WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:25.940 Father, thank you for Jesus. Thank you that he came. Thank you that he lived amongst us a fully human life. Thank you that he died on the cross. Thank you that he tasted all there is to taste of death. Thank you that he rose again, defeating sin and death. And thank you, Father, that all who believe and trust in Jesus, that you will raise us up. You will give us eternal life and raise us up. 00:00:25.940 --> 00:00:42.500 Father, thank you for this. May your Holy Spirit bring the words of the gospel deeply into our hearts and our minds and our lives. Help us, Father, to gnaw on them and inwardly digest them. And this we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:00:42.500 --> 00:00:58.620 Amen. Please be seated. As you know, I sometimes criticize newspapers or make comments about newspapers and other things in the media. So it's important to give credit where credit is due. I don't know how many of you read the National Post editorial. 00:00:59.299 --> 00:01:08.740 I might be the only person in the room who read the Saturday editorial in the National Post. But it must have been written by a devout Christian. I was really surprised. 00:01:08.739 --> 00:01:25.879 So kudos to them. And if you have a chance, go online and read the official editorial of the National Post yesterday. And one of the things which they said, which was very interesting, I didn't know that we we probably all are aware of that French police officer who traded himself for a woman. 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:36.219 Terrorists had killed some people, was had a hostage situation. The police officer willingly traded places with the woman. 00:01:36.219 --> 00:01:41.219 I don't know if you know this, but he was an adult convert to the Christian faith. 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:45.019 He was in his early to mid-30s when he gave his life to Christ. 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:50.959 And it was directly his widow, I was told, in the French press, it's been very public. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:55.180 They just make a bit of a hint at it in the National Post editorial. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:02:02.900 But his widow on French media has been very outspoken that it was precisely because of his Christian faith that he took that stand. 00:02:02.900 --> 00:02:06.240 But it's quite dramatic, really, isn't it? 00:02:06.300 --> 00:02:13.400 And the National Post editorial drew out the similarities between this police officer's story. 00:02:13.920 --> 00:02:16.640 I keep fading in and out. Do I? Or is it just my imagination? 00:02:18.060 --> 00:02:20.400 So anyway, it's a very interesting story. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:29.580 There's a very, very clear, obviously, Eastern analogy between this man who traded places with the woman 00:02:29.580 --> 00:02:35.320 and as a result of him trading places with this woman, she lived and he died. 00:02:35.660 --> 00:02:40.560 And there's a very obvious sort of parallel to the Christian story, the gospel. 00:02:41.540 --> 00:02:44.980 But, you know, the thing which, and many Christians struggle with this, 00:02:44.980 --> 00:02:47.500 and I know not only do many Christians struggle with this, 00:02:47.600 --> 00:02:50.420 but non-Christians struggle with it in a really, really big way. 00:02:51.300 --> 00:02:54.480 And they say, George, well, what's up with this? Okay, what's up with this? 00:02:54.479 --> 00:03:01.639 I get this sort of story, and it's very, very moving to hear about this police officer and his... 00:03:01.639 --> 00:03:04.659 I know it's a story of courage. It's a story of heroism. 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:08.419 But what's up? Like, Jesus just died. 00:03:08.839 --> 00:03:12.299 Like, he didn't live. Like, I mean, he just died. 00:03:12.859 --> 00:03:16.319 I mean, we have to talk about the living part, obviously, with many non-Christians. 00:03:16.439 --> 00:03:17.620 But he just died. 00:03:17.620 --> 00:03:23.360 But I don't see how anything that could have happened 2,000 years ago, almost 2,000 years ago, 00:03:23.420 --> 00:03:26.740 like why his death back then means anything to me. 00:03:27.580 --> 00:03:31.420 And sort of usually if somebody, a non-Christian, says something like this to us, 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:34.080 after we get through our maybe deer-in-the-headlights look, 00:03:34.620 --> 00:03:40.200 we often do something like saying, well, part of the big difference is that Jesus was God. 00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:48.939 And because Jesus is God, his death has this far greater power, has this far greater reach. 00:03:49.099 --> 00:03:50.919 It's just far more significant. 00:03:52.539 --> 00:03:56.780 And then often what happens, they might not say this to you, but they think it. 00:03:57.019 --> 00:04:01.679 And what they think is, what people think is this, well, what's up with that? 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:03.959 Like, what's up with that? 00:04:03.960 --> 00:04:09.020 Like, how can somebody with a birth certificate and an address say they're God, 00:04:09.659 --> 00:04:11.520 that they came down from heaven, right? 00:04:11.560 --> 00:04:15.600 Like, how can somebody who has a birth certificate and an address say that they came down from heaven, 00:04:15.659 --> 00:04:16.280 that they're God? 00:04:17.019 --> 00:04:18.040 That's a pretty good question. 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:21.019 Do you know that that exact question is asked in the Bible? 00:04:22.439 --> 00:04:26.720 In fact, I read an ancient biography of Jesus. 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:31.620 And in that ancient biography of Jesus, it's in John's ancient biography. 00:04:31.620 --> 00:04:34.720 And John tells us the story of the resurrection. 00:04:34.939 --> 00:04:37.040 But did you know that earlier in that gospel, 00:04:37.620 --> 00:04:42.199 John records somebody literally saying to Jesus, what's up with this? 00:04:42.300 --> 00:04:46.180 Like, what's up with, I mean, you got a birth certificate and an address. 00:04:46.300 --> 00:04:47.600 I mean, that's a bit of a figure of speech. 00:04:47.699 --> 00:04:49.060 They didn't have birth certificates back then. 00:04:49.100 --> 00:04:49.939 But what's up with this? 00:04:50.660 --> 00:04:52.079 So if you'd be, it's a great help. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:56.079 If you turn back earlier in the gospel, Jesus actually answers this question. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:58.759 And it's in John chapter 6, verse 41. 00:04:58.759 --> 00:05:04.139 John chapter 6, verse 41, that they asked this question. 00:05:04.899 --> 00:05:06.300 I have all sorts of things going wrong. 00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:07.639 These aren't my normal glasses. 00:05:07.779 --> 00:05:09.180 I left my glasses in my car. 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:10.620 They're very lopsided. 00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:14.500 So if I look like a crazy professor, just pray harder for me. 00:05:16.420 --> 00:05:20.639 So not only is my voice is going in and out, but my glasses are all askew. 00:05:20.779 --> 00:05:23.539 So really pray hard for me. 00:05:23.639 --> 00:05:25.599 Anyway, so back to this story. 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:30.160 So what's happened up to now, because remember, it's a story, right? 00:05:30.340 --> 00:05:38.080 And so what's happened is just less than 24 hours before this, Jesus does his most public miracle. 00:05:38.740 --> 00:05:40.260 And we talked about that last Sunday. 00:05:40.320 --> 00:05:41.720 He does his most public miracle. 00:05:42.180 --> 00:05:44.660 It just records that there were 5,000 men there. 00:05:44.860 --> 00:05:47.900 But that 5,000 men means it might have been 20,000 people. 00:05:48.200 --> 00:05:49.340 Maybe it was 25,000. 00:05:49.400 --> 00:05:52.020 Let's just say 20,000 because it's an easy number. 00:05:52.019 --> 00:05:55.839 And so Jesus does his most public miracle. 00:05:56.419 --> 00:06:00.419 He, with five loaves and two fishes, he feeds 20,000 people. 00:06:00.919 --> 00:06:09.799 And the way the miracle is set up with everybody sitting down, it would have been very obvious to the 20,000 people that Jesus had performed an unbelievable, like a spectacular miracle. 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:17.439 And then where the story is right now is that Jesus, because the people want to make him king, they realize that he's done this miracle. 00:06:18.060 --> 00:06:22.199 So Jesus sort of goes up into the mountain to get away from them. 00:06:22.840 --> 00:06:30.600 And what people don't know, only the disciples know, is that in the middle of the night, Jesus does another miracle, but only 12 people know this. 00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:37.939 And the 12 people are those who see Jesus walking on the water and then moving the whole boat in him four miles to the shore. 00:06:38.820 --> 00:06:48.140 But what happens is just before this, because they go looking for Jesus, they know there's no human explanation for how Jesus got from where he was to where he was. 00:06:48.700 --> 00:06:51.420 But Jesus doesn't explain it to them. 00:06:51.540 --> 00:06:53.060 And that's part of this conversation. 00:06:53.060 --> 00:07:02.519 And as part of Jesus' conversation to them about what's up, because he's trying to get to the heart, he tells them, listen, don't spend your whole life just trying to get food. 00:07:02.939 --> 00:07:05.379 I have something more to offer you. 00:07:05.579 --> 00:07:09.160 I am the bread of life that will give you eternal life. 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:12.660 And that's what you should really be focusing on, not the fact that your bellies are full. 00:07:13.660 --> 00:07:18.759 And as part of that, that he's come down from heaven to bring them life, that brings it up to 41. 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:20.459 And look what they say in verse 41. 00:07:20.459 --> 00:07:24.599 So the Jewish people grumble about him. 00:07:26.219 --> 00:07:32.299 And actually, those of you who use the old King James Version, the word they use there is murmur. 00:07:32.599 --> 00:07:33.779 That's a great word, isn't it? 00:07:34.459 --> 00:07:34.859 Murr. 00:07:35.139 --> 00:07:36.379 What's going on here, right? 00:07:36.539 --> 00:07:38.399 You know, people murmur, you know. 00:07:39.259 --> 00:07:43.879 The person, the cash is going really slow and you murmur and you grumble. 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:47.419 So if you put murmur and grumble together, you get exactly what's going on. 00:07:47.419 --> 00:07:50.199 They're murmuring, they're grumbling, they're a bit bothered. 00:07:50.459 --> 00:07:51.279 So verse 41. 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:57.039 So the Jews grumble, they murmur about Jesus because he said, I am the bread that came down from heaven. 00:07:57.219 --> 00:08:02.199 They said, is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? 00:08:03.039 --> 00:08:06.219 How does he now say, I have come down from heaven? 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:07.039 Right. 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:11.560 So they've just said what I just, they said, listen, he has a birth certificate. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:14.740 And on the birth certificate, it says Joseph and Mary. 00:08:14.740 --> 00:08:16.400 And he has an address. 00:08:16.819 --> 00:08:18.800 In fact, at this time he lived in Capernaum. 00:08:19.280 --> 00:08:25.740 So how can a guy, how can a guy who has a birth certificate and an address say he came down from heaven with a straight face? 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:29.920 Now, many of us are saying, okay, now this is going to be really interesting. 00:08:30.019 --> 00:08:31.519 How's Jesus going to answer this question? 00:08:31.860 --> 00:08:34.940 Well, let me tell you, he's going to disappoint everybody in the room. 00:08:34.940 --> 00:08:38.180 He's going to disappoint all of us. 00:08:38.660 --> 00:08:40.960 And this disappointment tells something about us. 00:08:41.860 --> 00:08:43.000 So how does Jesus answer? 00:08:43.160 --> 00:08:44.820 Look how he answers in verse 43. 00:08:46.560 --> 00:08:49.580 Jesus answered them, do not grumble among yourselves. 00:08:50.540 --> 00:08:56.680 No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him. 00:08:57.540 --> 00:09:00.120 And I will raise him up on the last day. 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:04.000 It is written in the prophets and they will all be taught by God. 00:09:04.820 --> 00:09:08.159 Well, everyone who has heard and learned from the father comes to me. 00:09:08.379 --> 00:09:11.500 Not that anyone has seen the father except he who is from God. 00:09:11.899 --> 00:09:13.360 He has seen the father. 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:14.360 He's talking about himself. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:15.539 He's saying he's seen the father. 00:09:16.779 --> 00:09:20.100 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 00:09:20.600 --> 00:09:21.659 I am the bread of life. 00:09:22.179 --> 00:09:24.360 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:28.539 That's in the Exodus when the people of Israel were in the wilderness. 00:09:28.779 --> 00:09:34.139 God did a miracle and provided a grain type substance for them every day so they wouldn't starve. 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:36.159 That's the manna in the wilderness. 00:09:36.620 --> 00:09:39.779 Your fathers, verse 49, ate the manna in the wilderness and they died. 00:09:40.379 --> 00:09:42.560 This is the bread, and he's probably pointing himself. 00:09:42.840 --> 00:09:48.340 This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat of it and not die. 00:09:49.139 --> 00:09:51.519 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:53.759 If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. 00:09:54.360 --> 00:10:00.879 And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:04.019 So isn't this a bit of a disappointing answer? 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:09.259 Look at how he says in verse 44, if you missed it. 00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:12.700 Verse 44, no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him. 00:10:13.560 --> 00:10:15.080 And I will raise him up on the last day. 00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:16.100 Isn't that disappointing? 00:10:16.340 --> 00:10:21.820 Weren't you hoping either for something like the Athanasian Creed that talks about the two natures of Christ in one person? 00:10:21.820 --> 00:10:36.480 Weren't you maybe hoping for some argument from philosophy, some analogy from science or nature that would try to explain how it is that as God, he's lived forever, but as a human being, he was born of Mary. 00:10:37.140 --> 00:10:40.040 Aren't you maybe hoping he could explain a little bit about the incarnation? 00:10:40.400 --> 00:10:44.080 Aren't you hoping he could give some analogy from science or physics? 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:48.000 Like this is a very disappointing answer if we're honest with ourselves, aren't we? 00:10:49.460 --> 00:10:50.060 Isn't it? 00:10:51.000 --> 00:10:52.720 So what's going on? 00:10:53.400 --> 00:10:54.900 Well, here's the first thing. 00:10:54.980 --> 00:10:59.800 You have to understand, on one level, Jesus is giving a very profound answer. 00:10:59.879 --> 00:11:05.520 On another level, he waits a year to give his real answer because his real answer is the resurrection. 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:09.399 If you could put up the first point, Andrew, that would be great. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:12.860 His real answer is this. 00:11:13.939 --> 00:11:19.960 The real, true, literal, actual resurrection of Jesus changes everything. 00:11:20.699 --> 00:11:21.340 I'll say it again. 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:26.360 The real, true, literal, actual resurrection of Jesus changes everything. 00:11:26.360 --> 00:11:30.180 Jesus really dying. 00:11:30.980 --> 00:11:34.320 Jesus really decomposing in a tomb. 00:11:35.060 --> 00:11:37.159 Jesus really resurrecting. 00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:40.240 So the body is gone and he appears to his disciples. 00:11:41.379 --> 00:11:46.159 And he appears to lots of different people in many different ways. 00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:48.300 So they can't just take it as an hallucination. 00:11:48.620 --> 00:11:50.139 And the body is never found. 00:11:50.620 --> 00:11:53.200 Like if this has happened, it changes everything. 00:11:53.340 --> 00:11:54.320 It changes how you think. 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:56.600 It means you have to reconsider everything. 00:11:56.800 --> 00:12:00.580 It means you have to reconsider how he tells us to understand the Old Testament. 00:12:01.280 --> 00:12:08.740 It means that we start now looking for analogies from physics or biology or biochemistry or genetics. 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:10.680 It changes everything. 00:12:12.260 --> 00:12:15.540 But in the short run, this is actually what Jesus says by saying, 00:12:15.640 --> 00:12:18.860 listen, unless the Father draws you, you can't come to me. 00:12:18.900 --> 00:12:20.620 It's actually a very profound answer. 00:12:21.140 --> 00:12:21.700 Why is that? 00:12:21.700 --> 00:12:28.400 Everyone here has probably had the experience where, I don't know, it could be something like 00:12:28.400 --> 00:12:32.640 somebody makes a comment about something about the first year of the senators. 00:12:32.920 --> 00:12:35.060 Or they make a comment about how money works. 00:12:35.100 --> 00:12:37.020 Or they make a comment about history. 00:12:37.180 --> 00:12:38.980 Or they make a comment about science. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:41.360 And you happen to know a lot about that subject. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:45.600 And so you say to them, no, no, listen, look at the webpage. 00:12:46.220 --> 00:12:47.840 And look, this is who the senators play. 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:49.039 And look at the statistics. 00:12:49.379 --> 00:12:51.480 Or you say, look, this is how money works. 00:12:51.659 --> 00:12:55.480 Or listen, don't blame the conservative government or the liberal government for this. 00:12:55.580 --> 00:12:56.820 Like, look at the actual bill. 00:12:56.899 --> 00:12:58.440 This is what it actually says. 00:12:58.680 --> 00:13:03.060 And we've all had this experience of maybe spending 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes, 00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:04.500 maybe half an hour, an hour, 00:13:04.500 --> 00:13:10.679 like just actually showing the person why they're wrong and they won't change their mind. 00:13:11.580 --> 00:13:14.519 And we go back and we say to our friends, 00:13:15.259 --> 00:13:17.720 good grief, that person, what do we say about them? 00:13:18.039 --> 00:13:20.240 They refuse to change their mind. 00:13:20.740 --> 00:13:22.480 They refuse to acknowledge their wrong. 00:13:22.700 --> 00:13:23.679 They just refuse. 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:25.860 Haven't we all had that experience? 00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:26.799 They just refuse. 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:30.719 Well, what if that person is us? 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:34.659 Like, you know, we can all remember instances where somebody, 00:13:34.819 --> 00:13:35.719 where we've done that, 00:13:35.819 --> 00:13:38.059 but we're probably not as quick to remember the instances 00:13:38.059 --> 00:13:39.939 where somebody spent an hour with us. 00:13:40.019 --> 00:13:43.299 And we just refuse to change our minds. 00:13:43.699 --> 00:13:44.699 We just refuse. 00:13:45.719 --> 00:13:47.259 And so what Jesus is saying here, 00:13:47.339 --> 00:13:49.439 think about how the book works, okay? 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:50.519 It's a book. 00:13:51.179 --> 00:13:54.279 And so what's just happened is less than 24 hours earlier, 00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:58.959 Jesus has fed 20,000 people from five loaves and two fishes. 00:13:59.639 --> 00:14:01.059 And as I talked about last week, 00:14:01.139 --> 00:14:02.339 the way the miracle is set up, 00:14:02.419 --> 00:14:03.399 everybody's sitting down. 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:04.179 The men sit down. 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:04.939 The women sit down. 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:06.159 The children sit down. 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:07.860 They're all sitting down. 00:14:07.959 --> 00:14:09.659 They're waiting for Jesus to do something. 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:10.740 It's very obvious. 00:14:11.259 --> 00:14:13.339 He just has a basket like this. 00:14:13.779 --> 00:14:14.980 He just has a basket. 00:14:15.379 --> 00:14:16.539 And he just sets it down. 00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:18.720 And he starts to break it and put it in another basket 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:20.019 and break it and put another basket, 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:21.220 break it and put another basket. 00:14:21.319 --> 00:14:22.240 The basket goes away. 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:22.740 Ta-da. 00:14:23.220 --> 00:14:23.639 Ta-da. 00:14:23.639 --> 00:14:24.399 Ta-da. 00:14:24.460 --> 00:14:27.439 You can just imagine people's eyes like saucers. 00:14:28.220 --> 00:14:29.899 What on earth is going on? 00:14:32.059 --> 00:14:33.319 And John records, 00:14:33.419 --> 00:14:35.039 and some of the other gospel writers record, 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:37.220 it's the only miracle that's in all four of the gospels 00:14:37.220 --> 00:14:38.120 other than the resurrection. 00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:42.679 People all want to make him king after they see this. 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:44.799 And he has to actually go in and go up into the mountain 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:45.779 to get away from them. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:48.399 And so what's just happened here 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:51.419 that we're so disappointed about Jesus's answer, 00:14:51.419 --> 00:14:53.879 but what's just happened is Jesus is just saying to himself, 00:14:54.059 --> 00:14:55.099 if you think about it, 00:14:55.379 --> 00:14:57.179 one moment, these folks don't believe me. 00:14:57.819 --> 00:15:01.219 They don't trust me after I've just taken five loaves and two fishes 00:15:01.219 --> 00:15:02.579 and fed 20,000 people. 00:15:03.620 --> 00:15:04.599 What's the problem? 00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:06.720 They refuse to believe. 00:15:08.060 --> 00:15:09.519 They refuse to believe. 00:15:10.019 --> 00:15:10.980 They just refuse. 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:14.399 In fact, the part we looked at last week, 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:17.480 people's response was, 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:18.980 okay, Jesus, 00:15:19.500 --> 00:15:22.399 do something dramatic to show us that what you're saying is true. 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:23.480 And Jesus must have been going, 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:24.180 good grief. 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:27.220 Like, I just fed 20,000 people from five loaves, two fishes. 00:15:28.180 --> 00:15:29.480 They want me to do something better? 00:15:30.300 --> 00:15:31.320 Well, he's going to do something better. 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:32.160 It's going to be the resurrection, 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:33.480 which is going to change everything. 00:15:35.800 --> 00:15:36.800 So, but some of you might say, 00:15:36.860 --> 00:15:39.940 okay, George, well, that explains things very, very well for me. 00:15:40.040 --> 00:15:40.820 Thank you very much. 00:15:40.840 --> 00:15:41.540 That's very helpful. 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:44.879 You know, it just is telling me that, 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:47.180 like, if God wanted me to be a Christian, 00:15:47.300 --> 00:15:48.300 he'd make me a Christian. 00:15:48.660 --> 00:15:49.860 Like, I'm off the hook. 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:52.160 Isn't that what Jesus says, George? 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.680 Isn't that what he says in verse 44? 00:15:55.320 --> 00:15:56.340 Isn't that what he says, George? 00:15:56.340 --> 00:15:57.060 You just read it. 00:15:57.480 --> 00:16:00.399 No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:01.920 and I will raise him up on the last day. 00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:03.160 Well, I guess God just doesn't. 00:16:03.580 --> 00:16:04.460 So, what, Kalish? 00:16:04.740 --> 00:16:07.040 Is Jesus saying this to let people off the hook? 00:16:08.580 --> 00:16:08.980 No. 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:11.460 Is he saying this to shame them? 00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:15.360 We all know who the people are who refuse to believe. 00:16:15.620 --> 00:16:16.660 We can all look and shake. 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:17.360 No, he's not. 00:16:17.560 --> 00:16:18.879 He's not doing this to shame people. 00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:19.980 Why does he say this? 00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:23.139 He says this, if you could put up the next point. 00:16:23.139 --> 00:16:30.100 He says this because our response should be to call out to the father 00:16:30.100 --> 00:16:33.299 and ask him to draw you into a saving faith in Jesus. 00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:37.600 Like he's trying to prick your conscience. 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:45.139 It's in a sense, remember, Jesus' words are constantly going to our heart, 00:16:45.259 --> 00:16:51.000 the command center of where we are, that place where our will, our emotions, 00:16:51.560 --> 00:16:56.220 our intellect, our ideas, our culture, our idols, they all, 00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:58.840 I'm not pointing at you, by the way, just going like this, 00:16:59.180 --> 00:17:02.340 and it's where all these things sort of come together. 00:17:02.340 --> 00:17:06.660 And the hope is that by hearing something like this, our response is, 00:17:07.180 --> 00:17:09.840 is Jesus talking about me? 00:17:09.940 --> 00:17:11.120 Is that my problem? 00:17:12.100 --> 00:17:14.759 Is my problem just that I refuse to come? 00:17:15.980 --> 00:17:18.400 And Father, if that's my problem, please help me. 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:20.759 I want you to draw me to Jesus. 00:17:21.240 --> 00:17:22.279 I want to believe. 00:17:23.140 --> 00:17:24.140 Help my unbelief. 00:17:24.319 --> 00:17:26.559 Father, do whatever you have to do 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:29.279 so I might come to faith in Jesus. 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:32.799 That's why Jesus says this. 00:17:34.420 --> 00:17:36.039 But now some of you might be saying, 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:36.759 okay, George, 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:42.119 what's up with the cannibalism stuff? 00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:45.379 Like, what's up? 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:47.279 Like, come on, George. 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:48.799 Like, is Jesus saying, 00:17:49.259 --> 00:17:52.200 take my finger, gnaw on it for a while. 00:17:52.740 --> 00:17:55.720 Like, here's my fingernail clippings, eat them. 00:17:56.819 --> 00:17:59.099 I'm going to cut myself, suck my blood. 00:17:59.099 --> 00:18:00.899 Like, come on, George. 00:18:00.980 --> 00:18:02.199 Like, what's going on with this? 00:18:02.419 --> 00:18:04.419 Didn't he just say, like, you got to eat and drink me? 00:18:04.500 --> 00:18:05.359 Like, come on. 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:06.379 What's up? 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:11.339 Well, as some of you know who are Christians for a long time, 00:18:11.439 --> 00:18:15.399 this next part is something that's divided Christians for a long time. 00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:15.799 And I'm going to, 00:18:16.159 --> 00:18:19.759 I talked in my blog last Sunday a little bit about it. 00:18:20.039 --> 00:18:21.240 And that's sort of the, 00:18:21.439 --> 00:18:23.579 I'm going to sail over the debate, okay? 00:18:23.659 --> 00:18:25.000 I'm going to sail over the debate. 00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:28.500 So how does Jesus respond to the cannibalism claim? 00:18:29.500 --> 00:18:30.740 Well, let's look. 00:18:30.819 --> 00:18:32.779 Verse 52, that's where they ask the question. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:33.640 Because you see, once again, 00:18:34.140 --> 00:18:36.220 people who are there, 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:37.920 they ask the cannibalism question. 00:18:38.779 --> 00:18:41.299 It's not just us most smart, postmodern, 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:43.680 urban, hip, postmodern 00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:46.000 who figure out this is a bit of an objection. 00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:48.779 Like, just always remember when you read old books, 00:18:48.779 --> 00:18:50.579 just because they didn't use flush toilets 00:18:50.579 --> 00:18:52.200 doesn't mean they were dumb, okay? 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:56.559 People who don't use flush toilets can be way smarter than you and me. 00:18:57.580 --> 00:18:58.720 And so they understand. 00:18:58.860 --> 00:18:59.840 So look at verse 52. 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:02.700 Then the Jews then disputed amongst themselves. 00:19:02.819 --> 00:19:04.940 They've gone from grumbling to arguing. 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:07.940 And they say, verse 52, 00:19:08.120 --> 00:19:11.500 how can this man give us his flesh to eat? 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:14.180 So how's Jesus going to answer it? 00:19:14.180 --> 00:19:14.900 Well, let's look what he says. 00:19:14.900 --> 00:19:18.040 So then Jesus said to them, 00:19:18.980 --> 00:19:20.920 truly, truly, I say to you, 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:23.019 unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man 00:19:23.019 --> 00:19:24.880 and drink his blood, 00:19:25.380 --> 00:19:26.560 you have no life in you. 00:19:27.080 --> 00:19:28.380 So he makes it worse, right? 00:19:29.120 --> 00:19:31.100 But then he's going to do something 00:19:31.100 --> 00:19:32.840 which isn't as obvious in English, 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:34.920 although this version of the Bible 00:19:34.920 --> 00:19:35.620 that I'm reading from, 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:38.280 one of the translation values of the ESV 00:19:38.280 --> 00:19:41.420 is that when the same Greek word 00:19:41.420 --> 00:19:43.019 is used in a text, 00:19:43.140 --> 00:19:45.380 they keep the same English word if they can. 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:47.940 And when the Greek word changes, 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:50.580 they change the English word. 00:19:50.660 --> 00:19:51.440 It's a translation. 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:53.019 Every version of your Bible 00:19:53.019 --> 00:19:54.740 has translation values. 00:19:55.660 --> 00:19:57.660 And they're just different. 00:19:57.880 --> 00:19:59.480 Some are better for certain situations 00:19:59.480 --> 00:20:00.640 and some are better for others. 00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:01.720 And so the ESV, 00:20:01.800 --> 00:20:02.580 I happen to know this, 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:04.600 that's a translation value. 00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:06.400 So in fact, 00:20:06.580 --> 00:20:08.960 the original word changes here. 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:10.500 So they change the English word 00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:11.720 to give you a bit of a clue 00:20:11.720 --> 00:20:12.819 that something's going on. 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:16.480 So I'll read verse 53 again, 00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:17.920 and then I'll read verse 54. 00:20:18.340 --> 00:20:19.299 So Jesus said to them, 00:20:19.420 --> 00:20:20.420 truly, truly, I say to you, 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:22.299 unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man 00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:23.000 and drink his blood, 00:20:23.059 --> 00:20:24.000 you have no life in you. 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:26.700 Yuck, really, right? 00:20:27.420 --> 00:20:28.460 But then he goes on, 00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:30.240 whoever feeds on my flesh 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:32.019 and drinks my blood has eternal life, 00:20:32.059 --> 00:20:34.259 and I will raise him up on the last day. 00:20:34.840 --> 00:20:36.680 For my flesh is true food, 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:38.279 and my blood is true drink. 00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:41.259 Whoever feeds on my flesh 00:20:41.259 --> 00:20:42.879 and drinks my blood abides in me, 00:20:42.940 --> 00:20:43.740 and I in him. 00:20:44.539 --> 00:20:46.099 Notice there's this type of abiding. 00:20:47.160 --> 00:20:48.039 In verse 57, 00:20:48.139 --> 00:20:49.619 as the living Father sent me, 00:20:49.660 --> 00:20:51.200 and I live because of the Father, 00:20:51.339 --> 00:20:53.160 so whoever feeds on me, 00:20:54.299 --> 00:20:56.119 he also will live because of me. 00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:58.500 This is the bread that came down from heaven, 00:20:58.539 --> 00:21:00.619 not like the bread the fathers ate and died. 00:21:01.059 --> 00:21:02.819 Whoever feeds on this bread 00:21:02.819 --> 00:21:05.279 will live forever. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:09.899 So, what's going on? 00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:12.240 Well, the English word, 00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:13.500 the Greek word, 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:15.379 which is there for most of the verse, 00:21:15.859 --> 00:21:17.279 which is translated here as feeds, 00:21:17.399 --> 00:21:19.399 it can be translated in several different ways. 00:21:19.480 --> 00:21:22.039 It has several different meanings attached to it. 00:21:22.379 --> 00:21:25.319 One of the meanings is like ongoing consumption, 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:27.599 which is what they've chosen here 00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:29.299 to translate as feeds. 00:21:29.299 --> 00:21:31.539 It's that whatever's going on, 00:21:31.700 --> 00:21:33.599 whatever Jesus means by this, 00:21:33.859 --> 00:21:34.559 we're to, in a sense, 00:21:34.659 --> 00:21:36.839 consume it daily, 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:37.700 day by day. 00:21:38.220 --> 00:21:40.599 But the other two meanings are very interesting. 00:21:40.819 --> 00:21:42.619 One of them is gnaw. 00:21:42.619 --> 00:21:46.379 You know how like a dog gnaws on a bone? 00:21:47.299 --> 00:21:48.000 You know how when you get, 00:21:48.579 --> 00:21:49.079 I don't know, 00:21:50.219 --> 00:21:51.559 you bought that really, really, 00:21:51.639 --> 00:21:52.579 sorry vegetarians, 00:21:53.059 --> 00:21:54.759 you brought this really, really, really 00:21:54.759 --> 00:21:56.299 delicious barbecue chicken, 00:21:56.839 --> 00:21:57.439 you know, 00:21:57.519 --> 00:21:59.359 from a grocery store, 00:21:59.679 --> 00:22:02.199 and you eat part of it one day, 00:22:02.259 --> 00:22:03.639 and you eat the rest of it the next day, 00:22:03.899 --> 00:22:04.919 and boy, 00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:06.639 you sort of ate over half of it yourself 00:22:06.639 --> 00:22:07.579 the day one, 00:22:07.619 --> 00:22:08.399 and you're still hungry, 00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:10.459 so you sort of gnaw 00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:11.779 and suck on the bones, 00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:12.840 and you gnaw on it, right? 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:15.059 You spend some time gnawing on it. 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:16.000 That's the word here. 00:22:16.340 --> 00:22:18.019 The other word that can also be translated 00:22:18.019 --> 00:22:19.140 is chew on it. 00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:21.640 I'm chewing gum right now. 00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:23.840 You can chew on it, you know? 00:22:24.519 --> 00:22:25.519 And it's a very, very interesting, 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:25.740 in fact, 00:22:25.799 --> 00:22:27.180 if you could put up the point, Andrew, 00:22:27.380 --> 00:22:29.360 here's what Jesus is doing. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:33.620 He's saying gnaw on the gospel. 00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:37.140 Inwardly digest it day by day. 00:22:37.940 --> 00:22:40.100 The Lord will raise you up on the last day. 00:22:40.460 --> 00:22:41.860 I almost put it beforehand 00:22:41.860 --> 00:22:43.640 because it's sort of the basic idea. 00:22:43.720 --> 00:22:44.440 I don't know if you noticed, 00:22:44.620 --> 00:22:46.840 but in this Bible text, 00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:49.259 with this you wouldn't know it 00:22:49.259 --> 00:22:50.740 because it's in 39 and 40, 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:51.460 just before I read, 00:22:51.539 --> 00:22:53.039 but four times in this text, 00:22:53.140 --> 00:22:53.579 Jesus says, 00:22:53.740 --> 00:22:54.620 and I will raise him up, 00:22:54.819 --> 00:22:55.960 and I will raise him up, 00:22:56.220 --> 00:22:57.279 and I will raise him up, 00:22:57.539 --> 00:22:58.579 and I will raise him up. 00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:00.559 I will raise him up, 00:23:00.579 --> 00:23:01.319 I will raise him up, 00:23:01.360 --> 00:23:01.980 I will raise him up, 00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:02.460 I will raise him up. 00:23:02.460 --> 00:23:03.299 Four times. 00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:05.059 And in 54, 00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:06.100 it's the fourth time 00:23:06.100 --> 00:23:07.680 in just 15 verses 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:08.860 that Jesus says this. 00:23:08.859 --> 00:23:10.279 So he's emphasizing, 00:23:10.459 --> 00:23:11.219 I'm going to raise you up. 00:23:11.259 --> 00:23:12.059 What do I want to do? 00:23:12.379 --> 00:23:13.099 What do you want to do? 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:14.459 Well, I'm going to raise you up, 00:23:14.500 --> 00:23:15.179 but what do you need to do? 00:23:15.219 --> 00:23:16.859 You need to gnaw on the gospel. 00:23:18.019 --> 00:23:20.099 You need to inwardly digest 00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:21.559 the gospel day by day 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:22.299 because you see, 00:23:22.819 --> 00:23:24.619 Jesus is doing several things here 00:23:24.619 --> 00:23:26.859 with this very, very gruesome type. 00:23:26.959 --> 00:23:27.259 What it is? 00:23:27.299 --> 00:23:27.839 It's not so much 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:28.899 it's a gruesome analogy, 00:23:28.899 --> 00:23:32.059 it's a very, very physical analogy. 00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:34.359 And here's one of the things 00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:34.799 that we know 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:35.779 because we've read 00:23:35.779 --> 00:23:36.679 the end of the story. 00:23:36.680 --> 00:23:38.019 And if you've read 00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:38.779 the end of the story, 00:23:38.920 --> 00:23:40.259 Jesus rises from the dead. 00:23:41.860 --> 00:23:43.360 Jesus rises from the dead 00:23:43.360 --> 00:23:44.180 and we're waiting for him 00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:45.320 to come a second time. 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:45.799 Hallelujah. 00:23:47.060 --> 00:23:50.320 And so what's going on here 00:23:50.320 --> 00:23:52.259 is that Jesus is speaking 00:23:52.259 --> 00:23:53.840 not just to his hearers, 00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:56.920 he's also looking down 00:23:56.920 --> 00:23:58.140 the corridors of history 00:23:58.140 --> 00:23:59.100 and he sees you and me 00:23:59.100 --> 00:24:00.000 here in the room today. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:02.720 And the big problem 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:04.380 that you and I have today 00:24:04.380 --> 00:24:07.000 is to think that these are just ideas. 00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:09.420 They're just stories. 00:24:10.519 --> 00:24:12.279 They're just spiritual things. 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:14.779 They're just myths. 00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:19.079 In lots of liberal religious circles, 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:21.359 the New Testament would just be 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:24.799 sort of a repository of symbols 00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:28.680 that we use to think about God. 00:24:29.639 --> 00:24:31.079 And our tribe, 00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:33.000 the Anglican tribe, 00:24:33.139 --> 00:24:34.700 we use our symbols 00:24:34.700 --> 00:24:36.960 out of the repository of the Bible. 00:24:37.099 --> 00:24:38.759 We pick the symbols we like 00:24:38.759 --> 00:24:40.319 because it helps us 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:41.359 to think about God. 00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:44.519 And it's a very, very common problem. 00:24:45.619 --> 00:24:46.659 And Jesus wants to say, 00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:48.619 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:24:49.700 --> 00:24:51.200 This is all about flesh. 00:24:52.259 --> 00:24:53.379 This is going to be about, 00:24:53.380 --> 00:24:54.300 in fact, you know, if you think, 00:24:54.380 --> 00:24:56.000 I've used this analogy many times, 00:24:56.140 --> 00:24:56.960 sorry for those who come 00:24:56.960 --> 00:24:57.800 to the church a lot. 00:24:58.400 --> 00:24:59.340 You know, it might very well be 00:24:59.340 --> 00:25:00.460 that when Jesus is speaking 00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:01.300 to these people, 00:25:01.380 --> 00:25:02.640 he has pita bread 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:04.400 and a little bit of parsley 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:05.100 in his beard. 00:25:06.340 --> 00:25:07.440 He didn't have a wife 00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:08.840 to come and sort of do this. 00:25:09.560 --> 00:25:11.020 Jesus, you're speaking to people. 00:25:11.120 --> 00:25:12.300 You got bread in your beard. 00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:13.680 Let me clean it up for you. 00:25:14.060 --> 00:25:15.340 He didn't have a wife 00:25:15.340 --> 00:25:15.960 or a girlfriend 00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:16.980 to help him with that. 00:25:17.260 --> 00:25:18.120 So he might very well 00:25:18.120 --> 00:25:19.120 have been standing there, 00:25:19.740 --> 00:25:20.480 talking away, 00:25:21.080 --> 00:25:22.360 flecks of parsley 00:25:22.360 --> 00:25:23.260 from his tabbouleh, 00:25:23.960 --> 00:25:25.620 little bits of pita bread 00:25:25.620 --> 00:25:26.800 stuck in his beard. 00:25:27.420 --> 00:25:28.260 I'm the bread of heaven 00:25:28.260 --> 00:25:29.100 that comes down 00:25:29.100 --> 00:25:30.720 to save the life of the world. 00:25:31.580 --> 00:25:35.940 And it's going to all be, 00:25:36.340 --> 00:25:37.720 like he's talking about flesh, 00:25:37.800 --> 00:25:38.880 isn't talking about the incarnation. 00:25:39.300 --> 00:25:40.680 It's all part of this, 00:25:41.580 --> 00:25:43.020 that John's gospel presents 00:25:43.020 --> 00:25:43.560 that there's this, 00:25:43.640 --> 00:25:43.960 in a sense, 00:25:44.060 --> 00:25:44.820 one motion, 00:25:45.620 --> 00:25:46.880 one swooping motion 00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:47.840 of God, 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:48.460 the Son of God, 00:25:48.560 --> 00:25:49.320 coming down, 00:25:49.960 --> 00:25:50.180 taking, 00:25:50.340 --> 00:25:51.120 and the word became, 00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:52.439 in the beginning was the word, 00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:53.479 and the word was with God, 00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:54.519 and the word was God. 00:25:54.619 --> 00:25:55.879 He was in the beginning with God. 00:25:55.959 --> 00:25:57.479 All things were made through him, 00:25:57.500 --> 00:25:58.139 and without him, 00:25:58.219 --> 00:25:59.500 nothing was made that was made. 00:25:59.879 --> 00:26:00.879 In him was life, 00:26:00.979 --> 00:26:02.719 and the life was the light of men. 00:26:03.019 --> 00:26:04.179 And then a few verses later, 00:26:04.180 --> 00:26:05.460 and the word became flesh, 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:06.420 and dwelt among us, 00:26:06.460 --> 00:26:07.500 and we have seen his glory, 00:26:07.620 --> 00:26:10.259 glory as of the only begotten 00:26:10.259 --> 00:26:11.200 Son of the Father. 00:26:11.620 --> 00:26:14.740 And there's this one movement of God, 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:15.880 the Son of God, 00:26:15.940 --> 00:26:17.580 to come and take on flesh, 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:18.720 and live amongst us, 00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:20.000 and die on the cross, 00:26:20.320 --> 00:26:23.000 and physically rise from the dead, 00:26:23.060 --> 00:26:24.019 and ascend into heaven. 00:26:24.080 --> 00:26:25.680 It's just this one movement, 00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:27.340 and Jesus is saying to these guys, 00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:27.700 listen, 00:26:28.180 --> 00:26:30.000 don't just think this is about ideas. 00:26:30.140 --> 00:26:31.860 Don't just think this is about symbol. 00:26:32.199 --> 00:26:33.639 This is about flesh and blood. 00:26:33.939 --> 00:26:35.079 This is about time. 00:26:35.399 --> 00:26:36.500 This is about history. 00:26:36.839 --> 00:26:37.740 This is about somebody 00:26:37.740 --> 00:26:38.879 with a birth certificate, 00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:39.979 and an address. 00:26:40.419 --> 00:26:42.519 And this is going to eventually be about 00:26:42.519 --> 00:26:44.639 whips tearing flesh. 00:26:45.059 --> 00:26:46.139 And it's going to be about 00:26:46.139 --> 00:26:47.559 walking and falling, 00:26:47.719 --> 00:26:49.240 and the splinters from the cross, 00:26:49.339 --> 00:26:51.379 getting in my open wounds in my back, 00:26:51.459 --> 00:26:52.719 and dust from the ground, 00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:54.719 getting into the cuts in my back, 00:26:54.759 --> 00:26:55.399 and infecting. 00:26:55.459 --> 00:26:56.559 And it's going to be about blood 00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:57.740 dripping down my forehead. 00:26:57.879 --> 00:26:59.479 And it's going to be about soldiers 00:26:59.479 --> 00:27:01.159 cursing and swearing 00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:02.820 as they try to manage 00:27:02.820 --> 00:27:04.340 and manhandle three of us 00:27:04.340 --> 00:27:05.300 up onto crosses. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:07.080 And it's going to be about them 00:27:07.080 --> 00:27:08.920 gambling and laughing and mocking 00:27:08.920 --> 00:27:10.320 and doing all the sort of thing 00:27:10.320 --> 00:27:12.480 that rough and ready soldiers would do, 00:27:12.740 --> 00:27:14.180 especially just to mock 00:27:14.180 --> 00:27:16.060 and insult a captive people, 00:27:16.180 --> 00:27:17.580 to maybe swear and curse 00:27:17.580 --> 00:27:19.220 and do all sorts of things to offend. 00:27:19.560 --> 00:27:20.860 And it's going to be gory. 00:27:22.920 --> 00:27:24.340 And it's going to culminate 00:27:24.340 --> 00:27:25.779 in a body and a grave 00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:26.920 that decomposes. 00:27:26.920 --> 00:27:29.160 That's what it's about. 00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:33.800 It's about real stuff happening. 00:27:36.140 --> 00:27:37.500 And what you need to do 00:27:37.500 --> 00:27:39.000 is you need to gnaw on this. 00:27:40.160 --> 00:27:42.160 You need to think about the fact that, 00:27:42.620 --> 00:27:42.940 yes, 00:27:43.720 --> 00:27:44.820 there's things that happen 00:27:44.820 --> 00:27:46.200 in real space and time 00:27:46.200 --> 00:27:48.019 that affect eternity, 00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:51.440 that connect us to God, 00:27:51.560 --> 00:27:52.960 the creator of all things, 00:27:53.060 --> 00:27:54.560 the sustainer of all things. 00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:57.220 It's connecting us to a new heaven 00:27:57.220 --> 00:27:58.159 and a new earth. 00:27:58.619 --> 00:28:00.279 These things came down 00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:01.480 and walked amongst us 00:28:01.480 --> 00:28:04.419 and what it takes for you 00:28:04.419 --> 00:28:06.279 to be made right with me 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:09.039 is going to be my flesh broken, 00:28:10.539 --> 00:28:13.639 dead on a cross. 00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:15.579 It's real. 00:28:15.759 --> 00:28:16.879 It's historical. 00:28:17.159 --> 00:28:18.179 It's true. 00:28:18.399 --> 00:28:19.599 It's actual. 00:28:19.779 --> 00:28:21.139 It's not make-believe. 00:28:21.319 --> 00:28:22.359 It's not made up. 00:28:22.440 --> 00:28:24.119 It is completely and utterly true. 00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:26.259 And you need to remember this. 00:28:26.399 --> 00:28:28.759 And you need to inwardly think about this 00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:32.179 and digest it deep into who you are. 00:28:32.619 --> 00:28:34.079 And you need to gnaw on it. 00:28:34.459 --> 00:28:34.959 And one of the things 00:28:34.959 --> 00:28:36.500 which is so wonderful about this, 00:28:38.459 --> 00:28:40.179 this happened this morning. 00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:41.679 I made a bit of a joke about it. 00:28:41.779 --> 00:28:43.839 But at the 11 o'clock service, 00:28:43.919 --> 00:28:44.759 we don't have a mic. 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:45.959 I mean, mic, 00:28:46.199 --> 00:28:46.819 this is a mic. 00:28:46.879 --> 00:28:47.739 That's a mic as well. 00:28:48.139 --> 00:28:48.959 We don't have somebody 00:28:48.959 --> 00:28:49.759 standing by the door. 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:51.200 And so I'm here 00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:52.579 and I'm doing my sermon 00:28:52.579 --> 00:28:54.700 and two street people come in 00:28:54.700 --> 00:28:56.680 and they disappear out of my sight. 00:28:58.400 --> 00:29:00.799 So part of our using this place, 00:29:00.920 --> 00:29:01.579 part of the lease, 00:29:01.720 --> 00:29:03.019 is we're not allowed to let people 00:29:03.019 --> 00:29:04.200 wander around in the building. 00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:07.039 So I actually had to stop my sermon 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:08.579 and go over 00:29:08.579 --> 00:29:10.240 and try to figure out where they were. 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:12.819 Like, I wasn't sure 00:29:12.819 --> 00:29:13.579 if they'd gone, 00:29:13.859 --> 00:29:15.000 taken that first door, 00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:15.819 which would allow them 00:29:15.819 --> 00:29:16.700 to get back there 00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:17.960 and get up into the cage 00:29:17.960 --> 00:29:18.759 and the sound room 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:19.460 and break doors 00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:21.799 and sort of maybe sneak around 00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:23.079 and get to the alcohol cap. 00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:24.099 Like, I didn't know, right? 00:29:24.120 --> 00:29:25.140 So I had to go see where they were 00:29:25.140 --> 00:29:25.980 and they wanted to go 00:29:25.980 --> 00:29:26.660 into the washroom. 00:29:27.539 --> 00:29:29.680 And let me tell you, 00:29:29.779 --> 00:29:31.480 it was very distracting for me. 00:29:31.579 --> 00:29:32.980 For the next three or four minutes, 00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:34.279 first of all, 00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:37.000 I lost all ten people 00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:37.740 at the service. 00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:40.160 I half lost them 00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:42.000 because something was gnawing on them. 00:29:42.859 --> 00:29:43.799 What's gnawing on them? 00:29:44.180 --> 00:29:45.259 There's two street people 00:29:45.259 --> 00:29:46.079 wandering around. 00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:48.259 It gnaws on them. 00:29:48.900 --> 00:29:49.779 They're not really listening. 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:51.339 So finally, 00:29:51.700 --> 00:29:53.519 a person from the congregation, 00:29:53.620 --> 00:29:54.539 after three or four minutes, 00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:55.980 he could sense 00:29:55.980 --> 00:29:57.220 it was bothering everybody. 00:29:57.319 --> 00:29:57.920 So he came up 00:29:57.920 --> 00:29:58.980 and went and sat right there 00:29:58.980 --> 00:29:59.640 and he just, 00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:00.880 he gave up listening 00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:01.900 to the rest of the service. 00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:04.720 He gnawed on what they were doing 00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:06.140 so we could gnaw 00:30:06.140 --> 00:30:06.960 on something different. 00:30:07.740 --> 00:30:08.900 And you know what? 00:30:08.940 --> 00:30:09.880 Isn't that part of our life? 00:30:09.960 --> 00:30:10.839 Don't we gnaw on things? 00:30:10.940 --> 00:30:11.920 We gnaw on wounds. 00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:13.180 We gnaw on lack of forgiveness. 00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:15.980 We gnaw on bills. 00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:17.220 We gnaw on, 00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:20.299 and don't we digest things all the time? 00:30:20.400 --> 00:30:22.539 We inwardly digest things from Netflix 00:30:22.539 --> 00:30:25.420 and we inwardly digest people 00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:26.400 who've wronged us 00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:27.920 or how we're going to wrong them. 00:30:28.299 --> 00:30:28.819 Like we, 00:30:29.240 --> 00:30:29.980 these are very, 00:30:31.079 --> 00:30:32.839 this is what Jesus is talking about. 00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:34.059 This isn't, 00:30:34.059 --> 00:30:35.759 like this isn't space language 00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:37.420 or astrophysics. 00:30:37.539 --> 00:30:39.019 It's how we live, 00:30:39.059 --> 00:30:39.500 isn't it? 00:30:42.200 --> 00:30:43.859 And so Jesus is saying, 00:30:44.079 --> 00:30:44.720 listen, 00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:45.920 this really happened. 00:30:46.519 --> 00:30:48.359 And he's saying to these people 00:30:48.359 --> 00:30:49.180 that really, 00:30:49.339 --> 00:30:49.960 at the end of the day, 00:30:50.019 --> 00:30:51.680 what's really going to prove to you 00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:52.859 that I am the bread 00:30:52.859 --> 00:30:53.799 that came down from heaven 00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:55.240 is when I do die on the cross 00:30:55.240 --> 00:30:56.559 and you know I die on the cross 00:30:56.559 --> 00:30:59.259 and you know where the grave is 00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:00.119 and you know my body 00:31:00.119 --> 00:31:00.859 was put in the grave 00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:02.279 and you know there's soldiers there 00:31:02.279 --> 00:31:03.220 and you know the soldiers, 00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:03.980 Roman soldiers, 00:31:04.099 --> 00:31:05.759 they guard that tomb 00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:08.299 and it's probably the same soldiers 00:31:08.299 --> 00:31:10.619 who stuck the spear in my side 00:31:10.619 --> 00:31:12.019 that know I'm dead. 00:31:12.200 --> 00:31:13.279 They're going to be the same ones 00:31:13.279 --> 00:31:14.139 guarding the tomb 00:31:14.139 --> 00:31:16.759 and you know that, 00:31:17.019 --> 00:31:18.859 you're going to know 00:31:18.859 --> 00:31:20.279 that the grave is empty 00:31:20.279 --> 00:31:22.039 and that nobody stole it 00:31:22.039 --> 00:31:23.420 and you can't account for it 00:31:23.420 --> 00:31:24.599 and I'm going to appear to people 00:31:24.599 --> 00:31:25.579 and it's going to go throughout 00:31:25.579 --> 00:31:26.240 the whole community 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:27.220 that I rose from the dead 00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:28.379 and you're going to see 00:31:28.379 --> 00:31:29.039 that it's actual, 00:31:29.339 --> 00:31:30.920 that's going to be the final proof 00:31:30.920 --> 00:31:31.840 but it's real, it's true 00:31:31.840 --> 00:31:32.700 and we need to understand 00:31:32.700 --> 00:31:34.259 that we need to gnaw on the gospel 00:31:34.259 --> 00:31:37.900 that Jesus gives his flesh 00:31:37.900 --> 00:31:38.980 for the life of the world. 00:31:40.660 --> 00:31:42.320 He gives himself, 00:31:42.539 --> 00:31:43.960 he dies himself 00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:45.380 and that's what we need to, 00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:48.180 we need to remember 00:31:48.180 --> 00:31:50.340 all the blood and all the gore, 00:31:50.440 --> 00:31:51.160 we need to remember 00:31:51.160 --> 00:31:52.340 all of it and its reality, 00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:53.320 we need to understand 00:31:53.320 --> 00:31:54.759 the symbolism and the meaning 00:31:54.759 --> 00:31:55.980 and how it, 00:31:56.460 --> 00:31:57.019 it just, 00:31:57.259 --> 00:31:58.300 it blows your mind 00:31:58.300 --> 00:31:59.400 but we need to gnaw on it. 00:32:00.920 --> 00:32:02.720 Now, 00:32:03.800 --> 00:32:04.220 you know, 00:32:04.380 --> 00:32:06.060 for many, many people 00:32:06.060 --> 00:32:06.800 in our culture, 00:32:08.420 --> 00:32:09.039 the idea, 00:32:09.600 --> 00:32:09.840 you know, 00:32:10.259 --> 00:32:11.759 it's really funny, 00:32:11.840 --> 00:32:12.580 in our culture, 00:32:13.080 --> 00:32:13.680 on one hand, 00:32:13.740 --> 00:32:15.800 we have a love-hate relationship 00:32:15.800 --> 00:32:17.400 with religion 00:32:17.400 --> 00:32:18.180 and spirituality. 00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:20.440 I saw a poll this week 00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:23.880 that how many people 00:32:23.880 --> 00:32:24.880 still believe in real devil 00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:26.460 and a real hell? 00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:27.820 It's really quite astounding 00:32:27.820 --> 00:32:28.620 how many Canadians 00:32:28.620 --> 00:32:30.060 still believe in demons 00:32:30.059 --> 00:32:30.599 in hell. 00:32:32.079 --> 00:32:32.980 And you know that 00:32:32.980 --> 00:32:34.200 in Saudi Arabia, 00:32:35.000 --> 00:32:37.039 they have a special branch 00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:38.240 of their police force 00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:39.700 to go after witches. 00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:41.059 True, 00:32:41.539 --> 00:32:41.940 they do. 00:32:43.000 --> 00:32:44.759 They still kill people 00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:45.480 for witchcraft 00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:46.319 in Saudi Arabia. 00:32:47.559 --> 00:32:47.740 Very, 00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:48.619 these ideas 00:32:48.619 --> 00:32:49.359 haven't gone away. 00:32:50.339 --> 00:32:50.720 But, you know, 00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:52.079 we'd be very comfortable, 00:32:53.619 --> 00:32:53.899 like, 00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:54.740 it wouldn't excite 00:32:54.740 --> 00:32:55.839 that much controversy 00:32:55.839 --> 00:32:56.960 to say that there's a, 00:32:57.139 --> 00:32:57.440 you know what, 00:32:57.500 --> 00:32:58.299 like if I was to say 00:32:58.299 --> 00:32:58.799 that when you die, 00:32:58.879 --> 00:32:59.659 you go to a better place. 00:32:59.740 --> 00:33:00.460 Everybody in Canada 00:33:00.460 --> 00:33:01.859 just yawns at that. 00:33:02.799 --> 00:33:03.779 It's just a yawn. 00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:05.619 But George, 00:33:07.059 --> 00:33:09.799 a body, 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:11.119 a man, 00:33:11.319 --> 00:33:12.960 who actually dies, 00:33:13.319 --> 00:33:15.299 and then he rises 00:33:15.299 --> 00:33:16.240 from the dead. 00:33:18.579 --> 00:33:19.680 And you're saying 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:20.779 that his death, 00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:21.980 he dies, 00:33:22.039 --> 00:33:23.019 is the Lamb of God 00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:23.779 who takes away 00:33:23.779 --> 00:33:24.680 the sin of the world, 00:33:24.680 --> 00:33:26.360 that this is not 00:33:26.360 --> 00:33:27.660 just a human being dying, 00:33:27.779 --> 00:33:29.100 but in some way 00:33:29.100 --> 00:33:30.279 which is hard 00:33:30.279 --> 00:33:31.320 for us to understand, 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:32.420 it's God dying 00:33:32.420 --> 00:33:32.920 as well 00:33:32.920 --> 00:33:34.060 for human beings. 00:33:34.860 --> 00:33:35.700 It's the word 00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:37.340 that made all flesh 00:33:37.340 --> 00:33:39.140 dying for all flesh 00:33:39.140 --> 00:33:39.940 that all 00:33:39.940 --> 00:33:41.060 who put their trust 00:33:41.060 --> 00:33:41.640 in him 00:33:41.640 --> 00:33:43.720 might have 00:33:43.720 --> 00:33:44.600 eternal life. 00:33:46.120 --> 00:33:47.519 It's a pretty hard idea. 00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:49.920 Well, 00:33:49.940 --> 00:33:50.519 that's exactly 00:33:50.519 --> 00:33:51.319 how a lot of people 00:33:51.319 --> 00:33:52.220 at Jesus' time 00:33:52.220 --> 00:33:53.059 responded to that. 00:33:53.139 --> 00:33:53.660 Did you know that? 00:33:54.059 --> 00:33:54.940 Let's see what happens. 00:33:55.039 --> 00:33:56.019 It's in verse 60. 00:33:57.660 --> 00:33:58.960 I have to watch my time. 00:34:00.039 --> 00:34:00.599 When many of 00:34:00.599 --> 00:34:01.900 Jesus' disciples, 00:34:02.099 --> 00:34:03.019 this isn't the 12, 00:34:03.200 --> 00:34:03.720 at this time 00:34:03.720 --> 00:34:04.359 there's a broader 00:34:04.359 --> 00:34:05.259 group of disciples, 00:34:05.420 --> 00:34:06.460 when they hear it, 00:34:07.019 --> 00:34:07.599 they said, 00:34:07.819 --> 00:34:09.360 this is a hard saying, 00:34:09.420 --> 00:34:10.320 who can listen to it? 00:34:11.380 --> 00:34:12.079 But Jesus, 00:34:12.259 --> 00:34:12.960 knowing in himself 00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:13.820 that his disciples 00:34:13.820 --> 00:34:14.679 were grumbling, 00:34:15.019 --> 00:34:15.980 murmuring about this, 00:34:16.059 --> 00:34:16.500 said to them, 00:34:16.500 --> 00:34:18.039 do you take offense 00:34:18.039 --> 00:34:18.780 of this? 00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:21.559 Then what if you were 00:34:21.559 --> 00:34:22.440 to see the Son of Man 00:34:22.440 --> 00:34:23.199 ascending to where 00:34:23.199 --> 00:34:23.860 he was before? 00:34:23.980 --> 00:34:24.780 And just pause. 00:34:25.340 --> 00:34:25.679 You see, 00:34:25.860 --> 00:34:26.619 in John's Gospel, 00:34:26.699 --> 00:34:27.179 you have to know 00:34:27.179 --> 00:34:27.780 what's gone on 00:34:27.780 --> 00:34:28.559 before this. 00:34:29.460 --> 00:34:30.800 How does Jesus ascend? 00:34:31.519 --> 00:34:32.139 What's in the way 00:34:32.139 --> 00:34:33.159 before he ascends? 00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:34.260 The cross. 00:34:36.780 --> 00:34:37.820 His ascent 00:34:37.820 --> 00:34:39.260 begins 00:34:39.260 --> 00:34:41.099 with his death 00:34:41.099 --> 00:34:42.420 upon the cross. 00:34:45.059 --> 00:34:45.900 So if you're having 00:34:45.900 --> 00:34:46.400 a hard time 00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:47.160 with this, guys, 00:34:47.460 --> 00:34:48.440 wait till you see 00:34:48.440 --> 00:34:49.099 the soldiers 00:34:49.099 --> 00:34:50.300 cursing and swearing 00:34:50.300 --> 00:34:51.860 as they hammer 00:34:51.860 --> 00:34:52.519 in the nails 00:34:52.519 --> 00:34:54.019 to my wrists 00:34:54.019 --> 00:34:54.680 and my ankles 00:34:54.680 --> 00:34:55.280 and as they 00:34:55.280 --> 00:34:56.559 place the cross 00:34:56.559 --> 00:34:57.099 in the ground 00:34:57.099 --> 00:34:57.720 and lift it up. 00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:58.599 If you're having 00:34:58.599 --> 00:34:59.340 a hard time with this, 00:34:59.420 --> 00:35:00.380 wait till you see that. 00:35:00.539 --> 00:35:01.139 Wait till you see 00:35:01.139 --> 00:35:02.019 the sword piercing 00:35:02.019 --> 00:35:02.740 to my side. 00:35:03.579 --> 00:35:04.680 Wait till you see 00:35:04.680 --> 00:35:05.139 me 00:35:05.139 --> 00:35:07.180 being embalmed 00:35:07.179 --> 00:35:12.419 and then the empty tomb 00:35:12.419 --> 00:35:15.099 and then there is 00:35:15.099 --> 00:35:15.739 the ascension. 00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:18.259 Then he says 00:35:18.259 --> 00:35:18.559 something, 00:35:18.659 --> 00:35:19.219 verse 63, 00:35:19.379 --> 00:35:20.119 is the spirit 00:35:20.119 --> 00:35:20.919 who gives life. 00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:21.839 The flesh is of 00:35:21.839 --> 00:35:22.679 no help at all. 00:35:23.339 --> 00:35:23.940 The words that I 00:35:23.940 --> 00:35:24.639 have spoken to you 00:35:24.639 --> 00:35:25.519 are spirit and life, 00:35:25.639 --> 00:35:26.299 but there are some 00:35:26.299 --> 00:35:27.239 of you who do 00:35:27.239 --> 00:35:28.059 not believe. 00:35:28.539 --> 00:35:28.719 I mean, 00:35:28.799 --> 00:35:29.779 here's the same 00:35:29.779 --> 00:35:30.279 type of idea 00:35:30.279 --> 00:35:30.739 of the father 00:35:30.739 --> 00:35:31.399 drawing him. 00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:32.519 It's an invitation 00:35:32.519 --> 00:35:33.579 for us to call out 00:35:33.579 --> 00:35:34.379 to the Holy Spirit 00:35:34.380 --> 00:35:35.200 to make the words 00:35:35.200 --> 00:35:35.619 of Jesus 00:35:35.619 --> 00:35:36.900 come alive in us. 00:35:37.660 --> 00:35:37.940 Father, 00:35:38.059 --> 00:35:38.619 help me. 00:35:40.500 --> 00:35:41.039 But isn't that 00:35:41.039 --> 00:35:41.460 interesting? 00:35:41.660 --> 00:35:42.340 But there are 00:35:42.340 --> 00:35:42.740 some of you 00:35:42.740 --> 00:35:43.619 who do not believe. 00:35:44.860 --> 00:35:45.820 For Jesus knew 00:35:45.820 --> 00:35:46.760 from the beginning 00:35:46.760 --> 00:35:48.860 who those were 00:35:48.860 --> 00:35:49.940 who did not believe 00:35:49.940 --> 00:35:51.200 and who it was 00:35:51.200 --> 00:35:52.640 who would betray him. 00:35:55.460 --> 00:35:55.900 Like, 00:35:55.960 --> 00:35:56.820 what's up with that? 00:35:58.619 --> 00:35:59.900 What's up with this idea 00:35:59.900 --> 00:36:00.720 that Jesus knew 00:36:00.720 --> 00:36:01.460 that Judas 00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:02.519 was going to betray him? 00:36:03.240 --> 00:36:03.500 Like, 00:36:03.559 --> 00:36:04.320 what's up with that? 00:36:04.420 --> 00:36:05.119 Why didn't Jesus 00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:05.800 kick him out? 00:36:06.619 --> 00:36:06.840 Like, 00:36:06.860 --> 00:36:07.559 that's what we would do, 00:36:07.599 --> 00:36:07.880 wouldn't it? 00:36:09.640 --> 00:36:10.680 If you knew right now 00:36:10.680 --> 00:36:11.860 that one of your friends 00:36:11.860 --> 00:36:14.000 in a couple of months 00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:15.079 was going to betray you 00:36:15.079 --> 00:36:15.720 in such a way 00:36:15.720 --> 00:36:16.360 that it would threaten 00:36:16.360 --> 00:36:16.820 your life, 00:36:16.860 --> 00:36:17.440 how many of you 00:36:17.440 --> 00:36:18.280 would still be friends 00:36:18.280 --> 00:36:18.700 with them? 00:36:20.180 --> 00:36:20.360 I mean, 00:36:20.360 --> 00:36:20.860 let's be honest, 00:36:20.920 --> 00:36:21.420 some of you would 00:36:21.420 --> 00:36:22.519 slug them right now, 00:36:22.559 --> 00:36:22.920 wouldn't you? 00:36:23.640 --> 00:36:24.579 If you really knew 00:36:24.579 --> 00:36:25.900 they were going to 00:36:25.900 --> 00:36:26.460 betray you. 00:36:26.740 --> 00:36:27.619 So what's up with this 00:36:27.619 --> 00:36:28.140 with Jesus? 00:36:29.960 --> 00:36:30.320 Well, 00:36:30.599 --> 00:36:31.820 let's continue to see. 00:36:31.820 --> 00:36:35.080 verse 65, 00:36:35.280 --> 00:36:35.800 and he said, 00:36:35.880 --> 00:36:36.780 this is why I told you 00:36:36.780 --> 00:36:37.880 that no one can come to me 00:36:37.880 --> 00:36:38.800 unless it is granted him 00:36:38.800 --> 00:36:39.480 by the Father. 00:36:40.200 --> 00:36:40.700 After this, 00:36:40.780 --> 00:36:41.660 many of his disciples 00:36:41.660 --> 00:36:42.400 turned back 00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:43.460 and no longer walked 00:36:43.460 --> 00:36:44.039 with Jesus. 00:36:44.200 --> 00:36:45.420 So Jesus said to the twelve, 00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:46.760 do you want to go away as well? 00:36:46.820 --> 00:36:48.140 And Simon Peter answered him, 00:36:48.200 --> 00:36:48.500 Lord, 00:36:49.140 --> 00:36:50.519 to whom shall we go? 00:36:51.380 --> 00:36:52.900 This is such a wonderful phrase, 00:36:52.960 --> 00:36:53.320 isn't it? 00:36:53.740 --> 00:36:55.019 To whom shall we go? 00:36:55.019 --> 00:36:56.940 You have the words 00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:57.940 of eternal life 00:36:57.940 --> 00:36:59.079 and we have believed 00:36:59.079 --> 00:37:00.219 and have come to know 00:37:00.219 --> 00:37:02.820 that you are the Holy One of God. 00:37:03.199 --> 00:37:04.059 Jesus answered them, 00:37:04.119 --> 00:37:05.000 did I choose you, 00:37:05.059 --> 00:37:05.420 the twelve? 00:37:05.519 --> 00:37:06.780 One of you is the devil. 00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:08.500 He spoke of Judas, 00:37:08.599 --> 00:37:10.000 the son of Simon Iscariot, 00:37:11.059 --> 00:37:11.539 for he, 00:37:11.639 --> 00:37:12.280 one of the twelve, 00:37:12.340 --> 00:37:13.360 was going to betray him. 00:37:14.259 --> 00:37:15.320 I sort of missed a point. 00:37:15.400 --> 00:37:16.400 If you could put the point up, 00:37:16.480 --> 00:37:16.739 Andrew, 00:37:17.440 --> 00:37:18.259 the final point, 00:37:18.360 --> 00:37:19.380 but I sort of missed it. 00:37:19.659 --> 00:37:20.880 You can just sort of read it. 00:37:22.139 --> 00:37:23.019 But actually, 00:37:23.119 --> 00:37:24.079 it fits with this too. 00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:25.139 The real God offers 00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:25.980 a real gospel 00:37:25.980 --> 00:37:28.159 because he really loves you 00:37:28.159 --> 00:37:29.940 as you really are. 00:37:30.739 --> 00:37:30.920 You know, 00:37:30.940 --> 00:37:31.980 one of the wonderful things 00:37:31.980 --> 00:37:32.559 about this, 00:37:32.960 --> 00:37:33.119 you know, 00:37:33.139 --> 00:37:33.400 it says, 00:37:33.500 --> 00:37:34.259 Jesus loves me, 00:37:34.340 --> 00:37:35.380 this I know for the Bible 00:37:35.380 --> 00:37:36.139 tells me so. 00:37:36.299 --> 00:37:37.099 John 3, 16, 00:37:37.199 --> 00:37:38.579 for God so loved the world. 00:37:39.440 --> 00:37:40.519 I shared this with somebody 00:37:40.519 --> 00:37:41.299 in the coffee shop 00:37:41.299 --> 00:37:42.279 about two weeks ago. 00:37:42.539 --> 00:37:42.719 In fact, 00:37:42.739 --> 00:37:43.639 it was very humbling. 00:37:44.099 --> 00:37:45.059 On the same day, 00:37:45.159 --> 00:37:46.039 there were two people 00:37:46.039 --> 00:37:47.539 who bore witness to Jesus. 00:37:48.659 --> 00:37:49.880 Me to this person 00:37:49.880 --> 00:37:51.059 in this coffee shop 00:37:51.059 --> 00:37:51.659 and then I was there 00:37:51.659 --> 00:37:52.480 later on in the afternoon 00:37:52.480 --> 00:37:53.819 and a mentally ill guy 00:37:53.820 --> 00:37:55.180 to another mentally ill guy. 00:37:56.320 --> 00:37:57.700 Me and the mentally ill guy 00:37:57.700 --> 00:37:59.240 working on the same team. 00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:02.440 If you're proud, 00:38:02.539 --> 00:38:03.519 that's very insulting. 00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:05.620 But you know what? 00:38:05.660 --> 00:38:06.340 I have done nothing 00:38:06.340 --> 00:38:07.559 to deserve eternal life. 00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:11.519 I am a donkey. 00:38:12.460 --> 00:38:13.639 I am Balaam's ass. 00:38:14.299 --> 00:38:15.400 God speaks through me. 00:38:15.579 --> 00:38:16.239 The Holy Spirit 00:38:16.239 --> 00:38:17.460 doesn't move in our midst. 00:38:18.019 --> 00:38:18.900 Everything I say 00:38:18.900 --> 00:38:19.900 is like onion, 00:38:20.420 --> 00:38:21.079 those little bits 00:38:21.079 --> 00:38:22.019 of the onion skin 00:38:22.019 --> 00:38:22.840 that just everybody 00:38:22.840 --> 00:38:23.460 throws out 00:38:23.460 --> 00:38:24.179 that just blow away. 00:38:24.239 --> 00:38:25.500 Unless the Holy Spirit moves, 00:38:26.019 --> 00:38:26.380 I say, 00:38:26.500 --> 00:38:27.940 my words are worth nothing. 00:38:29.980 --> 00:38:31.000 And it's a great honor 00:38:31.000 --> 00:38:32.179 that I would share 00:38:32.179 --> 00:38:33.000 with a barista 00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:35.679 on his break 00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:37.440 and that later on 00:38:37.440 --> 00:38:38.400 a mentally ill guy 00:38:38.400 --> 00:38:39.360 would share the gospel 00:38:39.360 --> 00:38:40.320 with a mentally ill guy. 00:38:40.380 --> 00:38:41.360 And I said to the barista, 00:38:41.760 --> 00:38:43.000 for God so loved the world 00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:44.500 that he gave 00:38:44.500 --> 00:38:45.760 his one and only son 00:38:45.760 --> 00:38:46.599 to the end 00:38:46.599 --> 00:38:47.219 that everyone 00:38:47.219 --> 00:38:48.440 who believes in him 00:38:48.440 --> 00:38:49.260 will not perish 00:38:49.260 --> 00:38:50.219 but have eternal life. 00:38:50.280 --> 00:38:50.659 And I said, 00:38:50.719 --> 00:38:51.219 that's you. 00:38:52.280 --> 00:38:52.900 That's you. 00:38:53.639 --> 00:38:54.820 So what's with Judas? 00:38:56.340 --> 00:38:57.019 You know what? 00:38:57.679 --> 00:38:59.400 If Jesus was like you and me 00:38:59.400 --> 00:39:02.280 and you and I know 00:39:02.280 --> 00:39:02.940 that there's going to be 00:39:02.940 --> 00:39:03.699 one of our friends 00:39:03.699 --> 00:39:04.539 or one of our family 00:39:04.539 --> 00:39:05.380 are going to be a Judas 00:39:05.380 --> 00:39:06.159 that are going to get me 00:39:06.159 --> 00:39:07.699 in trouble with the law 00:39:07.699 --> 00:39:09.000 and maybe get me killed 00:39:09.000 --> 00:39:10.340 and we'd boot them out. 00:39:10.440 --> 00:39:10.679 In fact, 00:39:10.739 --> 00:39:11.579 we might boot them 00:39:11.579 --> 00:39:12.259 in their butt 00:39:12.259 --> 00:39:13.280 before we boot them 00:39:13.280 --> 00:39:14.099 out of our friendship. 00:39:14.840 --> 00:39:15.179 Well, 00:39:15.219 --> 00:39:16.039 then they could just go away 00:39:16.039 --> 00:39:16.219 and say, 00:39:16.239 --> 00:39:16.300 well, 00:39:16.320 --> 00:39:17.440 that's just George. 00:39:18.900 --> 00:39:19.960 He doesn't even give me 00:39:19.960 --> 00:39:20.719 a chance. 00:39:22.500 --> 00:39:22.860 Like, 00:39:22.900 --> 00:39:24.119 who does he think he is? 00:39:25.420 --> 00:39:26.000 You know what? 00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:26.960 Judas can't say 00:39:26.960 --> 00:39:27.780 that Jesus ever 00:39:27.780 --> 00:39:28.739 stopped loving him. 00:39:30.300 --> 00:39:30.679 Can he? 00:39:32.219 --> 00:39:33.219 Jesus never 00:39:33.219 --> 00:39:36.199 stopped loving Judas. 00:39:38.760 --> 00:39:40.280 Jesus' love 00:39:40.280 --> 00:39:41.960 is unfailing. 00:39:43.619 --> 00:39:44.639 Judas' problem 00:39:44.639 --> 00:39:45.760 wasn't that Jesus 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:46.880 stopped loving him. 00:39:47.039 --> 00:39:48.059 Judas' problem 00:39:48.059 --> 00:39:49.900 was that he refused 00:39:49.900 --> 00:39:50.739 to repent 00:39:50.739 --> 00:39:52.039 and believe. 00:39:52.920 --> 00:39:54.880 He refused. 00:39:56.000 --> 00:39:57.280 the unfailing 00:39:57.280 --> 00:39:59.280 love of Jesus. 00:40:01.300 --> 00:40:01.900 Friends, 00:40:02.679 --> 00:40:04.820 if anyone is here 00:40:04.820 --> 00:40:05.420 and they feel 00:40:05.420 --> 00:40:06.579 they are far from God, 00:40:06.980 --> 00:40:07.980 Jesus' love 00:40:07.980 --> 00:40:08.719 towards you 00:40:08.719 --> 00:40:10.860 is unfailing. 00:40:12.139 --> 00:40:13.599 He will not 00:40:13.599 --> 00:40:15.679 cast you out. 00:40:16.099 --> 00:40:17.199 He will not 00:40:17.199 --> 00:40:19.019 kick you away. 00:40:19.019 --> 00:40:22.719 but he respects 00:40:22.719 --> 00:40:23.380 your freedom. 00:40:25.500 --> 00:40:26.019 You know, 00:40:26.099 --> 00:40:26.980 there's a very old 00:40:26.980 --> 00:40:27.759 Christian saying 00:40:27.759 --> 00:40:28.340 that the door 00:40:28.340 --> 00:40:29.000 to hell 00:40:29.000 --> 00:40:30.500 is locked 00:40:30.500 --> 00:40:31.719 from the inside. 00:40:34.920 --> 00:40:35.880 Not the outside, 00:40:36.039 --> 00:40:36.759 but the inside. 00:40:37.500 --> 00:40:38.440 The theme song 00:40:38.440 --> 00:40:38.920 of hell 00:40:38.920 --> 00:40:39.579 is, 00:40:39.659 --> 00:40:40.500 I did it my way. 00:40:42.780 --> 00:40:43.340 That's what 00:40:43.340 --> 00:40:44.019 the theme song 00:40:44.019 --> 00:40:44.639 of hell is. 00:40:44.900 --> 00:40:45.619 Frank Sinatra, 00:40:46.300 --> 00:40:47.800 I did it my way. 00:40:47.800 --> 00:40:49.880 But Jesus 00:40:49.880 --> 00:40:51.019 doesn't cast us out. 00:40:51.220 --> 00:40:52.080 He died for you. 00:40:52.180 --> 00:40:53.100 He died for me. 00:40:53.640 --> 00:40:54.400 He died. 00:40:54.840 --> 00:40:55.760 He really died. 00:40:56.460 --> 00:40:57.820 And he really loves you. 00:40:58.519 --> 00:40:59.500 And his heart 00:40:59.500 --> 00:41:00.180 is that for 00:41:00.180 --> 00:41:01.400 every one of us here 00:41:01.400 --> 00:41:02.620 that we would 00:41:02.620 --> 00:41:03.920 call out to him 00:41:03.920 --> 00:41:05.400 to be our savior, 00:41:05.539 --> 00:41:06.460 to be our bread 00:41:06.460 --> 00:41:07.080 of life. 00:41:07.580 --> 00:41:08.440 And the promise 00:41:08.440 --> 00:41:09.039 of the Bible 00:41:09.039 --> 00:41:10.080 is that when we 00:41:10.080 --> 00:41:11.160 call out to him 00:41:11.160 --> 00:41:12.680 that he will be 00:41:12.680 --> 00:41:13.560 our bread of life, 00:41:13.660 --> 00:41:14.380 that he will be 00:41:14.380 --> 00:41:15.420 our savior and Lord, 00:41:15.660 --> 00:41:16.220 the promise 00:41:16.220 --> 00:41:17.000 of the gospel is 00:41:17.000 --> 00:41:17.860 and I will 00:41:17.860 --> 00:41:18.659 raise him up. 00:41:18.920 --> 00:41:20.079 I will raise him up. 00:41:20.360 --> 00:41:21.440 I will raise him up. 00:41:21.699 --> 00:41:22.699 I will raise him up. 00:41:22.780 --> 00:41:23.559 Brethren and sister, 00:41:23.679 --> 00:41:24.440 if you are in Christ, 00:41:25.119 --> 00:41:26.400 you might be feeling weak. 00:41:26.579 --> 00:41:27.820 You might be feeling lonely. 00:41:28.340 --> 00:41:29.559 Jesus will not let you go. 00:41:29.639 --> 00:41:30.719 The father brought you 00:41:30.719 --> 00:41:31.159 to Jesus. 00:41:31.380 --> 00:41:32.179 Jesus will never 00:41:32.179 --> 00:41:32.820 let you go. 00:41:32.920 --> 00:41:33.800 You have believed in him 00:41:33.800 --> 00:41:34.659 and trusted in him. 00:41:34.920 --> 00:41:36.039 You already have, 00:41:36.119 --> 00:41:36.500 in a sense, 00:41:36.500 --> 00:41:37.239 your passport 00:41:37.239 --> 00:41:38.119 and your ticket 00:41:38.119 --> 00:41:39.139 for the new heaven 00:41:39.139 --> 00:41:39.780 and the new earth. 00:41:40.119 --> 00:41:41.059 And Jesus will never 00:41:41.059 --> 00:41:42.179 take it back from you. 00:41:42.460 --> 00:41:43.039 He will never 00:41:43.039 --> 00:41:44.139 take it back from you. 00:41:44.679 --> 00:41:45.920 He will raise you up. 00:41:45.920 --> 00:41:48.099 He will raise you up. 00:41:49.840 --> 00:41:50.659 Let's stand. 00:41:50.960 --> 00:41:51.780 Bow our heads in prayer. 00:42:00.180 --> 00:42:01.639 Father, thank you for Jesus. 00:42:02.340 --> 00:42:04.019 Thank you that he really did 00:42:04.019 --> 00:42:05.340 live amongst us, 00:42:05.380 --> 00:42:06.420 that he really did 00:42:06.420 --> 00:42:07.980 live a sinless life, 00:42:08.059 --> 00:42:09.480 that he really did die 00:42:09.480 --> 00:42:10.320 upon the cross, 00:42:10.420 --> 00:42:11.619 that he really did die 00:42:11.619 --> 00:42:12.639 as the Lamb of God 00:42:12.639 --> 00:42:13.320 who takes away 00:42:13.320 --> 00:42:14.220 the sin of the world, 00:42:14.219 --> 00:42:15.859 that he really did 00:42:15.859 --> 00:42:16.919 taste all there is 00:42:16.919 --> 00:42:18.139 to taste of sin and death, 00:42:18.199 --> 00:42:19.359 that he really did 00:42:19.359 --> 00:42:20.759 defeat death 00:42:20.759 --> 00:42:22.319 and that which causes death, 00:42:22.399 --> 00:42:23.279 which is our sin, 00:42:23.359 --> 00:42:24.339 that he really did 00:42:24.339 --> 00:42:25.099 defeat that 00:42:25.099 --> 00:42:26.259 in his resurrection. 00:42:26.879 --> 00:42:27.480 And so, Father, 00:42:27.559 --> 00:42:28.939 unlike the police officer, 00:42:29.239 --> 00:42:30.339 as brave and courageous 00:42:30.339 --> 00:42:31.139 as he was, 00:42:32.019 --> 00:42:32.959 who could only offer 00:42:32.959 --> 00:42:33.959 his life, Father, 00:42:34.500 --> 00:42:36.019 for another human being, 00:42:36.099 --> 00:42:37.099 that that other human being 00:42:37.099 --> 00:42:38.500 might live while he died. 00:42:38.639 --> 00:42:38.839 Father, 00:42:38.899 --> 00:42:40.099 we thank you for Jesus, 00:42:40.279 --> 00:42:41.599 that he not only died 00:42:41.599 --> 00:42:42.419 upon the cross, 00:42:42.420 --> 00:42:44.760 that he was resurrected. 00:42:45.139 --> 00:42:45.639 And so, 00:42:45.800 --> 00:42:47.400 as the resurrected Savior 00:42:47.400 --> 00:42:48.079 and Lord, Father, 00:42:48.119 --> 00:42:49.440 we thank you that he can 00:42:49.440 --> 00:42:50.480 offer us 00:42:50.480 --> 00:42:53.320 his death to stand for us 00:42:53.320 --> 00:42:55.400 and he can offer us 00:42:55.400 --> 00:42:55.980 that, 00:42:56.280 --> 00:42:57.659 he can really give us, 00:42:57.900 --> 00:42:58.000 Father, 00:42:58.099 --> 00:42:59.599 life that will never end. 00:42:59.780 --> 00:43:00.079 Father, 00:43:00.720 --> 00:43:01.840 pour out the Holy Spirit 00:43:01.840 --> 00:43:02.280 upon us. 00:43:02.360 --> 00:43:03.980 Help us to gnaw on 00:43:03.980 --> 00:43:04.940 the gospel, 00:43:05.119 --> 00:43:05.980 who Jesus is 00:43:05.980 --> 00:43:06.820 and what he did for us. 00:43:07.059 --> 00:43:08.980 Help us to inwardly digest 00:43:08.980 --> 00:43:10.000 day by day 00:43:10.000 --> 00:43:11.400 who Jesus is 00:43:11.400 --> 00:43:12.980 and what he did for us. 00:43:13.480 --> 00:43:13.840 And, Father, 00:43:13.920 --> 00:43:14.500 we thank you 00:43:14.500 --> 00:43:15.619 that you will raise us up. 00:43:16.139 --> 00:43:17.460 All this we ask and thank 00:43:17.460 --> 00:43:18.320 in the name of Jesus, 00:43:18.480 --> 00:43:19.500 your Son and our Savior. 00:43:20.059 --> 00:43:20.460 Amen.