7/4/13

From Gary... Freedom- The possibility of choices

Recently, I asked Walter Vogt if I could use some of his pictures for my posts- he was glad to help!!! Here is one of them. I cropped it, changed it and made it mean something to me, personally. If you would like to see the original, go to facebook and visit Walt's page (you WILL enjoy it). While I was adjusting the various aspects of the photo, I asked myself the question: What if I could extend this process to my life? In other words- What if I could do ANYTHING I WANTED TO DO- NO BOUNDARIES???

Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1

12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind. 15 That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted. 16 I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind. 18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Chapter 2

3 I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives. 4 I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit. 6 I made myself pools of water, to water from it the forest where trees were reared. 7 I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem; 8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9 So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. 10 Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

Chapter 12

9 Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12 Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.

I can only imagine the abilities of Solomon. He was one of the most significant kings of Israel (if not THE MOST SIGNIFICANT). His wisdom, accomplishments, and wealth are legendary!!! Yet, for all he was and did- he concluded the whole duty of many was fearing God and keeping his commandments. I find it quite ironic that at the end of his life he turned from his own conclusions and served a myriad of false gods. He also failed with his son and soon after Solomon's demise, the country divided. I guess there are limits for everyone, even the mighty Solomon. God has given us the freedom to give him the respect he deserves or disobey him. On this Independence day, be thankful for the freedoms we enjoy, but realize that with freedom also comes the danger of making incorrect choices.

PS. Walt- I hope you like what I did with your picture?

From Bill and Laura Dayton... School is Out, or is it?

School is Out, or is it?

Most children are out of school for the summer. They have put their books, pens, pencils away for a couple of months. They can put their brains to rest for a little while. But, here is a question, do we ever stop learning? There are certain things that only our school system can teach our children. Math, History, English...to name a few. As Parents our “school year” is 24/7 365 days a year. We teach our children what they do not learn in school. Here is a list of ten things we as parents need to be teaching our children every day:

1. That they are the special creation of God. (Gen. 1:26, Gen. 2:7).

2. There is value and purpose to life (Rom. 12:1-5; 2 Tim. 1:9).

3. To love the word of God (Ps. 119:11; 105).

4. Respect for authority (Prov. 1:8; 5:7).

5. The value of discipline (Prov. 23:13; (Prov. 22:15).

6. To avoid bad people (Prov. 4:14-16).

7. The importance of sexual purity (Prov. 6:24; 7:4-23).

8. The value of honesty (Prov. 11:1, 6, 28:6; 21:23; 19:1; 15:2).

9. The value of a peaceful home-life (Prov. 17:1; 14; 22:6).

10. To be faithful in their service to God (1 Cor. 4:2; Matt. 6:33).

As parents we would not let our children neglect their school work. How much more do we need to teach our children these principles from God’s Holy Word? When the report card comes home will we pass from this life to the next, or fail and spend an eternity with those who have dropped out of God’s School of learning?

From Jim McGuiggan... Calvinist artist and his demands

Calvinist artist and his demands

So this profoundly great painter paints a portrait of a human. He creates a portrait with eyes that can't see and ears that can't hear; a painting with no capacity to understand; one that is incapable of obeying or disobeying unless the artist works a miracle and enables it to obey and he deliberately refuses to do that.

He then steps back and orders the portrait to step out of the frame and thank him for bringing it into existence. Of course the portrait can't hear or understand or choose because the artist deliberately created it that way—it's oblivious to the demands and even if it weren't, it's incapable of doing what's asked of it.

The artist repeats his demands again and again and then takes a knife and slashes the portrait to pieces, scatters the pieces around his feet so he can continue to walk on them and tells himself that what he is doing is sane and morally righteous—even holy, and he's delighted as he slashes and mutilates and walks on the pieces.

Of course the mutilated portrait has been created with no sense of righteousness or moral uprightness so even if it knew what the artist was doing it could feel no true guilt for that would imply a true confession of wrong (of which it was incapable) and it certainly could not experience repentance for it was made incapable of anything like that. So the mutilation serves no moral purpose relative to the mutilated portrait though the artist is enamoured with what he calls his righteous wrath which he says is in response to the portrait's refusal to obey him.

A friend of the artist remarked that none of this made any sense and the artist promptly told the friend that he had no right to question him; after all he was the creator of what he was mutilating, it was his right to do what he wanted. The friend conceded that might have some truth in it but for the artist to pretend that the mutilation was what the portrait deserved was an altogether different matter. The artist insisted he was glorifying himself in the mutilation of the painting and punishing it for not being grateful and giving honour to its creator. The friend said he couldn't see how punishing a painting for not doing what it was ordained to be incapable of doing made sense much less brought glory to the artist. The artist told him that his wisdom and justice was so far above his friend's capacity that there was no point in his friend trying to figure it out—it was inscrutable.

The friend gave up the dialogue but not before telling the artist: You ordained this painting to be incapable of obedience and gratitude so that its lack of obedience is what you ordained independent of the portrait and then when you get what you ordained and wanted from the portrait you mutilate it and call it holy wrath. You say it glorifies you to ordain its mutilation independent of its nature and then you say you mutilate it because of its refusal to thank you. In addition to which, it didn't refuse to obey you—it was incapable of obeying you because you created it that way. The truth is: you chose for it that it would have no choice and then mutilated it for not choosing to obey your demands.

"You're using alien logic" the artist replied as he began to create another painting and another and another for no other reason that to mutilate them and tread them under his feet to demonstrate his glory.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... Calvinism from Calvin himself

Calvinism from Calvin himself

Once you buy into the notion that before he made the human family God purposed to choose a minority of his children that they might have eternal life with him you have made up your mind that Jesus came to save only that minority. You cannot have Jesus coming to do the will of his Father and at the same time coming to save those the Father eternally rejected. It's that simple!

When you've bought into that notion and you're asked, "How does it come that some people obey the gospel and some don't?" you have to fall back on the claim that God eternally rejected some people. You can't have those that God eternally rejected obeying the gospel for manifestly the door has eternally been shut on them—the gospel isn't for them! [It's worse than that but that's another story for another time.]

Once you've bought into this Augustinian/Calvinistic notion you can't say that the rejected ones were rejected because of their sins. People like Calvin (and his modern followers) won't allow that. It's true that when they feel the pressure that they say, "See how wicked the rejected ones are—they deserved to be rejected." They say this because it seems monstrous that God would reject multiplied millions for no good reason. If God rejects the millions and they turn out to be wicked we can always say, "Whether the decision to reject them and appoint them to destruction (using 1 Peter 2:8) came before they were born or not, they still turned out evil and deserved what they were predestinated to." (Can we say that of damned infants?)

But this is a smokescreen. Calvin expresses the matter with startling plainness (Institutes, 3.23.6):

"[God] arranges all things by his sovereign counsel, in such a way that individuals are born, who are doomed from the womb to certain death, and are to glorify him by their destruction."

They aren't doomed by being born and they aren't doomed at the time of their birth, God arranged it before they were born so that they would be born doomed and that they would glorify him by their destruction.

They aren't doomed because they chose to love wickedness or practice evil; they're doomed because God arranged for their doom before they were born and their birth was one of the steps God arranged in damning them to destruction.

Some might like to think that God foresaw the evil of the damned and ordained their damnation in light of what he foresaw but Calvin won't allow that for a moment. There might be room for saying that, he tells us, "if God merely foresaw human events, and did not arrange and dispose of them at his pleasure…but since he foresees the things which are to happen, simply because he has decreed that they are so to happen, it is vain to debate about foreknowledge, while it is clear that all events take place by his sovereign appointment." (3.23.6) He won't even allow Adam's "free will" to make a difference—the entire human race was made liable to eternal death not by Adam's act or their nature but by "the wonderful counsel of God" (3.23.7).

Calvin knew exactly the consequences of what he was saying. "I again ask how is it that the fall of Adam involves so many nations with their infant children in eternal death without remedy, unless it so seemed meet to God?...The decree, I admit, is dreadful; and yet it is impossible to deny that God foreknew what the end of man was to be before he made him, and foreknew, because he had so ordained by his decree." (3.23.7) He goes on in 3.23.8 to dismiss the idea that God only "permits" the wicked to perish and he denies that "man brought death upon himself merely by permission" and he insists that it was by "the ordination of God."

Calvin insisted that humans were evil at birth because they came from Adam and Adam became evil because God decreed that he should. When critics pointed out that that would make God the author of the entire mess (which he himself insisted was true—3.23.3, "it is most certain that he is"—the author of it) he reminded the critics that humans were very sinful. He seemed to think that that was answering their objection.

In 3.23.4 he concedes that the human corruption via Adam was what God predestinated the human family to and then he damned the bulk of the human family (even infants) for being sinfully corrupt. He says, "I admit that by the will of God all the sons of Adam fell into that state of wretchedness in which they are now involved; and this is just what I said at the first, that we must always return to the mere pleasure of the divine will, the cause of which is hidden in himself." So how does he answer the complaint that God is cruel? He says we're not to question God because we're only clay and God is the potter (he quotes Paul in Romans 9 as if he and Paul had the same question and situation in view).

Despite that, he goes on to say that God cannot do wrong so whatever he does must be righteous. It's true, he says in 3.23.9, that we don't know how it can be righteous but it is in "hidden recesses of the divine counsel."

So from Calvin we have this:

1. God who cannot be resisted predestinates the human family to sinful corruption.

2. When the human family became what God had irresistibly predestinated them to be God condemned them all to hell.

3. God eternally elects to save a minority of that condemned human family and rejects the majority, appointing them to eternal conscious torture.

4. He chooses to save and to reject not on the basis of human merit but simply because he is God and has a right to do it.

5. When people protest that that is cruel and unrighteous Calvin says we have no right to question God and that it is righteous though we don't know how it can be righteous.

Finally, two points:

I. I've said that Calvinism implies that God has reprobated "the majority" of the human family because it insists that only those who have faith in Jesus Christ are saved (which excludes the vast majority of the world since the days of Jesus' earthly ministry). It also claims that prior to Jesus all the nations were reprobated and only Israel was the elect (and, of course, only the elect within the national elect were the true elect). So there isn't any doubt that Calvinism requires the vast majority of the human family to be predestinated to damnation (including the infants, as we saw from Calvin above).

2. Calvin wrestled with difficulties in his views in this area but he insisted on holding to them with boldness and plain speech. Most of his modern disciples skate around, hemming and hawing; trying to put a better face on the matter but it's easy to see that they're trying to accommodate the modern person. Calvin towers above them all and won't give an inch.

If it's Calvinism you want—you can have it, but it would be better to get it from Calvin himself.

Some don't like to be lumped in with a Calvinistic scheme but there's an old saying: If it looks like a sheep, acts like a sheep, sounds like a sheep, eats like a sheep, smells like a sheep and lives with sheep—it's a sheep even if someone calls it by another name.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... BAPTISTS IN CONFLICT

BAPTISTS IN CONFLICT

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/11/southern-baptists-agree-to-disagree-over-calvinism_n_3424192.html?1370990511&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008

It’s no surprise to me that the Baptists are having very serious rows. Bless me, Republicans and Democrats have them about serious but temporary social, economic and political issues. Why wouldn’t serious Baptists argue fiercely over matters they see as having eternal consequences?

But can you imagine people like Calvinist Frank Page calling others to, “Let’s respect one another. We’ve been called by God to Christian civility”?

Page preaches a God who purposed eternally to create and then damn the vast majority of the human family he created to eternal conscious torture that he inflicts on them as “punishment”! He’s the one who calls people to “Christian civility”?

If Page could have total agreement with his views by all Baptists he’d be happy to go on believing and preaching/teaching this stuff about such a God! Is that not astonishing?

Here’s where people like the hardliner John Piper does the true God a service. For the most part [though he ducks and dives about babies dying and burning in eternal torment, for even he can’t stomach his own full-bodied Calvinism which consigns such infants to such a God-ordained punishment]—for the most part Piper holds to consistent Calvinism but it’s so ugly that he would make even members of his own fellowship stand up in the name of God and say they won’t have it! Good for them!

Page and his colleagues are mainly concerned with the “vitriolic” ant-Calvinism they hear. He called it “nasty”.

Hitler's holocaust is an unthinking misdemeanor compaed with the eternal purpose Page's God came up with and will execute. At least Hitler meant to put an end to his victims. Page's God keeps them alive so he can ceaselessly torment them forever. He calls that God "loving" and his opponents "nasty". Good grief!

Say this gently, “God eternally purposed to create multiplied millions for no other reason than to show his glory by eternally, consciously, ceaselessly torturing them in hell and he has done it according to the good pleasure of his will.”

Does that make it sound any better?

I don’t care how gently you say that—it’s beyond “nasty”. It isn’t only false; it’s an offense to a Scripture-shaped heart.

To say it without cringing, to say it without near-panic that it might even be true is one of the wonders of historical theology. Even Calvin murmured that it was a “horrible decree”.

If it is that if you believe it’s true—what is it if you believe it is false?

Do Calvinists expect their members to be calm about it? Didn’t William Lloyd Garrison say this about the foul treatment of Afro-Americans:

“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or to speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; — but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest — I will not equivocate — I will not excuse — I will not retreat a single inch — AND I WILL BE HEARD. The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and to hasten the resurrection of the dead.”

Then Frank Page and his colleagues and people like the hard-bitten and harsh-speaking John Piper call their protesting members to “Christian civility”! Is that not hard to fathom? It’s as if they said, “All right, but if you can’t believe what we preach and teach about the damnation of dying infants, of God’s sovereign decision to create and eternally and ceaselessly torture billions of his created children—people he purposed would never have a choice—if you can’t believe that, offer your protest civilly and calmly. We’ll just go on teaching and preaching that this is the God who is worthy of our adoration and obedience.”

And these Baptist members who can’t stomach such doctrine are supposed to respond calmly? There’s something degenerate about calmly saying this Calvinistic stuff about God! No wonder the protesters seem “vitriolic”.

Several years back one silly young man with his Calvinistic views spoke to me of his getting together for coffee for some people and having friendly arguments and laughing together while they debated the issues. Sigh.

Page and his colleagues would like to think they take the high ground here. “Let’s all respect each other. Let’s all be ‘Christianly civil’. Let’s not be ‘nasty’. Let’s all be like us, the calm ones.”

One man’s “nastiness” is an others anguished protest!

And finally there’s this remark from a Mark Dever, an outspoken supporter of Calvinism: “The things that we have in common really are more important than the disagreements that we have.”

Can you fathom that?

So the upshot of the meeting is what? In effect, Frank Page and his companions say to the protesting Baptists, "Okay, so you won't accept our view. Then don't, but keep a civil tongue in your head and don't be nasty."

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... Even His Brothers Did Not Believe (Jn.7:1-9)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"

               Even His Brothers Did Not Believe (7:1-9)

INTRODUCTION

1. In a gospel designed to create faith in Jesus, John tells of those
   who lacked faith...
   a. Those in His own nation - Jn 1:11
   b. Those among His disciples - Jn 6:66

2. For a time, even His own brothers (named in Mt 13:55) did not
   believe...
   a. As recorded in Jn 7:5
   b. As implied in Mk 3:21
   c. As foretold in Ps 69:8
   -- Though they eventually came to believe in Jesus - Ac 1:14

3. Why did Jesus' brothers not believe in Him from the very
   beginning...?
   a. Had they not seen the miracles?
   b. Did they not know Him as well as anyone?

[Reasons why they did not believe at first, and the reason they came to
believe at last, can provide some valuable lessons for us today...]

I. WHY THEY DID NOT BELIEVE

   A. POSSIBLE REASONS FOR THEIR UNBELIEF...
      1. Perhaps they were blinded by familiarity
         a. As is often said, "Familiarity breeds contempt"
         b. This hindered many who knew Jesus from childhood - Mt 13:
            54-58
         c. A problem common among prophets - Mt 13:57; Jn 4:44
      2. Perhaps they were blinded by envy
         a. Large crowds had been following Jesus everywhere
         b. Making it difficult for His family to speak to Him at times
            - Mt 12:46-47
         c. Jealousy can be a powerful hindrance to seeing things
            clearly
      3. Perhaps they were blinded by preconceptions
         a. Many Jews had wrong conceptions concerning the kingdom - cf.
            Jn 6:15
         b. His brothers had their ideas as to what He should do - Jn 7:
            2-4
         c. It is easy to reject someone if they do not live up to your
            expectations
      -- For one reason or another, Jesus' brothers did not believe in
         Him

   B. A WARNING FOR US TODAY...
      1. Do we let familiarity blind us to the truth?
         a. Do we reject what a close friend or relative may tell us?
         b. Especially since they have their own faults of which we are
            well aware?
         -- Truth can be communicated by imperfect messengers - cf. Ph
            1:15-18
      2. Do we let envy get in the way of truth?
         a. Are we jealous that we might be wrong and others may be
            right?
         b. Do we think that by admitting others are right, it somehow
            makes them better?
         -- Truth (and salvation!) is too precious to let envy or
            jealousy keep us from it
      3. Do we let preconceived notions obstruct a clear evaluation of
         the truth?
         a. Refusing to reexamine our cherished beliefs?
         b. Rejecting a view or teaching simply because we have never
            heard it before?
         -- Truth requires a willingness to hear, and has nothing to
            fear from investigation - Ac 17:11

[Don't discount the potential impact of familiarity, envy, or
preconceptions.  Such blinded the brothers of Jesus so that even His
miracles did not convince them!  What finally prompted them to believe
is worthy of note...]

II. HOW THEY CAME TO BELIEVE

   A. THE REASON FOR THEIR FAITH...
      1. As noted previously, Jesus' brothers eventually became
         disciples
         a. They were with the apostles after the Ascension - Ac 1:12-14
         b. James, the Lord's brother, became a key figure in the church
            at Jerusalem - Ac 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; Ga 2:9
         c. James and Judas wrote their respective epistles - Jm 1:1;
            Jude 1
         d. According to secular history, James was martyred for his
            faith
      2. What changed them?  The resurrection of Jesus from the dead!
         a. Jesus appeared to James - 1Co 15:7
         b. The others may have seen Him on other occasions - cf. 1Co 15:6
      3. The significance of Jesus' resurrection
         a. Miracles can be faked
         b. Rising from the dead cannot!
      -- The resurrection shattered any blinders of familiarity, envy,
         preconceptions

   B. A BLESSING FOR US TODAY...
      1. It is understandable that one might find the gospel story
         incredible
         a. A man born of a virgin?
         b. A man who was the Son of God?
         c. A man who supposedly...
            1) Walked on water?
            2) Calmed the seas?
            3) Fed thousands with five loaves and two fish?
            4) Healed the sick and lame, gave sight to the blind, raised
               the dead?
            5) Was Himself raised from the dead?
      2. Yet there is a good reason to believe the incredible story!
         a. That is, the conversion of those like Jesus' brothers
            1) Who at first did not believe (for whatever reason)
            2) Who were persuaded by overwhelming empirical evidence
               - cf. Ac 1:3; 10:39-41
            3) Who never recanted their testimony, despite hardship and
               persecution
         b. What else can explain the transformation of Jesus' brothers?
            1) It was the same thing that transformed the disciples of
               Jesus!
            2) "If the disciples were totally disappointed and on the
               verge of desperate flight because of the very real reason
               of the crucifixion, it took another very real reason in
               order to transform them from a band of disheartened and
               dejected Jews into the most self-confident missionary
               society in world history." - Pinchas Lapide, former
               Chairman of the Applied Linguistics Department at
               Israel's Bar-Iland University (TIME, May 7, 1979)
            3) This Orthodox Jewish scholar concluded that a bodily
               resurrection could possibly have been that reason!
      -- The conversion of His brothers and others who first doubted
         should strengthen our faith in Jesus!

CONCLUSION

1. The unbelief of Jesus' brothers serves as a warning...
   a. How easily one can be blinded by such things as familiarity, envy,
      and preconceptions
   b. How carefully we must give others a fair hearing

2. The unbelief of Jesus' brothers also serves as a blessing...
   a. Their eventual conversion implies overwhelming evidence of Jesus'
      resurrection
   b. Since we believe in Jesus through the words of such men, the
      foundation of our faith is stronger

With the help of their own example, we can heed the exhortation given by
one of Jesus' brothers:

   "But you, beloved, BUILDING YOURSELVES UP ON YOUR MOST HOLY FAITH,
   praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God,
   looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."
                                                         (Jude 20-21)

From Mark Copeland... To Whom Shall We Go? (Jn.6:67-69)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"

                     To Whom Shall We Go? (6:67-69)

INTRODUCTION

1. When Jesus talked about being the Bread of Life, it troubled some
   people...
   a. He used figurative language, which sounded cannibalistic - cf. Jn 6:51-59
   b. Difficult to understand, some were offended (those lacking in
      faith) - cf. Jn 6:60-65
   c. Many of His disciples left Him - cf. Jn 6:66
   -- Prompting Jesus to ask the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"
      - Jn 6:67

2. Peter's response serves as the text of our lesson...
   a. "To whom shall we go?" - Jn 6:68a
   b. He acknowledged that Jesus alone has the words of eternal life
      - Jn 6:68b
   c. He also confesses their faith in Him as the Christ, the Son of the
      living God - Jn 6:69
   -- His question is one that we do well to ask today

[For the answers to our true purpose and mission in life, to find the
words of eternal life, "To Whom Shall We Go?"  There are many places we
could turn to, indeed many do turn to, but they are not the right ones.
For example, consider...]

I. TO WHOM WE COULD GO

   A. THE OPINIONS OF THE MAJORITY...?
      1. Many people look to whatever the majority believes
         a. E.g., what their peers thinks
         b. E.g., whatever the latest polls indicate
      2. But consider the words of Jesus, in describing the end of the
         majority - Mt 7:13-14
      3. If you followed the majority...
         a. In Noah's day, you would have perished in the flood
         b. In Joshua's day, you would have perished in the wilderness

   B. THE PRONOUNCEMENTS OF HUMAN WISDOM...?
      1. Many feel that human wisdom can lead them to truth and life
         a. Especially that pronounced by educated professors
         b. Or that pronounced by "pop" psychologists on talk shows
      2. But God's thoughts and ways are not always our own - cf. Isa 55:8-9
      3. In fact, God has chosen to save man in a manner specifically
         designed to confound those who depend solely upon human wisdom
         - cf. 1Co 1:18-29

   C. THE PROCLAMATIONS OF PREACHERS...?
      1. It is common for people to trust their preacher, priest, or
         pastor
      2. They reason that surely these "men of God" could not be wrong
         or lead them astray
         a. Yet Paul warned of how we can easily be misled - cf. 2 Co 11:13-15
         b. And Jesus warned about the "blind leading the blind" - Mt 15:12-14

   D. THE DICTATES OF OUR CONSCIENCE...?
      1. "Let your conscience be your guide" is the motto of many
      2. But our conscience cannot always be reliable
         a. Paul had served God with a good conscience throughout his
            life - Ac 23:1
         b. Even at a time when he was persecuting Christians! - cf.

            Ac 26:9-11
      3. Our conscience is like a clock, which works properly only if
         set properly

   F. THE DIRECTION OF OUR FEELINGS...?
      1. This is often where many people turn
         a. Who go by whatever "feels right"
         b. Who place stock in things "better felt than told"
      2. Yet the Bible declares the danger of trusting in "feelings"
         a. "There is a way which seems right...but its end is the way
            of death." - Pr 14:12
         b. "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool..." - Pr 28:26
         c. "O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not
            in man who walks to direct his own steps." - Jer 10:23

[None of these should be the ultimate source to where we turn if we are
looking for the words of eternal life.  As confessed by Peter, there is
only One...]

II. TO WHOM WE SHOULD GO

   A. JESUS CHRIST, SON OF THE LIVING GOD...!
      1. As Peter confessed in our text - Jn 6:68-69
      2. He is the one who provides "food which endures to everlasting
         life" - Jn 6:27,35,40
      3. He is the way, the truth and the life - Jn 14:6
      4. Upon this One has God "set His seal" - Jn 6:27
         a. I.e., confirmed Him to be the source of eternal life
         b. Through the miracles, and ultimately His resurrection -

            Jn 5:36; Ro 1:4
      -- Yet how does one "go to Jesus" when He no longer walks on the
         earth?  We must turn to...

   B. THE APOSTLES OF CHRIST, INSPIRED OF THE SPIRIT...!
      1. Jesus prepared and equipped His apostles to carry on and
         complete His work
         a. He told them of the Holy Spirit - Jn 16:7-11
         b. Who would guide them into all the truth - Jn 16:12-13
      2. To receive the apostles (apostolos, lit., one sent) is to
         receive Jesus - Jn 13:20
      3. Thus the apostles were authoritative spokesmen for Christ
         - e.g., 1Th 4:1-2,8; 1Jn 4:6; Jude 17
      4. They received all things pertaining to life and godliness
         - 2Pe 1:3
      5. They did not shun to proclaim the whole counsel of God - Ac 20:
         20-21,27
      -- But how do we "go to the apostles" when they no longer live on
         the earth?  We must turn to...

   C. THE NEW TESTAMENT, REPOSITORY OF THE WORD OF GOD...!
      1. The apostles wrote that we might benefit from their
         understanding- e.g., Ep 3:3-5
      2. We must view their words as the commandments of the Lord
         - e.g., 1Co 14:37
      3. Therefore we are to hold fast to what they taught - cf.

         2 Th 2:15; 3:15; Jude 3
      4. As exemplified by the very first church in Jerusalem - Ac 2:42
      -- The words of the apostles preserved in their writings, can lead
         us to Him who alone has the words of eternal life!

CONCLUSION

1. To whom shall we go...?
   a. The answer must be "Jesus!"
   b. He is "...the Christ, the Son of the living God"
   c. He alone has "...the words of eternal life"

2. Where will you find Jesus...?
   a. Not in the words of modern theologians and filmmakers, who have
      sought to remake Jesus according to their own image
   b. But in the words of His apostles, eyewitnesses of His majesty and
      inspired by the Spirit to reveal all that we need to experience
      life and godliness

Don't let the cacophony of modern voices lead you away from Jesus and
His words of eternal life. Make sure that it is His apostles' writings,
the Word of God, that leads you to Him who is the way, the truth and the
life!

From Mark Copeland... Two Kinds Of Food (Jn.6:27)

                           "THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"

                         Two Kinds Of Food (6:27)

INTRODUCTION

1. Among the miracles of Jesus that attracted great attention was the
   feeding of 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish - Jn 6:1-13
   a. Many came to believe in Him as the Prophet to come - Jn 6:14; cf.
      Deut 18:15
   b. Some wanted to take Him by force and make Him king - Jn 6:15
   c. People sought to follow Him - Jn 6:22,24-25

2. Jesus, who knew the hearts of men (Jn 2:25), perceived their selfish
   motives...
   a. They were interested only in the food, not what the miracle
      indicated - Jn 6:26
   b. Prompting Jesus to warn them about the food for which they labor
      - Jn 6:27

[The words of Jesus in our text (Jn 6:27) reveal there are "Two Kinds Of
Food", one that perishes and another that endures.  As we seek to apply
Jesus' admonition to our own lives, let's consider...]

I. THE FOOD WHICH PERISHES

   A. WHAT FOOD IS THIS...?
      1. Literally, it is the food we eat
         a. It quickly perishes, even with the benefit of preservatives
         b. It fails to satisfy for long, soon we are hungry and thirsty
            again - cf. Jn 4:13
      2. Figuratively, there are other "foods" which soon perish
         a. The food of human wisdom
         b. The food of folly
         c. The food of mirth and pleasure
         d. The food of great wealth and industrious labor
         -- Which Solomon found to provide no lasting fulfillment - cf.
            Ec 1:17; 2:1-2,3-11

   B. DO NOT LABOR FOR SUCH FOOD...
      1. This does not mean we are to make no effort to supply our needs
         a. A Christian is to provide for his family - 1Ti 5:8
         b. If a man does not work, neither should he eat - 2Th 3:10-12
      2. But that we not do so to the neglect of food which endures
         a. The "food" which perishes should not be our priority in life
            - cf. Mt 6:33
         b. A lesson that Martha needed to learn - Lk 10:38-42

[Sadly, many people expend much time, energy, and money for "food" which
soon perishes.  Jesus would have people direct their life's efforts
toward...]

II. THE FOOD WHICH ENDURES

   A. WHAT FOOD IS THIS...?
      1. In other texts, it is the Word of God
         a. By which man truly lives - cf. Mt 4:4
         b. Which Job treasured more than necessary food - Job 23:12
         c. Which David valued more than gold and fine food - Ps 19:10;
            119:72,103,11
         d. Which Jeremiah found to be the rejoicing of his heart - Jer 15:16
         e. Which causes rebirth, and endures forever - 1Pe 1:22-25
      2. In our text, it is Jesus, the Word of God
         a. Jesus, the Logos (Word) of God - Jn 1:1,14,18
         b. He is the true bread from the Father in heaven - Jn 6:31-35
         c. He is the bread of life who offers everlasting life  - Jn 6:
            47-51

   B. LABOR FOR THIS FOOD...
      1. Jesus must be the primary focus of our labors, in which we
         strive:
         a. To believe in Him, for therein is everlasting life - Jn 6:
            28-29,40
         b. To follow Him, for He has the words of eternal life - Jn 6:
            66-69
         c. To know Him, for that is eternal life - Jn 17:1-3
         d. To obey Him, for to those who obey He is the author of
            eternal life - He 5:9
      2. Are we laboring for the food which endures to everlasting life?
         a. Let Paul's attitude be our example - Php 3:7-15
            1) Seeking to know the Lord more and more
            2) Never content with our current understanding, always
               pressing further
         b. Let Peter's exhortation to diligence in growing in the
            knowledge of Jesus Christ set the standard - 2Pe 1:5-8;
            3:18
            1) Seeking to become like the Lord more and more
            2) Always abounding, always growing in grace and knowledge

CONCLUSION

1. Dear friends and brethren, for what "food" do you labor...?
   a. Is your focus in life on that which is temporary?
   b. Do you strive for that which cannot truly satisfy?
   -- If so, consider what Isaiah wrote 700 years before Christ came
      - Isa 55:1-4

2. Jesus is the true bread of life, the living water, who truly
   satisfies...
   a. He alone provides the hope of eternal life - Jn 6:40
   b. He alone offers the abundant life even now - Jn 10:11

Though written by Isaiah, these words may serve as the invitation Jesus
offers to all...

   "Why do you spend money for [what is] not bread, And your wages
   for [what] does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat
   [what is] good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
   Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live;
   And I will make an everlasting covenant with you - The sure mercies
   of David." (Isa 55:2-3)