THERE IS NO “PLAN B”
TEXT: JOHN 6:60--69
INTRODUCTION: OFTEN, WE HEAR THE TERMINOLOGY: PLAN B.
THE BACK-UP PLAN IN CASE THE FIRST PLAN FAILS.
ALL BUSINESSES AND MOST POLITICIANS HAVE A PLAN B. AN ALTERNATE PLAN TO GO TO IF ALL ELSE FAILS.
HAVE YOU EVER STOPPED TO THINK THAT JESUS HAD NO “PLAN B”
IF HIS PLAN “A” WERE REJECTED?
1. CONSIDER JESUS’ REJECTION OF SIMON PETER’S ALTERNATIVE
SUGGESTION IN MT. 16: 22--24.(READ)
JESUS HAD PLAINLY TOLD THEM WHAT WAS UPCOMING: HIS PERSECUTION; HIS DEATH; HIS RESURRECTION.
2. PETER REBUKED HIM, SAYING: LORD, THIS SHALL NEVER BE.**
HE SPOKE IN THE IMPULSIVENESS OF THE FLESH* IT WAS THE NATURAL MAN SPEAKING.
PETER WAS THINKING IN TERMS OF CHRIST SITTING UP HIS KINGDOM AT THAT PRESENT TIM.***
HE FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT CHRIST HAD JUST SAID “MUST” COME TO PASS FOR SALVATION TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL MANKIND.****
3. IN EFFECT: HE SAID” PETER YOU ARE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO ME, DON’T GET IN THE WAY OF GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION”
4. ANY OTHER PLAN WOULD HAVE BEEN OF SATAN. THERE SIMPLY WAS NO PLAN “B” NO OTHER WAY UNTO SALVATION. ACTS 4: 12.
JOHN 6: 26--31 (READ)
THEY ASKED A QUESTION: WHAT CAN “WE” DO TO WORK THE WORKS OF GOD? HOW CAN WE BE SAVED? WHAT MUST WE DO?**
JESUS SAID BELIEVE UPON ME, THE ONE THAT GOD HAS SENT TO YOU AS LORD AND SAVIOR.
HE GAVE THEM THE ONLY PLAN HE HAD.
HE WAS UNCOMPROMISING IN PRESENTING THE ONLY PLAN THAT GOD THE FATHER HAD GIVEN TO HIM TO BRING DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND PRESENT TO MANKIND AS GOD’S GIFT FOR ETERNAL LIFE.
I. THERE IS NO PLAN B FOR SALVATION.
(A) YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS GOD’S SON.
1. GOD IN THE FLESH, GOD INCARNATE, VERY GOD INDEED.
1.YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT GOD IN THE BODY OF FLESHLY MAN, YET INCAPABLE OF SIN, LIVED A PERFECT LIFE AMONG MANKIND, DIED ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS, AND ROSE AGAIN ON THE THIRD DAY. JN 8:24: HE SAID IF YOU BELIEVE NOT, YOU SHALL PERISH.
ROMANS 10: 9,10: THAT IF THOU SHALL CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS ; AND SHALL BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD HAS RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, THOU SHALL BE SAVED.
FOR WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVES UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION*****
(B) YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE.
1. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO COME TO GOD, BUT THROUGH JESUS.
2, SOME SAY: JUST DO THE BEST YOU CAN, OTHERS SAY JUST LIVE A GOOD LIFE. ETC. (WORKS OF MAN)
EPH. 2: 8,9:
FOR BY GRACE YOU ARE SAVED, THROUGH FAITH* AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES* IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD. NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.
JOHN 3:18: HE THAT BELIEVES ON HIM* IS NOT CONDEMNED, BUT HE THAT BELIEVES NOT IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HAS NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.
3. IT DOES NOT GET ANY PLAINER THAN THAT. (JOHN 3: 16--18)
(C) YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT WE ARE RECONCILED TO GOD, THROUGH CHRIST. (COLOSSIANS 1: 21--22)
1. THIS IS GOD’S ONLY PLAN: THE PLAN OF SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST. BELIEVING UPON CHRIST, AS THE SCRIPTURES DECLARE : ROMANS 1:16: PAUL SAID: I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION, FOR EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES.
II. THERE IS NO PLAN “B” FOR THE CHURCH
MATHEW 16:18: JESUS SAID: UPON THIS ROCK** I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.
(A) CHRIST IS THE ROCK, UPON WHICH THE CHURCH IS BUILT.
1. THE GREEK WORD FOR CHURCH IS ECCLESIA ( THE CALLED OUT)
2. THE TRUE CHURCH*** IS MADE UP OF CALLED OUT BELIEVERS, THOSE WHO BY FAITH, IN THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY HAVE CLAIMED SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH.
3. THOSE WHO BY FAITH, WITH THE HEART CONFESS THAT JESUS IS LORD AND SAVIOR, THE SON OF GOD.
(B)CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
1. AS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH, HE MUST HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE CHURCH, IF THE CHURCH IS GOING TO BE IN THE WILL OF GOD AND PROSPER AND GROW.
2. IT IS NOT MY CHURCH NOR YOUR CHURCH, IT IS THE CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND WE ARE MEMBERS OF HIS CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST.
3. WHEN HE IS IN CONTROL OF THE CHURCH THE CHURCH NOTHING CAN PREVAIL AGAINST IT.( EVEN THE GATES OF HELL*)
4.IF EVERY DEMON IN HELL CANNOT PREVAIL AGAINST THE CHURCH, REST ASSURED, THAT WHEN CHRIST IS IN CONTROL, EVEN A DISGRUNTLED CHURCH MEMBER CANNOT SUCCEED.
(C) CHRIST IS IN CHARGE OF THE CHURCH. EPHESIANS 4: 4 :THERE IS ONE BODY AND ONE SPIRIT.
1. WHEN CHRIST IS IN CONTROL THE CHURCH MOVES AHEAD SWIFTLY AND ON COURSE WITH GOD’S PLAN.
III. THERE IS NO PLAN “B” FOR WORSHIP. JOHN 4:24: GOD IS A SPIRIT : AND THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
(A) TRUE WORSHIP PROCEEDS FROM THE HEART, AND ONLY A REGENERATE HEART.
1. ONE THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED BY THE WORD OF GOD***
2. ONE THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED BY THE WILL OF GOD***
3. ONE THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED BY THE WITNESS OF GOD***.
(B) TRUE WORSHIP PROCEEDS FROM A DELIVERED AND REDEEMED PEOPLE.
1. AS LONG AS THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE IN THE BONDAGE OF EGYPT, THEY COULD NOT SING.
2. THEY DID NOT WORSHIP, THEY COULD ONLY GROAN AND CRY.(EXODUS CH 2) GOD HEARD THEIR GROANING AND GOD REMEMBERED HIS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM, WITH ISAAC, AND WITH JACOB.
3. AFTER THEY WERE DELIVERED FROM BONDAGE, AFTER MOSES LED THEM THROUGH THE RED SEA BY THE GUIDING HAND OF GOD, THEY SANG!
IV. THERE IS NO PLAN “B” FOR CONDUCT AMONG BRETHREN.(MEMBERS)
EPHESIANS4: 29: LET NO CORRUPT COMMUNICATION PROCEED OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, BUT THAT WHICH IS GOOD TO THE USE OF EDIFYING THAT IT MAY MINISTER GRACE UNTO THE HEARERS.
(A) WE ARE TO PUT AWAY WORTHLESS, FOOLISH TALK.
1. THAT IS WE ARE TO REFRAIN FROM SAYING THINGS THAT TEAR DOWN THE SPIRITUAL SETTING IN OUR LIVES.
2. WE ARE NOT TO SAY THINGS THAT CREATE DISTURBANCES AND STRIFE WITHIN THE CHURCH. WE NEED TO SPEAK WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT THAT EDIFY AND BUILD UP THE CHURCH.
(B) WE ARE TO HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST.
1. WE ARE TO THINK IN TERMS OF WHAT CHRIST WOULD WANT, WHAT HE WOULD DO.
2. WE ARE TO BE CONSIDERATE OF ONE ANOTHER.
3. EVERYONE DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME LIKES AND DESIRES.****
4. WE NEED TO REMEMBER WE ARE A CHURCH, UNITED THROUGH CHRIST, DIRECTED BY CHRIST, AND COMMITTED TO DOING HIS WILL, AND FOLLOWING THE DIRECTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
PAUL SAID :ROMANS 12:18: AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE* TRY TO MAINTAIN A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERYONE. TRY TO LIVE PEACEFULLY WITH EVERYONE.
CONCLUSION: AS JESUS DID NOT COMPROMISE, NEITHER SHOULD WE. GOD HAS ONLY ONE PLAN FOR HIS PEOPLE AND IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN HIS WORD.
ARE YOU FOLLOWING AN ALTERNATE PLAN TODAY? IF SO, PLEASE TURN BACK TO GOD’S PLAN.
