9-Following For Life
4/13/13
Intro:
I.==> John 6:65-68
II.PREACHING THIS PASSAGE WHEN PEOPLE WERE LEAVING
Body:
I.Drawn By His Grace
65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
A.There is something that draws us the Jesus that we cannot get elsewhere.
1)Jeremiah 31:3
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
2)Heb (checed) steadfast love, faithful kindness, grace
3)IRRESTIBLE GRACE—THE MIRACLE OF SALVATION
B.We cannot replace the Holy Spirit in someone else’s life.
1)John 6:44
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
2)Grk (helkuo) to drag in like a fish net
3)LED TO THE LORD BY A CLOWN
II.Compelled By His Love
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
A.Following Jesus forces us to get off the fence and make a choice.
1)TYRING TO DECIDE BETWEEN THREE AMPS
2)1 Kings 18:21
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”
3)Jesus was not asking our of insecurity, but calling them to decide
“If anyone else wants to leave, now would be a good time.”
B.Neither God nor man can make up your mind for you.
1)MAN WHO WANTED ME TO CHASE HIM DOWN EVERY WEEK
If you want to walk away from the Lord, He will let you
2)Revelation 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.KJV
3)GLORY—54TH MASSACHUSETTES—“I’LL UNDERSTAND”
There is something powerful about following somebody who would lay down his life for you.
III.Established By His Word
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
A.God’s Word is the only thing in life worth building your life upon.
1)TRYING TO CONVINCE CASEY IT WASN’T A GRANDMA CAR
2)Joshua 24:15
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
B.Once you believe the Word of God it will never lead you astray.
1)Two decisions I have never regretted
Asking Molly to marry me, and giving my life to Jesus
2)Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
3)GRANDMA’S SONG—“GOD’S WORD WILL NEVER FAIL”
Other Scriptures:
Matthew 24:12-13
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
John 6:37
All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
John 12:32
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
Ephesians 3:17-19
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.
1 Corinthians 7:16
How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Hebrews 6:4-6
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance.
Hebrews 10:39
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
The Raven’s Wings
The raven’s wings went flap, flap, flap,
As down to the river they flew.
They carried meat they carried bread,
As God had told them to.
The little widow woman came picking up sticks,
As Elijah passed that way.
She baked him a cake of oil and meal,
That never would pass away.
God’s Word will never fail,
Never fail, never fail.
Godls Word will never fail,
No, No, No!