John Chapter 6:22-31

Jesus never said they come to me and then I'll follow you and see where you're going. No no no no no no that at times in my life taught Jesus in the following because he said I never leave you. I will never forsake Jesus the places Jesus really want to follow me the man that was not the best plan for my life. The best plan for the believer is to follow Jesus not to come to see how God can fit into our lines maybe do a little self-improvement maybe make our lives a little smoother is not what Christianity is about been bantering with the term safe Christianity or what a weird term heard that term. Problem with that safe Christianity is that it's neither is not safe and is not Christianity. Welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina.

As David continues teaching the gospel of John chapter 6. We have a special guest studio, one of his associate pastors DA Brown welcome brother Bobby cited being here. I'm thankful for the word of God and what is today pastor Dave take sometimes it's important to remember Bob we call pathologies. Sometimes we try get Jesus to follow us where we want to go but that's no way to bless today were going to be reminded. We called follow Jesus. Now here's David McGee with his teaching God is your source. We are in John chapter 6 verse 22 we talked about the feeding of the 5000. We talked about Jesus walking out on the water and how awesome that was. We pick it up in verse 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 it entered and that Jesus is not entered the boat with his disciples but his disciples have gone away alone.

However, other books came from Tiberius near the place where they ate bread after the Lord given thanks, and when people therefore saw that Jesus was not there nor is disciples. They also got in the boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus now. What's interesting is understand. This book is an awesome book, the Bible is accurate.

It's accurate when it comes to science Isaiah talked 3000 years ago about how the earth was a circle long before we came to that conclusion or had satellite photos.

It's also accurate. Historically, so many things have been uncovered in an archaeological finds and stuff that verify the word of God and all the things that have been found not one has it ever been able to dispute the word of God. That's an incredible testimony and also geographically this book is correct.

This is a real book with the real way to live. Verse 25 when they found him on the other side of the sea.

They said to him, Rabbi, when did you come here, rabbi, meaning teacher in verse 26 Jesus answered them and said, most assuredly, I say to you. Seek me not because you saw the signs but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. That's interesting.

If you look back at verse 24 says they were seeking Jesus. But then Jesus says you know why you come in for the right reasons. Now I am so so appreciative of God's mercy because I have to admit to you, and if you're honest, you admit to me that you know when we first came to the Lord and some of us didn't exactly come out of your motives. You know maybe you came to the Lord and in in you.

With the beginning prayer of God, help me get out of this. You know that Kenna started the ball rolling in your relationship or here's another familiar with Lord, if you get now this I'll never do this again. I promise I'll never fill in the blank. Drink this much or whatever your situation was and then that start your relationship with your that's hardly taken like a real noble pure step to begin with, but somehow God honors we come with mixed motives. We come with all sorts of issues and reasons and motivations. And the Lord receives us. That's amazing, but the Lord begins to correct those motivations. He begins to adjust those reasons we need to understand that at some point as we mature in believers as believers we need to be coming to him not because of selfish reasons or motives to discover who we are, but to discover who he is to come to him because he's God, he is worthy to be coming to. He's so worthy to be praise and think this is something that we need to be mature and from the place that we think it's all about us to the place that we realize is all about him and we should be careful or talk about spiritual things and we start the sentence with me, mine. I begin to really experience Jesus in his fullness. Life lesson. Here's Jesus at Salomé, he got he didn't say I will follow you.

Jesus never says I come to me and then I'll call you and see where you're going. No no no no no no, not at times in my life I've taught Jesus in the following because he said I never leave you. I'll never forsake you, Jesus, the places Jesus, relative want to go he followed me the man that was not the best plan for my life. The best plan for the believer is to follow Jesus not to come to see how God can fit into our lines maybe do a little self-improvement maybe make our lives a little smoother is not what Christianity is about been bantering with the term safe Christianity or what a weird term heard that term. Problem with that safe Christianity is that it's neither is not safe and is not Christianity see Jesus came that we might alter from the world's way of thinking and living and live a different life as we follow him and somehow the whole things got watered down were trying to see how God can fit into our lives and not rock the boat or make us impetus through so many changes only were we got that. He does not believe he is not going to forsake you. Put friend, your life will be a lot better if you follow him rather than trying to talk him in the following year mean for one good reason. He knows where he's going.

Sometimes we build a mineral me. So the question is not where are you taking Jesus, but where is Jesus taking you is the real question for the believer at verse 27 do not labor for the food which pierces 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 like the way the new living translation reads in this. It says, but you shouldn't be so concerned about perishable things like food, spend your energy seeking the eternal life, that the Son of Man can give you.

For God the father has sent me for that very purpose.

No less list get one thing real clear. I love food. I love a a a meal that's prepared well that's also and I'm so thankful because you got good as he could have given us some weird feeding tube spiritual thing you know where you just knew you got all the tube for 30 seconds and you fit for the week or so. I'm so glad he didn't do that because it's such a blessing to sit down with other people and the sheer good meal. That's a blessing. What the Lord speaking to us here about is the fact that there's an order of importance are priorities that we should have in our life.

We should seek the Lord's way above our own.

We should seek the Lord's will above our own. We should seek the Lord's priorities above Earl, how do you know his priorities.

Yes, for you ask Lord what are your priorities for my life. What would you have me to do, what would you have me to be. How would you have me to act that I gotta warn you when you start praying that stuff changes can happen. Good changes the Lord may give you a burden for the lost. Do you have a burden for the loss may help you with that burden for moment take your hand and place it over you either your chest or your wrist if you had a fun your heartbeat there and until your heartbeat realize something is your feeling your heartbeat.

With every beat of your heart. A lost person is Diane and going to an eternity without Jesus Christ 24 760 70 times a minute. Are we telling people I was sharing. God gave us as one of his priorities to share the good news. What an awesome thing to get to do. He never says go go around and condemn everybody to hell basis, telling the good news to share the good news. What an awesome thing to be able to do the share the good news to let people know God loves him. There's a better way to live, you have to be ensnared in bondage and in chains.

An awesome opportunity to do that.

This is the Lord's priorities and they should be our priorities. This verse is actually sort of a a quote or paraphrase from Isaiah chapter 55 verse two it says why spend your money on food that does not give you strength. Why pay for food that does you no good listen and I will tell you where to get food that is good for the soul. Now again the inner don't don't get don't think God doesn't want me to eat anymore. That's and talk to point it.

It's that there's priorities here were to get students good for the soul. What you documented, like homemade soul food now is talking about the word of God and isn't it amazing that God has to remind us to be fed spiritually. That amazes me. Nobody has to remind me to eat on a daily basis that I have to go ADG today all I can as you know, I forgot I get I don't know what I was thinking that never happens to me.

It was a matter fact several times on the day am I really am hungry again.

But what is Lee treated the spiritual food like we treated the physical food.

What airlines look like people coming to go all you know I'm real weak.

I still have any spiritual energy on this real spiritually. I'm just week and will first questions out of a metal one unit ones last time you ate all pastor you know I eat once a week. I mean whether I need it or not I eat once a week I unit will then why would you be week because you can't live only once a week and you know what spiritual you can't live on once a week eating. You need to be in the word of God. You need to have a top whether it's one minute or 15 minutes of spending that with the Lord each day in prayer and in get a devotional in an open the word of God not have heard people go well, you know where were like white cars you know we got it – and we get filled up and then we can go you know it or not cars but let me help you with this were more like monorails monorails were there in contact with that electrical system their movement as soon as they leave contact with electrical oil they don't move that's us were in contact with the Lord were movement but don't begin to think stored up I'm good for week. Praise God don't think that there's I can't do it. Don't think of this gas take analogy because I'm not sure that it I'm not sure that it works and noticed something here it says the Son of Man will give you will give you the Lord desires to give you his words. He desires for you to be in the Bible.

That's why so many men of died and suffered, that we might have the book that sit on her lap this morning.

That is a present from Jesus that is a love letter from him to you, proclaiming his love for you. His faithfulness to you. That's an awesome thing will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob were excited about God's word, going forth with Pastor David and want to pray for some people in the cities will broadcasting today in California.

We have Yucca Valley in Colorado. We have Burlington Fort Morgan Grand Junction Lamar Lyman in Montrose God, we thank you for the people listening today in these areas. We pray that they will be encouraged in your word, they would realize that you want to bless them. Lord, you have a good plan for them God.

We pray for those who are sick in the area that you would please heal them and low. We pray for the pastors and churches that they would be ignited and all the good plans you have for them and sharing your word throughout their city. In Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 28 then they said to him, what shall we do that we may work the works of God what a human question. What must we do and spend said nothing, probably accurately, that in the garden. One of the things that happened is we went from being human beings to human doings. I see a lot of people in a lot of places doing what I would consider noble things but sometimes are there being so busy doing things so they don't sit alone with God. And what happens is I think sometimes this carries on carries over into our salvation. Verse 29 Jesus answered and said to them in a gave them a long list of stuff to do. No, that's not what he said she said this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent.

That's gotta be a misprint.

This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent constant messes.

They ask what can we do, and Jesus didn't give him anything to do.

Jesus said believe believe that my rock. Some of your books. If so, good. Jesus is in the habit of rocking her books in the sea because sometimes we think that we can actually learn this thing called salvation.

We think we can actually earn our way into heaven because if we could earn our way into heaven.

If anyone in here could live that holy of a life that they could earn their way to heaven, you realize that you would change human history. See, because Jesus never would again. He never would've died. Why is he would have needed to look down and said what you know about these pulling it off he's doing great. He's lived a sinless life, always as always will. These guys got it now. Maybe until some other people that don't happen. Jesus looked down on us and our loss in her sinful condition in bondage and he said there's no other way. There's no other way.

It's not by their goodness is not bother good works. I have to go die for them, and give my life that my saying that we don't need to do work so not saying that it all at the that would be un-biblical but were talking about salvation now salvation should lead to works when you get saved you should begin to function in the kingdom of God in the body of Christ, and we should allow our faith to lead us to works. But our works will not lead us to face our faith should lead us to works.

But our works will not lead us to think there's a lot of people that really believe that they are earning their salvation in this world today. If you doubt that some your friends ask the great opener you think you don't have all at an international I think that you be shocked what you get is a lot of well I am basically good person or I go to church or have kept most the 10 Commandments. These are actual answers I've received from people or because I believe in God problem with those answers is according to the Bible.

None of those things will get you into heaven, got your attention now.

Don't you believe in God. What what you mean. James tells us that even the demons believe, and tremble. They believe in God are demons going to heaven.

No, no they're not, but they believe in God, right but they don't believe in Jesus and his atoning power and asking him and seeking him for the forgiveness of yourselves.

That's the only right answer about how to get 11 guys. There's only one way to get in.

I'm just thankful there's one way I'm knocking up barter with God or say, can you widen the door little better. You know, make another door at that. That's not me that's not up to you.

I'm just thankful there's a way Jesus didn't say I am one of the doors didn't say I am one of the truth. One of the ways he said on the way he said on the door and was glad. There's one there that Jesus said this is the work of God.

What's he talking about his torment. Everything that happens in our life is obviously talk about salvation. Ephesians chapter 2 verse eight and nine great verses to memorize for by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works, lest anyone should boast. That's our Savior, say through grace what is grace grace is the unmerited favor of God. The fact that he loves you and while you were yet sinners he died for you by grace is not by works. Now, an interesting think this concept those verses separate Christianity from every other world religion.

Every one of because all the other religions are tied to works if you do some for long enough, you might get in is not Christianity. All these other religions are based upon well you know if show me your works in God may forgive you what is Jesus that Jesus come, come to me it's a radically different from everything else. Now I believe you something should change in your life when you come to them, but you can't start to change your life and so many people think like to change my life and then I'll come the God you can't change your life. Many of us have tried to change our lives in our own power and we were fairly frustrated but still we come back to the going.

I think I can change my life and I talked to people have talked to people so you know what I want to come to church freedoms. I'm still struggling unite. I still I still drink or I still smoke dope or you know I still have luster or whatever their situation, I just, I probably shouldn't come to church all Manny you're the God of the girl that needs to be here. If you wait to get perfect before you come to church when even a go.

You never going to be perfect, and the other side of that is ever looking for the perfect church.

It doesn't exist it's a bunch of people like us who are sinners and you come to Jesus and in the coming you believing in the believe in you come to me Kimberly Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world and truly believe it not come to and you will come to him unless you really believe that he is who he said he is and there's no other way to start the relationship and it just come to him and believe that's the life lesson. Salvation is a work of God is not the work of man, salvation is a work of God.

It is not the work of man nobody in here can add any thing to salvation them individually. We have to make decisions on me be clear about that. You don't need to come up with a list of rules and regulations about what been saved is and what been saved is not. Don't add to the book, with its row plane that that's not a good thing to do in the book of Revelation and realize there's only going to be one man-made thing in heaven seem to be the scars on Jesus that will be our contribution to have so it's by grace, praise God. Verse 30 therefore they said to him what side will you perform, then, that we may see it, believe you what work will you do kindly. Can you believe this Jesus bill is a trick and will Falla is pretty sad and it some people still do that Jesus do some kind of trick isn't that a miracle will believe you exist. How sad and and these people just seem the feeding of the 5000 scan revealed how hardhearted we can be on out.

I thought the same thing and maybe you're sitting there thinking the same thing that I felt in the past. Well, you know, I could see a miracle I may know, you know, like a miracle, miracle, and I could see one on a regular basis via people rising from the dead and stuffed boy that would really build my faith what it we think it would wait a minute. One of the people groups in the Bible that saw more miracles than anybody else's. The children of Israel did it build their faith apparently not. Apparently not, because they struggled.

They murmured they complained, don't get me wrong, God still does miracles. I've gotten no doubt about that.

He does miracles is a supernatural God but don't.

He's not a cosmic magician that you can have him do a command performance at your whim. Verse 31, our fathers ate the manna in the desert. It is written, he gave them bread from heaven to eat you know what they're saying is you're saying you know what we same thing with the bread before Doucet Mills. We saw the trick with the manna and and so their hunger and physically wire the hungry and physically because they were satisfied physically while worth a satisfied physically is her next life lesson because until a person is spiritually satisfied, they will never be physically satisfied. If you think this morning that if you get enough money that you will be satisfied. One day that much money does not exist in the world.

They asked John the Rockefeller who was by today's standards multimode.

Do you billionaire with a B.

They ask him how much because he was still being aggressive in business asking how much money was enough and he said a little bit more a little bit more and interestingly enough, they somebody asked the accountant how much John the Rockefeller left when he died in the accountant very wisely said all of it.

You can drink enough to make you physically satisfied, you can't do enough drugs to make you fit physically satisfied can't have enough sex to be physically satisfied because there's a spiritual hunger that has to be dealt with in our lives and until you deal with that to be unhappy with all those other things, friend.

You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now.

Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life now done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, so congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart of David McGee.

That sounds good Pastor day and again.

It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com. If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday.

Why not join us for our lifestream at 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night at 7 PM this visit, cross the bridge.com and click on our lifestream link.

There you will experience a live service from David's home church. The bridge in North Carolina again. That website is cross the bridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the Gospel of John