WEBVTT

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 Our passage today is John chapter 6, verse 1 to 40.

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 Please follow along in your Bibles or on the screen.

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! If it's the Church Bible, it's page 837.

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 After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias, and a large crowd was following him.

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 Because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.

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 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.

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 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.

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 Lifting up his eyes then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip,

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 Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?

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 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

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 Philip answered him,

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 Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.

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 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,

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 There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?

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 Jesus said, Have the people sit down.

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 Now there was much grass in the place, so the men sat down, about five thousand in number.

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 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated.

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 So also the fish as much as they wanted.

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 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples,

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 Gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost.

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 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.

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 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said,

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 This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.

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 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king,

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 Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

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 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,

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 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum.

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 It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

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 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing.

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 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat,

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 and they were frightened.

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 But he said to them,

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 It is I.

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 Do not be afraid.

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 Then they were glad to take him into the boat,

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 and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

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 On the next day, the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there,

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 and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples,

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 but that his disciples had gone away alone.

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 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread,

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 after the Lord had given thanks.

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 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples,

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 they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

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 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him,

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 Rabbi, when did you come here?

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 Jesus answered them,

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 Truly, truly, I say to you,

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 you are seeking me not because you saw signs,

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 but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

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 Do not work for food that perishes,

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 but for the food that endures to eternal life,

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 which the Son of Man will give to you.

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 For on him God the Father has set his seal.

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 Then they said to him,

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 What must we do to be doing the works of God?

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 Jesus answered them,

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 This is the work of God,

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 that you believe in him whom he has sent.

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 So they said to him,

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 Then what sign do you do that we may see and believe you?

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 What work do you perform?

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 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness,

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 as it is written,

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 He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

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 Jesus then said to them,

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 Truly, truly, I say to you,

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 It was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven,

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 but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

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 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven

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 and gives life to the world.

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 They said to him,

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 Sir, give us this bread always.

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 Jesus said to them,

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 I am the bread of life.

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 Whoever comes to me shall not hunger,

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 and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

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 But I said to you that you have seen me,

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 and yet do not believe.

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 All that the Father gives me will come to me,

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 and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

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 For I have come down from heaven,

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 not to do my own will,

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 but the will of him who sent me.

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 And this is the will of him who sent me,

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 that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me,

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 but raise it up on the last day.

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 For this is the will of my Father,

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 that everyone who looks on the Son

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 and believes in him should have eternal life,

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 and I will raise him up on the last day.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Amen.

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 Okay, great.

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 Thank you, Albert and Karen.

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 Hey, let's pray,

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 and then we're going to dive into this passage.

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 So join me in prayer.

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 Father God, as we come to your word,

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 we want to be fed.

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 What a passage that tells us,

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 Jesus, you want to feed our souls.

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 God, we want to be fed by you this morning.

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 We want to hear you speaking to us.

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 God, we don't just want to hear interesting things.

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 We don't just want a prep talk on how to get through life.

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 We want God to meet with you, the living God,

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 in your living word.

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 We know, God, your word is living and active.

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 It means you're present in your word,

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 and you're doing stuff.

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 So God, why don't you do stuff in our hearts?

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 Why don't you open our hearts to see you,

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 to feast in you,

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 to delight in you,

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 to savor you.

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 God, we hear your invitation,

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 and as I to come,

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 those who are hungry and thirsty,

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 to eat and drink.

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 Lord, we want to respond to that.

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 And so help us, we pray,

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 in your good and gracious name.

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 Amen.

00:06:15.579 --> 00:06:17.500
 Okay, well, I forgot to greet you.

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 If you are new to Watermark,

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 my name's Kevin,

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 and it's great to have you with us.

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 Welcome.

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 We are continuing to work through John's Gospel,

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 and John's Gospel is all about belief in Jesus,

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 how and why we can believe in Jesus.

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 And you remember,

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 at the end of John's Gospel,

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 John actually tells us the whole reason,

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 why he wrote this long book.

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 These days,

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 it might not feel long for us,

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 but in those days,

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 all the writing on papyrus,

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 papyrus was very expensive.

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 Why did John go through all this effort,

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 and all this cost and expense?

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 He tells us,

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 I've written these things,

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 that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,

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 the Son of God,

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 and by believing,

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 experience life in His name.

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 That's what John wants,

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 and that's what we want.

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 We want to encounter Jesus,

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 and experience life in His name.

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 Whether you've been a follower of Jesus for many years,

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 or you are still a spiritual seeker,

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 that's what John wants,

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 and that's what we want.

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 And so today,

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 we are in chapter 6,

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 and we're continuing our discussion.

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 And like much of John's Gospel,

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 there's a miracle,

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 and what follows the miracle is a teaching,

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 a discourse,

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 a discussion.

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 And like much of John's Gospel,

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 the miracle is not the main thing,

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 actually the discussion,

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 the teaching that follows,

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 is what John really wants us to focus on.

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 And so,

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 let's take a look and see what happens here.

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 Now,

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 the context is important.

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 Context is everything,

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 right?

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 And so,

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 look at what John tells us in verse 4.

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 He says,

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 Now the Passover,

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 the feast of the Jews,

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 was at hand.

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 That's really important.

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 In John's Gospel,

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 many of these chapters,

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 all revolve around a different feast.

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 And the feast informs what's the message,

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 what's going on here.

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 And so,

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 in chapter 6,

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 it's all about the Passover.

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 Now,

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 what is the Passover?

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 The Passover was the most sacred

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 and momentous celebration

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 in the history of Israel.

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 It was the main feast

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 that everyone would celebrate.

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 It's kind of like

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 Lunar New Year for us Asians,

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 right?

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 Everyone would gather

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 and come together.

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 Us Asians,

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 you know.

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 Why is that so funny?

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 Don't I look Chinese?

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 Right?

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 Okay.

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 You Asians,

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 fine.

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 For us Asians,

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 okay,

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 so Lunar New Year,

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 it's when everyone gathers together

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 and they celebrate

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 God's deliverance.

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 In their case,

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 out of Egypt,

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 deliverance from Egypt.

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 You'll remember,

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 the reason is called the Passover,

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 is God's people were slaves in Egypt

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 and God's judgment comes on

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 their enemies,

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 the Egyptians,

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 but His judgment passes over

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 God's people.

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 And so they are saved,

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 they're delivered,

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 they are then rescued,

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 they leave Egypt.

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 And when they leave Egypt,

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 the Exodus,

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 they then pass through the sea,

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 the Red Sea,

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 on dry ground.

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 They go into the wilderness

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 and they're fed in the wilderness

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 with bread

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 on the way to the promised land.

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 And God provides them

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 and cares for them.

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 And as they come out of Egypt,

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 this Passover is the defining feature

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 of the nation of Israel.

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 It's kind of their national identity.

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 Later on,

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 God says to him,

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 two things must happen.

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 You must reset your calendars.

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 This is the first month

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 of the first year

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 of your new nation.

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 It's kind of like as a nation,

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 you've been reborn.

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 But the other thing he says is this.

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 He says that every Israelite must,

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 this is a statutory holiday,

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 every Israelite must celebrate Passover

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 and no foreigners are allowed

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 to celebrate it.

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 Because this is what it means

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 to be the people of God,

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 that I have delivered you,

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 I've saved you,

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 I've rescued you.

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 God says,

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 I am the rescuing,

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 delivering,

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 saving God.

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 I'm the Exodus God.

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 I'm the Passover God.

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 And now John tells us

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 it's the week of Passover

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 or Passover is at hand.

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 And so everybody's thinking about this.

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 Everyone's preparing.

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 Everybody's celebrating,

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 getting ready to celebrate

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 God's salvation,

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 God's deliverance of his people.

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 Now in this passage,

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 I want us to think about three,

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 think about in three sections.

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 Okay.

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 The miracles of Jesus,

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 the call of Jesus

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 or the challenge of Jesus

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 and the promises of Jesus.

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 Okay.

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 Three very simple things.

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 So let's dive in and look,

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 the miracles of Jesus.

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 So everybody's thinking about Passover

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 and they're getting ready for it.

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 But of course,

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 Jesus is also a pretty big attraction.

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 And so verse two says,

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 a large crowd was following him

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 because they saw the signs.

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 That's the miracles

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 that he was doing on the sick.

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 And so crowds are following Jesus

00:10:39.500 --> 00:10:41.159
 and it's been a long day.

00:10:41.259 --> 00:10:42.399
 It's been a tiring day.

00:10:42.579 --> 00:10:43.699
 They're all exhausted.

00:10:44.419 --> 00:10:45.219
 And Jesus,

00:10:45.500 --> 00:10:47.000
 knowing exactly what he's going to do,

00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:48.559
 says to one of the disciples

00:10:48.559 --> 00:10:49.600
 who's from that area,

00:10:49.959 --> 00:10:50.839
 Oh, Philip, by the way,

00:10:51.039 --> 00:10:52.139
 can you just make sure

00:10:52.139 --> 00:10:52.879
 we've got enough food

00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:54.639
 to feed these 5,000 people?

00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:56.559
 And it's a ridiculous question

00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:57.779
 because they don't have enough food.

00:10:58.199 --> 00:10:59.279
 There's no shops nearby.

00:10:59.439 --> 00:11:00.059
 They're in the wilderness

00:11:00.059 --> 00:11:02.679
 and they don't have enough money for it.

00:11:02.679 --> 00:11:05.500
 And so Philip is a bit stomach.

00:11:06.699 --> 00:11:08.699
 He has no solution

00:11:08.699 --> 00:11:10.939
 and they don't have enough food

00:11:10.940 --> 00:11:11.280
 or money.

00:11:11.460 --> 00:11:12.240
 And one of the disciples,

00:11:12.400 --> 00:11:12.740
 Andrew,

00:11:13.180 --> 00:11:14.860
 it comes up with a rather silly idea.

00:11:15.220 --> 00:11:15.520
 He says,

00:11:15.560 --> 00:11:16.280
 Oh, I saw a boy

00:11:16.280 --> 00:11:17.300
 who brought his lunchbox.

00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:18.360
 He's got five loaves

00:11:18.360 --> 00:11:19.000
 and two fish.

00:11:19.900 --> 00:11:21.500
 But then he quickly concludes,

00:11:21.640 --> 00:11:22.960
 what are they for so many?

00:11:23.660 --> 00:11:24.600
 And Jesus performs

00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:25.460
 this amazing miracle.

00:11:25.640 --> 00:11:26.200
 He feeds

00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:27.760
 more than 5,000 people.

00:11:28.280 --> 00:11:29.760
 When it says 5,000,

00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:30.780
 that was probably counting.

00:11:30.940 --> 00:11:31.680
 5,000 men

00:11:31.680 --> 00:11:32.860
 means 5,000 households.

00:11:33.040 --> 00:11:34.100
 So maybe 10,

00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:35.420
 maybe 15,000 people.

00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:36.719
 Jesus feeds them

00:11:36.719 --> 00:11:37.979
 and there's abundant leftover.

00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:40.479
 And as someone in our CG said recently,

00:11:40.599 --> 00:11:41.379
 the point of this

00:11:41.379 --> 00:11:43.399
 is that Jesus provides abundantly

00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:44.379
 in scarcity.

00:11:45.879 --> 00:11:46.779
 And so the people

00:11:46.779 --> 00:11:47.740
 start to make the connection.

00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:48.379
 Verse 14,

00:11:48.459 --> 00:11:48.759
 they say,

00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:49.919
 when the people saw

00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:51.139
 the sign that he had done,

00:11:51.259 --> 00:11:51.620
 they said,

00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:53.019
 this is indeed the prophet

00:11:53.019 --> 00:11:54.319
 who's come to the world.

00:11:54.579 --> 00:11:55.979
 They're putting two and two together

00:11:55.979 --> 00:11:56.919
 and they're saying,

00:11:57.079 --> 00:11:58.159
 this guy must be

00:11:58.159 --> 00:11:59.019
 some kind of Messiah.

00:11:59.659 --> 00:12:00.879
 Maybe he's the Messiah,

00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:01.919
 the one we've been waiting for.

00:12:02.379 --> 00:12:03.279
 But the problem is

00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:03.919
 what they think

00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:04.620
 a Messiah means

00:12:04.620 --> 00:12:05.699
 is a political Messiah.

00:12:05.839 --> 00:12:06.599
 A Messiah is going to come

00:12:06.599 --> 00:12:07.799
 deliver them from their enemies,

00:12:07.899 --> 00:12:08.279
 the Romans,

00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:10.779
 and bring freedom to Israel.

00:12:11.500 --> 00:12:13.360
 But that's not who Jesus is.

00:12:13.419 --> 00:12:14.500
 That's not what he's come to do.

00:12:14.740 --> 00:12:15.699
 So look at verse 15.

00:12:15.860 --> 00:12:16.039
 It says,

00:12:16.139 --> 00:12:16.879
 perceiving then

00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:18.179
 they were about to come

00:12:18.179 --> 00:12:19.219
 and take him by force

00:12:19.219 --> 00:12:19.979
 and make him king,

00:12:20.500 --> 00:12:21.719
 Jesus withdrew

00:12:21.719 --> 00:12:23.479
 to the mountains by himself.

00:12:23.599 --> 00:12:25.379
 So Jesus evades their attempts

00:12:25.379 --> 00:12:26.299
 to crown him as king

00:12:26.299 --> 00:12:28.279
 and disappears into the mountains.

00:12:29.079 --> 00:12:30.259
 And then Jesus sends

00:12:30.259 --> 00:12:31.719
 his disciples across the lake.

00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:32.720
 He wants a night

00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:34.080
 just in prayer with his father.

00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:35.639
 So he sends the disciples

00:12:35.639 --> 00:12:36.399
 across the lake

00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:37.139
 on the other side

00:12:37.139 --> 00:12:38.500
 while he spends time alone.

00:12:39.340 --> 00:12:40.139
 But in the middle of the night

00:12:40.139 --> 00:12:41.620
 he does the second miraculous thing.

00:12:42.139 --> 00:12:43.740
 He literally walks on the water.

00:12:44.420 --> 00:12:45.360
 The gospel calls it

00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:46.060
 the sea,

00:12:46.259 --> 00:12:46.980
 the Sea of Galilee.

00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:48.399
 He walks across it

00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:51.080
 and the storm-tossed waves,

00:12:51.160 --> 00:12:52.160
 there's chaos all around

00:12:52.160 --> 00:12:53.899
 and Jesus goes to the disciples

00:12:53.899 --> 00:12:54.960
 and they're petrified

00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:55.879
 and they think it's a ghost.

00:12:56.560 --> 00:12:57.180
 And Jesus says,

00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:57.940
 do not be afraid,

00:12:58.040 --> 00:12:58.580
 it is I.

00:12:58.759 --> 00:13:00.700
 And they take him into the boat

00:13:00.700 --> 00:13:03.340
 and immediately it says

00:13:03.340 --> 00:13:05.160
 they received him into the boat

00:13:05.160 --> 00:13:06.500
 and their hearts were glad

00:13:06.500 --> 00:13:07.379
 to take him in

00:13:07.379 --> 00:13:09.580
 and they are on the other side.

00:13:10.280 --> 00:13:11.440
 Now, did this really happen?

00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:13.160
 Well, the Bible claims

00:13:13.160 --> 00:13:13.879
 that it really happened.

00:13:14.060 --> 00:13:15.480
 We shouldn't just read this poetically

00:13:15.480 --> 00:13:16.340
 or allegorically.

00:13:16.580 --> 00:13:17.900
 The Bible claims this happens.

00:13:18.340 --> 00:13:18.920
 And that, of course,

00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:19.520
 is only true

00:13:19.520 --> 00:13:21.320
 if Jesus really is who said he is.

00:13:21.379 --> 00:13:22.640
 And that's part of the point.

00:13:23.379 --> 00:13:24.920
 This is a very unusual story.

00:13:25.020 --> 00:13:25.780
 I don't know how many of you

00:13:25.780 --> 00:13:26.520
 have walked on water.

00:13:26.759 --> 00:13:27.520
 I certainly have not.

00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:28.840
 But the point is

00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:30.360
 this should make us sit up

00:13:30.360 --> 00:13:30.639
 and think,

00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:31.659
 who is this man?

00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:33.039
 Who is Jesus?

00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:34.799
 That he can do these kinds of things.

00:13:35.419 --> 00:13:35.779
 And, of course,

00:13:35.819 --> 00:13:36.899
 the claim of the Bible

00:13:36.899 --> 00:13:38.259
 is that he's not an ordinary man.

00:13:38.699 --> 00:13:39.460
 He is unusual.

00:13:39.659 --> 00:13:40.720
 He is nothing less

00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:41.620
 than the Son of God.

00:13:41.740 --> 00:13:43.379
 And that's part of what

00:13:43.379 --> 00:13:44.519
 John wants us to think about.

00:13:45.399 --> 00:13:47.100
 But why are these miracles?

00:13:47.259 --> 00:13:48.240
 And why are these miracles

00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:49.779
 at this point in time?

00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:52.299
 What is John wanting to show us?

00:13:52.379 --> 00:13:53.299
 What is the message

00:13:53.299 --> 00:13:54.639
 that John wants us to see?

00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:55.740
 John's told us

00:13:55.740 --> 00:13:56.519
 that it's Passover.

00:13:57.039 --> 00:13:58.299
 But how do these connect?

00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:00.100
 Let's think about this.

00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:01.440
 Passover is a time

00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:02.159
 when God's people

00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:03.200
 are ready to celebrate

00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:05.379
 God's great big rescue of them

00:14:05.379 --> 00:14:06.600
 from their slavery,

00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:07.639
 from their Egypt.

00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:09.620
 He brought them out of Egypt.

00:14:09.740 --> 00:14:10.320
 He caused them

00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:11.600
 to cross the Red Sea

00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:12.419
 on dry ground.

00:14:12.700 --> 00:14:13.919
 And then he fed them

00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:15.419
 with bread in the wilderness.

00:14:16.379 --> 00:14:17.159
 And here there are

00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:18.460
 three elements to Passover.

00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:19.659
 There's the Passover lamb

00:14:19.659 --> 00:14:20.700
 who's going to die

00:14:20.700 --> 00:14:21.860
 so they can be saved.

00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:23.480
 There's the crossing

00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:24.139
 the Red Sea

00:14:24.139 --> 00:14:24.680
 in the wilderness.

00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:26.259
 And there is the feeding

00:14:26.259 --> 00:14:27.959
 crossing the Red Sea

00:14:27.959 --> 00:14:28.819
 and dry ground

00:14:28.819 --> 00:14:29.539
 and then the feeding

00:14:29.539 --> 00:14:30.039
 in the wilderness.

00:14:30.679 --> 00:14:31.939
 And Jesus is pulling

00:14:31.939 --> 00:14:33.279
 all these strings together

00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.299
 and he's saying,

00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:35.339
 can't you see

00:14:35.339 --> 00:14:36.959
 I am the Passover God?

00:14:37.319 --> 00:14:38.579
 I'm going to walk

00:14:38.579 --> 00:14:39.179
 on the water

00:14:39.179 --> 00:14:40.819
 in a sense dry ground.

00:14:41.239 --> 00:14:42.419
 I'm going to feed you

00:14:42.419 --> 00:14:43.019
 in the wilderness.

00:14:43.859 --> 00:14:44.519
 There's one element

00:14:44.519 --> 00:14:45.019
 that's missing.

00:14:45.139 --> 00:14:46.259
 That's the Passover lamb.

00:14:46.459 --> 00:14:47.219
 That's going to come

00:14:47.219 --> 00:14:47.759
 a little later.

00:14:48.259 --> 00:14:49.059
 But Jesus is pulling

00:14:49.059 --> 00:14:49.779
 in all the elements

00:14:49.779 --> 00:14:50.259
 of Passover,

00:14:50.359 --> 00:14:50.839
 all the things

00:14:50.839 --> 00:14:51.419
 that are in the back

00:14:51.419 --> 00:14:51.839
 of their mind

00:14:51.839 --> 00:14:52.719
 that they're thinking about.

00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:54.100
 And Jesus is saying,

00:14:54.300 --> 00:14:54.879
 this is me.

00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:56.360
 I am the Exodus God.

00:14:56.420 --> 00:14:57.600
 I'm the rescuing God.

00:14:57.940 --> 00:14:59.220
 I'm the saving God.

00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:00.879
 I am the great I am.

00:15:01.860 --> 00:15:02.580
 Remember the Exodus

00:15:02.580 --> 00:15:03.680
 is God's great

00:15:03.680 --> 00:15:05.279
 signature accomplishment.

00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:05.639
 Right?

00:15:05.660 --> 00:15:06.440
 It's the one thing

00:15:06.440 --> 00:15:07.360
 that defines him

00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:08.420
 throughout the whole

00:15:08.420 --> 00:15:09.160
 of the Old Testament.

00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:10.420
 Almost every chapter

00:15:10.420 --> 00:15:12.000
 is remember the Exodus.

00:15:12.160 --> 00:15:13.139
 Remember how I saved you.

00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:14.740
 Remember how I delivered you.

00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:16.240
 I am the saving God.

00:15:16.300 --> 00:15:17.180
 I'm the rescuing God.

00:15:17.240 --> 00:15:18.300
 I'm the Passover God.

00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:19.819
 And Jesus comes

00:15:19.819 --> 00:15:20.279
 and says,

00:15:20.459 --> 00:15:21.279
 this is me.

00:15:22.139 --> 00:15:23.359
 I am the rescuing God.

00:15:23.459 --> 00:15:24.459
 I'm the Passover God.

00:15:25.299 --> 00:15:26.120
 Jesus will later say,

00:15:26.179 --> 00:15:27.319
 I'm the Passover lamb,

00:15:27.459 --> 00:15:28.259
 the one who will die

00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:29.559
 for the sins of the world.

00:15:30.379 --> 00:15:30.899
 And Jesus says,

00:15:30.939 --> 00:15:31.500
 I'm the one who will

00:15:31.500 --> 00:15:32.500
 bring you through the sea.

00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:33.240
 I'm the one who will

00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:33.839
 provide for you

00:15:33.839 --> 00:15:34.259
 in the wilderness.

00:15:34.899 --> 00:15:35.579
 I'm the one who will

00:15:35.579 --> 00:15:36.879
 bring you to the promised land,

00:15:36.959 --> 00:15:37.599
 the other side.

00:15:38.339 --> 00:15:39.779
 Except they don't quite get it,

00:15:39.799 --> 00:15:40.099
 do they?

00:15:40.539 --> 00:15:42.019
 So look at verse 22.

00:15:42.339 --> 00:15:43.639
 They don't quite understand.

00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:44.500
 And so the next day

00:15:44.500 --> 00:15:45.379
 they come to him.

00:15:45.579 --> 00:15:46.679
 They are looking for him.

00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:47.639
 And they say,

00:15:47.739 --> 00:15:48.779
 Jesus, where are you?

00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:49.899
 How did you come here?

00:15:49.959 --> 00:15:50.500
 Verse 25.

00:15:50.719 --> 00:15:51.179
 And Jesus,

00:15:51.319 --> 00:15:52.000
 verse 26,

00:15:52.079 --> 00:15:52.519
 says to them,

00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:53.839
 truly, truly,

00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:54.639
 I say to you,

00:15:54.699 --> 00:15:55.459
 you seek me,

00:15:55.579 --> 00:15:57.279
 not because you saw the signs

00:15:57.279 --> 00:15:58.359
 and therefore believed,

00:15:58.819 --> 00:15:59.659
 but because you ate

00:15:59.659 --> 00:16:00.939
 your fill of the loaves.

00:16:01.839 --> 00:16:02.620
 And this really

00:16:02.620 --> 00:16:03.779
 is the heart of the problem.

00:16:03.979 --> 00:16:05.179
 Jesus is diagnosing

00:16:05.179 --> 00:16:06.000
 their problem.

00:16:06.599 --> 00:16:07.919
 Why do they misunderstand him?

00:16:08.519 --> 00:16:09.219
 Well, the reason is

00:16:09.219 --> 00:16:10.299
 because Jesus says,

00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:11.199
 you coming to me

00:16:11.199 --> 00:16:12.899
 to have your physical needs met,

00:16:13.419 --> 00:16:13.919
 you coming to have

00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:15.339
 your material needs met,

00:16:15.340 --> 00:16:16.500
 you coming to me

00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:17.519
 because you were hungry

00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:19.379
 and I filled your stomachs,

00:16:19.379 --> 00:16:19.920
 but actually,

00:16:20.019 --> 00:16:20.680
 so now you're coming back

00:16:20.680 --> 00:16:20.940
 for more,

00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:21.639
 but what you've missed

00:16:21.639 --> 00:16:22.840
 is that's not what I'm about.

00:16:23.420 --> 00:16:24.340
 I'm wanting to just,

00:16:24.460 --> 00:16:26.139
 not just meet your material needs,

00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:26.960
 your hunger,

00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:27.960
 I'm here to meet

00:16:27.960 --> 00:16:28.840
 your real need.

00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:29.940
 I'm here to meet

00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:30.899
 your spiritual need.

00:16:31.700 --> 00:16:32.200
 Jesus says,

00:16:32.420 --> 00:16:33.580
 you coming to me

00:16:33.580 --> 00:16:34.440
 to do,

00:16:34.560 --> 00:16:35.480
 just to help you

00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:36.399
 get along in life,

00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:37.420
 but I've actually

00:16:37.420 --> 00:16:38.139
 come to do for you

00:16:38.139 --> 00:16:39.180
 what you cannot do

00:16:39.180 --> 00:16:39.780
 for yourself.

00:16:39.779 --> 00:16:41.860
 I'm here to save you.

00:16:42.319 --> 00:16:43.459
 I'm here to rescue you

00:16:43.459 --> 00:16:44.039
 from death.

00:16:44.759 --> 00:16:46.259
 I'm here to give you life.

00:16:47.079 --> 00:16:47.500
 Jesus says,

00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:48.579
 you coming to me

00:16:48.579 --> 00:16:48.919
 because,

00:16:49.339 --> 00:16:50.079
 not because you saw

00:16:50.079 --> 00:16:51.100
 the signs and believed,

00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:52.000
 but because you ate

00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:52.399
 your food,

00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:53.100
 your stomachs

00:16:53.100 --> 00:16:54.259
 were full of food.

00:16:54.819 --> 00:16:55.679
 And so verse 27,

00:16:55.819 --> 00:16:56.240
 Jesus says,

00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:57.919
 do not work for the food

00:16:57.919 --> 00:16:58.639
 that perishes,

00:16:58.639 --> 00:16:59.620
 but for the food

00:16:59.620 --> 00:17:00.319
 that endures

00:17:00.319 --> 00:17:02.100
 to eternal life.

00:17:02.620 --> 00:17:03.500
 Food that I

00:17:03.500 --> 00:17:04.759
 can give you.

00:17:04.879 --> 00:17:06.000
 And that's Jesus' point.

00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:07.019
 Jesus says,

00:17:07.079 --> 00:17:07.940
 you can come here

00:17:07.940 --> 00:17:08.460
 all day.

00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:09.799
 I can provide for your needs.

00:17:09.840 --> 00:17:10.539
 I can give you food.

00:17:10.620 --> 00:17:11.400
 I can give you drink.

00:17:11.580 --> 00:17:12.720
 I can give you a job.

00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:14.420
 But that won't last

00:17:14.420 --> 00:17:15.759
 because I'm not just

00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:16.759
 the bread and water God.

00:17:17.600 --> 00:17:18.779
 I'm the Exodus God.

00:17:19.380 --> 00:17:20.019
 I haven't come just

00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:21.259
 to provide for you materially.

00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:22.840
 I've come to provide

00:17:22.840 --> 00:17:23.840
 for your greatest need,

00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:24.660
 your deepest need.

00:17:24.740 --> 00:17:26.360
 I've come to save you deeply.

00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:27.840
 And friends,

00:17:27.840 --> 00:17:29.200
 that's just as challenging

00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:31.340
 for us in 21st century Hong Kong

00:17:31.340 --> 00:17:32.100
 as it was in

00:17:32.100 --> 00:17:33.360
 first century Israel.

00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:35.920
 The area where Jesus was,

00:17:36.039 --> 00:17:36.500
 Capernaum,

00:17:36.580 --> 00:17:37.519
 it's up north of Israel,

00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:39.700
 it's a rather poor area.

00:17:40.139 --> 00:17:40.759
 They are living

00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:42.039
 by subsistence farming,

00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:43.240
 kind of hand to mouth.

00:17:43.639 --> 00:17:44.920
 They are working the ground

00:17:44.920 --> 00:17:46.259
 to getting their food

00:17:46.259 --> 00:17:47.119
 and eating of it.

00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:48.339
 It's not a very wealthy area.

00:17:48.940 --> 00:17:50.019
 And here are people,

00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:51.500
 they are working hard,

00:17:51.579 --> 00:17:52.139
 and here comes

00:17:52.139 --> 00:17:53.019
 a miracle worker,

00:17:53.619 --> 00:17:54.339
 and they're thinking,

00:17:54.740 --> 00:17:55.359
 here's somebody

00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:56.160
 who can rescue us

00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:56.819
 from hard work.

00:17:57.379 --> 00:17:57.819
 Finally,

00:17:57.940 --> 00:17:58.720
 somebody has come

00:17:58.720 --> 00:17:59.960
 that can give us food.

00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:00.799
 We don't need to work

00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.779
 the ground that hard.

00:18:02.180 --> 00:18:03.000
 Someone can save us

00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:04.539
 from this back-breaking work.

00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:05.359
 Finally,

00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:07.139
 the gods are shining down on us.

00:18:07.140 --> 00:18:07.620
 Jesus,

00:18:07.740 --> 00:18:08.620
 the miracle worker,

00:18:08.620 --> 00:18:10.040
 can come and solve

00:18:10.040 --> 00:18:11.060
 all our problems.

00:18:12.120 --> 00:18:12.880
 And Jesus says,

00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:13.840
 that's not who I am.

00:18:13.900 --> 00:18:14.720
 I'm not the genie

00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:15.259
 in the bottle.

00:18:15.860 --> 00:18:17.460
 I am the son of God.

00:18:17.540 --> 00:18:18.480
 And Jesus hasn't come

00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:19.840
 just to relieve us.

00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:21.660
 He's come to rescue us

00:18:21.660 --> 00:18:22.240
 from our sin.

00:18:23.080 --> 00:18:23.600
 Jesus says,

00:18:23.740 --> 00:18:24.440
 I haven't come

00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:25.880
 just to serve your needs.

00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:27.120
 I've come to save you

00:18:27.120 --> 00:18:29.020
 from hell and judgment forever.

00:18:29.940 --> 00:18:30.320
 Jesus says,

00:18:30.360 --> 00:18:30.900
 I haven't come

00:18:30.900 --> 00:18:32.180
 just to lift you up.

00:18:32.180 --> 00:18:33.140
 I've come to give you

00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:34.560
 a whole new life.

00:18:35.140 --> 00:18:36.480
 Will you believe in me?

00:18:36.700 --> 00:18:37.860
 And this is the call.

00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:38.860
 This is the challenge

00:18:38.860 --> 00:18:39.380
 of Jesus.

00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:40.240
 That Jesus,

00:18:40.440 --> 00:18:40.600
 yes,

00:18:40.620 --> 00:18:41.420
 he's a miracle worker.

00:18:41.539 --> 00:18:41.740
 Yes,

00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:42.320
 he's powerful.

00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:42.920
 Yes,

00:18:42.940 --> 00:18:44.180
 he can solve our problems.

00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:45.660
 But will we come to him

00:18:45.660 --> 00:18:46.580
 for the real reason

00:18:46.580 --> 00:18:47.799
 why he's come to us?

00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:50.039
 Not just to lift us up

00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:50.980
 and improve our lives,

00:18:51.100 --> 00:18:52.299
 but to save us.

00:18:52.700 --> 00:18:53.539
 And here are people

00:18:53.539 --> 00:18:54.620
 that are seeking out Jesus

00:18:54.620 --> 00:18:55.759
 because they want the blessing,

00:18:56.019 --> 00:18:57.360
 not because they see

00:18:57.360 --> 00:18:58.840
 the great need for him.

00:18:59.539 --> 00:18:59.940
 Friends,

00:18:59.940 --> 00:19:00.820
 we can do the same.

00:19:01.620 --> 00:19:02.620
 We want a job.

00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:04.759
 We want to get

00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:05.680
 into a decent college.

00:19:05.840 --> 00:19:06.360
 We want our kids

00:19:06.360 --> 00:19:07.360
 to get into a decent college.

00:19:07.860 --> 00:19:08.920
 We want a spouse.

00:19:09.660 --> 00:19:10.759
 We want to fall pregnant

00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:11.539
 and have children.

00:19:12.120 --> 00:19:13.220
 We want that promotion.

00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:14.259
 And so we serve

00:19:14.259 --> 00:19:14.880
 and we work

00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:15.740
 and we come to church

00:19:15.740 --> 00:19:16.279
 and we give

00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:17.420
 and we do all the things

00:19:17.420 --> 00:19:18.100
 and then we say,

00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:18.400
 okay,

00:19:18.500 --> 00:19:18.799
 Jesus,

00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:20.019
 I've played my part.

00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:21.380
 Where's my miracle?

00:19:22.700 --> 00:19:23.279
 And Jesus says,

00:19:23.320 --> 00:19:24.180
 that's not who I am.

00:19:24.860 --> 00:19:25.960
 That's not how I've come.

00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:27.320
 Jesus says,

00:19:27.360 --> 00:19:28.420
 I'm not the get into college,

00:19:28.539 --> 00:19:28.759
 God.

00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:30.460
 I'm not the find a spouse,

00:19:30.539 --> 00:19:30.859
 God.

00:19:31.900 --> 00:19:33.559
 I'm not the full pregnant,

00:19:33.640 --> 00:19:33.900
 God,

00:19:33.980 --> 00:19:35.640
 as good as all those things may be.

00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:37.299
 I'm the rescuing God.

00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:38.859
 I'm the saving God.

00:19:38.940 --> 00:19:40.119
 I'm the Passover God.

00:19:40.379 --> 00:19:41.859
 I am the Exodus God.

00:19:41.940 --> 00:19:42.680
 I am the great.

00:19:42.779 --> 00:19:43.180
 I am.

00:19:43.900 --> 00:19:45.279
 And David actually wrestles with us

00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:46.900
 in Psalm chapter four.

00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:48.359
 In Psalm four,

00:19:48.619 --> 00:19:49.299
 David writes this.

00:19:49.400 --> 00:19:49.619
 He says,

00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:51.599
 there are many who say to us,

00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:53.299
 who will show us some good?

00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:54.819
 Why don't you lift up

00:19:54.819 --> 00:19:55.720
 the light of your face

00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:56.240
 upon us,

00:19:56.299 --> 00:19:56.519
 oh Lord?

00:19:56.599 --> 00:19:56.720
 So,

00:19:56.799 --> 00:19:57.619
 so David says,

00:19:57.859 --> 00:19:58.599
 there are many people

00:19:58.599 --> 00:19:59.259
 and,

00:19:59.339 --> 00:20:00.599
 and things are hard

00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:01.719
 and they cried and they say,

00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:02.000
 God,

00:20:02.059 --> 00:20:02.679
 where are you?

00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:03.219
 We,

00:20:03.219 --> 00:20:04.480
 we thought you meant to be good.

00:20:04.899 --> 00:20:05.019
 Well,

00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:05.899
 why don't you save us?

00:20:05.939 --> 00:20:07.000
 Why don't you give us a blessing?

00:20:07.099 --> 00:20:08.119
 Why don't you give us a job?

00:20:08.459 --> 00:20:09.480
 Why don't you lift up

00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:10.579
 the light of your face

00:20:10.579 --> 00:20:11.139
 upon us?

00:20:11.139 --> 00:20:11.599
 Oh God.

00:20:12.539 --> 00:20:13.859
 But David says that

00:20:13.859 --> 00:20:14.779
 I've come to see

00:20:14.779 --> 00:20:16.099
 that's not who you are.

00:20:16.819 --> 00:20:17.740
 I've come to see you.

00:20:17.740 --> 00:20:19.220
 The God who's come to bring light

00:20:19.220 --> 00:20:19.960
 into the darkness,

00:20:20.180 --> 00:20:21.420
 joy in the midst of anguish,

00:20:21.660 --> 00:20:22.880
 life in the place of death,

00:20:23.420 --> 00:20:25.059
 salvation in the place of lostness.

00:20:25.120 --> 00:20:26.059
 And so David says,

00:20:26.900 --> 00:20:27.519
 verse five,

00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:28.440
 but you,

00:20:28.579 --> 00:20:28.859
 O God,

00:20:28.920 --> 00:20:30.779
 have put more joy in my heart

00:20:30.779 --> 00:20:32.019
 than they have

00:20:32.019 --> 00:20:32.720
 when their grain

00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:33.720
 and their wine abound.

00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:35.579
 Their grain can abound,

00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:36.480
 their wine can abound,

00:20:36.740 --> 00:20:37.819
 their stocks can go up,

00:20:37.859 --> 00:20:39.180
 their investments can overflow,

00:20:39.640 --> 00:20:40.440
 that they can have

00:20:40.440 --> 00:20:41.779
 everything going well,

00:20:41.819 --> 00:20:42.620
 but that's not

00:20:42.620 --> 00:20:43.819
 the main point of life.

00:20:44.539 --> 00:20:45.839
 You've put a joy in my heart.

00:20:45.919 --> 00:20:46.700
 You've put a satisfaction.

00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:48.659
 You've put something in my heart

00:20:48.659 --> 00:20:50.139
 that exceeds even

00:20:50.139 --> 00:20:51.599
 all the material blessings

00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:52.480
 of this world.

00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:53.079
 God,

00:20:53.139 --> 00:20:54.339
 you've put a joy in my heart

00:20:54.339 --> 00:20:55.159
 that exceeds them

00:20:55.159 --> 00:20:56.179
 even when their grain

00:20:56.179 --> 00:20:56.819
 and their wine

00:20:56.819 --> 00:20:57.480
 and their stocks

00:20:57.480 --> 00:20:58.740
 and investment abound.

00:20:59.579 --> 00:21:00.220
 For in peace,

00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:01.839
 I will both lie down and sleep.

00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:03.139
 For you alone,

00:21:03.220 --> 00:21:03.619
 O Lord,

00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:05.559
 make me dwell in safety.

00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:07.059
 Jesus says,

00:21:07.139 --> 00:21:07.659
 don't come to me

00:21:07.659 --> 00:21:08.579
 for temporary blessings.

00:21:09.099 --> 00:21:10.339
 Come to me to be rescued,

00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:11.179
 to be healed,

00:21:11.659 --> 00:21:12.759
 to be given new life.

00:21:12.839 --> 00:21:13.659
 I am the rescuing.

00:21:13.660 --> 00:21:14.019
 God.

00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:14.820
 Now,

00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:16.500
 what does that actually mean?

00:21:17.080 --> 00:21:17.640
 So Jesus says,

00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:18.120
 come to me.

00:21:18.220 --> 00:21:19.220
 But what does that mean?

00:21:19.340 --> 00:21:19.560
 Well,

00:21:19.660 --> 00:21:20.420
 look at what he says.

00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:21.300
 Look at verse 27.

00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:22.240
 Jesus says here,

00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:23.640
 do not work for the things

00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:24.300
 that perish,

00:21:24.779 --> 00:21:25.980
 but for the one thing

00:21:25.980 --> 00:21:26.940
 that will last forever,

00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:28.380
 the thing that only I can give.

00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:29.700
 And they say,

00:21:30.100 --> 00:21:31.480
 so what must we do

00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:32.980
 to be doing the works of God?

00:21:33.060 --> 00:21:34.420
 And that is a great question.

00:21:35.000 --> 00:21:36.779
 Jesus offers us new life

00:21:36.779 --> 00:21:37.440
 and you say,

00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:37.800
 okay,

00:21:37.940 --> 00:21:39.000
 so what must I do?

00:21:39.340 --> 00:21:40.279
 What is the thing

00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:41.160
 that God requires?

00:21:41.500 --> 00:21:42.560
 If there's one thing

00:21:42.560 --> 00:21:43.580
 that God requires me,

00:21:43.579 --> 00:21:44.679
 what must I do

00:21:44.679 --> 00:21:46.000
 to be doing the works of God?

00:21:46.159 --> 00:21:47.059
 I want to be saved.

00:21:47.139 --> 00:21:47.899
 I want to be rescued.

00:21:48.139 --> 00:21:49.039
 I want to experience

00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:49.740
 God's blessing.

00:21:50.199 --> 00:21:50.939
 What must I do?

00:21:52.199 --> 00:21:52.639
 Friends,

00:21:52.679 --> 00:21:53.399
 what should we do?

00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:55.439
 But look at how Jesus answers.

00:21:55.559 --> 00:21:56.079
 Verse 29,

00:21:56.399 --> 00:21:57.339
 Jesus answered them,

00:21:57.339 --> 00:21:59.299
 this is the work of God.

00:21:59.859 --> 00:22:00.799
 This is the one thing

00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:01.899
 that God requires

00:22:01.899 --> 00:22:03.879
 that you believe in him

00:22:03.879 --> 00:22:05.159
 whom he has sent.

00:22:05.899 --> 00:22:06.179
 Friends,

00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:06.720
 that's it.

00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:08.720
 Just believe.

00:22:09.240 --> 00:22:10.339
 No works required.

00:22:10.859 --> 00:22:12.099
 No charity required.

00:22:12.539 --> 00:22:13.699
 No giving of money.

00:22:14.339 --> 00:22:15.539
 No certain number of days

00:22:15.539 --> 00:22:16.519
 of church attendance.

00:22:16.959 --> 00:22:18.019
 No sacrifices.

00:22:18.679 --> 00:22:19.779
 No attending class.

00:22:20.299 --> 00:22:21.240
 No attending CG.

00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:22.779
 You want to be rescued.

00:22:23.400 --> 00:22:24.120
 You want to be healed.

00:22:24.660 --> 00:22:25.180
 You want to meet

00:22:25.180 --> 00:22:25.720
 the living God.

00:22:25.799 --> 00:22:26.380
 You want to experience

00:22:26.380 --> 00:22:27.559
 life in his name.

00:22:28.200 --> 00:22:29.359
 What must you do?

00:22:30.539 --> 00:22:31.099
 Jesus says,

00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:32.019
 there's only one thing.

00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:33.299
 Believe.

00:22:34.059 --> 00:22:34.940
 Believe in the one

00:22:34.940 --> 00:22:35.680
 that he sent.

00:22:36.259 --> 00:22:37.539
 And you will find life

00:22:37.539 --> 00:22:38.980
 and life in his name.

00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:39.960
 This is the work

00:22:39.960 --> 00:22:40.819
 that God requires.

00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:41.700
 Believe in him

00:22:41.700 --> 00:22:42.660
 whom God has sent.

00:22:42.660 --> 00:22:45.779
 But what does that mean?

00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:47.220
 Well,

00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:48.880
 obviously it means

00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:50.640
 believing the facts,

00:22:50.800 --> 00:22:51.019
 right,

00:22:51.100 --> 00:22:51.800
 regarding Jesus.

00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:52.500
 We spoke about that

00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:53.019
 last week.

00:22:53.620 --> 00:22:54.420
 Do the research.

00:22:55.100 --> 00:22:56.060
 Examine the evidence.

00:22:57.120 --> 00:22:58.740
 Question the eyewitnesses.

00:22:59.800 --> 00:23:00.720
 Investigate the evidence.

00:23:00.820 --> 00:23:01.660
 As we heard last week,

00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:03.360
 examine what the Bible says.

00:23:04.120 --> 00:23:05.120
 One cannot know God

00:23:05.120 --> 00:23:06.140
 or experience God

00:23:06.140 --> 00:23:07.680
 if you don't know,

00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:08.620
 if you don't believe,

00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:09.360
 at least come to

00:23:09.360 --> 00:23:10.420
 some level of confidence

00:23:10.420 --> 00:23:11.720
 in the historical claims

00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:13.120
 that Jesus really is

00:23:13.120 --> 00:23:13.740
 who he said he is.

00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:14.740
 That he really did live

00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:15.960
 and die and rise again.

00:23:16.799 --> 00:23:17.720
 But when Jesus says

00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:19.220
 you must believe in me,

00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:21.200
 he means much more than that.

00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:23.279
 It's certainly not less than that,

00:23:23.339 --> 00:23:24.460
 but it's much more than that.

00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:25.440
 What does Jesus mean

00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:27.339
 when he says believe in me?

00:23:28.660 --> 00:23:29.660
 Look what Jesus says

00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:30.480
 in verse 35.

00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:31.720
 Jesus says,

00:23:31.819 --> 00:23:33.339
 I am the bread of life.

00:23:33.900 --> 00:23:34.940
 Whoever comes to me

00:23:34.940 --> 00:23:35.700
 shall not hunger.

00:23:36.140 --> 00:23:37.759
 Whoever believes in me

00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:39.059
 shall not thirst.

00:23:40.120 --> 00:23:40.700
 Jesus says,

00:23:40.700 --> 00:23:41.920
 to experience life,

00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:43.059
 you must believe in me

00:23:43.059 --> 00:23:44.299
 and go on believing in me.

00:23:44.380 --> 00:23:45.080
 What he means is

00:23:45.080 --> 00:23:46.299
 not just simply believing

00:23:46.299 --> 00:23:47.480
 the facts about Jesus,

00:23:47.600 --> 00:23:48.120
 but in a sense,

00:23:48.440 --> 00:23:49.400
 feasting on him,

00:23:49.580 --> 00:23:50.400
 savoring on him,

00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:51.420
 looking to him

00:23:51.420 --> 00:23:53.240
 for sustenance and life.

00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:55.319
 When I was at school

00:23:55.319 --> 00:23:57.100
 many, many, many years ago,

00:23:57.220 --> 00:23:58.400
 it was like in the 1990s,

00:23:58.480 --> 00:23:59.380
 before some of you

00:23:59.380 --> 00:23:59.920
 were even born,

00:24:00.440 --> 00:24:01.720
 I had a good friend

00:24:01.720 --> 00:24:03.640
 that was a very serious diabetic,

00:24:03.860 --> 00:24:04.600
 type 1 diabetes.

00:24:05.640 --> 00:24:06.840
 He always used to have

00:24:06.840 --> 00:24:08.240
 a can of Coke with him

00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:09.160
 wherever he went.

00:24:09.160 --> 00:24:10.220
 In his lunchbox,

00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:11.019
 he had a can of Coke.

00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:12.420
 And some of the other boys

00:24:12.420 --> 00:24:13.840
 in school thought it was fun

00:24:13.840 --> 00:24:15.620
 to steal his can of Coke,

00:24:15.660 --> 00:24:15.920
 right,

00:24:16.360 --> 00:24:17.380
 out of his lunchbox.

00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:17.900
 But it was actually

00:24:17.900 --> 00:24:18.620
 very serious.

00:24:19.140 --> 00:24:20.140
 Because being a diabetic,

00:24:20.460 --> 00:24:21.880
 if his blood sugar levels

00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:22.500
 dropped,

00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:23.380
 it was obviously

00:24:23.380 --> 00:24:24.100
 very dangerous.

00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:25.580
 And he could go into

00:24:25.580 --> 00:24:27.340
 a hypoglymic state,

00:24:27.800 --> 00:24:28.880
 go into a coma,

00:24:29.220 --> 00:24:30.240
 possibly even die.

00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:31.560
 And so he always had

00:24:31.560 --> 00:24:32.860
 this can of Coke with him

00:24:32.860 --> 00:24:34.800
 in case his blood sugar levels

00:24:34.800 --> 00:24:35.940
 dropped too quickly

00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:36.820
 and he needed to get

00:24:36.819 --> 00:24:37.519
 the levels up.

00:24:38.179 --> 00:24:39.079
 And there were times

00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:39.899
 from times he would

00:24:39.899 --> 00:24:40.879
 have to do this,

00:24:40.939 --> 00:24:41.980
 open this can and drink it

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:43.159
 to get his levels up

00:24:43.159 --> 00:24:45.700
 to not only be okay,

00:24:45.819 --> 00:24:47.000
 but maybe to even live,

00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:47.960
 to revive him,

00:24:48.039 --> 00:24:48.859
 to sustain him.

00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:51.220
 Jesus says that

00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:53.079
 you can go on living,

00:24:53.299 --> 00:24:55.500
 but unless you're feasting on me,

00:24:56.059 --> 00:24:56.500
 spiritually,

00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:57.659
 your level's going to drop

00:24:57.659 --> 00:24:58.740
 and you're going to die.

00:24:59.659 --> 00:25:00.779
 To believe in Jesus

00:25:00.779 --> 00:25:01.960
 is not just intellectual

00:25:01.960 --> 00:25:03.259
 assent about the facts

00:25:03.259 --> 00:25:04.179
 and knowing the knowledge,

00:25:04.180 --> 00:25:05.660
 it's about feasting on him.

00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:06.440
 It's about getting him

00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:07.680
 inside of us

00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:08.940
 so that we feast on him

00:25:08.940 --> 00:25:10.039
 so that he sustains us.

00:25:10.360 --> 00:25:11.080
 Well, think about this.

00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:12.779
 Maybe you go out for a meal

00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:14.519
 with a friend, right?

00:25:14.860 --> 00:25:16.100
 You've had a long day at work,

00:25:16.460 --> 00:25:17.140
 you're tired,

00:25:17.539 --> 00:25:18.259
 you're exhausted,

00:25:18.580 --> 00:25:19.299
 you're drained,

00:25:19.380 --> 00:25:20.120
 and you meet a friend

00:25:20.120 --> 00:25:21.480
 for a meal at dinner.

00:25:22.200 --> 00:25:23.600
 And the food arrives

00:25:23.600 --> 00:25:24.340
 and what do you do?

00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:26.860
 You study it very carefully, right?

00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:28.019
 And you look up

00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:29.060
 what is the Hebrew word

00:25:29.060 --> 00:25:29.700
 for dumplings

00:25:29.700 --> 00:25:32.200
 and you analyze it

00:25:32.200 --> 00:25:33.200
 and you do a Bible study

00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:34.500
 on the food in front of you

00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:35.680
 and you all go away

00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:35.900
 and say,

00:25:35.960 --> 00:25:37.660
 okay, what is the application of this?

00:25:37.860 --> 00:25:40.019
 And then you leave the restaurant, right?

00:25:40.080 --> 00:25:41.420
 And you've had a good Bible study.

00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:43.220
 No, no, you don't do that at all, right?

00:25:43.660 --> 00:25:44.500
 What do you do?

00:25:45.100 --> 00:25:46.500
 You feast on the food,

00:25:46.600 --> 00:25:47.319
 you eat it,

00:25:47.380 --> 00:25:48.200
 you savor it,

00:25:48.259 --> 00:25:49.559
 you devour it.

00:25:50.039 --> 00:25:50.680
 And maybe you don't know

00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:51.779
 what the calorie content is,

00:25:51.819 --> 00:25:52.340
 but that's okay.

00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:53.940
 You get the sustenance

00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:55.160
 inside of your body

00:25:55.160 --> 00:25:56.039
 because you need it

00:25:56.039 --> 00:25:57.140
 to energize you,

00:25:57.140 --> 00:25:58.560
 to sustain you,

00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:00.140
 to invigorate you,

00:26:00.300 --> 00:26:01.800
 to revitalize you.

00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:03.740
 When God's people

00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:04.420
 were in the wilderness,

00:26:04.900 --> 00:26:06.240
 they were in deep trouble

00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:08.480
 and God provided food for them

00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:09.440
 to sustain them,

00:26:09.540 --> 00:26:10.900
 to revitalize them,

00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:12.040
 to keep them going.

00:26:12.220 --> 00:26:14.160
 And they say here to Jesus,

00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:14.540
 they say,

00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:15.180
 Jesus,

00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:17.020
 God provided bread

00:26:17.020 --> 00:26:17.759
 for our fathers

00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:18.460
 in the wilderness.

00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:20.040
 He sustained us

00:26:20.040 --> 00:26:20.740
 and Jesus says,

00:26:20.840 --> 00:26:21.940
 you're on the right track.

00:26:22.060 --> 00:26:23.060
 Okay, keep going,

00:26:23.180 --> 00:26:23.780
 keep thinking.

00:26:24.300 --> 00:26:25.360
 Yeah, what's the next

00:26:25.360 --> 00:26:26.340
 logical conclusion?

00:26:26.339 --> 00:26:26.419
 Listen,

00:26:26.899 --> 00:26:27.539
 Jesus says,

00:26:27.679 --> 00:26:28.720
 I am the bread.

00:26:28.819 --> 00:26:29.439
 I am the bread

00:26:29.439 --> 00:26:30.379
 that's come from heaven.

00:26:30.659 --> 00:26:31.399
 Verse 49,

00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:32.119
 later on he says,

00:26:32.439 --> 00:26:33.599
 your fathers ate the bread

00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:34.059
 in the wilderness

00:26:34.059 --> 00:26:34.959
 and they died.

00:26:35.299 --> 00:26:36.379
 But there is bread

00:26:36.379 --> 00:26:37.899
 that comes down from heaven

00:26:37.899 --> 00:26:39.659
 and the one that eats of it

00:26:39.659 --> 00:26:40.679
 will not die.

00:26:40.839 --> 00:26:41.199
 I,

00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:42.720
 I am the living bread

00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:43.919
 that comes down from heaven.

00:26:44.539 --> 00:26:45.919
 If anyone eats of this bread,

00:26:45.980 --> 00:26:46.959
 anyone eats of me,

00:26:47.939 --> 00:26:49.359
 if anyone believes in me,

00:26:50.039 --> 00:26:51.000
 he will not die,

00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:52.779
 he will live forever.

00:26:54.119 --> 00:26:55.039
 Jesus says that

00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:56.059
 to believe in him

00:26:56.059 --> 00:26:57.279
 is to feast on him,

00:26:57.379 --> 00:26:58.539
 to savor him,

00:26:58.859 --> 00:27:00.139
 to delight in him,

00:27:00.539 --> 00:27:00.680
 to,

00:27:00.680 --> 00:27:03.759
 to get who Christ is

00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:04.519
 into us

00:27:04.519 --> 00:27:05.460
 so that sustains

00:27:05.460 --> 00:27:06.480
 and invigorates

00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:08.399
 and enlivens us.

00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:10.339
 And so Jesus says

00:27:10.339 --> 00:27:10.960
 to crowds

00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:11.799
 and he says to us today,

00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:13.139
 I am the bread of life.

00:27:13.940 --> 00:27:14.960
 Whoever comes to me

00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:16.220
 shall not hunger.

00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:17.259
 Whoever believes in me

00:27:17.259 --> 00:27:18.200
 shall never thirst.

00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:19.339
 Friends,

00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:20.180
 believing in Jesus

00:27:20.180 --> 00:27:21.659
 is not just intellectual assent,

00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:22.899
 it's not just understanding

00:27:22.900 --> 00:27:23.400
 the facts

00:27:23.400 --> 00:27:24.420
 or agreeing with him

00:27:24.420 --> 00:27:26.060
 or agreeing with the doctrines

00:27:26.060 --> 00:27:26.580
 about him,

00:27:26.960 --> 00:27:28.180
 it's actually coming to him

00:27:28.180 --> 00:27:29.019
 in such a way

00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:30.120
 that he feeds

00:27:30.120 --> 00:27:31.420
 and sustains our souls.

00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:33.500
 And so here's the question,

00:27:33.580 --> 00:27:34.780
 are you believing in Jesus?

00:27:35.560 --> 00:27:37.080
 Not just once off in 1997

00:27:37.080 --> 00:27:38.240
 you made a commitment,

00:27:38.420 --> 00:27:38.980
 but today,

00:27:39.080 --> 00:27:40.100
 are you feasting on him?

00:27:40.820 --> 00:27:42.540
 Is he sustaining you spiritually?

00:27:43.360 --> 00:27:44.660
 Is your soul alive

00:27:44.660 --> 00:27:45.519
 and awake to him?

00:27:46.320 --> 00:27:47.360
 Are you believing

00:27:47.360 --> 00:27:48.440
 and feasting on Jesus?

00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:48.840
 Friends,

00:27:48.920 --> 00:27:49.480
 all of us here

00:27:49.480 --> 00:27:50.279
 look to something,

00:27:50.820 --> 00:27:51.660
 to someone,

00:27:52.380 --> 00:27:54.259
 to trust in something,

00:27:54.380 --> 00:27:55.299
 to sustain us,

00:27:55.740 --> 00:27:57.160
 to energize us,

00:27:57.539 --> 00:27:58.880
 to carry us

00:27:58.880 --> 00:27:59.860
 through the journey of life.

00:27:59.940 --> 00:28:00.660
 What is it for you?

00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:02.980
 What is it that you're trusting in?

00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:04.240
 What is it that you're believing in?

00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:06.420
 What is it that you're hoping in?

00:28:07.299 --> 00:28:07.840
 Jesus says,

00:28:07.900 --> 00:28:08.840
 I am the bread of life.

00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:10.680
 I am the one that has come.

00:28:11.380 --> 00:28:11.660
 Friends,

00:28:11.720 --> 00:28:12.519
 many of us here this morning

00:28:12.519 --> 00:28:13.320
 would describe ourselves

00:28:13.320 --> 00:28:14.240
 as followers of Jesus.

00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:15.840
 Maybe you made a commitment

00:28:15.840 --> 00:28:17.140
 to Christ once upon a time,

00:28:17.259 --> 00:28:18.000
 got baptized,

00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:18.960
 to join the church,

00:28:19.619 --> 00:28:20.900
 but are you believing in him today?

00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:23.180
 Is he sustaining you?

00:28:23.180 --> 00:28:24.220
 Is he driving you?

00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:26.200
 What is feeding your soul?

00:28:26.299 --> 00:28:28.119
 Are you still feasting in Jesus?

00:28:29.059 --> 00:28:31.099
 How are your spiritual blood sugar levels?

00:28:31.859 --> 00:28:33.079
 Are you in cardiac arrest?

00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:34.900
 Are you hyperglycemic?

00:28:36.019 --> 00:28:37.819
 Are you suffering?

00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:38.980
 Friends,

00:28:39.019 --> 00:28:39.920
 I know from my own life,

00:28:40.039 --> 00:28:40.940
 one of the things

00:28:40.940 --> 00:28:42.299
 that I find so easy to do,

00:28:42.380 --> 00:28:43.200
 and actually as a pastor,

00:28:43.200 --> 00:28:45.240
 I find this particularly easy to do,

00:28:45.660 --> 00:28:46.859
 is to go through the motions,

00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:48.799
 to recite the confessions,

00:28:49.019 --> 00:28:49.919
 to sing the songs,

00:28:50.099 --> 00:28:51.740
 to do my devotions in the morning,

00:28:52.139 --> 00:28:53.279
 and to go through the motions,

00:28:53.439 --> 00:28:55.779
 but my soul is not feasting on Christ.

00:28:56.179 --> 00:28:57.359
 And I can tick the box

00:28:57.359 --> 00:28:58.299
 and say I've done it,

00:28:58.539 --> 00:29:00.099
 but actually my soul is still dry.

00:29:00.859 --> 00:29:02.319
 All of us have that temptation.

00:29:02.619 --> 00:29:03.259
 Jesus says,

00:29:03.639 --> 00:29:04.119
 come to me,

00:29:04.259 --> 00:29:05.639
 come and feast on me.

00:29:06.619 --> 00:29:06.919
 Now,

00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:07.719
 practically,

00:29:07.859 --> 00:29:08.500
 what does that mean?

00:29:08.699 --> 00:29:08.899
 Well,

00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:10.959
 two things very simply practically.

00:29:11.339 --> 00:29:12.839
 How do we actually do that?

00:29:13.319 --> 00:29:14.139
 To feast on Christ

00:29:14.140 --> 00:29:16.340
 requires two things very simply.

00:29:16.440 --> 00:29:17.200
 The first is this,

00:29:17.740 --> 00:29:19.120
 to slow down enough

00:29:19.120 --> 00:29:20.840
 to actually be with Him.

00:29:21.360 --> 00:29:22.020
 I don't know if you've ever

00:29:22.020 --> 00:29:22.960
 had this experience

00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:25.520
 where you've been unbelievably busy

00:29:25.520 --> 00:29:26.100
 at work

00:29:26.100 --> 00:29:28.480
 and your work is crunching,

00:29:28.680 --> 00:29:28.860
 you know,

00:29:28.920 --> 00:29:29.740
 you crunching hours,

00:29:29.880 --> 00:29:30.840
 work is crushing you,

00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:31.100
 right?

00:29:31.560 --> 00:29:32.940
 And you've been very busy

00:29:32.940 --> 00:29:33.940
 and all your relationships

00:29:33.940 --> 00:29:34.820
 start to suffer.

00:29:35.200 --> 00:29:36.040
 So your friends

00:29:36.040 --> 00:29:37.460
 no longer invite you out

00:29:37.460 --> 00:29:38.640
 because you've turned them down

00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:39.720
 the last 15 times,

00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:39.980
 right?

00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:41.299
 And your children

00:29:41.299 --> 00:29:42.700
 no longer tell you

00:29:42.700 --> 00:29:43.779
 what's going on at school

00:29:43.779 --> 00:29:44.380
 because you haven't really

00:29:44.380 --> 00:29:45.500
 been around for the last month.

00:29:45.940 --> 00:29:46.759
 And your spouse

00:29:46.759 --> 00:29:47.480
 just tells you

00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:48.279
 where to be

00:29:48.279 --> 00:29:49.539
 and at what time.

00:29:49.880 --> 00:29:50.819
 They don't even discuss it

00:29:50.819 --> 00:29:51.120
 with you

00:29:51.120 --> 00:29:51.839
 because you don't have time

00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:52.640
 to talk about things.

00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:53.500
 Your spouse says,

00:29:53.660 --> 00:29:54.380
 you've got to be

00:29:54.380 --> 00:29:54.980
 at that appointment

00:29:54.980 --> 00:29:55.700
 at 3 o'clock,

00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:55.940
 right?

00:29:56.279 --> 00:29:57.660
 And your life is so busy

00:29:57.660 --> 00:29:58.420
 that actually

00:29:58.420 --> 00:29:59.700
 your relationships suffer.

00:29:59.799 --> 00:30:00.680
 There's no connection.

00:30:00.900 --> 00:30:01.980
 You're just going through life

00:30:01.980 --> 00:30:03.339
 doing your diary,

00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:03.920
 your calendar.

00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:05.380
 What's going on?

00:30:05.960 --> 00:30:06.620
 You're so busy

00:30:06.620 --> 00:30:07.160
 you've left

00:30:07.160 --> 00:30:08.319
 your relationships behind.

00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:09.359
 You know,

00:30:09.379 --> 00:30:10.200
 in the ancient world,

00:30:10.299 --> 00:30:10.619
 thankfully,

00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:11.919
 they didn't have McDonald's

00:30:11.919 --> 00:30:12.639
 or 7-Eleven.

00:30:12.819 --> 00:30:13.480
 You couldn't go get

00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:14.119
 a quick meal,

00:30:14.200 --> 00:30:14.419
 right?

00:30:14.899 --> 00:30:16.259
 To have a meal with somebody,

00:30:16.359 --> 00:30:17.539
 to break bread with somebody

00:30:17.539 --> 00:30:18.819
 was an evening long

00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:20.740
 extended event.

00:30:21.179 --> 00:30:22.059
 You would sit down

00:30:22.059 --> 00:30:23.220
 and spend hours

00:30:23.220 --> 00:30:23.919
 with each other

00:30:23.919 --> 00:30:25.539
 talking and breaking bread

00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:26.839
 and then some more bread

00:30:26.839 --> 00:30:27.179
 would come

00:30:27.179 --> 00:30:28.439
 and you'd break that further

00:30:28.439 --> 00:30:29.579
 and you'd discuss

00:30:29.579 --> 00:30:30.819
 and you'd share your life

00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:31.700
 and you'd share your heart

00:30:31.700 --> 00:30:32.240
 with somebody.

00:30:33.319 --> 00:30:33.539
 Friends,

00:30:33.639 --> 00:30:34.299
 Jesus says that

00:30:34.299 --> 00:30:35.079
 to believe in Him

00:30:35.079 --> 00:30:36.159
 means to feast on Him,

00:30:36.259 --> 00:30:37.500
 to nourish our souls

00:30:37.500 --> 00:30:38.240
 on who He is.

00:30:38.740 --> 00:30:39.460
 But that means more

00:30:39.460 --> 00:30:40.200
 than just a one-minute

00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:41.319
 Bible study on the MTR.

00:30:41.899 --> 00:30:42.539
 It means more than

00:30:42.539 --> 00:30:43.419
 just scrolling Instagram

00:30:43.419 --> 00:30:44.740
 and finding a verse somewhere

00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:45.919
 and thinking I've had a devotion,

00:30:46.059 --> 00:30:46.220
 right?

00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:47.200
 That's not a devotion.

00:30:49.019 --> 00:30:50.179
 To believe in Jesus,

00:30:50.279 --> 00:30:50.980
 to feast in Him.

00:30:51.059 --> 00:30:52.039
 But to feast in Jesus

00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:53.779
 is to slow down enough

00:30:53.779 --> 00:30:55.740
 that actually to be with Him,

00:30:56.299 --> 00:30:57.259
 to hear Him speak

00:30:57.259 --> 00:30:58.079
 to the real issues

00:30:58.079 --> 00:30:58.740
 of our hearts,

00:30:59.279 --> 00:31:00.519
 the challenges of our life,

00:31:00.579 --> 00:31:02.240
 to meditate on His Word,

00:31:02.679 --> 00:31:03.799
 to turn that into prayer.

00:31:04.439 --> 00:31:05.220
 But here's the second thing

00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:05.559
 it means.

00:31:05.899 --> 00:31:07.259
 It means to open up enough

00:31:07.259 --> 00:31:08.140
 to let Him in.

00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:09.140
 Again,

00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:09.700
 I don't know if you've had

00:31:09.700 --> 00:31:10.359
 this experience

00:31:10.359 --> 00:31:11.420
 where maybe you're going

00:31:11.420 --> 00:31:12.500
 through a really tough time.

00:31:12.920 --> 00:31:13.779
 There's some deep,

00:31:13.859 --> 00:31:14.579
 deep, heavy things

00:31:14.579 --> 00:31:15.119
 in your heart,

00:31:15.220 --> 00:31:16.259
 things that are weighing you down,

00:31:16.359 --> 00:31:17.079
 you're worried about,

00:31:17.160 --> 00:31:18.079
 you're anxious about.

00:31:18.640 --> 00:31:19.379
 And you go and you spend

00:31:19.379 --> 00:31:20.240
 an evening with friends,

00:31:20.339 --> 00:31:20.519
 okay?

00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:22.299
 They eventually invite you

00:31:22.299 --> 00:31:23.759
 despite the 15 rejections.

00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:25.000
 and you spend an evening

00:31:25.000 --> 00:31:25.619
 with friends

00:31:25.619 --> 00:31:27.759
 and nobody asks you

00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:28.660
 a single question.

00:31:29.339 --> 00:31:30.059
 Nobody asks you

00:31:30.059 --> 00:31:30.559
 how you're doing.

00:31:30.660 --> 00:31:31.279
 They all just talk

00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:31.980
 about themselves.

00:31:32.539 --> 00:31:33.160
 Have you ever had that?

00:31:33.539 --> 00:31:34.740
 And you've spent hours

00:31:34.740 --> 00:31:35.440
 with your friends

00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:36.339
 but you've come away

00:31:36.339 --> 00:31:37.140
 and nobody knows

00:31:37.140 --> 00:31:38.339
 what's going on inside of you.

00:31:38.759 --> 00:31:39.759
 And you feel more lonely

00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:40.279
 than before

00:31:40.279 --> 00:31:41.140
 even though you've just spent

00:31:41.140 --> 00:31:42.000
 an evening with friends.

00:31:42.119 --> 00:31:42.940
 You ever experience that?

00:31:43.799 --> 00:31:44.879
 In the ancient world,

00:31:44.980 --> 00:31:46.299
 to break bread with somebody,

00:31:46.379 --> 00:31:47.559
 to have a meal with somebody,

00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:49.579
 meant not just letting them

00:31:49.579 --> 00:31:51.019
 into your space,

00:31:51.099 --> 00:31:51.700
 it meant letting them

00:31:51.700 --> 00:31:52.379
 into your life.

00:31:52.940 --> 00:31:53.600
 To have somebody

00:31:53.600 --> 00:31:54.060
 in your home

00:31:54.060 --> 00:31:54.860
 wasn't just letting them

00:31:54.860 --> 00:31:55.320
 in your home,

00:31:55.380 --> 00:31:55.920
 it was letting them

00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:56.620
 into your heart.

00:31:57.100 --> 00:31:58.300
 As you break bread

00:31:58.300 --> 00:31:58.920
 and have a meal

00:31:58.920 --> 00:31:59.420
 with somebody,

00:31:59.500 --> 00:32:00.700
 it's communicating saying,

00:32:00.900 --> 00:32:01.920
 I want a relationship

00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:02.340
 with you.

00:32:02.440 --> 00:32:03.460
 I want to know you

00:32:03.460 --> 00:32:04.580
 and I want you to know me.

00:32:05.280 --> 00:32:06.220
 That's why in the Gospels

00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:07.240
 everybody's freaking out

00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:08.200
 when Jesus keeps

00:32:08.200 --> 00:32:08.760
 on having meals

00:32:08.760 --> 00:32:09.280
 with all sorts

00:32:09.280 --> 00:32:10.360
 of unsavory characters,

00:32:10.460 --> 00:32:10.640
 right?

00:32:10.860 --> 00:32:11.700
 He's having meals

00:32:11.700 --> 00:32:12.520
 with tax collectors

00:32:12.520 --> 00:32:13.460
 and prostitutes

00:32:13.460 --> 00:32:15.380
 and political insurrectionists

00:32:15.380 --> 00:32:16.180
 and murderers.

00:32:16.520 --> 00:32:17.340
 And the religious leaders

00:32:17.340 --> 00:32:17.600
 are saying,

00:32:17.860 --> 00:32:18.640
 how can you welcome

00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:19.660
 these people into your life?

00:32:19.700 --> 00:32:20.140
 How can you have

00:32:20.140 --> 00:32:20.900
 a relationship with them?

00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:21.900
 You've got to reject them.

00:32:21.900 --> 00:32:22.700
 You've got to kick them out

00:32:22.700 --> 00:32:24.340
 because they know

00:32:24.340 --> 00:32:25.080
 that to have a meal

00:32:25.080 --> 00:32:25.820
 with somebody says,

00:32:25.900 --> 00:32:27.040
 I want to know you.

00:32:27.780 --> 00:32:29.000
 I want to know the real you.

00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:31.040
 Jesus comes to us

00:32:31.040 --> 00:32:31.519
 and he says,

00:32:31.640 --> 00:32:31.920
 come.

00:32:32.680 --> 00:32:33.980
 Come and feast with me.

00:32:34.220 --> 00:32:35.340
 Come and eat of me.

00:32:35.900 --> 00:32:36.300
 Come and drink.

00:32:36.299 --> 00:32:38.039
 Come and sustain your soul

00:32:38.039 --> 00:32:38.680
 with me.

00:32:38.819 --> 00:32:39.919
 I want to know you

00:32:39.919 --> 00:32:40.720
 and I want you to know

00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:41.379
 the real me.

00:32:42.180 --> 00:32:42.519
 Friends,

00:32:42.579 --> 00:32:44.419
 it means having the real Jesus

00:32:44.419 --> 00:32:45.500
 knowing the real you.

00:32:46.119 --> 00:32:47.039
 It means processing

00:32:47.039 --> 00:32:48.019
 our actual fears,

00:32:48.139 --> 00:32:49.079
 our actual joys,

00:32:49.159 --> 00:32:50.039
 our actual hurts,

00:32:50.119 --> 00:32:51.240
 our actual desires,

00:32:51.779 --> 00:32:52.639
 our actual pains,

00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:53.639
 our actual agonies.

00:32:54.019 --> 00:32:55.559
 Letting him in on those things

00:32:55.559 --> 00:32:56.879
 and letting him speak to them.

00:32:58.079 --> 00:32:59.000
 What must we do

00:32:59.000 --> 00:33:00.220
 to be doing the works of God?

00:33:00.659 --> 00:33:01.099
 Simply,

00:33:01.559 --> 00:33:02.440
 believe in the one

00:33:02.440 --> 00:33:03.220
 that God has sent.

00:33:03.799 --> 00:33:04.180
 I,

00:33:04.279 --> 00:33:05.360
 I am the bread of life,

00:33:05.420 --> 00:33:05.900
 says Jesus.

00:33:06.019 --> 00:33:07.120
 Whoever comes to me

00:33:07.120 --> 00:33:08.319
 and feasts on me

00:33:08.319 --> 00:33:09.660
 and eats of me

00:33:09.660 --> 00:33:11.460
 will find life.

00:33:12.460 --> 00:33:13.660
 The miracles of Jesus,

00:33:13.960 --> 00:33:14.980
 the call of Jesus

00:33:14.980 --> 00:33:16.700
 to believe and feast on him.

00:33:17.220 --> 00:33:17.539
 Finally,

00:33:17.660 --> 00:33:18.759
 the promises of Jesus,

00:33:18.900 --> 00:33:19.960
 the wonderful promises.

00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:22.299
 Look at how our passage concludes.

00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:25.759
 Look at verse 35 to 40 with me.

00:33:25.759 --> 00:33:26.240
 Actually,

00:33:26.380 --> 00:33:27.019
 verse 36.

00:33:28.220 --> 00:33:28.600
 Actually,

00:33:28.779 --> 00:33:29.700
 let's make it 37.

00:33:30.299 --> 00:33:30.900
 Look here.

00:33:31.259 --> 00:33:32.259
 Jesus says this.

00:33:33.220 --> 00:33:35.000
 All that the Father gives me

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:35.900
 will come to me.

00:33:36.440 --> 00:33:37.460
 Whoever comes to me,

00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:39.640
 I will never cast out.

00:33:40.259 --> 00:33:41.960
 For I have come down from heaven

00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:43.140
 not to do my own will,

00:33:43.220 --> 00:33:44.460
 but the will of him who sent me.

00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:45.980
 And this is his will,

00:33:46.240 --> 00:33:47.920
 that I should lose nothing

00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:49.120
 of all that he's given me,

00:33:49.180 --> 00:33:50.839
 but raise them up on the last day.

00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:52.660
 This is the will of my Father,

00:33:52.740 --> 00:33:54.519
 that everyone who looks on the Son

00:33:54.519 --> 00:33:55.759
 and believes in him

00:33:55.759 --> 00:33:57.360
 should have eternal life,

00:33:57.700 --> 00:33:58.839
 and I will raise them up

00:33:58.839 --> 00:33:59.680
 on the last day.

00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:02.279
 Jesus concludes this section

00:34:02.279 --> 00:34:03.519
 with two wonderful,

00:34:03.660 --> 00:34:04.440
 wonderful promises.

00:34:04.779 --> 00:34:05.839
 First promise is this.

00:34:06.220 --> 00:34:07.379
 If you come to Jesus,

00:34:07.799 --> 00:34:09.340
 he will never chase you away.

00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:11.759
 He will never turn you away.

00:34:12.500 --> 00:34:12.920
 Friends,

00:34:12.980 --> 00:34:14.279
 how many of us grew up

00:34:14.279 --> 00:34:16.599
 being told either directly

00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:17.460
 or indirectly

00:34:17.460 --> 00:34:18.840
 that we were not good enough?

00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:20.679
 How many of us were told

00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:22.139
 that we were unwanted?

00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:24.179
 How many of us were scolded

00:34:24.179 --> 00:34:25.679
 and chased back and beaten,

00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:27.059
 belittled,

00:34:27.319 --> 00:34:28.440
 made to feel small,

00:34:28.659 --> 00:34:29.119
 inadequate?

00:34:29.960 --> 00:34:30.839
 How many of us were told

00:34:30.839 --> 00:34:32.359
 to sort ourselves out,

00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:33.579
 to fix our grades,

00:34:34.139 --> 00:34:35.879
 to sort out our life

00:34:35.879 --> 00:34:36.659
 and then come back

00:34:36.659 --> 00:34:37.319
 to our parents?

00:34:38.619 --> 00:34:41.480
 Jesus says that if you come to him,

00:34:41.919 --> 00:34:43.299
 weak as your faith may be,

00:34:43.799 --> 00:34:44.759
 all your issues,

00:34:45.199 --> 00:34:46.139
 all your baggage,

00:34:46.460 --> 00:34:47.379
 all your hurts,

00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:48.359
 all your pains,

00:34:48.859 --> 00:34:49.239
 weak,

00:34:49.419 --> 00:34:49.919
 insecure,

00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:51.960
 feeble as your faith may be,

00:34:51.960 --> 00:34:52.860
 he says,

00:34:53.099 --> 00:34:55.340
 I will never cast you out.

00:34:55.960 --> 00:34:57.500
 I will never chase you away.

00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:59.639
 I will never turn you down.

00:35:00.740 --> 00:35:01.300
 Friends,

00:35:01.360 --> 00:35:02.000
 that's amazing.

00:35:02.940 --> 00:35:03.960
 Jesus experienced

00:35:03.960 --> 00:35:04.840
 the type of rejection

00:35:04.840 --> 00:35:05.519
 on the cross

00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:06.900
 in our place

00:35:06.900 --> 00:35:09.099
 that we never need to fear

00:35:09.099 --> 00:35:10.420
 being rejected again.

00:35:11.340 --> 00:35:12.460
 And if you come to him,

00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:13.800
 weak and small

00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:14.820
 as your faith will be,

00:35:15.340 --> 00:35:16.519
 he will not turn you away.

00:35:17.340 --> 00:35:17.740
 One of the things

00:35:17.740 --> 00:35:18.619
 John Calvin says

00:35:18.619 --> 00:35:19.280
 is he says,

00:35:20.019 --> 00:35:20.800
 your praise,

00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:21.659
 he says,

00:35:21.960 --> 00:35:23.059
 our prayers are mixed with,

00:35:23.260 --> 00:35:24.460
 are full of mixed motives.

00:35:24.860 --> 00:35:26.039
 Self-centered motives,

00:35:26.240 --> 00:35:26.960
 greedy motives,

00:35:27.340 --> 00:35:27.980
 but don't worry,

00:35:28.119 --> 00:35:28.840
 your God knows that

00:35:28.840 --> 00:35:29.679
 and he loves you anyway.

00:35:29.840 --> 00:35:30.800
 So pray anyway.

00:35:31.740 --> 00:35:32.000
 Friends,

00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:33.079
 when we come to Jesus,

00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:34.900
 small as our faith may be,

00:35:35.079 --> 00:35:35.880
 weak as it may be,

00:35:36.059 --> 00:35:37.460
 mixed motives as it may be,

00:35:38.019 --> 00:35:39.300
 Jesus doesn't come and say,

00:35:39.679 --> 00:35:40.840
 come to me with perfect faith.

00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:42.099
 Once you've sorted it all out

00:35:42.099 --> 00:35:43.099
 and you've got all your issues

00:35:43.099 --> 00:35:43.780
 behind you,

00:35:44.019 --> 00:35:45.019
 then come to me.

00:35:45.639 --> 00:35:46.019
 He says,

00:35:46.099 --> 00:35:46.519
 come to me.

00:35:46.599 --> 00:35:49.000
 I will never turn you away.

00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:50.199
 What a promise.

00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:51.139
 What a savior.

00:35:51.659 --> 00:35:52.159
 What a king.

00:35:52.619 --> 00:35:53.079
 Second thing,

00:35:53.139 --> 00:35:53.919
 Jesus says this,

00:35:54.319 --> 00:35:55.279
 if you come to him,

00:35:55.619 --> 00:35:56.879
 he will never let you go.

00:35:57.379 --> 00:35:58.139
 Look at verse 39.

00:35:58.859 --> 00:35:59.599
 This is the will

00:35:59.599 --> 00:36:00.539
 of the one who sent me

00:36:00.539 --> 00:36:01.339
 that I should lose

00:36:01.339 --> 00:36:02.119
 none of those

00:36:02.119 --> 00:36:02.919
 he has given me,

00:36:03.239 --> 00:36:04.399
 but to raise them up

00:36:04.399 --> 00:36:05.279
 on the final day.

00:36:05.539 --> 00:36:06.439
 And this is the will

00:36:06.439 --> 00:36:07.019
 of my father

00:36:07.019 --> 00:36:07.879
 that everyone

00:36:07.879 --> 00:36:08.879
 who looks in the sun

00:36:08.879 --> 00:36:09.759
 and believes in him

00:36:09.759 --> 00:36:11.619
 shall have eternal life.

00:36:11.859 --> 00:36:13.159
 I will raise them up

00:36:13.159 --> 00:36:13.879
 on the last day.

00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:14.639
 Friends,

00:36:14.679 --> 00:36:15.239
 you know what that means?

00:36:15.659 --> 00:36:16.759
 It means it's not your faith

00:36:16.759 --> 00:36:17.439
 that's causing you

00:36:17.440 --> 00:36:18.280
 to hold on to Jesus.

00:36:18.860 --> 00:36:19.619
 It's Jesus'

00:36:19.619 --> 00:36:21.720
 gracious or amazing grace

00:36:21.720 --> 00:36:22.880
 that is holding on to you.

00:36:23.460 --> 00:36:24.200
 And there are times

00:36:24.200 --> 00:36:25.000
 when your faith is up

00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:25.519
 and there are times

00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:26.360
 when your faith is weak

00:36:26.360 --> 00:36:26.940
 and there are times

00:36:26.940 --> 00:36:27.579
 when you're doing well

00:36:27.579 --> 00:36:28.019
 and there's times

00:36:28.019 --> 00:36:28.840
 when you're not doing well.

00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:30.780
 You are not holding on to Jesus

00:36:30.780 --> 00:36:32.500
 as much as he's holding on to you.

00:36:33.099 --> 00:36:34.340
 And when your faith is weak

00:36:34.340 --> 00:36:35.780
 and when your faith is shallow

00:36:35.780 --> 00:36:36.679
 and when your faith

00:36:36.679 --> 00:36:38.360
 is not all that you hope it will be,

00:36:38.960 --> 00:36:40.400
 Christ is holding on to you.

00:36:40.760 --> 00:36:42.079
 He will not let you go.

00:36:42.079 --> 00:36:45.340
 on that final day, those who believe in me,

00:36:45.739 --> 00:36:48.239
 weak, small, insecure as their faith may be,

00:36:48.420 --> 00:36:51.039
 I will hold on them and I will raise them up.

00:36:51.699 --> 00:36:55.059
 Friends, let's not come to Jesus for material blessings.

00:36:55.619 --> 00:36:57.099
 Those things will never truly satisfy.

00:36:57.699 --> 00:36:58.659
 They will not last.

00:36:59.239 --> 00:37:00.519
 You can have all the money in the world.

00:37:00.639 --> 00:37:02.500
 You can have all the prestige or the power in the world.

00:37:02.719 --> 00:37:04.460
 It will flee away from you.

00:37:05.860 --> 00:37:10.059
 I remember hearing a story of a famous British author.

00:37:10.059 --> 00:37:11.000
 I've forgotten his name.

00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:16.039
 He sold like tens, probably even hundreds of books.

00:37:16.219 --> 00:37:18.980
 He was a multi-millionaire in pounds, right?

00:37:19.059 --> 00:37:20.000
 This is like in the 80s.

00:37:20.400 --> 00:37:21.639
 One of the wealthiest people in Britain.

00:37:22.340 --> 00:37:24.440
 He was in an interview one day and the interviewer says to him,

00:37:24.659 --> 00:37:27.000
 what do you wish someone had told you as a young man

00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:28.980
 it would be like when you got to the top?

00:37:29.639 --> 00:37:33.079
 And his answer was, I wish someone had told me there's nothing there.

00:37:34.019 --> 00:37:37.340
 Multi-millionaire, all the name, the prestige, there's nothing there.

00:37:37.619 --> 00:37:39.139
 Jesus says, you want to feast on those things?

00:37:39.139 --> 00:37:40.199
 It will not last.

00:37:40.400 --> 00:37:41.420
 It will perish.

00:37:41.420 --> 00:37:42.800
 Come to me.

00:37:43.320 --> 00:37:44.480
 Come and believe in me.

00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:45.820
 Let me satisfy you.

00:37:46.200 --> 00:37:47.519
 Let me fill you.

00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:49.780
 Let me rescue and deliver you.

00:37:50.300 --> 00:37:51.139
 Come and feast on me.

00:37:51.280 --> 00:37:52.840
 Fill your heart and your soul with me.

00:37:53.360 --> 00:37:54.500
 And let me bring you home.

00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:56.960
 Let's do it now as we come to him in prayer.

00:37:57.840 --> 00:38:01.820
 Lord Jesus, you are infinitely awesome and infinitely gracious.

00:38:01.820 --> 00:38:05.860
 God, we confess that the things of this world have their pull on us.

00:38:06.400 --> 00:38:08.240
 And God, we so need you.

00:38:08.460 --> 00:38:09.559
 We know we so need you.

00:38:10.160 --> 00:38:11.300
 Jesus, come and help us.

00:38:11.380 --> 00:38:13.820
 Lord, we confess with John Calvin.

00:38:14.000 --> 00:38:15.000
 Our faith is weak.

00:38:15.539 --> 00:38:16.539
 Our faith is small.

00:38:16.680 --> 00:38:17.760
 Our faith is full of doubts.

00:38:18.539 --> 00:38:21.480
 Our faith is insincere and with mixed motives.

00:38:21.480 --> 00:38:22.860
 But God, you're so gracious.

00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:24.699
 You will never turn us away.

00:38:24.820 --> 00:38:25.599
 So thank you, Lord.

00:38:26.300 --> 00:38:27.639
 God, help us to come to you now.

00:38:27.740 --> 00:38:29.860
 Lord, I pray for those of us maybe that are spiritual seekers.

00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:31.920
 Those that are wondering about faith.

00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:34.079
 Wondering whether they can trust you.

00:38:34.199 --> 00:38:36.539
 God, by your spirit, reveal yourself to us.

00:38:36.659 --> 00:38:37.619
 Open the eyes of our heart.

00:38:37.619 --> 00:38:39.880
 That we will see you and believe in you.

00:38:40.259 --> 00:38:41.859
 And have life in your name.

00:38:42.279 --> 00:38:45.299
 God, we pray these things in your wonderful and gracious name.