Sermon Nuggets Weds April 30, 2008
Theme- Discipleship
Verses-John 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.
65 He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."
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.
68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
Fleshly Followers.
There are opinions and there are causes. There are areas of disagreement and areas of conviction. But the one factor that brings life to faith is the Spirit. God is doing something in the hearts of people making true disciples followers of Jesus Christ. There is nothing that can dissuade them. That is not the same as discouragement. Many times there is discouragement and fear and falling, but that is not falling away.
The fleshly follower is here for the present and gone when the going gets tough or there are more attractive things in the present than what they think Christ has to offer. He has a man centered faith rather than a God centered salvation.
Literal bread gives physical life. Spiritual bread (Jesus) gives spiritual life. One is for the now- the other is for all eternity. Anything for the now is temporary, even religion.
What makes a difference between a live baby and a doll? Life. Both have arms, legs, and faces. Some dolls are amazingly real. They can speak and wet and you can fee them and they cry. But there is a world of difference as to which has life and which is computerized mechanism.
You can have dead sacraments, dead Bible reading, dead prayers, dead worship, and dead churches- that is of the flesh. Interestingly the same words that the crowds heard were the same words that the true followers heard. It isn’t in the speaker it is in the receiver. It is the Spirit of Jesus that brings life to these disciplines.
A false disciple or a temporary disciple wants to remain in control to his/her religious commitments. The real follower of Jesus is under the Spirit's control and even if all leave, Peter said it well, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe an know that you are the Holy one of God.”
We can not create a God to our liking and call that real. God creates and changes us to His liking. We do not pick and choose what is popular in the current religious scene. We are chosen by God to be faithful, enlivened and seek live for His glory wither it is popular or not. We do not sit and debate truth, we obey it.
A true disciple is there for the long run. He does not fall away. Jesus has been gracious, loving, forgiving, patient, understanding, longsuffering, comforting, encouraging, strengthening, but He is Lord. There are many reasons to leave the faith- when we don’t have our prayers answered, when Jesus doesn’t meet our expectations, when others pressure us or persecute us, when we fall into sin and feel unworthy. But that is the faith of the flesh. It is for the present. It is for the now. The Spirit enlivens even our weak flesh and because there is hope in no other we say, “Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief.” “It says God be merciful to me a sinner.” It says “Into Thy hands I commit my spirit.” It finds all of purpose and meaning in Jesus. It cannot quit.
Pastor Dale
