# 120 The Virgin Birth! Believe It!

 

Joh 6:41 The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." 42 And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

 

The Jews have picked up on Jesus’ statement concerning “coming down from heaven.” “Is this not Jesus? Why He’s the son of Joseph and Mary! We’ve known those two from the get-go! How can He say He came down from heaven?”

 

They are in effect, denying the virgin birth. In their defense, we really don’t know how much was said publicly about the virgin birth of Jesus. How common was the knowledge of the miraculous conception of Mary? We do not know. Did she and Joseph talk about it with others while they sat around a campfire or relaxed in the hot tub? For that matter, were tongues wagging a bit about the circumstances surrounding His birth. We do not know!

 

We DO know that Matthew and Luke, inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote about the virgin birth, and John also stated that the eternal Word became flesh, indicating a miraculous, immaculate conception! We also know that the prophet Isaiah wrote of this occurrence in  Isa 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

 

Frankly, the religious leaders of the day should’ve been looking for such a birth! They should have been looking for Immanuel! (God with them!)  Today, we have the benefit of the writings of Luke and Matthew which give us a detailed account  of the virgin birth of Jesus!  When Mary asked how this birth would be possible, the angel said in  Lu 1:35, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One (or sinless One) who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

 

The immaculate conception, wrought by the creative power of God, was necessary that we might have a sinless Savior from conception on! Ps 51:5 reminds us that all the rest of us are sinners from conception on! Ps 51:5 “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” Not so Jesus!

 

Do not deny the virgin birth, for in so doing, you join the company of these early Jewish leaders who refused to believe that Jesus was the Son of God, the bread of life which came down from heaven to provide eternal life to all who will receive Him!

 

Our church fathers knew the importance of the assent to the virgin birth, so much so that they included that declaration in the “Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed. You know the words! “I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary!

 

Believe them!

 

# 119 No Fear of God Before Their Eyes

 

# 119 No Fear of God Before Their Eyes

 

Ps 36:1 <<To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD.>> An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes.

 I was reading the 36^th Psalm this morning as part of my daily devotional routine. (By the way I highly recommend such a daily routine for you as well! Get into the Word and let the Word get into you! In our world of 2020, it’s the only place where you will find 100% reliable truth!)

 

Anyway, I was struck by the very first verse of Ps 36. It said, “An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes.” In this season of finger pointing on both sides, maybe we, as followers of Christ need to do some serious soul searching in light of this verse.

 

I, like most people, am appalled by the total disrespect for life and property we are witnessing in several cities across America! I am taken aback by the sheer anger and lack of any civility on display against fellow human beings.  I find a little righteous finger pointing anger roiling up in myself as I react to what I am seeing on the news.

 

But then, I saw this verse, and it occurred to me to ask the question, “What have we in the church set before the eyes of this generation?” What do they see? Do they look at us and our lifestyles and observe a people who have a deep reverence for God? Do they see the “fear of God before their eyes?” Or are they seeing a generation of followers of Jesus Christ who pick and choose what they will obey? Are they seeing people who treasure God’s commandments with their mouths, but trash them with their deeds?

How are you doing with the commands of God? Jesus said, “If you love Me you will keep My commandments.” (Jn 14:15)

Judgment begins in the house of God (1 Pet 4:17) Let’s stop pointing fingers and start cleaning up our act church! Let’s seek to live in rightful reverence of God and put the “fear of God” before the eyes of this generation once again.  The world needs to see it! Always has and always will.

 

2Ch 7:14 says, "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

 

Let’s get serious with our “fear of the Lord.” The world is watching, and down the road, it will make a difference.

 

# 118 Not By My Own Reason Or Strength

 

# 118 Not By My Own Reason Or Strength

 

Joh 6:36 "But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 "This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

 

Seeing is not necessarily believing! These people have witnessed the miracles and still refuse to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. Something more has to happen for people to come to faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God! (Rom 10:17) It is the Word of God, God speaking to the individual soul through the bedrock promises of Scripture that ignite faith in Jesus.

 

It is the Father who gives, He initiates, and all those whom the Father gives, come to Jesus, and when they come to Jesus, He promises to not cast them out. After all, it “is the will of the Father that of all that the Father gives Jesus, He should lose nothing, but raise it up on the Last Day.”.

 

We Lutherans believe this about the work of the Holy Spirit and faith. In the third article of the Apostle’s Creed we say: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”

 

That pretty much sums up this portion of John. God initiates the salvation process. He must! For I am a dead man spiritually before He comes to me! He is the One who gave me the faith to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He is the one who died for my sins, and through the Holy Spirit keeps me believing!

 

It’s all been done for me and continues to be done for me through the keeping power of the Holy Spirit. These gifts of faith and everlasting life through faith are irrevocable. They are sure promises that ever stand. They are only revoked when my heart becomes hardened and I revoke them!

 

Oh, how I need Jesus! It is as the old hymn says: “I need Thee, O I need Thee; Every hour I need Thee; O bless me now my Savior! I come to Thee!”

 

And Jesus says, “Don’t worry, keep coming to Me I will by no means cast you out!”

Oh what a blessed promise! Wretch that I am, Jesus died for me while I was yet a sinner, and He lives for me now, even in my continued imperfections, forgiving me, cleansing me, sanctifying me, helping me walk in newness of life. And one glorious day, I know He will raise me up to everlasting life!

 

# 117 The Bread of Life

 

# 117 The Bread of Life

 

Joh 6:30 Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

 33 "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." 35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

 

 

What’s wrong with these people? Jesus just fed 5000 plus of them with 5 loaves of bread and two fish, how much more of a sign do they want? At this point we need to say something about Messianic expectations of many of the Jews. Many felt that the Messiah would come and renew the daily sending of manna. So this crowd felt that the one time feeding of the 5000 was no big deal.  I mean Moses fed the entire nation every single day for years!

 

Moses served up bread from heaven, but Jesus served up ordinary fish and bread. But Jesus reminds the people that while Moses bread may have seemed heavenly, in reality, it was just a “type” of bread to come. The true bread given by the Father is in the form of the One who came down from heaven, and was now standing before them and speaking to them!

 

He is superior to manna in every way. This Bread (Jesus) was not meant solely for the nation of Israel, but for the whole world! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. (Jn 3:16)

 

The people still didn’t get it and they respond in physical terms.  “Lord give us this bread always!” Let it always be there like that manna was!

 

All right then, no more beating around the bush, Jesus flat out tells them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

 

 

This statement ought to connect with the audiences Old Testament line of thinking. For while the people were in the wilderness, God miraculously provided water and bread! No one hungered and no one thirsted. Now Jesus promises the same to those who come to Him. The difference is now it is a spiritual satisfaction.

 

Whereas the water and bread of Moses sustained life physically, the water and bread of Jesus sustains life spiritually! Moses satisfied the body; Jesus satisfies the soul! Listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah: Isa 55:1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. 3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live.”

 

Isn’t that what you and I really need? Isn’t that what our heart really desires? Come to Jesus and “let your soul delight itself in abundance.” Stop looking for delight in all the wrong places, come to Jesus who promises to provide abundantly!

 

# 116 When's the Last Time You Were At the Lord's Table?

 

# 116 When’s the Last Time You Were At the Lord’s Table?

 

Joh 6:27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." 28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." 30 Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

 

“Labor for the food which endures to everlasting life which the Son of Man will give you.” Sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? How do you “labor” for something freely given? The people respond in a way that continues to reveal their true motive. “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? In other words, “What do we have to do so we can heal people and make our lunches appear out of thin air?”

 

Jesus ignores their motive and sticks to the main question. The question that is answered time after time after time in the Bible. It’s the central message of the Bible and God keeps repeating it because it’s vital that we get it!

 

Do you want to do the work of God? “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him who He sent.” This is the only work of God required….belief in Jesus. God revealed faith through grace that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, promised to the human race from the fall of Adam and Eve.

 

  Believe  Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

 

That’s your work! That’s your job!

 

Believe  Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

 

That’s your work, that’s your job!

 

Stop resisting the Holy Spirit! Ac 7:51 "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

 

That’s your work! That’s your job!

 

 

Jesus stresses salvation apart from our labors when He reminds the people  that the bread their fathers ate in the wilderness (manna) did not come from Moses! It did not come from the Law! It did not come because of the labors of the people. It came as a free giftfrom the Father. The only work involved was to go out and pick up their daily supply. They had to receive it! They had to eat of it to be nourished by it, in order for their lives to be sustained.

 

The new manna is out their folks. It’s in the form of Jesus Christ, who, like manna, came down from heaven, He was freely given by God to sustain us for eternity, and “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. (Jn 1:12)

 

Your work, my work, is to gather this manna on a daily basis. We can’t just be a spiritual couch potato expecting the Holy Spirit to spoon feed us. We need to be in the Word of God for regular feedings and yes, we do need to be in church to feed on the body and blood of Jesus at the Holy Table of the Lord’s Supper!

 

When’s the last time you shared the body and blood of Jesus? Your answer to that question speaks mounds about your willingness to do the “work of God.”

 

I Got Rumbly In My Tummy

 

# 115 I Got Rumbly In My Tummy

 

Joh 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

 

These people were following Jesus because it was an opportunity for a free lunch. This “free lunch” mentality is still with us today and it is called the “prosperity gospel.” Beware of this doctrine, because the only ones who are prospering are those who are peddling it.

 

Jesus knows the dangers of chasing after Him solely for the purpose of physical blessing and immediately sets the crowd straight. Sometimes we get so locked in to the physical blessings of following Jesus, that we forget to seek after that which really matters, and that is the blessing of eternal life!

 

What has Jesus told us? “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Mt 6:33)

 

The danger in seeking physical blessings first is this: What about the times when they are not forthcoming? What about the times that cancer stays? What about the times your ship doesn’t come in? What happens to these recently fed people that Jesus was dealing with when their tummies start rumbling and Jesus says, “Okay everybody, time to go into town for supper, see you tomorrow? The grumbling begins doesn’t it! “What a rip off! It’s in His power to feed us again! What kind of God is this who won’t give us what we want here and now!

 

This is the cry of those who would attempt to serve God AND mammon! If we tie the love of God solely into physical blessings, it won’t be long and we’ll be hating God!. Eugene Petersen paraphrases Mt 6:24 in “The Message” as follows: “You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and money both.”

 

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you are lacking bread? (also known as money) As you wonder why God isn’t providing what you want (as opposed to what you really need) do you find contempt for Him building in your heart? This is a strong warning sign that you are seeking after mammon rather than God!

 

Here’s the thing about mammon. You can’t take it with you. Hearses don’t come with U-Hauls. Mammon perishes! This is the point that Jesus makes in verse 27. “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food that endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you.”

 

He will satisfy your needs for eternity. At best, mammon will satisfy for a moment, because when the moment passes your tummy will be rumbling again.

 

Moment? Or eternity? Put that on a timeline and let it be your guide! See where this wisdom leads you!

# 114 Uber Boats

 

# 114 Uber Boats

 

Joh 6:22 On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone-- 23 however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks--

 24 when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" 26 Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

 

The 5000 plus left behind, start doing a little detective work. There was only one boat. The disciples had taken it last night. Jesus had not entered the boat. Where was He now? It’s like He vanished into thin air!

 

This would not do! They wanted more miracles, more free lunches from Jesus! They had trudged a long way around the sea to get to Jesus and now they would have to trudge back to civilization. But, thank the Lord, look what happens! Uber boats from Tiberius arrive and they can cross the sea via boat!

 

Don’t you find that strange? Almost miraculous! How did this armada of boats know that some of these people wanted to hitch a ride to Capernaum? They came empty and ferried the “free lunch” people back over to Capernaum. In my mind, this armada is still another miracle! God needed these free lunch seekers to accost Jesus asap so Jesus could make a point for them and us!

 

So, they pull up, and haul some of the crowd back to Jesus, where He tells them and us! “Man does not live by bread alone! Don’t chase Jesus for the sake of physical blessings, chase Him for eternal life! Jesus confronts the crowd with something we all need to be confronted with: “What’s your motive for following Him?”

 

Do you, “love Him because HE first loved you? (1 Jn 4:19) or do you have some other underlying motive? God desires to give you and I the “Bread of Life,” but let us be like David in the 139^th Psalm and check our motives! Ps 139:23,24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;

 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

 

In other words, show me my motives Lord, reveal them to me that I may humbly come to You and ask Your help to remove any wrong motives in my heart. Don’t let me look to You as some sort of a cosmic Santa Claus, or as a “get out of jail free” card. But rather let me love You because You first loved me and demonstrated that love for me when You went to the cross and paid for my sins!