“The Coming of Christ in John”
Did you ever notice how important little words are? Many times we might throw out “big two dollar words” with the intention of impressing people, but the “little words” are every bit as important as the “big impressive words”.
I was looking over John 6 and the teachings of Jesus after His feeding of the multitudes with just 2 fish and five small barley loaves and realized that the word “come” is extremely important, not only in John 6, but in the message of the entire Bible. As I recall, “come” was one of the first verbs that I learned as a child in the first grade reader about “Dick and Jane.” I want to first go the meaning and occurrence of the word “COME” in the Gospels and then examine some key verses John 6 chapter which occurred after the free fish sandwiches at the time of Passover.
The Word, “COME”, and God’s Kingdom
The word most often used in the New Testament for “come” is “erchomai”. We going to take a crash course through the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke first. In Mark 1:38 the COMING of Jesus as the Messiah is announced as He comes to proclaim the Kingdom of God (Next week we are going to look closely at what the Kingdom of God means) “38 Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." HE CAME TO ANNOUNCE HIS KINGDOM and to call sinners to repentance in Mark 2:17: On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
In doing so, Jesus sets up a new order of life. (Matthew 5:17:” "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Jesus comes to call sinners to repentance so that they can receive an inward change of the heart so that they too will be BLESSED BY GOD, and have a desire to LIVE out the law instead of being condemned by it.
Luke 19:10 tells us “For the Son of Man (JESUS) came to seek and to save what was lost." How will He accomplish this? Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Great crowds come to see Jesus but only a certain few make a willing commitment by embracing and doing Jesus’ words; They are able to do so by obedience to Jesus’ commands: Look at Luke 6:47: I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice.” Then look at Luke 9:23: “Then he said to them all: "If anyone would COME after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” A hard saying for anyone who is self-serving and thinks that they are the center of their little kingdoms. Jesus follows up in Luke14:27: “And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” This is the dividing line between true faith-followers and those who want only the benefits of Jesus without the sacrifice demanded.
Jesus offers many divine invitations in his parables, explaining the exclusivity and the cost of discipleship and in Luke 15 he shows the difference between people who have become entrenched in religious practices and those who have truly experienced a change of heart in the familiar story of the prodigal son. The renegade son comes home to God out of lostness and alienation and in Luke 15:21 he says: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son,” to which the Father replies in verse 24: “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.”
How important is the Coming of God’s Kingdom! We are to pray for the coming of His Kingdom in Matthew 6:10; Jesus declared in Mark 9:1: "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power." The future kingdom is a kingdom which includes eternal life; Mark 10:29-30 says: "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.” Being part of the Kingdom of God includes self-denial and personal persecution, but in the age to come, eternal life!
(Luke 18:29-30 speaks in a similar way: "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.")
The future Kingdom will arrive in similar fashion as the initiation of God’s Kingdom: It will arrive with the appearance of the Lord Jesus. Matthew 16:28: “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." The thief on the cross plead with Jesus in Luke 23:42: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." We have many blessings and hopes being Kingdom Kids now, but the best is yet to come. The Kingdom of God is “ALREADY” but “NOT YET.”
Some Key Teachings in John
Now we’ll take a few minutes to examine some key verses in John concerning the coming of Jesus to this world in the flesh. John takes us to the very heart of Jesus’ divine nature. The seven (or eight) “I AM” statements of Jesus come with his messianic consciousness and messianic task: John 6: 35, 48: I am the bread of life. John 8: 12, 9:5: I am the light of the world. John 8: 58 Before Abraham was, I am. John 10:9: I am the door. John 10:11: I am the good shepherd. John 11:25 I am the resurrection and the life. John 14:6: I am the way, the truth, and the life. John 15:1: I am the true vine.
The Coming OF Jesus
Even as Jesus arrives from Heaven, fully God, and fully man, He does not come of His own accord. In John 5:43, Jesus says: “I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.” As He teaches in the temple which should be worshiping Him, He says: "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him. (John 7:28) In the next chapter, 8:42, He declares: "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.” All of Jesus’ claims rest on the divine sending by God the Father. He comes with the authority of the Father’s name, not in His own will or popularity.
Jesus, as the Light of the World in John 9:5, comes to bring light and to save the world. John 10:10-12 says: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.” Light illuminates and shines light on the way to go. Darkness is frightening and does not cause illumination. Darkness causes chaos, light brings the lost to safety.
John 12:47 shares more of the task of the coming Lord: "As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.” In John 3:16-19, Jesus pinpoints the effects of the Coming Word and Work of Himself: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” The darkness and disobedience of sinful man’s heart TOWARD the words of Jesus condemn them even before Jesus returns as judge. Man’s refusal to COME to Jesus, to believe and to follow is his own condemnation: He doesn’t have to wait for Jesus’ ruling.
Jesus comes to bear witness to the truth and be heard by those who are OF the truth. John 18:37: "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." Last week, chapter 6 ended with these verses: 70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) Although Judas appeared to be a follower of Jesus he would later BETRAY him, and Jesus knew this beforehand. The word, “BETRAY”, is “Paradidomi’. If you recall, “didomi” meant “to grant” or to “give”. “PARAdidomi” means to o give into the hands (of another), to give over into (one's) power or use, to deliver to one something to keep, use, take care of, manage, to be judged or condemned. All who do not believe and follow Jesus are condemned already, just like Judas.
Remember John 6: 65: And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted (didomi) him by the Father.” Jesus coming to the earth and those coming to Jesus comes by the gifting of the Father. It is evident that Judas was not granted saving faith in the Savior. Judas bore witness, not to the truth and the life, but he, himself, was judged by his own actions: Although he “felt” guilt and returned his blood money, he did not have a sorrow that led to repentance; his sorrow led to his own judgment and condemnation when out of guilt he took his own life. Jesus came in order to give him forgiveness, but Judas’ own actions showed that he refused the light. All who do not believe and follow Jesus are betrayers, thieves and robbers and the fruit of their lives will speak the condition of their own hearts.
The Coming TO Jesus
Many people were attracted to Jesus throughout His ministry, but few truly came to Jesus; they moved physically toward Him, but were not moved spiritually by the words that He spoke. Many came to view the extravagant signs and miracles. Multitudes came to receive free physical food or physical healing, but we have seen that most of those left Him without ever acknowledging the truth about Him, that He had come from God’s Heaven in the flesh in order to become the Savior from sin. In the beginning of the Gospel in John 3:6 we read: “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
6:5: “When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, (LARGE CROWDS COME BY INVITATION BUT FEW TRULY BELIEVE!)he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" 6:35-40: “Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.”
Look especially at verse 37: “Jesus said: “All (that is, all of the people who will come to saving faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord), ALL that the Father gives me WILL COME to me, and whoever COMES to me I will never cast out.” Of ALL the people that God has chosen or elected into His Kingdom, everyone will come to Jesus and enter God’s Kingdom and NOT ONE will be refused! There are two different words for “come” in this verse; the first is “heko” which is different than the one I am concentrating on, “Erchomai”. “Heko” has the example of coming and seeking an intimacy with one, to become a follower: to come upon one (unexpectedly). This is the reality of “coming to Jesus”. It is not what you expected to do; you had always been going in the opposite direction and now you are following Jesus. Sometimes you think to yourself: How did I get to this place of knowing and learning about Jesus?
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.", 66: From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” This was too hard for so many!
Verse 44 and 45 explain it: Jesus said: “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, (Old testament promise) 'AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.”
The word for “draws” is “Helkuo”, meaning to draw, drag off, metaphorically to draw by inward power, lead, impel. Try that promise with the meanings of the word for “helkuo”. “NO ONE can COME to me unless the Father who sent me drags off by inward power, leads, impels them to come, and He will raise them up on the last day.” When God gets a hold of you, when He gets your undivided attention, He will most certainly accomplish everything in you and for you that He promises. You can have the certain hope as your own that He will raise you up bodily when He returns at the end of time! Hallelujah!
Those who come to Jesus in faith have been drawn, gifted, they learn and are taught from the very mouth of God through the Lord Jesus; They hear and understand what He teaches and they believe both what He teaches about sinful man’s need, about Jesus’ own character and calling, and so they receive Him, the Lord of Glory with gratitude and thankfulness, and it is demonstrated in a life of service to Him, the Lord God represented in the flesh, and it is demonstrated in their relationships to others, in their worship of the only True God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and in their outreach to a world who has not yet been saved by this Glorious Savior. Those whom the Father has called and drawn will be saved and consistently follow and obey Jesus and His Commands. They are those who come, assent to, believe in, commit to and follow Jesus.
“Coming” to means believing in the Jesus has come from heaven; At the tomb of Lazarus in John 11:25-27 this is heard: 25 Jesus said to her (Martha), "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
Coming to Jesus and believing means deliverance from judgment: "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (John 5:24)
If we come to Jesus and believe in Him as the Bread of Life, the only Way to the Father, that He is the Resurrection and the life, it means that we have been delivered from judgment because we have received a NEW BIRTH from the Spirit of God.(John (1:12-13, 3:8) God is not the one who is privileged by our presence or our efforts, WE ARE EXTRAVAGANTLY BLESSED and privileged to have been drawn by the Father to Jesus the Son, through the power of His Life-Saving Word and indwelling Spirit. TO God alone be the Glory. Amen
I. The Coming OF Jesus
A. Jesus does not come of His own accord. (John 7:28, 8:42, 5:43)
B. Jesus comes to bring light and to save the world. (John 10:10, 12:47, 3:16-19)
C. Jesus comes to bear witness to the truth and be heard by those who are OF the truth. (John 18:37, 7:27, others are thieves and robbers-10:8)
II. The Coming TO Jesus
A. Large crowds come by invitation, but few truly believe. (3:6, 6:5, 6:37, 66)
B. Those who come have been drawn, gifted, learn (are taught), hear, believe. (John 6:37,44, 65, 68-69) {Those who come, assent to, believe in, commit to and follow Jesus.}
C. Coming means believing in Jesus as the coming one (11:27 and believing means deliverance from judgment (5:24), having received a new birth by the Spirit (1:12-13, 3:8)
D. God is not the one who is privileged by our presence or our efforts…
