Sermon Outline: https://chosen-but-not-coerced-4z6q0gi.gamma.site/
Description:In John 6, Jesus declares Himself the Bread of Life and reveals a mystery that has stretched the minds and hearts of believers for centuries: God’s providence in salvation and our responsibility to believe. Many disciples turned away, but Peter confessed, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

In this message, Pastor Nathan unpacks the tension and beauty of being chosen but not coerced—that salvation is fully a work of God’s grace, yet we are called to believe. Together we explore:

• The Father’s drawing and the Spirit’s life-giving work
• Why disbelief flows from our sinful nature
• How God’s providence humbles us and fuels our worship
• The mystery of divine sovereignty and human responsibility

This teaching reminds us that providence is not fate, but the wise, holy, and gracious outworking of God’s sovereignty for His glory and our good. If you want life—believe in Christ. And if you believe, it is evidence that God has already been pursuing you.

📖 Main Text: John 6:66–71

📖 Supporting Scriptures: Ephesians 1, Romans 8, Psalm 147

🎯 Topics: divine providence, sovereignty of God, free will, election, predestination, salvation by grace

Heritage Baptist Church's Wednesday Night Gathering is currently walking through the book of acts.

The format for WNG is teaching and discussion.

Discover the profound meaning behind Jesus' controversial statement in John 6: 'Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.' This teaching explores how Jesus used sacrificial language—not sacramental—to describe salvation through faith. Learn why Jesus chose the metaphor of eating and drinking to illustrate how we must internalize Him through belief.

The Gospel of John answers two fundamental questions: What is salvation? And what must I do to be saved? This exploration of the Bread of Life discourse reveals that Jesus was foreshadowing His substitutionary death and teaching that we participate in His sacrifice through faith alone, not through rituals.

Understand the biblical concept of belief as taking God at His word, directing faith toward Christ's redemptive work, repenting of sin, and transferring trust from ourselves to Him. Jesus confronts those who merely admire Him from afar but refuse to truly 'eat'—to believe and take Him into their lives.

Discover how salvation creates a spiritual union with Christ where we abide in Him and He in us, bringing us into the very life of God Himself. This teaching challenges us to examine what we're truly feeding on spiritually, to rest in our union with Christ, and to feast daily on the gospel truth.

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Keywords: Bread of Life, John 6, salvation, faith, belief, substitutionary atonement, spiritual union, eternal life, gospel truth, Jesus Christ, biblical interpretation, Christian doctrine, spiritual nourishment, faith alone, union with Christ.

Big Idea: Jesus is the bread of life give by the Father

In this teaching Pastor Nathan unpacks Jesus' words from John 6 so that we can better understand the role the Father plays in our salvation.

Discover the profound meaning behind Jesus' declaration 'I am the bread of life' in John's Gospel. This message explores how Jesus presents himself as divine sustenance that offers eternal life, unlike the temporary manna that fed the Israelites in the wilderness. Learn about the Father's intimate involvement in salvation - drawing people to Jesus, giving them to Him, and ensuring none are lost. This teaching addresses the balance between God's sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation. While the Father must draw people to Jesus, we're still called to believe and share our faith boldly.

Great missionaries like Hudson Taylor, William Carey, and Amy Carmichael understood this balance perfectly.Explore the mystery of Jesus' statement about eating His flesh, which points to our union with Him through His sacrificial death. This message will help you understand salvation not as a matter of performance but as believing in the One who gave Himself on the cross to pay our debt of sin.

Keywords: Bread of Life, Gospel of John, Jesus Christ, eternal life, salvation, God's sovereignty, human responsibility, evangelism, manna in the wilderness, I AM statements, union with Christ, drawing of the Father, believing in Jesus, Christian doctrine, biblical teaching, spiritual nourishment, John 6, Christian faith, divine provision, spiritual hunger.

This teaching explores the powerful message of 1 & 2 Kings for today's uncertain times. These biblical books reveal a timeless truth: no human leader can truly save us.

Through the stories of kings like Solomon, Ahab, Hezekiah, and Josiah, we discover why placing our hope in political solutions or charismatic leaders always leads to disappointment. The narrative traces Israel's history from Solomon's reign through the divided kingdom to eventual exile, showing how even the best kings ultimately fell short.

Yet within this seemingly bleak history, we find three powerful gospel images that point to Christ: Solomon's intercessory prayer, Naaman's healing from leprosy, and Manasseh's unexpected repentance. These stories offer hope by foreshadowing Jesus—the perfect King who conquers sin and brings lasting peace. Whether you're feeling anxious about current leadership, disillusioned with political systems, or searching for where to place your trust, this message offers biblical wisdom for navigating a world of failed kings. Discover how ancient Israel's experience speaks directly to our modern tendency to look for salvation in earthly power and learn how to find genuine hope in the King of Kings.

Biblical history, failed leadership, divine kingship, political disillusionment, finding hope, ancient wisdom for modern times, kingdom of God, spiritual leadership, biblical perspective on government, trusting God in uncertain times.

Pastor Nathan shares of our call to both proclaim the truth of Christ in our words as well as our lives.

This teaching on 1 & 2 Samuel explores the profound spiritual lessons from this ancient text that remain remarkably relevant today.

This message examines the striking contrast between Israel's first two kings - Saul and David - revealing timeless truths about leadership, character, and our relationship with God. Discover how Saul, though externally impressive, feared people more than God, while David, the overlooked shepherd boy, consistently sought God in times of distress. Learn what it truly means to fear God and how this reverence shaped David's decisions even when he was imperfect.

The message delves into the different heart conditions of these flawed leaders - Saul's pride and excuses versus David's humility and genuine repentance. Understand how their stories illustrate salvation by grace rather than works, and see how David's victory over Goliath foreshadows Christ as our ultimate champion who defeats sin and death on our behalf. This teaching challenges us to examine our own hearts:

• Do we make excuses or take responsibility?
• Do we care more about others' opinions or God's?
• Is our faith characterized by genuine repentance or mere religious performance?

Bible study, Christian leadership, King David, King Saul, repentance, faith, Old Testament, biblical characters, spiritual growth, heart after God, fear of God, champion, Christ foreshadowing, grace versus works, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, biblical leadership principles, spiritual transformation, overcoming challenges, trust in God.

Finding God's Providence in the Ordinary: Lessons from the Book of Ruth

Discover how God works through everyday faithfulness in this exploration of the Book of Ruth. This often-overlooked biblical narrative reveals profound truths about divine providence working through ordinary people and circumstances.The Book of Ruth serves as a crucial transition in Scripture, bridging the chaotic period of Judges to the establishment of Israel's monarchy. Unlike the epic stories that precede it, Ruth zooms in on ordinary people facing real-life challenges—famine, grief, poverty, and uncertainty.

This message unpacks the four-chapter journey of Naomi and Ruth, from unexplained heartache to redemption. When tragedy strikes Naomi's family in Moab, her daughter-in-law Ruth demonstrates extraordinary loyalty by returning with her to Bethlehem. There, Ruth 'happens' to glean in the field of Boaz, a relative who could serve as their kinsman-redeemer under Mosaic law.

Through acts of humility and kindness, Ruth and Boaz's story unfolds toward marriage and the birth of their son Obed—who would become the grandfather of King David. Neither lived to see how their ordinary faithfulness would contribute to God's plan to bring not only David but eventually Jesus into the world.

The message highlights six ways Ruth foreshadows the gospel:

1. God's providence draws people from outside His covenant family

2. Kindness bestows value on the marginalized

3. Humility is required to seek redemption

4. A worthy redeemer must satisfy the law's requirements

5. Redemption leads to union with the redeemer

6. Jesus is our ultimate kinsman redeemer

This teaching challenges believers to trust God's providence even when they can't see the full picture. Are you facing unexplained loss? Do you wonder if your ordinary acts of faithfulness matter? The Book of Ruth reminds us that God works behind the scenes, using everyday people and circumstances to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.

Biblical faith providence redemption kinsman-redeemer Ruth Naomi Boaz Old Testament Bible study Christian teaching lineage of Jesus trust in difficult times God's sovereignty hope in suffering everyday faithfulness divine guidance

Welcome to our Wednesday Night Gathering. We are currently walking through the book of Acts to see God's work in bringing salvation to the nations.

Understanding the Great Commission: Our Marching Orders from Jesus | Matthew 28:16-20

Discover the profound meaning behind Jesus' final instructions to His followers in Matthew 28:16-20. This message explores how the Great Commission serves as divine marching orders for every Christian, given at a pivotal moment after Jesus' resurrection. Learn what Jesus meant when He declared 'all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me' and how this fulfills ancient prophecies from Daniel 7. Understand the connection between Jesus' authority and our mission to make disciples of all nations.

This teaching breaks down the practical aspects of disciple-making into three essential phases: evangelization (sharing the gospel), Christianization (helping believers grow), and socialization (building Christian community).

Discover how these elements work together to fulfill Jesus' command. For those feeling inadequate for such a mission, find encouragement in the 'bookends' of the Great Commission—Jesus' authority and His promise to be with us always. These truths empower every believer to participate in God's global mission. Whether you're new to faith or have been following Jesus for years, this message offers practical applications for living out the Great Commission in daily life. Explore questions about Jesus' authority in your life, your participation in disciple-making, and how to rely on Christ's presence when sharing your faith.

Keywords: Great Commission, Matthew 28, disciple-making, evangelism, Jesus' authority, Christian mission, sharing faith, Daniel 7 prophecy, resurrection power, Christian community, spiritual growth, baptism, teaching scripture, global mission, Christian discipleship