13
gospel
31:13
it's a
31:15
an exposure
31:16
of
31:17
unbelief
31:18
when
31:20
you
31:20
abide
31:20
when
31:21
you
31:21
keep
31:23
holding
31:23
on
31:24
remember
31:26
it's
31:27
because
31:27
the
31:27
father
31:28
the
31:29
spirit
31:30
and
31:30
the
31:30
son
31:31
are
31:32
holding
31:32
on
31:32
to
31:33
you
31:33
so
31:35
what
31:36
is
31:36
Jesus
31:36
saying
31:36
through
31:37
this
31:37
passage
31:37
hold
31:40
on
31:40
to
31:40
my
31:40
words
31:41
even
31:42
when
31:42
they're
31:42
hard
31:43
when
31:44
they're
31:45
hard
31:45
they
31:45
reveal
31:45
truth
31:46
expose
31:46
!
31:46
sin
31:47
and
31:47
point
31:47
you
31:47
to
31:47
grace
31:48
hold
31:49
on
31:50
to
31:50
them
31:50
because
31:50
they
31:51
are
31:51
your
31:51
life
31:51
the
31:52
spirit
31:53
breathes
31:53
through
31:53
them
31:54
hold
31:55
on
31:55
to
31:55
them
31:55
because
31:55
I
31:56
am
31:56
holding
31:56
on
31:56
to
31:57
you
31:57
my
31:58
grip
31:59
is
31:59
stronger
32:00
than
32:00
your
32:01
weakness
32:01
when
32:04
others
32:04
walk
32:04
away
32:05
and
32:06
many
32:06
will
32:07
remember
32:09
what
32:09
Jesus
32:09
says
32:10
he
32:13
wants
32:13
you
32:14
to
32:14
endure
32:14
well
32:15
when
32:17
truth
32:18
offends
32:18
listen
32:19
when
32:20
faith
32:21
feels
32:21
weak
32:22
rest
32:22
in
32:23
his
32:23
strength
32:24
because
32:25
the
32:25
very
32:25
words
32:26
that
32:27
once
32:27
seemed
32:27
hard
32:28
are
32:29
the
32:29
words
32:30
that
32:30
give
32:31
you
32:31
life
32:31
hold
32:33
on
32:34
cherish
32:35
!
32:35
Cling!
32:37
Rely
32:37
on!
32:38
Never
32:39
let
32:39
them
32:40
go!
32:42
Let's
32:43
pray
32:43
together!