FULL TEXT SUNDAY SERMON - John 6:47-48
Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>
JOHN 6:47-48 - PAGE 1
A GOOD OUTLOOK, AM 4/21/02
Psychologist Martin Segilman of the University of Pennsylvania advised the MetLife insurance company to hire a special groups of job applicants who tested high on optimism, although they had failed the normal aptitude test. Compared with salesmen who passed the aptitude test but scored high in pessimism, this group made 21 percent more sales in their first year and 57 percent more in their second. A pessimist is likely to interpret rejection as meaning "I’m a failure; I’ll never make a sale." Optimists tell themselves, "I’m using the wrong approach," or "That customer was in a bad mood." By blaming failure on the situation, not themselves, optimists are motivated to make that next call.
What’s Your Emotional I.Q.?, Reader’s Digest, January, 1996, from Emotional Intelligence, 1995, by Daniel Goleman, Bantam Books, http://www.bible.org/illus/o/o-23.htm#TopOfPageTwo boys who were twins, one an incurable optimist, one a pessimist. The parents were worried about the extremes of behavior and attitude and finally took the boys in to see a psychologist. The psychologist observed them a while and then said that they could be easily helped. He said that they had a room filled with all the toys a boy could want. They would put the pessimist in that room and allow him to enjoy life. They also had another room that they filled with horse manure. They put the optimist in that room. They observed both boys through one way mirrors. The pessimist continued to be a pessimist, stating that he had no one to play with. They went to look in on the optimist, and were astounded to find him digging through the manure. The psychologist ran into the room and asked what on earth the boy was doing. He replied that with all that manure, he was sure there had to be a pony in the room somewhere.
http://www.bible.org/illus/o/o-23.htm#TopOfPageBoth of these illustrations remind me that our outlook on life is important. If we approach life with a positive outlook, we are far more likely to be happy than if we have a bad outlook.
Unfortunately, there are enough bad things that happen in our lives and in the lives of our friends and loved ones, that can often dampen our spirits, and cause us to develop a bad outlook.
The Lord Jesus, however, gives us good reasons to have a good outlook on life. We find three of these reasons for this good outlook as we look at this week's verses for memorization and meditation.
John 6:47-48 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. [48] I am that bread of life.
Not only will these memory verses help us with our outlook on life, but they are excellent verses to share when we are witnessing to those who need Christ as our Savior.
Let us consider these three reasons for a good outlook:
WE HAVE THE SOURCE OF AUTHORITY
WE HAVE THE SIMPLICITY OF SALVATION
WE HAVE THE STAPLE OF LIFE
BACKGROUND - John 6 contains John's account of the feeding of the 5,000. This miracle is reported in all four Gospels. It is John, however, who tells us of the little boy that Andrew found. He was the owner of a lunch of five loaves and 2 fishes that Jesus used to work the miracle.
After the miracle, some wanted to make Jesus a king. He dispatched the disciples by boat, dismissed the crowd and went up into a mountain to pray.
The disciples got caught in a storm on the lake. Jesus came to them, walking on the water. When they received him into the boat, they were immediately on the other side of the lake.
The next day some of the crowd came looking for Jesus. They took boats and found him on the other side of the lake. When they arrived on the other side of the lake, Jesus gave an insight and a word of advice.
John 6:26-27
- Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. [27] Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.Jesus told them that they were seeking him for the wrong motives and that they needed not to be looking for physical food, but spiritual food that endures unto eternal life.
It is in this context that Jesus presents himself as the Bread of Life.
John 6:47-48 -
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. [48] I am that bread of life.So then, why can we have a good outlook?
WE HAVE THE SOURCE OF AUTHORITY
Verily, verily, I say unto you…
The words "Verily, verily" are literally the words "Amen, Amen" in the original language. I think of Jesus saying, "surely, surely".
Jesus is serious when he uses these words and He is pointing out to his listeners that whatever He is saying is absolute truth.
Jesus' teaching style was different from those of his day. At the end of His famous Sermon on The Mount, Matthew 7:28-29 says,
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: [29] For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.Indeed, during the Sermon on the Mount Jesus would quote teachings of the past and then say, but I say unto you, and then give a clarification to the teaching.
An example of this is found in Matthew 5:27-28
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: [28] But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Why could Jesus speak with such authority?
Jesus can speak with such authority because of who He is.
Isaiah 9:6
- For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.By nature, He is God.
His miracles were wonderful.
His teachings were wonderful.
His death on the cross for our sins was wonderful.
His resurrection was wonderful.
The work He does now as our intercessor before God is wonderful.
Jesus is the counselor in that He comes to us as the revealer of the Father's will.
A counselor is one who gives advice and direction.
A counselor is one who gives help when needed.
More than once a counselor has gotten someone out of trouble.
As God, there is none that can give better counsel than the Lord Jesus. No wonder He tells us in John 15:4-5
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. [5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
He created everything.
Colossians 1:16 -
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:Jesus is mighty God! He knows everything.
Jesus is mighty God! He is all-powerful. There isn't anything that Jesus can't do. Just think of His mighty miracles, including the calming of storms and the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead.
Jesus is eternal.
He said in John 8:58
…Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.Jesus is alive now and will be forevermore.
Because He is eternal, every promise He makes He is capable of keeping.
Jesus is prince of peace because He secured peace with God for us. Romans 5:1 -
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:Jesus is Prince of Peace because He promises His followers peace. John 14:27 says,
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.So there you have it. Jesus is …
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.You have no greater authority than the Lord Jesus!
So when He says something here in John 6:47-48, you can believe it.
When He says something in the Sermon on the Mount, you can believe it.
Anywhere you see the red letters in you Bible, you can believe the words, because they are the Words of Jesus.
Actually you can believe and accept, and trust in the whole Bible, because the whole Bible is God's Word. It is authority!
2 Timothy 3:16-17
- All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.WE HAVE THE SOURCE OF AUTHORITY
WE HAVE THE SIMPLICITY OF SALVATION
I have a computer sitting on my desk and it amazes me. It can do two our three things at once, allow me to do word processing, store everything in files and connect me to the internet. It can find just about anything it has in store. It can play music and even video clips. I would say the computer is complex. And I only know how to use a computer, not what makes it work or how to fix it.
We have just passed the deadline of April 15th for filing our taxes. The tax code is complex. I don't understand the tax code, and as I result I rely on somebody who does to do my taxes.
Many people have made salvation leading to eternal life complex.
They think that they have to do good deeds to get into Heaven.
They think that they have to light candles, be baptized, do penance, go to purgatory, pay money, take communion, keep the ten commandments, and/or be a totally nice person in order to get into Heaven.
Jesus, our authority makes it much simpler.
John 6:47 -
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.Have you ever stopped to think how simple salvation is?
The trouble is, too many people think that the message of salvation is too simple. They think they must do something to earn forgiveness and eternal life.
My friend, God simply didn't make it that hard.
Ephesians 2:8-9
- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.If you have not availed yourself of God's simple plan of salvation, I invite you to do so this morning. It will change your life.
If you have believed on Christ, may I encourage you that this simple message of salvation that changed your life can change the lives of your friends and loved ones? You actually need to know very little in order to share your faith with someone else.
Coupled along with telling someone how Christ changed your life you can simply explain what I've explained many, many times to you.
2 Corinthians 5:17
- Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.This plan of salvation is so simple that children have little trouble understanding it. One time, a little girl went to a 4-H fair with her family. She was a foster child. Working with Child Evangelism Fellowship, I was talking to bunches of kids all at once. We led the kids in a sample prayer that they could pray to believe in Christ.
When this little girl got home, she climbed up in the lap of a family friend they called Uncle Bill. She announced to Him something like this as she pointed to her heart, "Uncle Bill, Uncle Bill, I have Jesus right here!"
WE HAVE THE SOURCE OF AUTHORITY
WE THE SIMPLICITY OF SALVATION
WE HAVE THE STAPLE OF LIFE
John 6:48 -
I am that bread of life.Staples are the basic groceries you need. You know, bread, milk, flour, butter or margarine, salt, pepper, ice cream. J
Probably the most common staple throughout the world is bread. In many places, even around here, bread is very much a part of the diet. I have heard a lot more people say "I don't eat meat, or much meat." I can't recall anybody saying, "I don't eat bread."
Bread helps to keep alive.
Jesus tells us in our text that he is "that bread of life."
He's the staple.
He's the basic. He's needed.
John 3:36
- He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.1 John 5:12
- He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.Without the staple of Jesus Christ as Savior, you don't have life.
And let me tell you something else, Christian, unless you make Jesus a staple in your life daily, you're not going to have much of a life right now.
Jesus didn't just come to give you eternal life, but He came to give you abundant life, now!
John 10:10 -
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.Do you want to know what kind of an abundant life you can have right now with the Lord Jesus? As James Montgomery Boice pointed out in his commentary on The Gospel of John, the 23rd Psalm is a beautiful picture of abundant life in Christ.
Boice, James Montgomery, The Gospel of John Volume 3, ©1985, 1999 by James Montgomery Boice, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Pages 749-752
READ AND COMMENT ON THE 23RD Psalm.
We have eternal life because Jesus is the staple of life.
We have abundant life because Jesus is the staple of life. - He's the good shepherd.
We have every reason to have a good outlook on life:
WE HAVE THE SOURCE OF AUTHORITY
WE HAVE THE SIMPLICITY OF SALVATION
WE HAVE THE STAPLE OF LIFE
Ezra 7:10
AOL INSTANT MESSENGING SCREEN NAME - JackPeters47
MSN MESSENGER SCREEN NAME - johnwpeters@hotmail.com
Looking for preaching and teaching ideas?
Try Sermon Seeds!
http://www.sermonseeds.org