For The Man Who Has Heard Everything

Bunbury

Wed pm

19/01/11

“For the man who has heard everything”

Intro: *** What do you buy the man who has everything? Coral’s father is really difficult to buy anything for. To begin w/ he doesn’t want us wasting money on him (his words). & secondly what do you buy the man that has practically everything in life that a person could want? Every Christmas / b/day he gets another Bunnings gift voucher just like the last one & I’m sure it buys just another thing he really doesn’t need.

*** One pastor was talking to me about a similar situation w/ his wealthy father. He said to me “What do you buy for the man who goes out & buys a boat on a Saturday morning b/c he has nothing better to do? Again it’s a situation of trying to buy a meaningful gift for the man who seems to have every material thing he’ll ever need in life.

The problem here is that nothing impresses them anymore.... they’ve got everything – nothing thrills them!

It’s a similar thought w/ people who have heard everything.

The pastor’s ongoing dilemma is – what do you preach to people that have been hearing sermons for 10/ 20 years or more?

10 / 20 years or sermons / revival meetings / conferences / tapes / CD’s / DVD’s books etc.

I got to thinking about this ....... there is no remedy for this problem apart from the heart of the hearer.

Something has to happen in the heart of the man / woman who has heard everything.

Something has to happen so that they realise that what is actually hanging in the balance in their salvation.

T/n I want to preach a message I’ve called ‘For the man who has heard everything’.

Text: John 6:53-69 (NKJV) 53Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

57As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” 59These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. 60Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” 61When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” 66From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” 68But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

# 1. Preachers of the Word.

A. The common thought of the long term saved is – it all depends on the preacher.

a. There is no doubt about the truth that preachers have an obligation to their flock / congregations.

i. Let’s take a sample of what the Scriptures have to say about a preacher’s responsibility.

1 Peter 5:2 (NKJV) 2Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

Proverbs 27:23 (NKJV) 23 Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds;

Jeremiah 23:1 (NKJV) 1“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord.

2 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV) 2Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

ii. Some of the last words that Jesus spoke to Peter b/4 his ascension were to do w/ preaching.