Bible Text: Hebrews 1:1-3 | Preacher: Pastor Mike | Series: Christmas Topical

12.24.17 ~ Hebrews 1:1-3, “God’s Final Message Proclaimed!”

Christmas celebrates God’s greatest Gift to the world, but God’s gift (Jesus Christ) was not fully understood or appreciated until He died on the Cross, as payment for our sins, was buried in a tomb and three days later He sovereignly rose from the grave.

About 2700 years ago, two of God’s prophets (Isaiah and Micah) wrote about the future birth of a male child, to a virgin, in Bethlehem, in Judea; this child would be called Immanuel, for He was God in human flesh; He would be given the name Jesus, because He would save us from our sins.
Micah 5:2, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me One who will be Ruler over Israel, Whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Isaiah 7:14, “The Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and will call Him Immanuel [God with us].”
Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, the government will be on His shoulders. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 53:4-7, “Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.”
Isaiah 53:11-12 After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied… because He poured out His life unto death… He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors [sinners].”
Read Hebrews 1:1-3… God repeatedly announced to the world the coming of His Son (Hebrews 1:1), “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,” i.e., God used different people, languages, places, events, ceremonies, and covenants to present His plan, purpose and provision through His Son, Jesus, the Christ, Lord and Savior.

Hebrews 1:2a says, “in these last days [God] has spoken to us by his Son.” God has fully revealed all we need to know and do, in response to His greatest gift, His Own Son (no more signs, cf. Matthew 12:38-40).

Jesus’ birth happened just as God announced through the prophets, everything being made ready for the advent of God’s Son, at just the right time (Galatians 4:4-5), “when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”

Politically – Rome as the world Ruler, had provided good roads and a time of relative peace, allowing safe travel throughout its territories. The message of Christ could now be taken to the rest of the world.

Culturally – The world’s people were more educated and unified then at any other time in history, and Koine Greek (the basic dialect of the Roman Empire) was common in most of the world at that time; it also happened to be the language that the New Testament would be written in.

Spiritually – The world was more accepting of different religious beliefs, philosophies and practices; and the Jews had a renewed interest in the OT Scriptures that pointed to Immanuel, the Savior who would come to us in human flesh.

Israel had long waited for its Messiah; repeatedly God had announced His coming, giving special details about His arrival, and then delivering Him just as He had said it would happen (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2).

Last week, in Luke 2, we read how only a small group of shepherds came to look upon and worship the Savior.

Jesus was raised in obscurity, but Luke 2:52 tells us, “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Luke 3:22 records that when Jesus was baptized at he Jordan River by John, God declared from heaven, “You are My Son, whom I love, with You I am well pleased.”

Soon afterwards, Jesus began His mission, and was rejected in His own hometown (see Luke 4:16-22, cf. Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:28-30)

Hebrews 1:2b, says God appointed His Son to be “heir of all things,” and through Him the universe was made, for Jesus, is both Lord and Creator of all. Colossians 1:16, “For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.”

In Revelation 5, God is pictured sitting on His throne in heaven, with a scroll in His hand, the deed to the earth, the heavens, and all they contain, but it seems no one has the authority to take the scroll and open it, but then we read:
vv. 5-7, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne… He came and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.” At that point a new song is sung in heaven (v. 9) “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

Jesus came (Colossians 1:20), “to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.” God’s plan was to provide forgiveness for sins through the shed blood of His Son (cf. Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 8:1).

Hebrews 1:3a… Christ is “the radiance of God’s glory” (lit. “brightness”) meaning Jesus is the Light of God, sent to mankind. “Light” is the revelation that brings “Life from God” to all who are being saved.
1John 1:5, “This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.”

Revelation 21:22-23 tells us that in the future, the Lamb of God will light the universe, there will be no need for sun or moon or stars, and there will be no more darkness, no more night, nothing offensive to God.
Hebrews 1:3b… Christ is “the exact representation [icon or imprint] of God,” (cf. Colossians 1:15), “He is the image [exact representation] of the invisible

God,” (Colossians 2:9), “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”

Jesus is the express image of God [Immanuel-God with us] and without Him we could not be exposed to nor could we recognize God’s light.
John 1:1-2, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” 4-5, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood [overcome or comprehended] it.”

John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Hebrews 1:3c… God’s Son is “sustaining [upholding or maintaining] all things by His powerful word,” by which, He created the heavens and all that is in them, which includes the earth upon which we live, which just happens to be placed the right distance from the moon and the sun (so that we don’t freeze solid or burn up), the earth’s tilt of precisely 23.5 degrees allows its whole surface to receive the suns rays, as the earth rotates at 1,000 mph, making one complete revolution every 24 hours; and at the same time it is traveling 67,000 mph, as it makes a full orbit around the sun every 365 days.

All this happened by coincidence, evolution, or some other random circumstance. Right!

Thank God for the provision of His Son (Colossians 1:17), “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
Hebrews 1:3d… “God’s Son provided purification for sins then He sat down at the right hand of the Father.” Wow! Jesus Christ fulfilled His sovereign work by taking the punishment for our sins, upon Himself. He did this (Hebrews 9:12), “once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Jesus was born in a stable and raised in obscurity; He fed and healed the multitudes, was put to death on a cross, and on the third day He rose from the grave, after which He showed Himself to His followers over a period of 40 days, then He ascended back into heaven, to the highest place of honor, having (Hebrews 10:12) “offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.”

700 years after Isaiah and Micah foretold it, a young woman, named Mary, said to be a virgin, gave birth to a boy in Bethlehem, in Judea, just like Isaiah and Micah had said: the baby was named Jesus (God’s Salvation), and was called Immanuel (God with us); He was the fullness of God in human flesh for the purpose of being the Savior to all who would believe in Him.

The full and final message from God is Jesus, God’s indescribable Gift: Christ is the LORD of Lords, the KING of Kings, Creator, Sustainer, Judge over all, and Savior to everyone who genuinely believes and trusts in Him.

God’s plan was to provide forgiveness for sins through the shed blood of His own Son, to all those who repent of sin and confess Him as Lord, that we might live with Him in heaven, forever to be in the presence of the Lamb of God, the One born for the purpose of dying for our sins, the very Life and Light of God, Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:8, “’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” 17-18, ”I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
1John 5:11-13, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may
know that you have eternal life.”

If you have believed in and received Jesus as Lord, you are able to celebrate Christmas; if you have never repented of your sins, confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in Him as Savior, why haven’t you? I mean, really? What do you have to lose?

Is there any good reason not to believe in God’s Son for salvation? Why not do that right now? Simply acknowledge that you are a sinner, ask God to forgive your sins. He turns no one away!

The reason for the season is Jesus, please, don’t reject God’s Marvelous Gift!

Christmas is in recognition and worship of God’s magnificent, indescribable, irrevocable, supernatural, and eternal Gift: Jesus Christ, the Lord of all and Savior to everyone who genuinely believes.

It is because of Jesus that we celebrate Christmas! And so, it is my great joy to wish all of you a Merry Christmas!

Pastor Mike <‘(((><

Bible Text: 12.17.17~God’s Peace Provided | Preacher: Pastor Mike | Series: Christmas Topical

12.17.17 ~ God’s Peace Provided!

Eight days from today, many of us, I hope most of us, will celebrate Christmas in a manner that brings honor and praise to God’s Son, Jesus, the Christ.

Sadly enough, most of the world’s 7 billion people will not acknowledge the birth of the Savior; and much like that first Christmas, 2000 years ago in Bethlehem, the majority of the world’s people won’t give attention to Immanuel; but instead, they will either reject or neglect God’s Son. It is indeed a joy for me, today, to be among many who do believe in and have received God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Read Luke 2:10-18… The shepherds are given a divine message that the Savior has been born in Bethlehem and will be found lying in a manger, so they hurried off to see this marvelous thing God had told them about; after which, the shepherds went about telling everyone they met what they had seen and heard.

How about you? Have you taken time this season to share the marvelous message of Christ’s coming? Or have you been too stressed out with your own personal or family issues? Maybe you have gotten so caught up in the celebration of the season, that you have not taken the time or opportunity to tell someone about God’s greatest gift – His own Son’s sacrifice for our sins.

Until we die, or Christ returns, we are to be His witnesses, telling others how God came to earth, paid the penalty for our sins and provided the only way we can receive forgiveness and eternal life.

The first time Jesus came, He came as a baby, born to a virgin, in a place where animals were sheltered; and only a few came to worship Him; for God chose, from all the earth’s inhabitants, a small group of shepherds, to witness the Savior’s birth.

Jesus fulfilled God’s sovereign and eternal purpose, just as the prophets foretold; and although only a few shepherds witnessed His first coming, as a baby boy; later, some of His disciples witnessed His death, His resurrection and His departure back into heaven; but His return will be a worldwide event (Revelation 1:7), “Look, He is coming in the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth (unbelievers) will mourn because of Him [i.e., they will realize their guilt for sin, and fear the coming judgment]. So shall it be. Amen.”

Jesus came first time as a baby boy, He will return as King, Judge, and Lord over All (Philippians 2:10-11), “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

The Christ child was God’s once for all and forever provision of forgiveness and eternal life. In Jesus, God lived among us, died for our sins, and then rose from the grave by His own power and authority, just like He said that He would (see Luke 24:45-48).

Isaiah 9:6a announces, “For to us a Child is born,” (cf. Matthew 1:18, 22-23). Jesus began life like all humans, conceived in the womb of a woman.

Isaiah 9:6b declares, “to us a Son is given,” (cf. Luke 2:4-7, 11). The Son of God came in the body of a human baby boy. More than any other title for Himself, Jesus used “Son of Man,” for He loved humanity.

Isaiah 9:6c foretells that, “the government will be upon His
shoulders,” (cf. Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 19:15-16). The Son of God will one day serve as King of earth, the government of the whole world will rest upon Him; but, eternally, only those who trust Him as Savior and confess Him as Lord, are part of His heavenly and eternal kingdom.

Isaiah presents some marvelous names/designations for this Child who was born, this Son who was given to ultimately rule all that is in the universe, all of creation.

Isaiah 9:6d… “He will be called Wonderful [Supernatural] Counselor.” Isaiah 28:29, “the LORD of Hosts has made His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great.” (cf. John 14:16-17, 25-26; 16:8-9).

Jesus encountered beggars, kings, maidservants, soldiers, blind men, children, religious leaders, paralytics, fishermen, lepers, dead people – and to each one Jesus spoke the supernatural words and divine wisdom of God, always saying just the right thing (cf. Mark 1:21-22).

Only God’s Word makes sense out of life’s confusion and chaos, only God’s Son provides strength for today, hope for tomorrow and life for eternity.

Most of the world’s people turn to psychiatrists, therapists, philosophers, astrologers, and a variety of other so-called experts, instead of turning to God. Isaiah 9:6e… “Mighty God” (cf. Deuteronomy 10:17; Revelation 1:8,

17-18). God forgives sin, answers prayer, heals broken hearts, defeats Satan, and brings order and purpose to our lives; all this, while preparing eternity for those who are His (Revelation 22:12-13).

Isaiah 9:6f… “Everlasting Father,” [Father of Eternity] Isaiah 63:16, “You, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is Your name.” (cf. Micah 5:2; John 1:1-2; 10:30; 14:1, 6-7; 18-21).

God the Son has made God the Father known to us; for He is the Eternal and Almighty Creator, and yet only Christians can call Him “Father,” for only through Christ do we become God’s children, inheritors of eternal life.

Isaiah 9:6g… “Prince of Peace,” (cf. Luke 2:14; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:13-14a; Philippians 4:6-7). Jesus is God’s peace to all who believe and confess Him as Lord. God places Peace in our hearts through His own Son.

Christmas is about a male baby given the name Jesus, born in Bethlehem to a virgin, named Mary. This child was God in the flesh, God’s Salvation come to earth. He was raised in obscurity in and around Galilee and would later travel throughout Palestine, the length and width of Israel (for about 3 1/2 years), comforting the

broken hearted, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, speech to the mute, hearing to the deaf, raising the dead, and most importantly, proclaiming God’s wonderful message of forgiveness to all who would believe in God’s Son.

At the end of His ministry of teaching, healing and feeding the multitudes, He went to the cross and laid down His life for our sins; three days later He rose from the grave, appeared to many over 40 days, then He ascended back into heaven, as His disciples watched.

As we celebrate Christmas, we proclaim that God sent His One and Only Son to earth to save us, providing for and protecting us as His dearly loved children, that we might be His witnesses. He is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

There is no love, no hope, no peace, no joy, no forgiveness and no eternal life, apart from Him. Jesus is the Reason for the Season, God’s Greatest Gift to us. Luke 2:11, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.”

If you have never asked God to forgive your sins, do it right now, freely receive God’s gift, forgiveness for sins and eternal life, all this through His Son, Jesus Christ.

There is no other way for you to know, experience and be able to tell others, the real meaning of Christmas.

Let us, be like those first shepherds, who (Luke 2:15-18), “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

Pastor Mike <‘(((><

Preacher: Pastor Mike

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that

whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
God’s greatest expression of love for us is the giving of His own Son, as a

sacrifice for our sinfulness.
About 2700 years ago, two of God’s prophets wrote about the future birth of a

male child to a virgin, in Bethlehem, in Judea.
Isaiah 7:14, “The Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

Micah 5:2, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me One who will be Ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. ”

About 700 years after these prophecies were made, a young woman, said to be a virgin, gave birth to a male child in Bethlehem, in Judea.

The baby was given the name Jesus and He was called Immanuel [God with us]. This child would be the source of salvation for all mankind, the fullness of God in human flesh, just as God had told the world ahead of time, so people would believe and trust in God’s Son, Jesus, the Christ [Messiah], for salvation.

Some Rabbis, long before the birth of Jesus, wrote,“The Messiah is to have no earthy father. The birth of the Messiah will be like that of no other man.”

In Genesis 2:7, the first man, Adam, was formed out of the dirt of the ground by the hands of God, then life was breathed into him by the mouth of God. God then formed Eve, from some of Adam’s own flesh, and brought her to Adam as a suitable helpmate, perfect for him.

All humans since Adam and Eve have been born of a man and a woman, that is, all but One!

Read Matthew 1:18-21… Notice, Mary was pregnant “before [she and Joseph) came together” (before they had a sexual relationship), i.e., Mary was a virgin when she became pregnant with Jesus, her conception by the Holy Spirit is a great and marvelous mystery.

Joseph was a good man and a devout worshipper of God, he clearly did not want to publicly expose Mary, in what appeared to be a “sinful condition” [being pregnant out of wedlock = adultery = stoning], so Joseph considered how he might “put her away quietly,” i.e., divorce her, and send her away to safety.

While Joseph was struggling with this situation, verse 20 tells us an angel came to him in a dream declaring that Mary’s pregnancy was from God; and in fact, verse 21 tells us that Mary will have a son and Joseph (although he is not the biological father of Jesus) will have the responsibility to give her baby the name God had told them.

The name Jesus [Yeshua] means “Jehovah saves” or “God’s salvation,” God’s Son was sent to earth as Savior of the whole world, and Joseph was divinely chosen

to raise Him as his very own son. Interestingly enough, Jesus is never called the son of Joseph (see Matthew 1:16), and Joseph is never called the father of Jesus (see Luke 3:23).
Matthew 1:22-23… The virgin birth was predicted in the OT “All this” (verse 22) refers to the specific facts spoken through Isaiah and Micah; the greatest being that the mother of God’s Son would be a virgin, the Father is God Himself.

When God made Adam He commanded him (Genesis 2:17), “not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

We know what happened (Genesis 3:6), Adam and Eve ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, bringing sin’s consequences upon them and all of mankind.

In Genesis 3:7-19, Adam blames Eve, she blames the serpent, God (vv. 14-15) curses the serpent, saying He will put enmity [hostility] between the offspring of the serpent and a certain male offspring of the woman’s seed, who will crush the serpent’s head.

God makes it clear throughout the OT, that the Savior of the world, the Messiah, would be born to a woman who was an ancestor of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and King David.
Isaiah 53:5-8 tells us God’s punishment for sin would be placed upon the Messiah/ Christ, who would be pierced for our sins; He would sovereignly be led like a lamb to the slaughter, being put to death as payment for our sins.

See Luke 1:26–2:19… Mary treasured up all that had happened: the angel’s announcement, Joseph’s response to her pregnancy, Elizabeth’s greeting, the shepherds proclamation of the Savior being born in Bethlehem; quite a bit for a teenage girl to consider, yet there was more.

See Luke 2:25-35… Mary had birthed God’s Son, she would raise Him and love Him, knowing that through Him salvation was made available to the whole world, by His death on a cross at the hands of evil men (pierced, verse 35; cf John 19:26-35).

In John 1:29, seeing Jesus coming toward him, John said, “Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Philippians 2:5-11 tells us, through Jesus Christ, God put on flesh, that He might go to the cross and die for us.

Hebrews 9:15 tells us that Christ “died as a ransom to set [us] free” from the penalty we deserve for our sin; verse 22 declares “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness,” and for that reason verse 26 says, “[Christ] has appeared once for all to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself,” verse 28 says, “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people” (most people will not receive His forgiveness).

Hebrews 10:4 declares, “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” [therefore], (verse 10) “We have been made holy through the sacrifice

of the body of Jesus Christ once for all,” (verse 14) “by the one sacrifice [God] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy,” (verse 17), quoting from (Jeremiah 31:34) says, “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more”. Romans 4:25, “He (Jesus Christ) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

This child (God’s One and Only Son) was born to die, but He could not be kept in the grave because He is God.
Revelation 1:8, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” 18, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

There is not a more important message for you and I to share with those we love and care about.

Jesus is the Lamb of God, sent to die for our sins, to set us free from the penalty and punishment of an eternal hell; granting us forgiveness and eternal life in Christ. John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”

This male baby born in Bethlehem, in Judea, over 2000 years ago, was given the name Jesus and called Immanuel; He grew up and was put to death on a cross, only to rise from the grave on the third day; He is God’s Son, Savior of the world, to Whom every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.

Have You done that?
What about those you love and care about? Do they know the Good News?
The Savior has come, and everyone who repents of their sin and believes in Him

will be forgiven and will receive eternal life, ultimately to live in heaven with God.

Pastor Mike >‘(((><

Preacher: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: Thanksgiving

11.26.17 ~ Ephesians 1:1-6, “The Reason for THANKS-GIVING.”

Read Ephesians 1:1-3… God doesn’t necessarily bless His children with good looks, intelligence, health, wealth, or long life here on earth; but He does provide us with every spiritual blessing in Christ, i.e., everything we need to know Him, love Him, trust Him and serve Him while enjoying life on this earth, as we wait to go to heaven to be with Him forever (see 1Peter 1:3-5).

If you are a Christian, you belong to God and your eternal home is in heaven, but you are on temporary duty assignment here on earth (cf. 1Peter 2:11-12).

The phrase “Inhabitants of the earth,” used 7 times in the Book of Revelation, refers to those (Revelation 17:8), “whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world…” These are people who will never come to God’s Son as Lord and Savior.

At the present time it appears that the inhabitants of the earth (the unbelieving majority) have more wealth and influence then God’s people; but God has blessed His people with wisdom, power and eternity with Him.
Ecclesiastes 2:26, “To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.”

God doesn’t choose wise, strong, rich, handsome, or influential people, to serve Him; instead, He chooses regular people like you and me, people who are forever changed by Christ, people who will testify to the world how the holy and almighty God of Creation is reconciling lost sinners to Himself (see 1Corinthians 1:18, 26-31; 2Corinthians 5:17-21).

As a Christian you have everything you need to serve God victoriously, as you grow in a personal and eternal relationship with Him, through Christ (see 2Peter 1:3-4).

If you have never trusted Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and save your soul, please consider it as we study the Scriptures together today.
Read Ephesians 1:4-6… It is not my intention today to try to settle the issue of God’s sovereignty vs. human responsibility; but I do want to cite what the Scriptures clearly declare about believing in Jesus Christ, for which we are thankful.

God is sovereign and has given man free will to obey or disobey God’s commands; those who reject His Son will be condemned, those who believe in and receive Him will be saved (see John 1:11-13; 3:16-18; 14:6; Acts 2:21; 4:12; Romans 10:9-10, 13).
Revelation 1:8, “’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” 18, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

Notice again (Ephesians 1:4-6), God has sovereignly determined that people from every nation and tongue will believe in His Son. In fact, God chose us before there were any people on the earth.

The Greek word for “chose” infers that the One making the choice is selecting a small number out of a larger number for a specific purpose. God is the Creator, Savior, Sustainer and Judge over All for Eternity, and He has sovereignly determined that out of all those who have and/or will live on this earth, He would set apart a people of His own for the purpose of knowing Him intimately.

God predestined us (all Christians) to be saved and adopted into His eternal family, that we might be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus. The word “predestined” means “to mark out ahead of time,” to “predetermine” some who would belong to God.

It is sovereignly God who has determined (9 times the pronouns He, Him, and His are used to express God’s divine act in choosing) those who would be saved and set apart for His intended purpose, to glorify God.

Before Adam and Eve were created, God determined to have for Himself, out of all those who would be born on earth, a people of His very own, a people who would become His children and recipients of His unconditional and eternal love expressed in and through Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures are very clear that God has predestined a people to be set apart for salvation, and to live with Him forever in heaven; but do the Scriptures also teach that God has sovereignly set apart a people to be lost and separated from His love, condemned to an eternal hell?

No! Again, I say emphatically, “No!” The Scriptures do not promote any such teaching or imply that God has set apart a person or a group of persons to be “marked out ahead of time,” specifically for condemnation, to spend eternity apart from God in a place of torment.

However, the Scriptures do repeatedly instruct (1Timothy 2:3-4) that, “God our Savior wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”; and (2Peter 3:9) that, “[God] is patient not wanting anyone to perish, but for everyone to come to repentance.”

God has not predetermined that anyone go to Hell; but instead, He has sovereignly determined that some will spend eternity in heaven with Him.

And all this (Ephesians 1:6), “is to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves,” Jesus Christ: God’s Son, Savior and Lord.

God is, by His very nature, loving, merciful and gracious, blessing those who obey Him; but God is also just, holy and righteous, and must therefore render judgment and bring punishment upon all those who disobey Him, those who reject His Son.

By His own pleasure and will, God sovereignly determined that He would have a people of His very own, a people who will love, praise and honor Him.
Titus 2:11-14, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self- controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for ‘Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.’”

Question: What is the Biblical definition for good? Answer: Anything and everything that pleases God.

God is sovereign in salvation, yet He holds every person responsible for their response to Jesus Christ.

The greatest reason in all the world for giving thanks, is this: Although we are all sinners, unacceptable to God, He loves us so much that He sent His Own Son to take our punishment for sin and to provide forgiveness and eternal life to anyone, to everyone, who will believe in and receive Him as Savior and Lord.

No wonder Paul exhorts us (1Thessalonians 5:17-18), “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1John 5:11-13, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

If you know that you have eternal life, you are indeed thankful; but even if you don’t know for sure that you have received forgiveness for sins and eternal life, you can ask God right now, to save you; He turns no one away, and for that, even those who don’t believe in Him can be very very thankful!

Pastor Mike >‘(((><

Preacher: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: John

Read John 6:56-59… Jesus was speaking to a mostly unbelieving audience; so He used some very poignant and offensive metaphors to confront those who only wanted to see miracles and to receive earthly benefits from Jesus, continuing to reject Him as Messiah.
Read John 6:60-66… Notice their response to Jesus (verse 60), “This is a hard teaching [difficult statement]. Who can accept [listen to] it?” As we studied last week, Jesus is basically telling them that they must make a decision to commit to Him; for apart from believing in Him, there is no forgiveness, no salvation, no one will be made acceptable to God.
Jesus challenges their comfort zone, i.e., if what He has already said offends them (verse 58), that He came down from heaven; what He is telling them now is really going to upset them, (verse 61) that He will go back into heaven to be with the Father, where He was before He came down to earth.
These people are already upset with the metaphors He has been using (eating bread that came down from heaven, eating His flesh, drinking His blood), and now (verse 63) He tells them these are only symbols, that the priority is the spiritual meaning of the words He has spoken, not literal bread, flesh and blood.
The priority work of God (verse 64), is and has always been to believe in the One who came from the Father full of grace and truth, Jesus, God’s Son.
Numerous times in John’s gospel, already, we have noted the people’s inability or unwillingness to grasp spiritual truth (see 2:13-22; 3:1-8; 4:7-15).
In chapter 6 Jesus uses difficult and hard metaphors: His flesh, His blood, and Himself as the bread that came down from heaven. Jesus does this to separate those who genuinely believe in Him from those who do not!
Verse 65 makes it clear that genuine saving faith is the work of the Father Who draws true believers to Christ.
For a person to be in the crowd among those who witnessed miraculous healings or were fed a supernatural meal, does not equate to saving faith, e.g., going to church, having a Bible, or teaching a kid’s Sunday school class, by itself, is not evidence of salvation.
Look again at verse 66… Many of those who had been “following” Jesus, turned away and no longer walked with Him, i.e., they never really believed in Him.
1John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.”
What appears to be irreconcilable tension between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility is found throughout the Scriptures; God’s desire is (cf. 1Timothy 2:3-4; 2Peter 3:9) for all people to be saved and for none to perish; but (cf. John 3:36; Acts 2:21) whoever rejects God’s Son will be eternally condemned, while everyone who calls on Him for forgiveness, believing in Him, will be saved.

Read John 6:67-69… This is the first time John uses the designation of “the Twelve” to speak of the disciples. It would seem that the majority of those following Christ leave Him at this time, and so Jesus asks the Twelve if they also want to leave Him.
Peter responds, “where would we go Lord,” “to whom could we possibly go?” “You alone are the means of eternal life, for You are the Holy One of God.”
You can sense Peter pondering something like, “Your words speak to our hearts as well as our minds. No one does miracles like You, and no one speaks with authority about the things of earth and the things of heaven, about the present and the future, the way you do.”
Notice, in verse 69, Peter says “we” believe and have come to know that You are the Son of God.
Read John 6:70-71… Jesus sovereignly chose the Twelve, knowing that Judas Iscariot, would betray Him.
Jesus knew the enemy of God, the devil, would use one of those who was close to Him, one who had been taught by God’s Son, one who witnessed the same miracles and enjoyed the same small group fellowship with Christ that the other eleven experienced; and yet, this one, right in their midst, was “a devil!”
Note: When we get to John 13 we will study much more about Judas and his betrayal of Jesus, along with the prophecies that predicted his treachery
God chose Judas, knowing that he would betray Christ, and that he would aid bringing about Christ’s death, by which we receive forgiveness for our sins.
Jesus had twelve core disciples, Judas was one of that small number who were very close to Christ; and yet, although Judas posed as a believer and follower of Jesus, he never really embraced Christ as Lord, let alone as Savior.
As far as the biblical record goes, none of the other eleven disciples ever suspected him; he was a skilled imposter who fooled everyone except Jesus, who of course knew his heart.
We should take note that whenever God’s work is being done, there will most likely be imposters, hypocrites, like Judas, among the flock of God. Satan often disguises his servants (sons and daughters of disobedience), so that they (2Corinthians 11:15), “masquerade as servants of righteousness.
1Peter 5:8, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
1Peter 4:7-11, “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self- controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

Pastor Mike <‘(((><

Bible Text: John 6:51-59 | Preacher: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: John

Read John 6:51-59… Jesus is teaching at the synagogue in Capernaum,

where He and the disciples arrived after a very long night. The people He fed the day before on the mountain are seeking more free food, physical food!

Jesus says, “I Am the Living Bread!” This is the 5th time in chapter 6 that Jesus claims to be the living [or true] bread [of God] that came down out of heaven (cf. verses 33, 35, 48, 50, 51).

In verse 33 we are told the bread of God [the bread out of heaven] “gives life to the world.”

In verse 50 we are told that anyone who “eats” the true bread that comes down from heaven, which is also the flesh of Jesus, will not die, i.e., will live forever.

Here in verse 51, Jesus says, “anyone who eats this bread” [His flesh, He Himself, a person, God’s Son], will live forever.

Physical food [bread] is no good to us if we do not eat it; in the same way that spiritual truth is of no use to us if we don’t take it in, i.e., if we don’t believe it and act upon it there is no benefit to us.

Food in our cupboards or in the fridge will not satisfy our hunger until we take it out and eat it. When we eat food that contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, fiber, vitamins, etc., it becomes part of our body, it changes us.

The same is true spiritually, you can know a biblical [spiritual] truth, but if you don’t appropriate it, applying it to your life, you will not receive any benefit from it.

In verse 52 the Jews are arguing, grumbling, quarreling among themselves, in their ignorance I might add, saying, “How can this man Jesus give them His flesh to eat?” How can Jesus personally provide for them what they need to be made right with God?

Read again verses 53-56… Jesus doesn’t explain the meaning of what He is saying to them, but they should fully understand that He is not suggesting that they actually eat His flesh and drink His bread. They should know this without doubt, as it is central to the teaching of the Torah.

Genesis 9:3-4, “Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.”
Leviticus 17:10-12, “Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood-I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from his people. For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life. Therefore I say to the Israelites, ‘None of you may eat blood, nor may an alien living among you eat blood.’”

God forbade the eating of flesh with blood in it, as well as the eating of blood itself!

Jesus uses some very difficult metaphors that actually apply to Him; He is the bread, the flesh and the blood that is necessary for a person to have eternal spiritual immortal life, not temporary biological mortal life.

Jesus, the bread from heaven, must be eaten, taken in; this is synonymous with believing in and receiving Him as the Christ, Lord and Savior (see John 6:40).

Do you see? The priority is to believe in God’s Son, that He came to forgive our sins, taking our punishment upon Himself, thus providing us with forgiveness and eternal life, making us right with God (see John 6:27-29).

Jesus is not saying we must drink His literal blood or eat His literal flesh; but that we must genuinely believe and trust in His sacrificial death; for He is the Lamb of God; His body was given and His blood was shed to provide forgiveness and eternal life with God.

The reason the Jews are unable to understand is that they are unwilling to consider a crucified Messiah [Savior]; that is inconceivable to them, even though the Scriptures are clear that this is the plan of God.

John 1:29, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Lambs were sacrificed on an alter; Jesus took away our sin by His death on the cross.

John 3:14-15, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.” 1Corinthians 15:3-4, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

Hebrews 9:12, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.” 15, “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance – now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 22, “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

Hebrews 9:26-28, …“He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.”

Hebrews 10:5-7, “Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for Me; with burnt

offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am – it is written about Me in the scroll – I have come to do your will, O God [cf. Psalm 40:6-8].’” 10, “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

1Peter 3:18, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

John 12:32-34, “‘But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.’ He said this to show the kind of death He was going to die. The crowd spoke up, ‘We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, The Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

Do you see that the metaphors of bread, flesh, blood, are not speaking of literal bread, flesh or blood; but are clearly speaking of God’s spiritual provision through which we are granted forgiveness and eternal life – an eternal spiritual and intimate relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

The message of salvation is very clearly revealed in the Scriptures. In Mark 1:14, 17, Jesus commands us to “Repent” [of our sins], to “Believe” [in Him for salvation], and to “Follow” [by feeding upon and obeying His Word].
Acts 2:21, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Acts 2:36-38, “‘Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

Baptism was the public identification with and declaration of Jesus as Lord [Almighty God] and Christ (Messiah, Savior].

Acts 16:29-31, “The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.’”

Do you see? You cannot eat or drink something to be saved, neither can baptism save anyone; in fact no ritual or good works can save you. Salvation is through Jesus Christ alone. His blood was shed and His body was put to death, on the cross; He took our punishment and paid full price for our sins, reconciling us with God (see Romans 3:10-12, 19-24; 6:23; 5:8-11; 8:1-2; 10:9-10, 13).

Read again verses 57-59… Jesus is the Word of God; and so, to feed on Christ is to feed on the Word of God (see John 1:1-4, 14, 18). Jesus is the Bread Who came down from Heaven, the Spiritual Bread of God Who provides Spiritual Life to all those who believe in Christ.

Matthew 4:1-4, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” [cf. Deuteronomy 8:3].

Everything Jesus said came straight from the Father, everything Jesus did was given Him to do by the Father.

Everything we need for life on earth [physical temporary life], and everything we need for life in heaven [spiritual eternal life] we are given in and through Jesus Christ: crucified, resurrected and coming again.
2Peter 1:1-4, “Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

This is not about eating bread, eating flesh, or drinking blood; this is about repenting of sin, believing in Jesus Christ for forgiveness, and obeying God’s Word.

God required a perfect, divine and eternal sacrifice to be offered on the alter; that alter was the cross at Calvary, the shed blood and dead body of Jesus Christ was that sacrifice.

Jesus is the Bread of God, the True Bread, the Bread of Life, Who came down from the Father in Heaven to offer up His own flesh [or body] unto death, allowing His own blood to be shed, for our sins, so that all those who believe in and receive Him are granted forgiveness and eternal life.

Pastor Mike <‘(((><

Bible Text: John 6:30-50 | Preacher: Pastor Mike | Series: John

11.05.17 ~ John 6:30-50, The Bread from Heaven.
Last week’s study ended with John 6:28-29, where the people ask what they

need to do to be right with God; Jesus tells them they must believe in the One sent by God, the One Who came from the Father.
John 6:30-33… Clearly, many of these people had witnessed the healing Jesus did before providing a meal for some 20,000 (men, women and children), made from a young boy’s lunch of five small barley loaves and two fish. And yet, despite the miracles they had already seen, these people ask Him what “work” He will do to prove that He has come from God with authority and power.

These people were spiritually blind and deaf, always demanding another sign, yet unwilling to be convinced of Jesus’ deity. Jesus repeatedly rebukes the unbelieving hardness of heart of Israel (Luke 16:31), “they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

At the Cross, the religious leaders of Israel mocked and taunted Jesus in His suffering (Mark 15:32), “Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.”

When Jesus rose from the grave, the Jews paid the soldiers (who were guarding the tomb) to spread the story that Jesus’ disciples had taken His body away.

The crowd before Jesus in Capernaum demands that He prove He is from God by doing a repeat performance of yesterday’s meal. They challenge Jesus (verse 31) to provide bread from heaven for them, as Moses did for the nation of Israel during their 40 year journey in the desert.

Clearly these Jews are unaware of the facts of the events that occurred when Israel wandered through the wilderness headed for Canaan.

Yes, God had provided manna for Israel (along with quail, for meat), but the manna was not (verse 32) “the true bread from heaven,” given by the Father, for the true bread was yet to come.

The “true bread of God” is a person, God’s Son, “He who comes down from heaven and gives life [Gk. zoe = spiritual life] to the world” (see John 1:1-4, 14, 18). Jesus is the true bread from God [heaven]; He is the One sent by God, full of grace and truth; the One who came down from heaven to show us the Father; and yet, these Jews are now comparing Jesus to Moses?
Hebrews 3:3, “Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.”
Moses was Created; Jesus is the Creator…

It was God who provided manna for Israel, not Moses. Moses was simply the food server, Jesus was the bread. Moses was just a man, Jesus, however, is God!

Read John 6:34-40… Again, the people have completely missed the significance of what Jesus had done and what He is now saying to them.

Instead of coming to the Jesus Christ, the Messiah, God’s Son, who now stands before them, in order to receive forgiveness and eternal life, it seems they would rather have a continual supply of bread.

Jesus tries again to break through their stubborn, carnal and self-centered hearts, telling them that He is the bread of life, and if they would come to Him they would never be (spiritually) hungry or thirsty again.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said (Matthew 5:6), “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” to overflowing.

Physical bread is eaten and satisfies the body for a time, but it must be acquired and eaten again and again and again, in order to provide sustenance and relief from hunger.

Jesus wants to satisfy their deepest and most critical need, to be made right with God; but in order to do that they must believe in Him as Savior, confessing Him as Lord, repenting of their sins, i.e., they must come to Him to have life [forgiveness and eternal life], and yet they just want to see another miracle and to have Jesus provide another free meal.

How dull these people are (cf. verses 28-29), instead of asking for forgiveness and eternal life, they demand that Jesus prove Himself by providing bread (cf. verses 30-31, 34); they are asking for miracles that satisfy their physical needs, and yet, Jesus has come down from heaven, from the Father, to do the Father’s will in providing spiritual life, eternal life; but in order to receive this they must believe in Him (cf. verses 38-40).

Read John 6:41-50… These people are incredulous! All they have seen Him do and heard Him say (miraculous signs of healing diseases and feeding large crowds; not to mention walking on water, calming the storm, teleporting the ship and twelve disciples to their destination), and now they are grumbling; saying this is Jesus, whose family they know, how can a “mere man” say He came down from heaven and is able to grant eternal life. Jesus commands them (verse 43) to “stop grumbling!”

Jesus has come from the Father (who is in heaven), to do the Father’s will on earth, as it is written in the Prophets.
Isaiah 54:13, “All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children’s peace.”

Last Wednesday night we studied how God the Father gives us peace through His Son, Jesus Christ, who is called (cf. Isaiah 9:6) the “Prince of Peace.”

Jesus brings peace from God to all those who believe in Him, for they receive eternal life from (John 6:48) “the Bread of Life,” all that is necessary for the forgiveness of sins and life eternal, is found in and granted by Jesus Christ.

Orthodox Jews are proud about being “children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,” they are also self-righteous as followers of Moses, the giver of the Law. But the truth is, Moses didn’t provide the Israelites with manna, God did, and yet all those who ate the bread eventually died; and Moses didn’t write the Law, God did, and yet no one would be made acceptable to God by keeping the Law!

It is not through human ancestry or strict adherence to law keeping or religious rituals that a person is made righteous in the sight of God (cf John 1:11-13).

Jesus says (John 6:50) we must eat or partake of Him, Who He is (metaphorically, this is to believe in and receive) Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, Who came down from heaven to provide forgiveness for our sins.
John 11:25-27, Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this? ‘Yes, Lord,” she told Him, ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.’”

It really is all about Jesus Christ, God’s Son: Crucified, Resurrected and Coming Again. He is the Heavenly Bread of Life from God, in Him and through Him we have been given everything we need for our temporary life on earth and our eternal life in heaven.

Pastor Mike <‘(((><

Bible Text: John 6:16-29 | Pastor: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: John |

Last week we studied the feeding of the 5,000, after which (John 6:14-15) Jesus

sent His disciples away (Matthew 14:22) and withdrew by Himself to the mountain. Today we are going to look at the 5th miraculous sign recorded in the gospel of

John, which immediately follows the feeding of the large crowd.
As we learned last week, the Synoptics (Matthew, Mark, Luke) provide very

important additional information about the events we are studying in John. When Jesus sent His disciples away, according to Mark 6:45, they probably

sailed to Bethsaida, which is not very far from where Jesus fed the crowds, but far enough to get away form this mass of people.

It would seem the disciples planned to meet Jesus at Bethsaida, before crossing over to Capernaum together (cf. Matthew 14:34; Mark 6:53).
Read John 6:16-19… When evening came (it was getting dark) the disciples went to the shoreline and got back into the boat they had arrived in. They were, no doubt, expecting Jesus to meet up with them, and go together to Capernaum, but He didn’t show, it was dark, so they headed for Capernaum on the northwest shore of the Lake.

Note: The Sea of Galilee is a fresh water lake about 700 feet below sea level, surrounded by hills that are about 2000 feet above sea level. This geography helps to formulate the conditions which cause very violent storms on the Sea of Galilee.

As the disciples cross the lake, John tells us that a sudden storm comes up, driven by strong winds that (Matthew 14:24; Mark 6:47-48), push the boat away from the land toward the middle of the lake, for they are heading into the wind; the disciples strain at the oars trying to reach safety near the shore.

But these guys are not making much progress; in fact, they left Bethsaida after dark, and it is now (cf. Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48) the fourth watch of the night (1800-2100, 2100-2400, 2400-0300, 0300-0600), and they have only gone (3-4 miles).

Jesus is alone on the mountain praying (cf. Matthew 14:23; Mark 6:46); the storm is raging and the disciples (cf. Mark 4:37; Luke 8:23) are worried that the waves might flood and overturn their boat.

Jesus now comes walking on the water toward them; the disciples are frightened, (cf. Matthew 14:26; Mark 6:49) crying out in terror, thinking Jesus is a ghost.
Read John 6:20-21… The disciples are frightened that they are going to capsize and because they mistake Jesus for a ghost. Jesus tries to calm their fears saying to them, “It is I, don’t be afraid.”

You think these guys were ready and willing to have Jesus in the boat with them? Oh yes! But something else happens before Jesus gets into the boat; not only did Jesus walk on water, but Peter also (very briefly) is allowed to walk on the water before almost drowning (see Matthew 14:28-31).

We also learn (cf. Matthew 14:32; Mark 6:51) that when Jesus and Peter climb into the boat, “the wind stopped blowing and the storm was calmed,” and the disciples were completely amazed (cf. Mark 4:41); in fact, the disciples worshipped Jesus, saying (cf. Matthew 14:33), “Truly You are the Son of God.”

John records another miracle (verse 21), telling us,“immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” Wow! Jesus steps into the boat, the storm quits and immediately they are all transported to their destination.
Read John 6:22-24… Jesus and the disciples had crossed the lake during a very long night and were now at Capernaum. But back on the eastern side of the lake where they had departed from, the crowds were looking for Jesus, no doubt, they were hungry and hoping to get another free meal from Jesus.

The crowds were aware that only one small boat had been anchored on shore the previous day, the one the disciples had arrived in with Jesus prior to the miraculous lunch. That boat is now gone, as are Jesus and His disciples.

Verse 23 is kind of parenthetical, in that, it tells us that other small boats from Tiberias arrived where Jesus had fed the crowds, but it doesn’t say why.
John MacArthur speculates that, “Perhaps the owners of the boats had heard of the miraculous feeding and had come to investigate. Or they may have come to pick up friends and loved ones, or to act as water taxis, seeking to cash in on the large numbers of people in need of transportation. Or they may have been forced to seek shelter from the same storm in which the disciples had been caught the night before.”

Whatever reason the small boats ended up there, it is clear that when the crowds realized both Jesus and His disciples were gone, they got into the small boats and made their way to Capernaum, looking for Jesus.

Matthew 4:12-13 tells us that when Jesus heard about John the Baptist being put into prison, He left Nazareth and went to Capernaum to live, so it would be a logical place for the people to look for Him.
Read John 6:25-29… The people finally find Jesus and ask Him how He got to Capernaum, which Jesus does not answer; but instead, He confronts a more important problem, beginning with “Amen, amen” [Truly, truly, or I tell you the truth]. Jesus wants their attention, for He is going to rebuke them for totally missing the importance of the miracle He did by feeding all of them with one boy’s lunch.

It is no wonder Jesus didn’t answer their question about how He got to Capernaum – His miraculous feeding of the crowd the day before had led them to try and make Him King by force; can you imagine if they also knew that He had walked on water, calmed the storm and then, instantaneously transported the boat, with the disciples in it, to their destination.

Earlier in chapter 4 with the Samaritan woman, Jesus distinguished between physical water from the well and living water [eternal life] that He alone could provide.

The free lunch people who had eaten the fish and bread are seeking more food for their physical bodies; but Jesus is emphasizing that they should be seeking spiritual food from Him, for He is the Bread of Life, and they should be seeking spiritual nourishment that only the Son of Man, Who has God’s Seal upon Him [God’s approval and authority]. Only Christ, the Word of God, can provide eternal life.

Matthew 4:4, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” [cf. Deuteronomy 8:3]

Do you see, much more important than literal bread that brings temporary relief to our physical bodies from hunger, is the Word of God, for it satisfies and nurtures us supernaturally, providing eternal benefits.

We have already studied (cf. John 1:1-3, 14, 18) that Jesus Christ is the Word of God [Logos, fullness of God] Who became flesh and walked among us to show us the Father that we might hear, believe and be saved.

The people ask (John 6:28) what they must do to earn eternal life. This was a common concern in Israel: The rich young ruler (cf. Matthew 19:16) and the expert in the law (cf. Luke 10:25), both basically asked Jesus the same question: What do I have to do to be saved, i.e., what work must I do to inherit eternal life?

Salvation cannot be acquired by works (cf. Romans 3:20), and no one will be counted as righteous through the work of keeping the law , yet (James 2:17) “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead,” (James 2:26) “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

Jesus answers the people by saying (John 6:29),”The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”

Basically, Jesus tells them that the only “work” that is acceptable to God is to believe in God’s Son, who happens to be standing right before them!

Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-10), “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Jesus Christ is (John 14:6), “the way and the truth and the life.” No one comes to the Father, accept through Him, i.e., no one is acceptable to God, let alone righteous; no one is forgiven by God, let alone saved; no one, that is, except for all who believe in God’s Son, confessing Him as Lord and receiving Him as Savior, for to all such as these will be granted a new birth, by God’s Spirit, into the family of God and we will spend eternity with God in heaven.

Salvation is in Christ alone (Acts 4:12), “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be
saved,” (Philippians 2:10-11), “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Pastor Mike <‘(((><

Bible Text: John 6:1-15 | Preacher: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: John

The last two weeks we studied a variety of biblical evidence for the deity of Jesus Christ: the testimony of John the Baptist, the Father, the works of Christ, the Disciples record in the Scriptures and the Scriptures themselves.
John 5:36, “”I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given Me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent Me.”

When you think of all the miracles done and the divine teaching given by Jesus, it is amazing, considering the supernatural works Jesus did and could have done; yet He chose to do those miracles that clearly demonstrated His love and compassion upon mankind (chap. 2, 4, 5): turning the water into wine at the wedding in Cana, so that the wedding couple would not be disgraced, healing the officials son from a distance because of the faith the official had in Jesus to do this, and then healing a man on the Sabbath, who had been an invalid for 38 years.

Today we will look at the miraculous feeding of 5,000 men (not counting the women and children who would have also been there).

This is the fourth sign recorded by the Apostle John, again, these are given to prove that Jesus was indeed the Messiah and the Son of God. It is significant that this miracle is the only miracle (apart from Christ’s resurrection) that is also recorded in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 14:13-20; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17).

When you think of the number of people affected by this miracle, it raises it to the level of being Christ’s largest recorded miracle.
Read John 6:1-4… John writes, “sometime after this,” meaning after the events that occurred in chapter 5. The location is “the far shore of the Sea of

Galilee” (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), named for the city of Tiberias that was founded by Herod Antipas and was named after Emperor Tiberias (cf. Luke 3:1).

The disciples and Jesus had gone to the eastern side of the lake, in order to get away from the crowds and have a time of rest; but also, it would seem, the death of John the Baptist was part of the impetus for going there (cf. Matthew 14:1-13).

It would seem that a large crowd followed Jesus on foot, walking around the shore line to where He came ashore (cf. Mark 6:32-34); the people (Matthew 14:14) were there waiting when Jesus and His disciples arrived, as they (John 6:2), had seen “the miraculous signs He had performed on the sick.”

It would appear that the people were there to see miracles, to get something for themselves from Christ, rather than to hail Him as the Messiah and worship Him.

Jesus takes His men (John 6:3) up on the mountainside, no doubt, wanting some time to be with them, then John mentions that the time for the Passover was near (perhaps a reason for the large crowd, Jews traveling to Jerusalem for this very important feast that commemorates the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Read John 6:5-9… “Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward Him.” The Synoptics add (Matthew 14:14), that He healed their sick; (Mark 6:34), that He

1

had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and (Luke 9:11), He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God [heaven].

We also learn from the Synoptics (Matthew 14:15; Mark 6:35; Luke 9:12) that it was very late in the day and this place was desolate, and therefore there was absolutely nowhere close for the people to go to buy food for themselves.

John 6:5b records, “He [Jesus] said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’” Do you think Jesus didn’t know the answer to that question? Of course He did (verse 6), He already knew what He was going to do, but was testing the disciples- did they have faith in Him?

Phillip (verse 7) is concerned about how much it would cost for each person to have a bite of bread [200 denarii = 8 month’s wages; a denarius equalled one days wage for common labor (cf. Matthew 20:2), 24 work days in a month (4 weeks, 6 days a week) X 8 = 192 denarii].

Maybe these guys forgot about the wedding in Cana? Jesus turned about 180 gallons of water into wine.

Notice (verses 8-9a), it would seem that Andrew had been trying to find out how much food was available among these people, and so he brings this boy to Jesus who has five barley loaves and two fish.
Note: In Mark 6:38 we learn that Jesus had commanded the disciples to go through the crowd and find out how much food was available.

So, Andrew finds this boy with a large lunch and brings him to Jesus, but them immediately expressed doubt that it is going to make any difference (verse 9b), “but how far will they go among so many?”
Read John 6:10-13… Jesus tells the disciples to have the people sit down, and John notes that there is much grass (Spring, March-April, Passover). We learn from Mark 6:40, that the disciples sit the people down in groups of 50 and 100; no doubt this will make it much easier to get the food to them all. There are 5,000 men [John 6:10, written this way because it is a patriarchal society], there were no doubt women and children as well, for families were traveling to Passover; so this easily brings the total number of people to between 15-20,000.

Jesus distributes the bread and then the fish, to the people. The Synoptics tell us that Jesus used the disciples to do this; even though they had just displayed a lack of faith in Him, concerning the feeding of these people, Jesus is now going to allow them to witness and be part of this marvelous event.

Jesus (verse 11) takes the loaves of bread and gives thanks, then passes them to the disciples who, in turn, take them to the groups of people; Jesus does the same thing with the fish. This is amazing! Jesus partials out pieces of bread from the loaves and it seems to just keep multiplying; He does the same thing with the fish, but the bread and fish seem to just keep multiplying.

Verse 12 tells us that everyone ate as much as they wanted, to the point of being filled, satiated, no more hunger…. Then Jesus tells the disciples to gather up all the leftovers after everyone had finished eaten. It would seem, from John’s narrative (John 6:13) that only the pieces of bread are picked up, perhaps there wasn’t any fish leftover?

2

Mark 6:43, “the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.”

After feeding 15-20,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish from a Jewish boy’s lunch, there are enough leftovers to fill 12 baskets; one for each disciple’s next meal. Did this break through the shallow faith that had been displayed by the disciples, especially Phillip and Andrew, at the onset of the dilemma of how to feed all those people out in the middle of nowhere?

Read John 6:14… The people who had just been supernaturally fed were amazed, and began to quote a prophecy that had been given by Moses.
Deuteronomy 18:15, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you (cf. Acts 3:22).

Mark 1:15, “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” 17 “Come, follow Me.” See John 10:11, 14-15, 27-30…

The thing is, the Jews seemed to be much more interested in having their physical needs met, i.e., if this Jesus could heal all their illnesses and provide food everyday, they would make Him king, go with Him to Jerusalem and overthrow the Romans.

But, Jesus came to set them free from sin not Roman rule. He did not come to offer some prosperity gospel of health, wealth and happiness; He came to offer forgiveness for sin by dying for our sins, He came to offer birth into God’s family by God’s Spirit, He came to provide eternal life through His own resurrection from the grave; and all this is God’s gift through Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Creator, Savior Lord and Judge over all.

Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Philippians 2:9-11, “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of

God the Father.”
ReadJohn6:15… JesusismercifulandgraciousandHelovesmankind;butHe also calls sinners to turn from their sin, repent and acknowledge Him as Lord.

Jesus will not be taken by force, nor will He be used to simply fulfill people’s felt needs and wants.

Jesus withdrew from this crowd and went farther up the mountain to be alone; for these people were not seeking or receiving Him for the right reasons, just like so many people today who do not acknowledge that this Jesus, who was crucified for our sins, buried, and then rose from the grave on the third day, is both Sovereign Lord and Sacrificial Savior for all who believe in Him.

Pastor Mike <‘(((><

Bible Text: John 5:30-47 | Preacher: Pastor Mike | Series: John

Previously in John 5 we studied how Jesus, the Christ [Messiah], God’s Son, is equal to the Father, in that:

They both have the power to raise the dead. They both have life within themselves.
They both give life to whomever they choose. They are both to be honored equally.

They are equal in authority yet, (verse 22) the Father has given all judgement to His Son, the reason being (verse 27), the Son of God is also the Son of Man.

Jesus was conceived in the womb of a woman in Nazareth, born in a stable in Bethlehem, raised as a child in Galilee; and yet, after He stepped out into the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist, He embarked on a 3.5 year ministry bringing the Light and Life of God to mankind, in order to expose our sin and offer His own life on our behalf, as payment to God, that we might receive forgiveness and eternal life through Him.

Jesus was tested and tempted as are we, yet He did not sin, for He (Hebrews 4:15), “has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet is without sin.” He is the Son of Man, God the Son, who came as the Lamb of God, the only acceptable sacrifice for our sins.

Read John 5:30… Christ came to do the Father’s will, and there were given several irrefutable witnesses to the divine nature and authority of Christ.

Read John 5:31… For a person to give testimony concerning himself, is not conclusive evidence and therefore considered invalid.

The NASB says, their testimony is not true, meaning, a man’s testimony about himself is not admissible as legal evidence in a court of law; there must be corroborating evidentiary testimony that provides proof of what he has stated (Deuteronomy 19:15), “A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
Read John 5:32-37… Jesus says John the Baptizer was a testifying witness as to who the Anointed One of God, the Messiah, is (see John 1:6-8; 19-34). But the supreme witness to Christ’s Messiahship is the Father.

In John 5:32, the NASB capitalizes the pronoun “His” in front of the word testimony, referring to the Father, this is further clarified, as we will see, in verses 37-38.

Notice in verse 34, even though John the Baptist was God’s witness to Christ’s divinity (cf John 1:23), the priority was on Christ the Lord (cf John 1:29-31), the provider of forgiveness and salvation.

Back to John 5:33-34… John (verse 35) was filled with the Holy Spirit and was a revealing light that captivated the Jews for a short time, as he (the first prophet of God for 400 years , since God left the Temple at the close of the Old Testament) was now proclaiming the imminent coming of Israel’s Messiah.

Luke 1:15, “He (John) will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.”
John called the people to repent, to be baptized and to come to the Savior, Jesus

Christ, the Son of God.
John’s ministry was to draw attention to Christ, for He alone is the Savior and provider of eternal life.

The Jews were superficially attracted to John’s powerful preaching, for a short time (remember, there had been no prophet for 400 years), but ultimately (cf. verse 35) they turned away from the light of the truth that John revealed about Christ — conditioned by hundreds of years of religious rituals, trying to maintain a relationship with God — they were blinded to the very presence of God [Jesus Christ] among them (see John 1:1-4, 14, 18).

Read John 5:36… The testimony of the miracles Christ did among them was divine evidence of His deity (see John 10:25).

Remember when Nicodemus (cf John 3:1-2) speaking to Jesus at night said, “we know you are a teacher who as come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs You are doing if God were not with Him.”

Everything Jesus said and did was given to Him by the Father, as a testimony that Jesus was from the Father, sent by the Father, with the full authority of the Father.

Read John 5:37a… The Father Himself testifies to the sovereign nature and purpose of Christ (see Matthew 3:13-17 [pp. Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22] 17:1-5 [the witness of Peter, James and John when Christ was transfigured before them]; see 2Peter 1:16-18).

Read John 5:37b-38… John the Baptizer testified that God the Son had come in the flesh of Jesus; the Father spoke from heaven about His Son, commissioning Him, as He began His ministry of the Gospel of Christ.

Jesus obediently proclaimed God’s message of salvation for 3.5 years, performing many miraculous signs, and yet, the Jews still did not believe in Him as their Messiah, called Immanuel [God with us], named Jesus [Greek], Yeshua [Hebrew] meaning God’s Salvation [Savior]. He was both Lord and Savior the One and Only Son of God (see Acts 2:36).

By rejecting God the Son, the Jews, as a Nation, also rejected God the Father who had sent Him, as they still do today; but through those first Jewish Christians, the message of Salvation through Christ has gone out to the ends of the earth.

John the Baptist is long since dead, and therefore is not testifying; Jesus Christ the Lord is at the right hand of the Father in heaven, He is no longer performing signs and wonders among us; the Father no longer speaks audibly from heaven concerning His Son; but today and until the Lord returns to bring us where He is, we have the witness and the sovereign testimony of the Scriptures concerning Jesus Christ, and next week we will study the sovereign testifying witness of the Scriptures themselves, but today, I want to close with the words of John the Apostle, concerning all that is written in the 66 Books of the Bible that have been revealed to us from God (John 20:31), “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”

Pastor Mike <‘(((><