 Our sermon title this morning is the enduring bread of life the enduring bread of life And this is part three as we've been working through John's gospel here in chapter 6 Particularly verses 30 through 40 and actually as we look at John chapter 6 The text of scripture here really is one long account beginning with the the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 there around the Sea of Galilee extending all the way to the end of John chapter 6 and Including this discourse of the Lord Jesus Christ on the bread of life now as we've been working through John John's gospel and now Specifically John chapter 6 we see displayed there in accord with John's intent for writing We see the power and wisdom and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ displayed for us In these miracles and the miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ his works We see that in the wisdom and in the glory and in the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ If you think about the Lord's teaching teaching as one having authority how other it is from human wisdom how different how unique it's It's God's wisdom and then it's coming out of his mouth So completely other than the world's wisdom separate from this world's wisdom We see the mercy and grace of God to a lost and dying world just astounding grace astounding mercy to those who reject him and we see the wonder that is the Redemptive plan of God throughout the ages to save a lost people to redeem a fallen Humanity for his own special people his own special possession now as powerful as as his miracles were as Powerful as his teaching is and that's obvious to us Most people react to the teaching to the power to the divine nature of the Lord Jesus Christ They react with a brazen unbelief a Rejection of who the Lord Jesus Christ Christ is and all that the Lord Jesus Christ has come to do most people react to the Lord with a Brazen unbelief. Why is that? Romans chapter 1 Says that all men outside of Christ Suppress the truth of God in their unrighteousness in their own sin in their sinful minds their sinful hearts their sinful desires They suppress what may be known about God They suppress the truth of his righteousness the truth of the gospel the truth of who Christ is Instead of earnestly seeking after God Romans chapter 3 says truly that no one outside of Christ seeks after God instead of laboring for the food which Endures everlasting life Mankind outside of Christ Labors to push Christ out of their lives to push the thought of Christ out of their lives to push Christ out of their choices out of their influences to push God out of their lives altogether Roman says that man does not like to retain God in his knowledge Now what may be known of God is evident to all men It's plainly evident to the point where there is no excuse if you don't turn from your sin put your faith in Christ whether you've Heard anything of this there is no excuse for your rebellion is no excuse for your sin But in our sinful and rebellious nature We outside of Christ want to refuse to believe that we are subject to anyone or anything other than ourselves our Desire in suppressing the truth of God in our unrighteousness is to suppress the reality that we are subject to Submissive to or should be subject to someone other than ourselves And we want to say as the poet said that I am the captain of my fate. I am the master of my soul Those are disgusting and rebellious words It's exactly the thought of men apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm the captain of my faith. I am the master of my soul this Brazen unbelief flows from a sinful nature depraved and Corrupted by the fall by the fall when Adam and Eve in the garden fell into sin Now they fall into the sin Every person is born into this world with a corrupted a perverted a depraved nature Like fallen atoms depraved nature through Adam sin entered the world and the Bible says that death entered through sin And then death spread to all men because all have sinned now the pages of scripture the pages of history is Littered they're littered with this truth the testimony of this reality and we see that reality displayed for us here clearly In John chapter 6 we see a testimony of a brazen a rebellious Unbelief look at that in verse 30 now think about it again after having witnessed Daily miracles after having been eyewitnesses of his divine power of the Lord's divine authority The crowd here disregards all of that evidence and in brazen unbelief asks for another sign verse 30 Therefore they said to him What sign will you perform then that we may see it and believe you what work will you do and again here for these People it's not just any sign. It's gonna be satisfactory. They're not looking for just any sign He had fed them for a day by the sea of Galilee there Basically, they're demanding here that he feed them for the rest of their lives and they pointed to the example in the testimony of Moses verse 31 our fathers ate manna in the desert with Moses so to speak as it is written He gave them bread from heaven to eat in other words. What are you going to do? So Jesus then rebukes them verse 32 Jesus said to them Moses surely amen. Amen. I say to you Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my father gives you the true bread from heaven saying listen Don't put your trust in Moses. Don't put your trust trust in men Don't put your trust or hope in the law or the hope that you have that Moses might save you From that wilderness experience where God fed you with manna from heaven You should have learned to trust God to depend upon God to fear God to obey God God not Moses God was the one who gave you the bread from heaven and to feed you in the wilderness and listen as God takes care of his people as God provides as he gifts you as he makes provision for you as he cares for you God does not intend for that care that provision that gift to terminate on you and you alone God intends for that gift that provision that care to terminate upon him and his Glory as you worship him for the gift as you thank him for the provision It's not to terminate on us for us to consume it on our lusts All of this all of this is intended that we would glorify God and thank him for his provision All of this is point to point to our ultimate need his ultimate provision that comes only in the Lord Jesus Christ He is the one who not only gives us bread from heaven in the sense that he provides our daily bread But he also gives us the true bread from heaven and he does that present tense gives It's an ongoing gift of God. He provides the bread from heaven true eternal life in Christ And that is who the bread of heaven is look at verse 33 for the bread of God The bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world John chapter 1 says In him was life and the life was the light of men He is the one who gives living water remember in John chapter 4 here He is true bread from heaven in John chapter 6 in John chapter 5 The father has granted him to have a life in himself and he gives eternal life to whom he wills And he says of himself that he has come that they might have life and have it more abundantly Lord Jesus Christ is the source of the life that we need the source of eternal life everlasting life He's not simply talking about life in the here and now. He's talking about Eternal living water eternal true bread not just where temporary water and temporary red bread Satisfy a temporary hunger and a temporary thirst He's talking about our eternal provision for everlasting life, but despite that perspective That Jesus Christ comes back and dialogues continuously repeating that perspective teaching us that perspective the people here in verse 34 Demonstrate a devastating ignorance Not only is it a brazen unbelief a rebellious unbelief in who Jesus is and what Jesus has come to do It's a devastating ignorance of anything spiritual It's a devastating ignorance of the eternal perspective that were to have from these miracles the point of the miracles look at verse 34 They said to him Lord give us this bread always now again. They're responding here thinking of physical bread physical hunger physical Provision they didn't respond the way the woman at the well did did they in Lord give me that living water always thinking of Spiritual water here. They're still stuck on the temporal verse 35. Jesus said to them I'm the bread of life he who comes to me shall never hunger he who believes in me shall never thirst Why why did they get it? Jesus says in verse 36 that it's unbelief. It's a brazen persistent Ignorance of spiritual things verse 36 says but I said to you that you have seen me You've seen me just like the Lord told that generation in the wilderness They saw his works those 40 years and yet they did not mix what they saw with faith Verse 36 I said to you that you've seen me and yet you do not believe now as always this brazen unbelief their gross spiritual ignorance is In no way a reflection on the clarity And truth of God's word. It's in no way a reflection on the testimony of Christ It's not because they didn't have enough evidence It wasn't because the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ wasn't clear enough It's totally and completely here reflection on the depravity of man simply the depravity of man No one who goes to hell can blame someone or something else they go to hell. They're responsible for that unbelief and ignorance is never because there isn't enough evidence They're not gonna believe even if one were to rise from the dead Unbelief is not because the teaching of God's word isn't clear enough or that because the Bible is not clear enough It's never because the miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ weren't big enough No one goes to hell that doesn't choose to go to hell by the way that they live their life Anyone who goes to hell goes there choosing to go there by the way that they live their life You know I've told my kids before That you know what you're asking me to do right when they were younger They're not young right now when they were younger. I had to do this I would tell my kids. Okay. Listen if you do that again, you're just asking me to spake you Right if you do that again if you keep misbehaving you're just asking me to spake you That's basically in essence this kind of a principle people go to hell because they choose to go to hell They choose to go to hell by the way that they live their lives and rebellion against the Lord Jesus Christ However at the same time that we understand this at the same time that we see a Brazen depravity of man a brazen unbelief We see the tremendous glory of God in the gospel the glory of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ the glory of God in the cross such a tremendous contrast The glory of the gospel of God the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in the gospel displayed Against a black backdrop of man's depravity. It is the greatest contrast imaginable The greatest contrast in scripture the redemptive plan of God Offset against that black backdrop is a staggering beauty a thing of staggering beauty unfathomable wisdom an unspeakable Immeasurable gift of God's love of God's mercy of his grace Paul speaking of the gospel quoting Isaiah in 1st Corinthians 2 9 Says that I has not seen nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared For those who love him. He's talking there about the gospel. I mean how amazing The gospel is especially considering man's sin man's depravity Paul speaking again of God's redemptive purposes in Romans 11 just burst into worship Considering the brilliance of God's plans to save his people where he says oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God How unsearchable are his judgments his ways past finding out in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 4 He calls it the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ Further in that section the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Just not enough words right to describe it not enough words to worship him with When you consider the glory of the gospel what God has done for Sinful rebellious wicked people like us in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ It is a glory. It is a thing of astounding grace a thing of astounding beauty The gospel is that which to Paul is so bright so glorious That even if it is veiled it is veiled to those who must be blinded by a supernatural power of Satan himself The God of this age that is blinded them It is a glorious gospel a glorious Painting a portrait of the love and grace and mercy and compassion of God in Christ to wicked sinners The gospel is that in which the eternal glory of all mighty God is most magnificently Displayed through that which generates the gospel namely the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ The Lord of glory stepped down from heaven Condescended himself to be humiliated taking on the form of a man not counting at robbery to be equal with God and Walk the mud of our existence to die for sinners to the stunned astonishment of heaven To the praise and glory of his grace the redemptive plan of God Triumphantly reveals the majesty of God in the death of his own son for rebels for enemies It's that into which angels long to look the Bible says The author to the Hebrews simply calls it so great a salvation It is the magnificent redemptive plan of God that's revealed to us in the next four verses of our passage There's so much in here so much packed into these verses look at the glory of God in the gospel verse 37 All that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out for I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me and This is the will of the father who sent me that of all he has given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up in the last day This is the will of him who sent me that everyone who sees the son and believes in him may have ever Lasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day It's a glorious passage of scripture just power packed with The most glorious doctrines known to man revealed by God all Power packed in these these four simple verses as we get into verses 37 through 40 I want you to notice an important point leading up to these truths, and this is very important for us to understand leading into verse 37 if you look at verse 35 verse 35 is an offer of Salvation he who comes to me will never thirst right he believes in me will never hunger will never thirst It's an offer of salvation and that offer is freely giving given to everyone to everyone in that sense now It is a real Genuine offer. It's not hypothetical offer. It's not something that God asks you to do that knows you can't do This is a genuine offer a real offer, and it is offered to everyone furthermore That offer if you come to me, you'll never hunger if you believe in me. You'll never thirst Demands a response from man's will that offer demands your response Act 17 Paul preaching on the areopagus said God Overlooks these times of ignorance, but now commands all men everywhere to repent It's a command that demands a response from every person that offers made every person that Offer demands a response from every person that response Biblically is repentance and faith a turning from your sin and a putting your hope and trust commitment in Christ alone but then verse 36 verse 36 says that man is Ultimately responsible for his unbelief. He says that many have seen many have seen the works of Christ They've heard the testimony of Christ, and yet they don't believe the guilt for that unbelief is laid squarely on them if they don't believe they'll go to hell and that is Legally their responsibility. They're culpable for that for their unbelief. This teaches in the Bible the Theological term so to speak for this is man's responsibility the responsibility of man to respond to the gospel If he does not respond man is guilty for his sin of unbelief and held Responsible for his sin of unbelief now that is truth from the Bible man's responsibility now watch as we come into verse 37 look at verse 37 all That the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out now first before we get into the theology this verse. I want you to notice something this Should be I'm certain was a great encouragement to the Lord Jesus Christ should be a great encouragement to you as well Those of you who evangelize will know exactly what I'm talking about Despite the fact that he offers salvation freely in verse 35 We see in verse 36 that they like many just out of hand reject it, right out of hand reject it Then we come into verse 37 in light of that rejection. You've seen me and yet you don't believe the Lord says even so and yet All that the father gives me will come to me. This should be an encouragement to the Lord It's an encouragement to us many of you've been out witnessing before and you can get discouraged can't you with what? Looks like just so little fruit so many reject the gospel and that's the truth of Scripture a vast Majority of humanity will reject the gospel will reject Christ There are many many many who are on the broad road to destruction They're on their way to hell. There are few who find that little narrow door that little narrow gate to life and yet Those that the father give me will come to me as an Evangelist as someone who shares the gospel with their co-workers or their friends or their family wanting pleading with them for their soul wanting them to be saved God is always right. God is always good. God always does that which is good that which is right and Despite those many that will reject the gospel many of you here today that reject the gospel with your life as Many times as you've heard the gospel if you had a brother or a sister plead with you for your soul and Yet those that the father gives me will come to me We can take great encouragement from God that he knows what he's doing and that those that are Appointed to eternal life will believe It's a great encouragement, but look at how the Lord in this Encourages himself with that truth In evangelism with that truth sometimes you can labor labor labor and not seem any believe You can be tempted to believe as a Christian or as an evangelist that your labor may be in vain No way the Lord knows those who are his Jesus says all that the father gives me will come to me, but I'll second. I want you to get this look verse 37 There's a glorious truth from scripture here that simply cannot be understood in any other way It cannot be twisted away. It can't be misunderstood. What he's saying here Who are those in verse 37? Who are those that come to Christ? Only those that are given to the son by the father Those that come to Christ verse 37 are those that the father gives him Those who come to Christ those who believe in Christ in other words those who repent turn from their sin and put their faith And trust in Christ are those who are first given to Christ by the father I want you to get this this truth from scripture Exists side-by-side with that truth of man's responsibility That if you are going to come if you hear the gospel man's Responsibilities to respond to the gospel with a decision of his will to repent and to believe But here again all that the father gives me will come to me Those that come are those that are given to the son by the father And again that truth from scripture all over the pages of the Bible look with me at one example in John chapter 17 Just turn to John chapter 17 a few pages to the right This truth doesn't begin or end with this particular passage It is all over the Bible and one of the the best expressions of that is in the high priestly prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ in John chapter 17 and look down beginning there at verse 6 John chapter 17 I'm sorry beginning at verse 9 Nope, I'm fickle. We're backing up to verse 6 Here listen to the Lord's prayer He was I've manifested your name to the men whom you've given me out of the world now you speaking there specifically of the disciples Okay, but these are men whom God has given to the Lord Jesus Christ out from the world It says there they were yours you gave them to me and they have kept your word Now they have known that all things which you have given me are from you for I have given to them the words Which you have given me they have received them and have known surely that I came forth from you And they have believed that you sent me look at verse 9. I pray for them. I Do not pray for the world But for those whom you have given me for they are yours That's an interesting distinction. He's not praying for the whole world here for their Guarding for their keeping for their salvation for their perseverance. He's praying for those that God gave him out from the world Look at verse 10 All mine are yours yours are mine, and I am glorified in them Now I'm no longer in the world But these are in the world and I come to you Holy Father Keep through your name those whom you have given me that they may be one as we are one That is the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints the Lord gave them To Jesus Christ God the Father gave them to Jesus Christ now the Lord Jesus Christ is praying that God and his grace and mercy would Preserve them look at verse 12 While I was with them in the world. I kept them in your name those whom you gave me I have kept See how many times that phrase is repeated. He's given. He's given. He's given right look at verse The end of verse 12 there those whom you gave me I've kept and none of them is lost except the son of perdition that the scripture might Be fulfilled But now I come to you these things I speak in the world that they may have my joy Fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word and the Lord in the world has hated them because they are not of the World just as I am not of the world drop down to verse 20 I'm praying for this the disciples there up until verse 19 now listen to Jesus's prayer for all believers verse 20 I do not pray for these alone these disciples alone But also for all those who will believe in me through their word It's all believers as you and I here in John chapter 17 if you're in Christ the Lord Jesus Christ prays this for you It's a powerful thought to think it in Christ the Lord Jesus Christ with you Having been given him by the Father prays for you here verse 21 That they all may be one as you father are in me and I and you that they also may be one in us that the world may Believe that you sent me and the glory which you gave me I have given them that they may be one just as we are one in them You and me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved Them as you have loved me Father I desire that they also whom you gave me Maybe with me where I am that they may be hold my glory which you've given me for you loved me Before the foundation of the world. Oh righteous father. The world is not known you, but I've known you and these have known you that you sent me again in the father Giving redeemed humanity to the son. It's a love gift from God the father to God the son is This is a glimpse into the inner workings of the Trinity Between God the father God the son of giving a love gift of redeemed Humanity to worship the son for all eternity. It's just one example that the doctrine tied to this teaching is called unconditional election Unconditional election unconditional election is where God Sovereignly chooses from eternity past all those whom he will save and give as that gift It's a gift from God the father to God the son second Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 13 The Bible says this but we are bound to give thanks to God always for you brethren beloved by the Lord because God from the beginning Shows you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit Now if that were the only Verse in all of scripture that said that it would be enough to prove that doctrine It is a glorious truth from scripture a humbling truth from scripture And it is exactly what the scripture teaches now listen to our statement of faith This is the Baptist confession of faith despite what most baptists teach today listen to this by the decree of God for the manifestation of his glory Some men and angels are Predestinated or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ to the praise of his glorious grace Others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation because of their sin to the praise of his glorious justice It's a doctrine of unconditional election in speaking to this this very fact that all those who are given by the father verse 37 will come to him None will be missed none will be cast away Chapter 3 barograph 4 and that statement of faith says this these angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained are particularly and Unchangeably designed and their numbers so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished The doctrine of unconditional election Taught side by side with what the Bible teaches about man's responsibility two truths equally true But why is it? Why is it that? The father must give those that will come to Christ The Lord Jesus Christ holds out a free offer of the gospel That offer is that if you will come you'll never hunger that if you will believe you'll never thirst Why is it then that the father must give? Those to the son that will come It's back to total depravity again back to the depravity of men their nature to come to Christ To those who are depraved to those outside of Christ is just not a compelling enough idea To most not a good idea. They're just not going to come. They would persist in their sin For the rest of their lives and then die and go to hell It's something that fallen man because of their fallen nature Cannot do on their own and cannot do for themselves. They must be born again They need a new nature. They need a new heart. They need to do mind. They need new Affections they need to do emotions. They need new desires They need to be remade that old man passed away put off a new man coming They need to be made over again born again Born again having given new life Lord than the father gives them to the son That truth Clearly taught in the bible does that truth do away with then man's responsibility to come It doesn't man is still responsible to come man must come if If someone doesn't come to christ, they don't put their faith and trust in christ alone They'll die and go to go to hell and pay for their own sins for eternity Those two truths exist side by side on the pages of the bible. They both Must be believed. It's called an antinomy an antinomy. It's two truths both equally true that seem or appear contradictory and There's a part of this that we simply cannot understand this side of eternity But the bible teaches it to be true You can't gloss over texts that support your theological system to the neglect of others You can't twist passages of scripture to try to justify your belief People have done that for centuries trying to get away from one truth of the bible or another We know that today to be true with theological error called armenianism A vast majority of churches today teach a theological error called armenianism, which is basically just For saking texts in scripture for the sake of their own theological system Here's how an armenian that an armenian would Disregard texts or twist texts that pertain to god's sovereignty in salvation So this is the way that an armenian might read beginning in verse 37 If an armenian was going to read his bible This is the way that it might sound All that the father gives to me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will no means cast out for I've come down from heaven not to do my own will The will of him who sent me is gonna raise it up last day This will be the will of him said that everyone who sees the sun and believes in him may have everlasting life, right? Of course, you also have those that do the opposite error And you have the hyper calvinist so to speak that read their bible like this All that the father will gives gives me will come to me the one who comes to me I will no means cast out for I've come down from heaven not to do my own Well the will of him who sent me the father sent me that of all he's given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up right the hyper calvinist reading his bible those truths Not only do they exist side by side in the bible as true they exist right here together in these same Verses side by side and are both true. It's amazing thing that they come out of the same Verses of scripture. Um, we don't exactly exactly understand how they fit together this side of eternity But they do in god's economy. It's one of those things one of those truths those doctrines That fits under deuteronomy chapter 29 verse 29 where the bible says the secret things belong to the lord our god But those things which are revealed to us and our children forever There are things that the lord reveals to us and we can know clearly other things that are are more hidden But here's what you have to do. This is what you have to do If we were to study our bibles and we're going to be faithful to the word of god It's like picking up the end of a rope when you first get converted you first get saved You first start studying you first start reading your bible You just pick up the end and you start reading right you start reading and as you read you pull the rope You pull the rope eventually the rope goes through a door And there's a light bulb on in there and you get this brand new perspective of some glorious Biblical truth and you're just in awe of how great god is and all that god has done Wow, this is awesome right the bible is just awesome to the christian So you have that rope in your hand and you just keep reading keep reading how you're even more energized to read I want to know as much as I can and so you keep reading keep reading and it goes through another doorway Opens up into another room and you get another perspective more insight more knowledge of who god is and what god has done in the gospel And so you follow your rope this time it goes through a window There's a little bit of hard work now. You got to climb you got to get through that window But it opens up into another glorious room and you learn more Maybe the next time you're pulling your rope and it takes you through a tight passage Really hard to get through and you have to squeeze you have to pull the rope squeeze your way through But when you get through more glorious truth from god's word and so you keep pulling the rope you keep studying And you've got to if you're a christian you need to be following that rope through god's word Studying his word pouring yourself into his word to know more and more of him But eventually as you pull that rope along you come to a a wall Where the rope goes into a wall and your journey along the rope comes to an end What most people do is they stop the journey long Before the rope ever comes to a wall that you just can't go any farther on right they stop studying They stop understanding they stop seeking to reconcile god's word Long before it comes to that point you've got to keep studying it out be precise With the text be careful with the word of god and you keep studying keep studying keep studying Arminian theology is the result of stopping long before on the rope Way before anyone should and not following that out to its biblical end The redemptive plan of god is a glorious reality. We've got to study it and be precise with it But look further now Clearly at verse 37 Verse 37 all that the father gives me he says will Come to me all that the father gives me Is the doctrine of the unconditional election of god It's one of the doctrines of grace the doctrines of salvation It's an unquestionable doctrine from scripture But next in verse 37 it says those that the father gives me it says will Come to me in the same verse. This is the doctrine of the efficacious or irresistible grace of god The wonder working power grace of god in salvation that causes those That he chooses to be born again unto life from death in their sins and trespasses and they will come All those that god chooses in eternity past as a love gift from the father to the son will Come to him that doesn't mean that they don't resist ever Or maybe that they don't resist most of the time But at some point it is the work of the holy spirit A work of god's grace that eventually brings them to life in christ and brings them to To the son as a gift from the father to the son It means that hopeless and depraved sinners even hopeless and depraved sinners will eventually Believe and come to christ when the lord has chosen them calls them to himself john 644 says No one can he's no one is able No one is able no one can come to me. Jesus says Unless the father who sent me Draws him and when the father draws him he will Come many of you can attest in your own testimony That you were when you were lost. You're just living your life for yourself I wasn't looking to be saved. I thought I was saved when the lord saved me It just the lord when the lord draws you to himself when the lord purposes intends to save you lord is going to save you He draws you to himself. It is an effectual A working calling irresistible grace is the effectual working of the holy spirit to draw us to christ But listen to this from verse 37 one step farther All that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out The end of verse 37 is a doctrine called the perseverance of the saints We're in one verse right these glorious doctrines of the bible the perseverance of the saints This should be a comfort to believers The bible is extremely clear for all of us that in order for us to be saved We must persevere to the end persevere to the end and be saved If this were exclusively up to you If you and your own strength and in your own power Had to persevere in christ to the end of your life and be saved how confident are you That you'd be able to do that None right. Yeah, he's shaking all over the room No confidence whatsoever. I've got the only hope I feel like I would have is that somehow I might just Repent and believe right at the last second of my life. So I wouldn't have to persevere any on my own right There'd be no hope for us apart from the grace of god in christ to preserve us This is the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints The bible is extremely clear you must persevere But it's a base your perseverance based on the preserving grace and power of the lord jesus christ Now if you think about scripture We're reminded aren't we in scripture of peter The example of peter aw pink said that considering peter if peter was not cast out After having denied the lord jesus christ three times at his trial Then no christian ever has been cast out and not one ever will We have those examples in scripture for our comfort Christ will by no means cast anyone who has come out because they've been sent by the father They've been given by the father. They're a gift from the father. He will by no means cast them out The christian is sure Assured of their salvation be sure that you're in christ Now this does not mean that no professing christian will ever fall away from the faith, right? We see many examples of that look at judas judas is an example of that think about god's sovereignty in judas that The son of man it says in luke chapter 22 that the son of man goes out. He goes to his death He goes to his death As it has been determined the bible says but then the bible says but woe To that man by which it has been determined or by which it has been done. That's judas and judas although uh Means of god and bringing about the crucifixion of christ Yet responsible fully and completely for his own sin It's the sovereignty of god and the responsibility of man side by side in the scripture In first john chapter 2 verse 19 the bible says they went out from us But they were not of us if they had been of us they would have continued with us But they went out that they might be made manifest that none of them were of us We've seen many who have left off into apostasy because they simply were never of us So examine yourself this morning. Is your faith real? Is it genuine? If you've truly repented put your faith and trust in christ alone Then you're going to persevere You're going to persevere and it's going to be the lord that preserves you These are words that should comfort the afflicted Those that have been through trial may have doubts over their salvation that doctrine of the perseverance of the saints that the lord jesus christ will preserve you Is a is a joy is an assurance is a An encouragement to christians But it's also should be an affliction to those who are comfortable if you are comfortable in your sin Then let the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints Afflict you with the reality that you cannot persist in sin and be saved You're not going to fall away Those who sin willfully after receiving a knowledge of the truth no longer have a sacrifice for sins But a certain terrifying expectation of judgment They have to come to grips with the reality of the gospel Sovereignty of god the sovereignty of god does not negate Man's responsibility to come to christ and it doesn't negate man's responsibility to persevere in christ You must come at the gospel to turn from your sin put your faith in him and there's a story Of richard phillips uh richard phillips told Of an old lutheran farmer old lutheran farmer that lived across the street from a lutheran church And living across the street from the church. He never went He worked his fields worked his farm across the street never went to church one day As he was In the field he heard people singing singing hymns in the church and they were singing a hymn that went like this Saved by grace. This is all my plea Jesus died for all mankind and jesus died for me And then the the notion there the biblical truth that lord holds out free offer of the gospel to every single person to be saved When he heard the words Jesus died for all mankind. He thought they were singing Jesus died for old man kline That's what that's what they called him And at that moment the realities sink in that even i could be saved even the lord would save a wretched sinner like me Story tells that he went right across the street turned from his sin committed his life to christ God is the one who saves God is the source of salvation. God is the one who saves sinners But he calls them to come he calls them to come spurgeon said go out improve your election by your conversion repent and believe in the gospel it's just um The stunning array of doctrine in this one verse alone from scripture Further We see two sides of this glorious salvation as we work through verses 38 through 40 Look at verses 38 39 and 40 for i've come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me This is the will of the father who sent me that of all he has given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day verse 40 This is the will of him who sent me that everyone who sees the sun and believes in him May have eternal life and i'll raise him up at the last day Take a quiz for yourself. Look at verses 38 through 40 and verse 38. What do you see there god's sovereignty or man's responsibility Look at verse 39 god's sovereignty or man's responsibility Now those two verses looking at god's sovereignty all that god does in the gospel look at verse 40 Everyone who sees the sun and believes in him may have everlasting life. It's man's responsibility We see those truths taught side by side in the scripture right next to each other and both true So salvation if you look at it that way in verses 38 through 40 salvation isn't simply and only A matter of the compassion of christ Don't misunderstand what i'm saying it is about the compassion and mercy and grace and love of christ But isn't only and exclusively a matter of the compassion of christ It points to the fact that it is also part of the redemptive plan of god from eternity past That was decreed by god not god looking down some corridor of time Where he sees what is going to happen or what is going to be chosen And then you know some decision that's going to be made and then he scripts history to coincide with that that's not the god of the bible god wrote History all of history it points to the fact that from eternity past god wrote history verse 38 He came down from heaven with work to accomplish with a divine purpose. This is christ condescension his humiliation Born of a lowly condition born under the law born and lived Sinlessly in the suffering and difficulties of this life Bearing the cursed death of the cross in order to bear the sins of his people And all this is the father's will that the lord jesus christ came to do and it says the lord delights to do his will But all this is the father's will Verse or i say of 46 verse 9 says this For i am god god says there is no other i am god and there is none like me Declaring Declaring the end from the beginning not looking down the corridor of time and figuring out what's going to happen He declares the end from the beginning from ancient times things that are not yet done saying my Council shall stand god says i will do all my pleasure Calling a bird of pray from the east the man who executes my council from a far country Indeed god says i have spoken it i will also bring it to pass i have purposed it i will also do it That's the god that we worship Totally sovereign over all things verse 39 This is the will of the father who sent me that will comes in two parts one That of all that he has given me i should lose nothing One aspect of his will in verse 39 that the lord will preserve his people Will sanctify them by his strength by his power by his spirit will keep them will guard them Will comfort them will ultimately glorify them He will preserve them so that they should be raised up at the last day And that's the second purpose they're raised up John chapter 10 verse 28 Bible reads christ says i give them eternal life They shall never perish neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand My father who has given them to me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand So although many reject him Although many will die in their sins and spend an eternity in torment God's will is never undone is never thwarted never defeated Romans 8 29 whom god foreknew these he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son That he might be the firstborn among many brethren Moreover whom he predestined these he called whom he called these he also justified whom he justified These he also let a few go and that No these he justified. He also glorified It's the undefeated will of god in salvation God has a will of desire And in god's will of desire He desires that none perish He doesn't take pleasure in the death of the wicked. He desires that all men come to christ and be saved God sent christ into the world to seek and to save sinners to seek and to save that which is lost And he compels you he pleads with you when you see When you see the lord jesus christ Standing on the mount of olives outside of jerusalem looking at the city and weeping That's god weeping for his people Jesus christ is god in the flesh and god stands on the hillside and weeps for the people Long would i have gathered you but you would not That's the heart of god toward the lost person. He wants you to be saved He sent his son to die So that sinners would turn from their sin and be saved The day that you have to be concerned with in verse 39 if you don't turn to christ is that last day Those that believe in christ will be raised up at the last day But christ mentions that last day in verse 39 there as a day of judgment that day of judgment has been determined It's been set Bible says that god has appointed a day On which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained He has given assurance of this to all by raising him from the dead That day that day of ultimate judgment is nearer to you now than it was yesterday It will be nearer to you tomorrow It's not getting any farther away. It's getting closer What a glorious salvation that god offers to sinners to escape that day If you think about the the again the the diamond that is the redemptive plan of god, it's glorious Look at all that god has done in christ I heard this It's a good picture of what the lord has done You think about the cross and the picture of cross of the cross You come to the cross with all your sin with all your baggage with your rebellion And you look at the cross and you see the lord jesus christ And the the penalty paying sacrifice that lord jesus the lord jesus christ paid for you if you're in christ That he died there taking the punishment that you deserve for your sin And you come to the cross and you look and on the front of the cross is written This is the will of him who sent me That everyone who sees the sun and believes in him May have everlasting life You see that written on the cross and you take the lord at his word And you say you know what i'm sick and tired of this sin sick and tired of this life that i've been living I don't want this anymore. I want to please the lord. I want to live for him So you look at the cross and you see that promise of god He who comes to me And believes in me will have everlasting life And so you believe You turn you put your faith in him And then in the grace and mercy of god in the glory of the salvation that god provides in christ You walk past the cross And as you take that great weight as that weight drops off of you that sin weight Lord takes that off of your back as you turn around look behind you at the cross You read this on the other side and this is the will of the father who sent me that of all he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up by the last day It's knowing that for the christian that the lord doesn't just save us and cleanse us He makes us accepted in the beloved he adopts us as a son and then he preserves us to the end And he justifies us and glorifies us Cleanses us Just a glorious salvation, right? Something that the heart of man could never ever devise. This is the wisdom of god the thing that um makes this A part of this segment I think and we talked about one the the brazen unbelief of the people around the sea there Or at cappernum We talked about two. They're devastating ignorance point three on your notes is a tragic loss For those that don't believe this glorious salvation is a tragic loss Look at all they're giving up should compel us to get out with the gospel, right? To see people saved to see people hear the gospel. It is a tragic loss to turn your back on such a glorious salvation, right? Right thing for you to do today is to take christ at his word today and trust christ now and be saved amen Let's pray father in heaven. Thank you lord for this text. Thank you lord for What you've taught us here and the glorious truth that you've presented us in the gospel in christ And I pray lord that if there is anyone here Just heart hearted in their rebellion that they would see christ for all that he is and all that he's done They would turn from their sin put their faith in you and be saved for your everlasting praise and worship In jesus name we pray amen