How To Lose Friends And Make Enemies Series

John 6:25-59

How to Lose Friends and Make Enemies

Intro – With Friends Like That…

Recently I had a dream. My friend Corey and I were hunting with a group of friends. We paired off in groups of two and went to our assigned location to hunt. Later that evening Corey returned alone, staggering under the weight of a huge eight point buck.

All the other guys asked Corey, "Where's Terry?"

He replied, "Terry had a stroke of some kind. He's a couple of miles back up the trail."

"What? You left Terry lying out there and carried the deer back!?!"

"It was a tough call," nodded Corey, "but I figured no one is going to steal Terry."

Obviously, Corey wasn’t going to win many friends with his hunting “abilities” among his friends!

The book, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, was a best seller in the motivational market. It appealed to many and has been emulated for years.

And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:25-40

If you want to make lose friends and enemies of the world…

Proclaim the Exclusive Works of Jesus. 25-40

The Bible describes Jesus as the exclusive way of salvation. There is no other way. However, there is a gospel which describes man’s pursuit.

There is the Anthropocentric Gospel.

An anthropocentric gospel is a man centered gospel. (26) It’s all about me! It’s often described as the Prosperity Gospel. This gospel is a “name it, claim it” gospel. You deserve it because God wants you to have it.

Then there is the Works Gospel. (28) This gospel is grace plus, plus. That’s grace plus baptism or grace plus works, or grace plus moral goodness. This gospel is as dangerous as any other false religion.

Then there is the Charismatic Gospel. (30) This gospel proclaims that you must exhibit the gospel of the miraculous. You must speak in tongues, handle snakes, heal the deaf or raise the dead to prove you have salvation. You must believe that God wants to make you healthy, wealthy and wise in THIS world!

Then you have the true gospel which is the Christocentric Gospel.

The gospel is centered in and focused upon Jesus Christ. It is His work on the cross defeating the penalty of sin, the power of sin and ultimately the presence of sin. He is the focal point in our relationship with the Father.

Notice His Authentication in verse 27. God the Father set His seal of approval on Jesus. Jesus authenticated His Lordship by the miraculous works He performed.