Seeking Control (John 6:15-35 Jeff Kliewer)

Provides grace till Christ is said. And you will raise the Lord raise the Lord. Imagine Jesus on his heavenly throne After he's taken on flesh and blood living among us. He died on the cross he rose again and He made that way for us to be standing Near the throne of God.

Otherwise, we would not be able to. Let's sing together. I'll hail the power of Jesus name. Oh hail the power of Jesus name. Let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem And crown him Lord the Royal diadem And crown the seed of Israel's grace.

He ransomed from the fall Him who died by his grace And redeemed every tribe. On this terrestrial majesty of God Lord we stand before your throne as wretched people Redeemed only by your blood. The only thing that we can do Lord Is give everything our entire lives.

Give it to you as a thank you. Thank you Lord for your grace in our lives. I see the beauty of a sunsets glory. Amazing artistry across the evening sky. When I feel the mystery Of a distant galaxy. It all said humbles me to be loved By a God so high.

What can I do. But thank you. What can I do but give my life to you? Hallelujah. Yeah. Hallelujah, what can I do But praise you every day make everything I do. Hallelujah Hallelujah. Hollywood store of a God who shared humanity and suffered by The cross they nailed you to Making all things new by the power of your risen.

What can I do. But thank you. What can I do but give my life? Hallelujah, what can I do but praise you every day make everything I do. Hallelujah Hallelujah, but but give my life to you. What can I do but praise you every day Every.

Missionary Update and Prayer for the Word

Our honor to have a missionary in the building this morning. Hamilton, would you give a wave in the back everybody look back in the right corner here. Yeah Hamilton grew up in Malawi and is now a missionary back to his own home country where he's established an orphanage and working with.

The kids and our church has the blessing of being a part of that ministry. So Hamilton will be sharing on December 18th about how that's going and if you guys are friends with him on Facebook anybody that has Facebook friend Hamilton.

Because the pictures of what God is doing there just will blow your mind. Just awesome. So follow that ministry and be a support and encouragement to our brother. Glad you're here Hamilton. Let's pray Father we do.

Thank you so much for for what comes now in the service that you are a God who speaks to us through your word. Your word is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. It divides the thoughts and intentions of our hearts like dividing bone from marrow.

So Lord, we pray that you would do that for this for us this morning that you would speak into our hearts that you would Show us what we're like and what we trust and that you would change us From the inside out by the power of your word.

Living and active in us today in Jesus name. We pray. Amen and steel was a beautiful young girl in the 1700s in Scotland and She grew up in a Christian family and learned to love the Lord and back then believe it or not.

They didn't have iPhones or iPads or anything like that. So people would occupy themselves with things that were probably of greater worth. So they would spend more time reading and enjoying literature and telling stories and being outdoors and and love to ride horses.

So this girl would go out for horseback rides and as a preteen one day her horse stumbled and she fell from her horse and Sadly, she was paralyzed from the waist down and would live the rest of her life as an invalid.

Much was taken from her that day, but not her joy for the joy of the Lord is our strength. She continued to hope in Christ and Continued all the more to enjoy Poetry and writing and though she couldn't run with her friends and she couldn't ride horses anymore.

She could write to her God and She began to do that all the more as she grew up. She didn't think she would ever marry. But then she had a suitor a young man was interested in her and they progressed in their relationship.

Until a wedding day was set. But on her wedding day just two hours before they were to tie the knot very sadly the groom drowned. She had a double loss first of her mobility when she was young and then Lost a husband just before they came together in marriage.

Very sad story. But she didn't live the life of a victim or one who was sad and defeated. Listen to the very words that she wrote when this man died. And I'm sure she spent a night in tears and spent time mourning.

It's it's good to mourn. But coming out of that morning. She wrote these words to God Father whatever of earthly bliss thy sovereign will denies. Accepted at thy throne of grace let this petition rise.

Give me a calm and a thankful heart from every murmur free. The blessings of thy grace impart and make me live for thee. Those are not human Words, well, they're human words, but they're they don't come from human reasoning.

They don't come from the flesh. They don't come from the fall of Adam and Eve. These are the words of the redeemed of a person who is Willing to take from the hand of the father Whatever he gives and even to say father whatever of earthly bliss thy sovereign will denies.

It's a heart submitted to God with a petition that rises from a thankful heart a calm and thankful heart from every murmur free not grumbling. Not complaining, but thankful. And saying the blessings of thy grace impart.

Make me live for thee. Last week I preached what I think is an important sermon. I mean, I think the difference between obeying what God teaches us from john chapter 6 1 To 14 and not obeying is pretty well the difference between living a life of misery and a life of happiness.

So that's pretty important, right? The difference between misery and happiness. The one who would live a happy life is the one who understands who God is sees him as Jehovah Jireh the great provider. And gives thanks to God and is appreciative of the very small things of life from the grass.

That the people sat down on to eat the meal To the provision of food day in and day out every single day every good and perfect gift. Coming from the father of lights who does not change like shifting shadows the person of a thankful heart Lives with gratitude and therefore joy.

But the miserable person Is the one who tries to control life? Who tries to control everything? Although living in a fallen world we have very little control. And there are many things that we cannot control.

So that was the lesson last week and this week. We just continue with that and the attention In the text turns from the miracle of Jesus in the feeding of the 5 ,000 by which he is shown to be Jehovah Jireh.

Jesus is God in flesh. That's how he multiplies bread to care for his people. It moves from the emphasis upon Jesus Doing the miracle to the response of the people. And the attention in the following verses is upon the crowd And even to the depths of their heart.

The motives of the crowd in following Jesus because they're going to now follow him wherever he goes. But it's not a genuine following of faith. It is A controlling spirit. So let's turn to John chapter 6 verses 15 to 35.

Just as Anne Steele thought about life completely contrary to the thinking of fallen human nature. Because fallen human nature seeks to control everything. We now turn to Jesus who actually controls the storms and can walk upon the seas.

And we'll see he controls salvation. He is fully in control. And we as followers of Christ need to learn to surrender to that control to submit to him to yield and trust and rest In the sovereign control of our God.

Who is Jesus? So from John 6 15 To 35 notice the control Of the people as they seek to take Jesus and make him king. But I want you to notice one other thing somewhere in the text. We'll get a summary of the miracle that Jesus did hint it comes in verse 23.

As we read verses 15 to 35 perceiving then That they were about to come and take him and force To by force to make him king. Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. When evening came his disciples went down to the sea Got into a boat and started across the sea of capernaum.

It was now dark. And Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rode about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat.

And they were frightened. But he said to them it is I do not be afraid. Then they were glad to take him into the boat and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. On the next day the crowd 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. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. There's your summary of the miracle it's called the giving of thanks.

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. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him rabbi When did you come here?

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. Do not work For the food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life.

Which the son of man will give to you. For on him God the father has set his seal. Then they said to him What must we do? To be doing the works of God. Jesus answered them This is the work of God. That you believe in him whom he has sent.

So they said to him then what sign do you do that? We may see and believe you. What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness as it is written. He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

Jesus then said to them truly truly I say to you it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven. But my father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

They said to him sir. Give us this bread always. Jesus said to them. I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger. And whoever believes in me Shall never thirst. This is a clash between fallen human nature.

Which desires to control Jesus? And to control life. And Jesus who is sovereign over all who is the bread of life who offers true satisfaction and living water. The struggle for control. Jesus being in perfect control is offering them something that they can only take.

By not striving by not earning. By coming to rest in him to believe in him. This is the message of the passage notice in verse 15. The struggle is introduced. In the desire of the people it says notice the language take.

Make force. Do you see that they're seeking control. They're not submitted to the king of kings and the lord of lords rather. They seek to take him. They seek to force him. They seek to make him king.

Little do they know he needs no help from them to make him a king. He has always been the king of kings and the lord of lords. He never changes. He's the same yesterday today and forever. He was there before the world was formed Fashioning it by the word of his power and he upholds all things by the word of his power.

He is king. And submission needs to be the other way around them to him not he to they. Notice what they understood in verse 14. They understood By the miracle that they themselves witnessed that he was the prophet.

He does miracles like moses did. At the end of deuteronomy chapter 34. There are no prophets like moses who did the signs and wonders in egypt except. There is coming a prophet a greater prophet one like moses.

Deuteronomy 18 15 to 20. And this prophet comes from god. And you must listen to everything he has to say. Look at verse 14 when the people saw the sign that he had done. They said This is indeed the prophet.

They get that much. He's the prophet sent from god. Furthermore in verse 15 they desire for him to be their king. They're not willing to wait on the lord, but they recognize him as king. So they get that he's a prophet.

They get that he's a king. Which. Aspect of the threefold anointing. Over messiah are they missing. Messiah means anointed one. In the old testament, there were three anointed offices. And someone just called it out.

Good job. It is the priest. Jesus is prophet priest and king. All three were anointed offices in the old testament and it turns out that jesus fulfills all of them in himself. Samuel Was a prophet. He was also a priest, but he was not a king.

David was a prophet according to peter in acts chapter 2 verse 30. I believe it is. Peter identifies david as a prophet and david is a king. But david is not a priest. The coming messiah will unite in one person Jesus christ all three offices of prophet priest and king.

They're missing something here. They're putting the cart before the horse if you will. Because they recognize he's a prophet and they want him to be king, but they are not submitting to his work as a priest.

Where is it promised That the king Will also be a priest. Where should they have gone to know this information? And what are they missing? What is priestly work. First of all priestly work is intercession.

In hebrews chapter 1 when the son is introduced. In the past god spoke through the prophets at various times, but in these last days he's spoken through his son. He's the radiance of god's glory the exact representation of his being.

Listen to what what the author of hebrew says. After providing purification for sins. He sat down at the right hand of the father in heaven the right hand of the majesty. The sitting down of the king at the right hand of the father answer is the a reference to psalm 110.

We need to go there to understand the prophet the priest and the king. So turn back to psalm 110. This verse of the bible psalm 110 verse 1 Is the most quoted old testament verse in the new testament.

The most quoted very regularly in hebrews. But likewise jesus in matthew 22 will confound the pharisees with this question. The lord says to my lord. Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.

To whom is david referring? How can the son of david? Be the lord of david. What does the psalmist mean the lord that is yahweh. Tetragrammaton the four letters y h w h Says to my lord that is adonai.

Sit at my right hand. Well, this is clearly kingly language. This speaks of the messiah as king. In fact, look at verse 2 psalm 110 verse 2 says the lord sends forth from zion your mighty scepter. That is the ruling staff as in genesis 49 10.

The scepter will not depart from judah and from judah came the king david and a son of david the king will reign. But as you read on with this kingly language in verse 3 the people offering themselves to the king.

Verse 4 of psalm 110 indicates that the coming messiah the king Is also a priest. Psalm 110 verse 4. This is kind of like jesus saying truly truly. Verily verily here. There is an oath. To indicate the importance of what's about to be said it reiterates.

The strength god does not tell a lie. Everything he says is true. But by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for god to lie. He doubles down and reiterate something that needs to be heard and remembered.

And just like the truly truly or the amen amen in psalm 110 verse 4. It says the lord has sworn. You think you better listen. And will not change his mind. It's an unchangeable thing this is the word of the lord and you better pay attention the coming king.

The lord Is a priest forever after the order of melchizedek. Now wouldn't it be fun to do a whole sermon on the priesthood of christ. We did that in the book of hebrews. As we expounded on hebrews 7. But suffice it to say here that there are three places in the bible where melchizedek appears.

The first is in genesis 14. The second is in psalm 110 at the middle of the bible. So beginning middle and then at the end of the bible hebrews. Melchizedek appears again. In the first instance in genesis 14 you have abraham returning from war.

And one named melchizedek whose name melki righteousness I mean king zedek righteousness the king of righteousness appears to abraham. And we're told he is a priest of the most high god from salem. Which later would be called the peace of jeru jeru salem.

He's from salem. So he is a king of righteousness And a prince of peace And a priest of the most high god. This melchizedek appears to abraham and abraham tithes to him. Indicating that this melchizedek is greater than abraham because the tithe is given upward.

Likewise melchizedek blesses Abraham, which again indicates the superiority of melchizedek to abraham because the blessing is given downward upward. But make note of this that when melchizedek appears to abraham he comes bringing bread and wine.

Remember the miracle of john chapter 6 the multiplying of the bread. And later in the chapter jesus will explain that he is the bread from heaven. And he is the true drink. That we are to eat his body and drink his blood for his flesh.

It's true bread. His blood is true drink. And this saying was too hard for them to accept they weren't understanding the prophetic implications of melchizedek. In psalm 110 we're told the coming messiah will be a priest according to the order of melchizedek like melchizedek.

It could be that melchizedek himself was pre-incarnate jesus appearing to abraham. Or it could be that he was a priest man Who was prefiguring? the christ. But in either case case the order of melchizedek indicates that this melchizedek Reveals something of the coming priest.

And in hebrews chapter 7 All of these things are brought together the images. I just talked about plus the fact of his indestructible life. Melchizedek comes out of nowhere in the text and after two verses he's gone in the same way.

Jesus has an indestructible life says the author of hebrews. He lives forever. As the priest he is the true promised priest. So here's where we are in john chapter 6 all that to say. In john chapter 6 verse 15.

The people are not believing in jesus Jesus. We're going to see later on that they are quote unquote seeking jesus. But they have not come to believe in him as the messiah. With a full understanding that he is not only the prophet who speaks for god.

Not only the king that will come and reign and make things right. But firstly before he reigns he must do his work as the priest of god. They would install him as king now and to their own demise they would be destroyed.

Because if he's the righteous king. And they're still in their sins. Then by the breath of his mouth, he will slay the wicked Isaiah 11. And they would fall with everybody else. They need a priest before they can have a king.

And the same is true of us church. Unless we're cleansed of our sins, we cannot stand in the kingdom. We would have no part in the kingdom. We cannot bring our sin into the kingdom. So the priest must first serve us.

To wash us and cleanse us of our sin. These crowds Liked the fact that he fed them. And so they were drawing near and they're actually following him now. But it is not true conversion because they have not come to believe in him as their priest.

And what is the sacrifice of the priest? Through all those years of the old testament. It was the blood of bulls and goats which never took away sin. But this priest will come And lay down not the life of a substitute animal.

But his own life as the lamb of god. He himself will lay down on the cross and be slain to be sacrificed. For sins he is both the priest the high priest who stands between man and god and the sacrifice.

He is the very lamb of god that takes away the sin of the world. All of this is in psalm 110. His priestly work is necessary and they seek to skip it. What is their desire? In verse 15. This is important.

It is to control People. To come and take by force and make him king. They are trying to control jesus. They have not come to submit to him. In all of his work on their behalf. They still seek to control things.

This is the problem of israel. And this is the human problem. That's only overcome by grace the kind of grace that ann steel Found in her life. Turn back with me to first samuel chapter 8 in a crucial Parallel passage to what we're seeing here.

The people demand a king. First samuel chapter 8 it was god's right To reign as king over israel. But the people did not trust his reign and the theocracy that was israel. They wanted to be like the nations.

Why? So they felt safe so they could control their lives. They they wouldn't be overrun by enemies. If we only had a king he would fight our battles for us they say. But samuel says no god is your king.

And they say no appoint a king for us give us a king and of course they get saul. And then david replaces saul. Solomon will begin to wander from righteousness. And his own son reha boem Will become a tyrant a dictator at the very beginning.

Of reha boem's reign. He'll say my pinky finger is thicker than my father's thigh. He demanded a lot of you. You think he was tough. I'll whip you with scorpions. He was a dictator. He was authoritarian.

Well, this is just what god said would happen and It was samuel's job to deliver that news. Look at first samuel chapter 8 verse 10 and following this is what happens When you demand a king. Samuel told all the words of the lord to the people who are asking for a king.

From him. He said these will be the ways of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots. To be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of 50s.

And some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters. To be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants.

He will take the tenth of your grain. And of your vineyards and give it to his officials his officers and his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys and put them to his work.

He will take the tenth of your flocks. And you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves. But the lord will not answer you. In that day, did you notice the refrain that repeated again and again in that passage?

He will take he will take he will take he will take. He'll take your sons. He'll take your daughters. He'll take your grain and your donkeys your servants. He will take from you. This king is no servant to them.

He is one who makes them slaves of him. Yet their desire is to control their own destiny and so they desire a king. Verse 19 they say no. They refuse to believe this. No. But there shall be a king over us.

So they're demanding a king. It is the nature of man In our fallen flesh to seek to control everything. But what happens When people reject the theocracy of god, that is the rule of god over all the earth.

Because all of the earth is his. What happens when people reject that? They still desire Something over them. Because they're aware that they're not in control. They can't stop the surrounding hordes from coming into israel.

They can't control their lives. They want someone to provide for them and so if God is rejected. The next highest power that's left to man is government in israel. It was a king. We are blessed to live in a country that understands the threefold ministry of christ.

Being formed on this principle. Where there is a judiciary a legislative branch and an executive branch. But not ruled by a messiah in the flesh. There is an understanding of human nature that we must balance out.

Power not putting too much power in anyone's hands lest you have a tyrant. But the problem in a democracy of that nature. Is that if likewise god is rejected? Now the people in democracy Will elect for themselves.

Rulers in all of the branches. Who will grant them what they demand? And so john adams said That this experiment that is america was made for a religious and a moral people. And apart from that this system is wholly inadequate.

And some other political commentators some think it might have been alexis de toqueville. It could also have been alexander frazier teitler Said a democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government.

It can only exist until the people discover they can vote themselves largesse out of the public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury.

With the result that democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy to be followed by dictatorship. Pierre courtier was a french huguenot. Do you know that there's still huguenots around in france?

Protestant christians that date back to the reformation this one died in 2009, but he said listen the worship of moloch. Mentioned several times in holy scripture. The worship rendered to the state as god to the welfare state.

The totalitarian state has always required complete and total control over men. That is their servitude and when it so desires their complete and total sacrifice. The reader would do well to turn again to first samuel 8 verses 10 to 18 Which announces in a rather moderate fashion what will eventually happen to the people who rejected the supreme reign? of god.

In favor of that of a man or a state. Well, if this was the fate of israel rejecting god as king. Where do we stand here in the united states of america? It appears from second thessalonians chapter 2 that there is a coming apostasy.

That as the last days arrive and we're told by paul That in the last days there will be difficult days. He's describing the end times these difficult days Will be characterized by A return to dictatorship The rise of an authoritarian state.

Because if you don't have god as the king You're left with government as the next highest authority, which will gain more and more power. Listen church that will eventually become The one world government of the beast.

As that power is ceded over to a king A pseudo king who offers to bring peace to the world and offers to unite all things In the world under his reign. Do we know that this will happen in our generation?

No, we don't Because the restrainer is still here the holy spirit until he's taken out of the way. He may continue to restrain evil and that's part of why we as the church who have the holy spirit are to be salt and light Preservatives to the culture and to fight back against this rising beast system.

But recognize that this is the course of events described in the bible for the end times. It is in accordance with the human nature to try to control things And rejecting god to grant that authority to a king to a dictator.

And so that's where we are today when our senate this week Is debating a respect for marriage act? A complete reversal Of both the words respect And marriage notice that That people are clamoring for an authority higher than self.

But rejecting god they want government to do it it must be the government to bless these marriages. Which are no marriages at all when a pandemic runs through the earth. The impulse of those who have fear and cannot control the outcome of this pandemic Is to turn to the state And ask the state to protect them.

And if it happened once with covid What would keep it from happening again? With whatever the next tragedy is or the next fearful occurrence. Without god people become statists. They turn to government to be their god.

And we'll have to move quick through john 6. Because I got really worked up there and went down a long rabbit trail. But it's an important one because what we see in john chapter 6 verse 15 Is this clamoring for a king?

But notice how it comes full circle. They don't know That the king that they're clamoring for is so much more and so much better than they want him to be. They read israel rejected god To ask for a king.

And here the king that they're looking at Is actually god. The king of kings the lord of lords. He is god in flesh. And so much more than they know. He is the prophet the priest and the king. So in verse 15 while they seek to control him The disciples are out at sea.

When evening came his disciples went down to the sea Got into a boat and started across the sea to capernaum. Now notice john's language here that Imagery of jesus has the light of the world and darkness and night.

When judas betrays jesus john will say and it was night. Here it says it was now dark. Matthew tells us it's actually the fourth watch of the night. So between 3 a .m. And 6 a .m. It's night it's dark.

Jesus had not yet come. I think john writing those words is looking for the second coming of christ and reminding the reader Hey times are dark. We're being persecuted put to death by the emperors. The christians are on the run and jesus has not yet come.

Here we are in the world that's turning darker and darker and it says here in verse 16 When evening came his disciples went down to the sea god in the boat started across the sea. It was dark. Jesus had not yet come the sea became rough.

Life was rough for and steel. And maybe life is rough for you and some disappointment in your life or something. You can't control some disease some sickness some disappointment some pain. The disciples were in a bind here a strong wind was blowing but now the second major point first point was about control the second point is about jesus.

Who is in control look at him? When they had rode about three or four miles. That's actually about halfway across the sea of galilee, which is eight miles wide. So they're right stuck in the middle of it.

They saw jesus walking on the sea And coming near the boat. And they were frightened. My brother went for a kayaking trip with this buddy tom. And when they went out it looked like a beautiful day. But when they got a couple miles out on a long kayak out into the ocean.

The gulf of mexico kind of crazy out there. My little brother's adventurous In rolled a storm. And one of these storms that florida alone. Has where lightning flashes every few seconds? They knew they couldn't make it back to shore.

So they saw a little island when they got to that island. They realized it was only mangroves and the land under the water was six inches six inches underwater. So they left their kayaks and they they swam away and they were laying in the water with lightning bolts Flashing all around them.

You imagine that they were terrified. Somehow they avoided getting killed by the power of lightning. They got back in their boats after the storm passed and They rode their way back to shore. Imagine the fear of these disciples.

They have 12 baskets of bread. Because they each picked up leftovers. 12 disciples. 12 leftover baskets reminders of the miracles that they'd seen. But now those baskets in the boat are getting wet and the bread is all soggy.

And they think they're going to die. Why? Their minds are on survival and trying to get out of this situation when all of a sudden they see jesus Walking on water they get their eyes off of their Circumstances and they look at him and matthew tells us more about how peter will get out of the boat and go for a while.

And then sink and jesus will help him up. But the point here and john Is they get their eyes on jesus and that's when they're terrified. When they see the holiness of one who can walk on water. It says and they were frightened and jesus says to them it is I do not be afraid church.