How to come to Christ
There was a man who traveled to see Mother Teresa a few years ago. He found in her home pictures of multiarmed Hindu gods on the walls. He wondered why she would have such idols in her place. He later found out that was the way the Catholic theology was moving. One author claims that a good Hindu is saved by Christ and not Hinduism. That means that through the sacraments of Hinduism, through the message of morality and the good life, through the mysticism that comes down through Hinduism, Christ saves them. So every body is in. Good Hindus, Buddhists, good people on the Discovery channel with bones in their noses are going to make it into heaven.
We have spoken the last two weeks from John 6 about people who start to follow Christ but when they hear the truth turn away from him. We have seen the Wrong reasons to follow Christ: Being excited. Wanting to see the supernatural. Being set for the here and now. They do not want to have to worship Him only. They want a free hand out. They want their demands met. They do not want to have to have a relationship with Christ. We will speak of three more today.
1. Some think that they will be able to follow Christ if they can distort the truth. 40 When the people saw that He would not become their king they started making fun of who He was. “Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, "I am the bread from heaven." They began to Complain, murmur, mumble, grumble and speak carelessly against Jesus. They said, "This is Jesus, the son of Joseph. We know his father and mother. How can he say, ’I came down from heaven’?" What do we say about Jesus when we are not with believers? Do we defend him or mock Him? Jesus knew they were against Him because He did not give them more food. He knew they had no interest in repentance, obedience or submission to God’s way. Jesus does not draw back from the truth He attempted to make the truth more clear. 43 “But Jesus replied, "Don’t complain about what I said. For people can’t come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them from the dead.” It seems we have no trouble finding the time to grumble and complain and to think of all our troubles, our sorrows and our pain. I’m sure we would be happy if we counted all the troubles that we never had. The loved ones we still have with us; our house that didn’t burn; our automobile that wasn’t wrecked; the money we still earn, the health we have and the trials and temptations that we have not had to face. When we’re counting all our blessings God gives us it ruins the time we could have used to grumble. Do you spend more time grumblings or praising?
2. Some think that they will be able to follow Christ if they do not have to believe in the holiness of Jesus Christ. 45 “As it is written in the Scriptures, ’They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to me.” When we choose to follow Christ He will teach us personally what we need to know to live a spiritual life. 46-48 “(Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.) ‘I assure you, anyone who believes in me already has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! The one thing that has bothered me as I have been following Christ is the lack of spiritual depth of those who claim to know Him.’ If one wants to go to heaven and they have given their hearts to Christ in repentance do they want to live a life that still is close to the old life they have been saved from? In my own life when I was saved I loved Jesus so much the things of this world would not satisfy and I did not desire what this world offers. When I heard about a holy life that comes through being sanctified I knew that this would make my life even closer to Jesus. I took the step of faith to let the Holy Spirit be my Lord and God delivered me from the carnal nature. The Bible says that Jesus said, “The Holy Spirit will be with you when you are saved but He will be in you when you are sanctified.” Mat 3:11"As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Acts 19:1-6 “It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Into John’s baptism." Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them.” Have you been baptized with the Holy Spirit? These people that Christ was talking with that day did not have a genuine interest in living a holy life. They might have accepted, looked, examined, investigated, evaluated, considered, questioned & explored a holy life. But they gave no interest in spiritual reality in Christ. To eat the bread that He offered would mean that they would have to believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ, That He lived a sinless life, died as a sacrifice for sins, Arose from death by the power of God and ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God. 51-52 “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; this bread is my flesh, offered so the world may live." “Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant.”How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked.” So the people mocked Jesus saying, “How can we eat the flesh of this body? If we all do eat there will not be enough for us all to have some.” They were spiritually dense of what Jesus was talking about and denied the holiness of Christ.
3. Some think that they will be able to follow Christ if they do not have to be forgiven and delivered from judgment for their sins. A rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked, “What must I do to obtain Eternal life?” As the story goes this man did not want salvation that comes through repentance but wanted to be sure he had eternal life. He left Jesus without salvation and deliverance from sin because he did not hunger for that. He did not realize his spiritual condition. 53 So Jesus said again, "I assure you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.” There are some who believe that when you partake in communion the elements are the body and blood of Christ. Others believe you are actually partaking in the flesh and blood of Christ. Jesus did not say this at all. He was talking about the fact that He was God in the flesh and that He would give His life for the wins of the world. When we partake in the wine and bread we are acknowledging that Jesus came in the flesh and gave His life that we might be forgiven. [54] But those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them at the last day. [55] For my flesh is the true food, and my blood is the true drink. [56] All who eat my flesh and drink my blood remain in me, and I in them. [57] I live by the power of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, those who partake of me will live because of me. [58] I am the true bread from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever and not die as your ancestors did, even though they ate the manna." Salvation is giving up your life and taking on His. It is saying I’m forgiven because of what he has done not for who I am. Do you really hunger for Him? MT 5:6 God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full.
60-69 Even his disciples said, "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?"
Jesus knew within himself that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see me, the Son of Man, return to heaven again? It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you don’t believe me." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) Then he said, "That is what I meant when I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father brings them to me." At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Are you going to leave, too?" Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life. We believe them, and we know you are the Holy One of God."
Step 1: God loves you and wants you to experience peace and life, abundant and eternal. "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." RM 5:1, John 3:16, John 10:10 Why don’t most people have this peace and abundant life that God planned for us to have? God created us in His own image to have an abundant life. He did not make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him. God gave us a will and a freedom of choice. We chose to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God. RM 3:23, 6:23 People have tried in many ways to bridge this gap between themselves and God "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." PR 14:12) But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." IS 59:2 No bridge reaches God except one. God’s Bridge is the Cross. Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the grave. He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and people. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." 1 PT 3:18 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." RM 5:8 God has provided the only way. Each person must make a choice. Our Response has to be Receive Christ We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by personal invitation. "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." JN 1:12 "That if you confess with your mouth, ’Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." RM 10:9 Where are you? Will you receive Jesus Christ right now? Here is how you can receive Christ: 1. Admit your need (I am a sinner). 2. Be willing to turn from your sins (repent). 3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave. 4. Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit.
