Shaun Rossi // The Gospel of John
Jesus Christ the Bread of Life is able to overcome all obstacles to bring us to salvation.
“41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. ”
— John 6:41-48
Sermon Outline1. Jesus is Able to Overcome our Pride vv 41-43
“24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?””
— Exodus 15:24
“17 If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.”
— John 7:17
2. Jesus is Able to Overcome our Will v 44
“20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”
— John 3:20
3. Jesus is able to Overcome our Ignorance vv 45-46
“All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.”
— Isaiah 54:13
“27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.”
— John 3:27
“17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”
— Matthew 16:17
“12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
— John 1:12-13
4. Jesus is able too Overcome our Unbelief vv 47-48
“22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.””
— Luke 10:22
“18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”
— John 1:18
salvation is the work of god alone
The great London preacher of the last century C. H. Spurgeon wrote the following regarding the doctrine of man's inability to come to God that flows from today's text:
“The doctrine which leaves salvation to the creature, and tells him that it depends upon himself, is the exaltation of the flesh, and a dishonoring of God. But that which puts in God’s hand man, fallen man, and tells man that though he has destroyed himself, yet his salvation must be of God, that doctrine humbles man in the very dust, and then he is just in the right place to receive the grace and mercy of God. It is a humbling doctrine.”
— C.H. Spurgeon
C.S. Lewis on God Giving Him the Ability to Come to Him when he was an atheist
British author C.S. Lewis reflects on his conversion in his autobiography "Surprised by Joy":
“In a sense I was not moved by anything. I chose to open, to unbuckle, to loosen the rein. I say “I chose,” yet it did not really seem possible to do the opposite. On the other hand, I was aware of no motives. You could argue that I was not a free agent, but I am more inclined to think that this came nearer to being a perfectly free act than most that I have ever done. Necessity may not be the opposite of freedom, and perhaps a man is most free when, instead of producing motives, he could only say, “I am what I do.””
— C.S. Lewis
Small group studyUnderstand the Text
- Why are the Jews grumbling?
- What might be the “heart” reason behind their grumbling?
- Why is it that “no one can come” to Jesus on their own? Use other passages that we have studied in John in your discussion.
- How does God “draw” people to Jesus? What are the means?
- What do we need to “taught by God” (v 45)? Who will be taught?
- Why do you think Jesus mentions his unique relationship to the Father in v 46?
Apply the Text
- Have you recently “grumbled” because you thought God wasn’t being or acting as you thought he should?
- Before you were a believer, what was your primarily obstacle to faith?
- How did God “draw” you to himself?
- If God himself is the initiator of our salvation through faith—and not our own stubborn wills—how does this affect our attitude towards unbelievers?
- Knowing God sovereignly draws his people to himself, how then should we pray for unbelievers?
Hymn
"My Lord I did not choose you" - Josiah Conder (1836)
“My Lord, I did not choose You,
for that could never be
My heart would still refuse You,
had you not chosen me
Unless Your grace had called me
and taught my op’ning mind
The world would have enthralled me,
to heavenly glories blind
My heart knows none above You,
for Your rich grace I thirst
I know that if I love You,
You must have loved me first”
