WEBVTT 00:00:00.719 --> 00:00:04.879 As I mentioned earlier, it's our privilege to have Eric Rebels with us this morning. 00:00:04.959 --> 00:00:11.119 He was on staff at Briarwood for over 29 years, doing a lot of things over those years. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:13.119 His heart is in discipleship. 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:17.280 He now has his own ministry called Uncommon Ministries. 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:20.480 But I emphasize again a real heart for discipleship. 00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:22.960 And his wife Tiffany is here with us as well. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:27.760 Aaron and Chris Fleming, I stumbled over the name a minute ago, are here too as well. 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:35.600 Dear friends of mine, but really uh I hate to say, Aaron, we're fathers of the faith now, but a father in the PCA who's also very committed to discipleship. 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:37.920 So I know you have a great connection with the Flemings. 00:00:38.079 --> 00:00:40.560 Thank you, Eric, for being here this morning. 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:42.399 Well, good morning. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:44.320 It is so good to be with you guys. 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:55.759 Uh we've been worshiping a little bit with you guys over the past few weeks as we transition away from Briarwood, where I worked, as Claude said, for about 30 years. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:01.920 Um and worked with evangelism and discipleship and just have loved that over the years. 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:09.040 Also, the first 12 years worked with the children, not children's ministry, with youth ministry, and did that with children in college and so forth. 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:11.439 So, but it's a real privilege to be here. 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:15.680 Uh, I guess my claim to fame, in a sense, is that we know the Stubbs very well. 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:17.200 We love Olin and Lena. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:19.439 They are dear friends of ours. 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:24.400 Um we're they're younger than we are, than Tiffany and I are, but just by a little bit. 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:29.760 But our kids are the exact same gender and same age and went to school together and we're friends. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:38.400 So it's really neat to be with them over the years at Briarwood and to have our kids kind of be friends with each other. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:41.280 And uh so it's privilege to be here with you this morning. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:45.439 Now I'm already recognizing that the Lord did not answer one of the prayers that I had. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:53.280 When Olin asked me if I would come and preach, um, I began to pray that the Lord would have nobody here because it's Labor Day. 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:56.239 Because this is not something that I'm really familiar with. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:00.480 I don't preach a lot, um, but he answered it in a different way. 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:03.200 So it is a tremendous honor to be with you. 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:08.159 Um just uh just quickly a little bit about who we are and and what we do. 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:12.240 Uh you know about our service at Ole at Briarwood. 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:25.840 Now we're transitioning to work with a ministry called Globe Works, and it's an international missions organization, and the primary focus is to help plant church planters all around the world and and in really the hard-to-reach areas as well. 00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:27.439 So please pray for that. 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:35.599 Uh, but also one of my responsibilities is going to be to start a ministry called Uncommon Ministries that'll focus on discipleship and evangelism. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:38.319 So, Lord willing, God will bless those efforts. 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:40.479 And Tiffany and I, that's our heart. 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:50.319 We love Jesus because we've seen the tremendous grace that he has poured into our lives and in the lives of our children, and we want to share that with the world and with the lost. 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:54.400 And, you know, we take uh to heart the great commission call. 00:02:54.479 --> 00:03:01.520 And I and I recognize from Cahaba Park that that's true here, and it's been such a blessing to witness that. 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:13.599 Uh, you'll notice we're gonna be looking at John chapter 6, um, and I'm gonna try hard to do this quickly because I would really like for us to look at verses 1 through 40. 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:15.199 I don't have those all there. 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:21.840 I'm gonna go through those first few verses, uh, and then we'll get to the heart of what I have there in your bulletin. 00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:25.280 But I did want to start at chapter, I mean, excuse me, at verse 1. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:26.400 So bear with me. 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:31.439 And what we're gonna be looking at here, and we're hoping to answer, is some really important questions. 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:34.800 Lord, what do you have for me? 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:45.360 Us individually, as followers of Christ, as we seek to honor Him with Hit with our lives, like Paul, servant of Christ, what do you have for me? 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:48.560 What is my calling in life? 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:50.319 How can I be a witness for you? 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:56.879 How can I let my light shine before men that they may see my good works and glorify you in heaven? 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:04.240 Um, so so that would be our desire that we would see Jesus and we'd magnify him as we look at John chapter 6. 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:05.599 I've been blown away. 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:10.080 You know this if you've ever taught before, whether it's children or what. 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:14.159 When you study the word of God in order to prepare to teach, you learn so much. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:18.160 And God's richly blessed me this week as I've been studying through John chapter 6. 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:24.560 But let's look at the first few verses, and then we'll just kind of work our way through and make a few comments. 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:37.839 But John chapter 6, verse 1, it says, After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias, and a large crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:42.000 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 00:04:42.160 --> 00:04:46.800 I'll just stop for a brief moment and say, Jesus loves people. 00:04:47.439 --> 00:04:50.160 Jesus loves people and he's patient with them. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:52.399 He's patient with the crowd. 00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:59.680 And and he's and he steps up on the mountain where he can speak to them and help them and bless them. 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:01.600 We should do the same. 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:08.800 Uh, one of the things that I have to often remind myself, and and one of the things I did at Briarwood, is I would do practical evangelism. 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:11.759 So we would form groups and we would go out every week. 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:13.759 We would go to places like UAB. 00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:17.360 We would even go knock on apartment doors and we would share the gospel. 00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:23.279 And I want to encourage you before you say, Well, does that even work anymore? 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:27.759 We got to speak to hundreds of people over the years that I was doing this. 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:29.839 Maybe a thousand, maybe more. 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:35.120 And we saw, I would say, easily a hundred people come to faith in Christ. 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:37.839 One guy in particular, I'll tell you this very briefly. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:38.879 His name is Doug. 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:40.079 I won't go any further than that. 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:40.959 We knocked on his door. 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:45.600 I wasn't a part of this group, it was one of one of the groups from our team that went out. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.800 Knocked on his apartment door, he answered the door with his wife. 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:50.800 He was not a Christian. 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:53.600 And they shared the gospel with Doug. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:06:01.439 And Doug heard the call of the Lord in his life, and he prayed to receive Christ, and he came, came to faith in Christ. 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:02.720 Now, why is this unique? 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:04.079 It's just a guy named Doug. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:16.639 Well, I think it's unique because one, the next day I received a phone call from our bookstore, um, the lady that runs our bookstore, and she said, Hey, we've got a guy in here with his wife, and and he's buying a and sometimes you never see the fruit of this. 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:19.120 She said, He's he wants to buy a Bible. 00:06:19.199 --> 00:06:21.759 He doesn't have a Bible, and he wants to buy his first Bible. 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:24.319 And I thought, that is amazing, praise the Lord. 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:27.120 And so she sold him his first Bible. 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:30.079 Um, and and I had not yet met Doug. 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:35.839 I had just heard the story about him coming to faith in Christ through our group, going to knock on their apartment door. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:47.279 Well, it was a few weeks later, we were having Christmas uh uh at Christmas time at Briarwood, we were having the walkthrough Nativity, and I see a guy, and in my spirit, I just thought, I've never seen that guy before. 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:50.000 I wonder if that's Doug, as crazy as that sounds. 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:53.199 And so I walked up to this guy and I said, Hey, is your name Doug? 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:55.199 And he said, Yeah, how do you know? 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:59.839 I said, Well, I've heard about you, and I'm so delighted to meet you and praise the Lord that you're here. 00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:09.360 And you could just see the love of the Lord was just written, just written all over his face because he had been saved. 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:10.240 It was incredible. 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:12.160 Let me tell you a little bit more about Doug. 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:19.920 In the preceding weeks after I got to know Doug and spent time with him, he started to share with me his love for the Lord and what Christ had done for him. 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:24.319 And he said, I want to start telling my family members about Christ. 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:25.839 How can I do this, Eric? 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:26.560 How can you help me? 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:27.600 They live in Colorado. 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:28.319 What can I do? 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:33.199 So, well, we'll call them, talk to them, talk to them about what the Lord's done in your life. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:34.319 And he began to do that. 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:39.120 He began to share with his brother and with his dad, and his brother became a Christian. 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:42.879 And I believe his dad has become a Christian since as well. 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:45.040 Again, why is Doug important? 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:47.199 Here's one reason Doug's important. 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:58.959 Doug's great-grandfather was the first Muslim imam in America who planted his roots in Michigan. 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:06.560 How awesome is that that God would reach down into this family and save Doug out of that. 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:08.240 So I just praise the Lord for that. 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:17.600 And I'm sorry it took so long to tell that story, but I just, I just rejoice in the Lord and what he's doing through evangelism and through people telling other people about the gospel of Christ. 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:22.959 And I hope that it resonates through what Jesus did here in John chapter 6. 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:25.120 Okay, so Jesus loves people. 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:28.639 We need to love them as well, and we need to share the gospel with them. 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:32.639 Verse 4, it says, Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:39.360 And one of the things that I want to say here as we look at that quick verse is Jesus loved the Passover, right? 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:43.600 Jesus loved the Passover because he came to fulfill the Passover. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:46.559 The Passover was about Jesus ultimately. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:54.960 It wasn't about the blood of an animal called a lamb that was painted over the doorpost to save the Israelites. 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:57.200 It's about the blood of the lamb, Jesus. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:04.399 And he loved the Passover and he celebrated it, and he celebrated it in a unique way, as we'll see here in just a minute. 00:09:04.639 --> 00:09:12.559 And in fact, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5 7, he says, For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:15.600 Paul proclaims that Jesus was the Passover Lamb. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:28.080 Verse 5, lifting up his eyes then and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat? 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:32.799 And he said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:33.759 Right. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:39.360 I hope we see ourselves here as we study John chapter 6. 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:45.840 I hope we see ourselves in the lives of the crowd itself and in the lives of the disciples. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:46.480 Right? 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:48.799 Philip should have known better. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:52.320 We should know better when we're faced with trials like this. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:54.159 Philip should have known better. 00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:59.200 And yet Jesus tested Philip, and Jesus will test us, right? 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:00.960 And Jesus tests us. 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:11.120 Now, one of the reasons why I say Philip should have known better is because if you read in chapter one of John, you know that when Jesus called Philip, right? 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:12.320 Philip was great. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:15.519 And he recruited Nathaniel as well. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:19.279 And here's what it says in John 1.48. 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:21.759 Nathaniel said to him, How do you know me? 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:25.440 Because Jesus said, I knew you, and I've known you. 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:30.000 He said, uh Nathaniel answered him, excuse me, he said, How do you know me? 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:36.159 Jesus answered him, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:39.919 Now Nathaniel, he proclaims the glory of Christ. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:46.799 And the thing that Philip should know here in chapter 6 when it comes to feeding the people. 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:48.320 Here's what Nathaniel said. 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:51.840 Nathaniel answered him, Rabbi, you are the Son of God. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:54.399 You are the King of Israel. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:59.440 And Jesus said, Because I have said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:01.840 You'll see greater things than these, right? 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:06.320 And how many of us have seen greater things than those, right? 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:08.480 In a sense, in our own lives. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:12.799 We have seen such great things if we follow Christ, if we follow Christ. 00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:16.080 And yet we're going to face trials, right? 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:25.039 And that's the thing that I hope that we reject, in a sense, in the prosperity gospel, the fallacy of that, that false teaching. 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:26.879 What does it say in James? 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:30.159 In James verses one, chapter one, verses two and three. 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:37.919 It says, Count it all joy, brothers, when you face trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:44.399 So Jesus wants to produce in a steadfastness, steadfastness when we're tested in our faith. 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:47.120 And he wanted to produce that in Philip. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:49.440 Okay, uh verse seven. 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:57.600 So Philip answered him, 200 denarii would uh worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little. 00:11:57.840 --> 00:11:59.840 So Philip's struggling again, right? 00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:07.039 He's seen Jesus do all these miracles, and then he's he's like, Man, we don't have enough money to provide, Lord Jesus. 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:08.639 You ask me how we're gonna do this. 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:09.279 We don't have enough. 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:11.840 We don't have 200 denarii worth of bread. 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:23.200 And then verse 8 One of the disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, There's a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many? 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:23.759 Right? 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:27.360 They're all like, Man, what are we gonna do, Jesus? 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:30.240 You know, what are they for so many? 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:33.279 And then Jesus said, Have the people sit down. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:39.360 Now there was much grass in the place, so the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:44.720 And you know, when we reference this miracle that Jesus did, we say he fed the five thousand. 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:49.600 But in reality, we all know it was way more than five thousand, because that was just the men. 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:53.759 So it was thousands upon thousands that he fed. 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:55.840 All right, verse 11. 00:12:56.159 --> 00:13:01.360 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, let me pause there for a second. 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:03.679 I want to encourage us all, right? 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:10.240 I I'll go back and forth with this at times, but when I sit down to have a meal, I need to give thanks to God. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:11.840 Jesus modeled that. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:13.279 Why do I overlook that? 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:15.360 He gave thanks to God. 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:21.600 Uh and in fact, in Mark, it says that he lifted up his hands to heaven and he gave thanks to God. 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:27.600 And he was he was evidencing his faith in God, maybe for the rest to see. 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:30.960 And he was praising God for his supplication. 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:33.759 So, verse 11 again. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:39.279 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:43.039 So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:44.559 I just think that's awesome. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:46.159 As much as they wanted. 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:51.120 Five barley loaves, which were, if you understand correctly, and R.C. 00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:54.399 Sprohl does a good job of explaining this, they were little bitty loaves. 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:58.639 They were tiny, they were small, uh, and two fish. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:05.360 And he feeds the people, the thousands of people, as much as they wanted. 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:14.399 Now, I would say to you, in the first century or or in the in the time that Jesus was here, people probably didn't get to eat as much as they wanted, right? 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:18.159 They probably didn't get to eat until they're fill like we do. 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:25.039 Um, I remember being in Uganda and had the privilege to go to Uganda to do an evangelism clinic there. 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:32.720 And we were in the uh northwest corner in a small village called Goli, up on the top of this mountain. 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:35.919 And y'all, I was so impacted. 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:41.360 Um, what a privilege it was to be there and to help encourage people in sharing their faith. 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:44.639 And we would go hut to hut and tell people about Jesus. 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:56.240 But I was so encouraged to look around the room because we hosted an evangelism clinic there, and there was at least a hundred Ugandans and people from other countries that were there. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:02.639 And I and I remember asking uh some of the indigenous people there, how do folks get here? 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:09.919 And they say, Well, a lot of them walk, and it takes days, maybe weeks, to get here for this. 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:17.200 And I'm thinking, man, I I flew on a plane and rode a bus, and I've had everything catered to me. 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:23.039 Uh, in fact, women would get up early in the morning before the sun rose and they would heat up the water. 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:26.320 So when we had splash baths, we would have warm water. 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:34.879 I mean, and and then when they fed us, I remember eating the chicken that they gave us, and the the chicken legs were this big, they were enormous. 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:41.200 And I realized and talking to them that it was the chickens that they had had for several years, right? 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:46.240 And they they they kept them for a special occasion, and so they slaughtered them for us. 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:51.759 I just, I mean, I was under conviction, thinking, wow, uh, what blessing I have. 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:58.159 But these people, they were filled and they had as much as they wanted, and that's what we have in Christ. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:04.960 I'm not preaching and teaching prosperity gospel, but I'm saying in Christ, we have everything that we need. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:09.279 Everything that we could ever need, everything that we could ever want in Christ. 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:10.320 Praise the Lord. 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:11.759 Verse 12. 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:20.240 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:23.840 There's something said here about waste. 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:25.600 I tend to hate waste. 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:34.720 We've got our four children, and it's like you, you know, you give them a uh bottled water or whatever it may be, and they drink one sip and then they're done. 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:40.000 And I'm like, uh I tend to hate waste, how I was raised. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:48.720 And I think Jesus, I'm not saying he hates waste, but he's he's he's gathering up that that nothing may be lost. 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:52.639 And I think he's actually referencing something much, much, much, much bigger. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:56.559 You know, he left the 99 to go after the one, right? 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.440 And he wants none to be lost. 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:03.440 It's his desire that all be saved, but he's called us. 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:04.880 Let me just do it again. 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:10.720 He's called all of us to proclaim the good news of the gospel and to share the good news of the gospel. 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:19.119 Verse 13, so they gathered them up and filled 12 baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:27.759 That's a miracle to take five barley loaves and two fish, and to be able to fill five baskets of fragments full. 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:35.839 Verse 14, when the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, This is indeed the prophet who has come into the world. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:40.319 So they proclaim that Jesus is the prophet, and they're excited. 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:43.920 And let me submit to you why I believe that they're excited. 00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:47.359 One, they see him as a prophet. 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:49.359 Who else did they see as a great prophet? 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:50.720 Well, King David. 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:57.359 King David was a great prophet because he gave us the psalms and he proclaimed the truths about God. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:00.799 But also listen to what Jesus says in verse 15. 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:10.880 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain to himself, uh, or by himself. 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:13.759 So Jesus moves away from that. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:16.160 He knows that they're coming to make him king. 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:18.480 He knows that they see he's prophet. 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:24.240 David himself is known as a king and as a prophet, as a prophet and a king. 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:26.400 And they wanted another David. 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:32.079 They wanted a ruling king who would establish his kingdom here on earth by might, right? 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:34.559 David was known as a man of bloodshed. 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:37.039 He couldn't build the temple because of it. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:44.160 And they wanted another uh conquering king, and they begin to see Jesus in that way. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:50.559 And though Jesus is the prophet and the king, it wasn't his time. 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:59.119 And the real reality is that Jesus is not the prophet and king like David was, he's different, he's much, much better. 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:02.640 He is the prophet because he is the word of God. 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:11.920 He is the word of God, and he created us, he created the world, and whatever he said is the word of God, and it is true. 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:17.519 And so he he pro when he speaks, would the words of God come forth. 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:19.920 He he is the king, right? 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:29.759 And he establishes his kingdom, not uh for a worldly kingdom, he establishes his kingdom in our hearts individually. 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:41.200 And so, King Jesus, come and rule in our hearts, reign in us, that the things that we do would be pleasing to you as we seek to serve you and honor you. 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:43.039 And of course, he was a prophet. 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:47.279 So Jesus, I believe, is the only prophet, priest, and king. 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:54.480 He is much greater than what the crowds wanted him to be, and yet they didn't fully understand it. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:57.440 All right, continuing on, verse 16. 00:19:57.680 --> 00:20:04.480 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:09.119 Now, I don't know why Jesus, it doesn't say here necessarily, but Jesus went up on the mountain. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:12.079 I believe he went to spend time with the Father. 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:19.200 And he must have sent on the disciples, and they started across the sea of Capernaum. 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:21.359 So here's a good point. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:23.839 They were in the boat by themselves. 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:30.799 Okay, so I want I want you to visualize that, visualize that and think that and understand it in this story. 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:32.880 This is not a parable, but as R. 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:33.119 C. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:39.519 Sprohl says, it is uh a story that presents a parable to us in our lives. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:46.400 So the disciples get in the boat and they begin to cross to the sea of Capernaum, and it was now dark. 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:51.440 Verse uh 17 continues on, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:56.480 Verse 18, and the sea became rough because of a strong wind was blowing. 00:20:56.880 --> 00:21:05.119 And uh and we understand in the other um by the other gospels that it was it was bad, right? 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:08.960 And they were in many ways afraid for their lives and feared for their lives. 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:10.880 So the strong wind was blowing. 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:13.440 They're trying to cross the sea, verse 19. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:21.839 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus on the sea, and coming near the boat, they were frightened. 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:26.240 Now, I would imagine all of us would be frightened if we had seen that. 00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:30.720 Um, and and maybe they didn't recognize him initially. 00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:41.440 But the point is they're in the boat, they're crossing the sea, and it's tumultuous, and they're afraid, and they're afraid they're gonna perish. 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:46.480 And I would submit to you, as our sea sprawl does, that that's our lives. 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:51.759 When we are in control of our lives, when we're in the boat and we're trying to row on our own, right? 00:21:52.319 --> 00:22:02.559 The the storm winds come and they begin to blow against us and they're dangerous, and and we have fear, but when we get Get our eyes fixed on Jesus, right? 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:10.880 And when Jesus steps into the boat, as it says he does, and he takes over, let's see what happens when Jesus gets in the boat. 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:12.799 So they're frightened, verse 20. 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:18.079 But he said to them, It is I, do not be afraid, verse 21. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:25.279 Then they were glad to see him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:26.400 That's awesome. 00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:30.799 Sometimes we just read over that and we think, well, it just happened to be maybe they were just on the shore. 00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:39.039 And no, they're out in the middle of the sea, and they're afraid out of their mind that they're about to perish because of the storm. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:49.519 And then they see Jesus and they take their eyes off of the storm, he gets into the boat, he takes control of the boat, and they're immediately at the shore. 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:52.720 And that's what Jesus does in our lives when we trust in him. 00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:59.200 He comes into the storm of our lives, he makes sense of it all, and he brings us to the safe shore. 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:01.200 And we praise him for that. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:02.559 Amen. 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:12.000 So after we read and study these incredible miracles that Jesus has done, then the question should begin to be asked for each of us. 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:27.680 And this is what I want to ask is do I simply marvel at the signs and works of Jesus, or do I submit to the evidence that he is the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, and that He is the only Savior of the world who was sent by God the Father? 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:32.480 And do I by faith surrender to him to be Lord of my life? 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:46.079 Now, in a church like this, which I've been blown away and just really fallen in love with how y'all worship the Lord here, but in a church like this, this question is still very applicable to each of us. 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:54.480 One of my prayers that I pray all the time is, Lord, please help me to stop living a duplicitous life. 00:23:54.799 --> 00:24:02.640 One moment I'm walking with you and I and I've got my minds on mind on the right things, and I'm trying to serve you with my life. 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:06.480 And the next moment, I don't want to share out loud what I think. 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:09.680 Lord, help me not to live such a duplicitous life. 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:11.599 Let me be sold out for you. 00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:13.440 Let me be surrendered to you. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:15.440 Lord, you are the Lord of Lords. 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:17.119 You are the King of Kings. 00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:18.559 And I trust you. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:22.400 I want you to be sovereignly in control of my life. 00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:26.640 And so I would encourage each of us to say that prayer, to have that prayer. 00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:31.279 And as you see in your bulletin, the question that I ask is, what type of work do you do? 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:34.799 What type of work does each of us do individually? 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:35.359 Right? 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:36.400 What do we do? 00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:38.799 How do we serve in the kingdom of God? 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:41.599 How do we please the Lord with our lives? 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:48.000 That's what we truly desire to do with this uncommon ministries that we're hoping to start. 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:54.880 And I would just ask again, please pray for it that it would be about that type of ministry in our lives. 00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:59.039 Lord, and this is silly, but it just comes to mind. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:01.839 Some of you have seen Star Wars, right? 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:04.880 You remember what Darth Vader used to say? 00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:07.599 What is thy bidding, my master? 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:11.359 As silly as it is, we should say that to the Lord. 00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:14.160 Lord, what is your bidding for my life? 00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:16.000 What would you have me do? 00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:22.880 What type of work would you have me do that I could see your kingdom grow and the gospel go forth? 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:24.559 All right, let's continue on. 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:26.079 Verse 22. 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:41.119 On the next day the crowd was uh that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:48.480 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord was had given thanks. 00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:50.160 Um, verse 24. 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:58.960 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum seeking Jesus. 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:02.079 So the crowds are following Jesus. 00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:08.319 And I would say, like nominal Christianity in the South, right? 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:15.599 This should convict all of us, but like nominal Christianity in the South, they seek to follow Jesus. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:16.079 Why? 00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:18.000 Because they want something from him. 00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:27.599 Whenever it's convenient and wherever it fills their bellies, it seems like most good Southern Christians, they follow Jesus. 00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:28.960 Verse 25. 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:33.839 And these are the verses really, as it's in your bulletin that we want to focus on. 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:39.599 Verse 25, when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when did you come here? 00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:41.279 Teacher, when did you come here? 00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:51.680 Verse 26, Jesus answered them, Truly, truly I say to you, you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 00:26:51.920 --> 00:27:03.440 Not because you saw the miracles that I did, and because you proclaimed that I am the Messiah because of what I have proven to you, but because you got your bellies full. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:05.519 That's why you're following me. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:11.279 And I just, again, I say to each of us and to myself especially, is that why I follow Jesus? 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:11.839 Right? 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:13.680 Because he provides things for me? 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:16.160 Lord, help that not to be true. 00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:19.839 So the reality is that they wanted to be fed again. 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:27.599 They want food that their bellies, uh, that their belly um that they could put into their belly that will last forever. 00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:34.240 And physical food brings temporary help, but Jesus is offering eternal food. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:38.640 And he and he questions them because they got their fill of the loaves. 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:48.480 Verse 27, do not work, Jesus says, do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. 00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:53.119 For on him God the Father has set his seal. 00:27:53.839 --> 00:28:00.559 Then he said to uh then uh they said to him, What must we do to be doing the works of God? 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:01.920 Good question. 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:08.880 Jesus answered them, This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent. 00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:11.039 And let me stop there. 00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:14.079 That's the work of God. 00:28:14.640 --> 00:28:22.799 Y'all, so many times we go down to places like UAB and we interact into conversations with people and we'll ask them these questions. 00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:26.000 Hey, would you mind if we ask you a couple of spiritual questions? 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:26.799 Sure. 00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:28.960 Um, we're from Browerwood Church. 00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:29.680 Great. 00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:34.960 Um, have you come to a place in your spiritual thinking where you know for certain when you die that you'll go to heaven? 00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:36.319 I'm not sure. 00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:39.119 Uh, do you tend a place of worship regularly? 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:40.079 Yeah, I sure do. 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:42.960 I go to X or Y church. 00:28:43.119 --> 00:28:46.160 And they're great churches that I know preach the gospel. 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:47.119 How long have you been there? 00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:48.799 Oh, I've been there 30 years. 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:49.680 Okay. 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:53.920 Uh, but you don't know for sure that when you die, you're going to heaven? 00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:55.279 Why don't you know for sure? 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:57.759 Well, you know, I'm just, I don't know. 00:28:57.920 --> 00:29:03.039 I just sometimes, you know, I don't know if I'm doing enough good for the kingdom. 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:08.799 And and I'm dumbfounded by that answer because I know that they've heard the gospel. 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:15.440 I know I've heard the gospel, and and yet so many times in my life I think, man, am I doing enough for the kingdom? 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:18.240 Jesus says, How are you saved? 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:26.319 Jesus said, This is the work of the God that you believe in him whom he has sent. 00:29:27.200 --> 00:29:34.720 The only way that we're saved, can we can we make this declaration for everyone in here to hear and to know and place firmly in your heart? 00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:40.160 The only way that any of us is saved is by the finished work of Christ on the cross. 00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:41.039 Right? 00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:43.519 God requires perfection. 00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:44.960 That is true. 00:29:45.359 --> 00:29:47.359 But it's not our perfection. 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:50.400 He transferred that on to Christ. 00:29:50.640 --> 00:29:56.720 Christ bore our sins on the cross, past, present, and future. 00:29:57.039 --> 00:30:01.440 And he died for them, the perfect Lamb of God, the sinless Lamb of God. 00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:03.359 God Himself died on the cross. 00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:04.559 It's enough. 00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:06.400 He has saved us. 00:30:06.640 --> 00:30:08.240 And we should rejoice in that. 00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:13.599 That should bring us joy at every moment of our lives. 00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:18.160 And Jesus said that it's if you believe in me. 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:21.440 And let me give you a few other verses. 00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:23.680