Lord, To Whom Shall We Go (Part 2)

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Title this Lord to whom shall we go, Lord to whom shall we go. Speaking to you this morning about apostasy and perseverance.
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True discipleship, false discipleship. How the
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Lord can help us through his word not to fall away, to fall into apostasy.
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So in saying that please turn with me as we continue our study in the
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Bible, the Gospel of John chapter 6. This will close out this chapter and it concludes with a very powerful warning to us from our
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Lord and also some encouraging words from the Apostle Peter.
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Chapter 6 we'll be looking at verse 59 through 71. This particular section of Scripture comes at the end of a long dialogue between Jesus and the crowd as we've been looking at that followed after the feeding of the 5 ,000 men and many more.
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Jesus also taught them repeatedly at this point that he is the bread of life that comes down from heaven.
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They had a problem with that. He has also told them that they must believe in him to have eternal life.
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He has told them that only those the father that draws will come to him and he has told them that his flesh is the true food and his blood is true drink.
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And now those who have been following him will respond and react to the claims he has been making.
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So we're saying that we begin in John chapter 6. I will begin with verse 59 to 71.
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Hear the word of the living God. Verse 59. These things he said in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum.
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Therefore many of his disciples when they heard this said this is a hard saying, difficult saying.
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Who can understand it? Then Jesus knew in himself that his disciples complained.
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They grumbled about this and said to them, does this offend you? Does this scandalize you?
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What then if you should see the son of man of sin where he has before? It is the
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Spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life.
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But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe and who would betray him.
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And he said, therefore I have said to you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to him by my
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Father. From that time many of his disciples, many, went back and walked with him no more.
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Then Jesus said to the twelve, do you also want to go away?
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But Simon Peter answered him, praise God. Lord to whom shall we go?
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You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that you are the
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Christ, the son of the living God. Jesus answered them, did
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I not choose you? The twelve and one of you is a devil.
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And he spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray him being one of the twelve.
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Please bow with me in prayer as we seek the Lord's face in this hour of worship as we hear his word.
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Our Father and our Lord, our King, we praise your most holy name.
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Lord we thank you for your greatness and your glory for you alone are worthy.
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Lord we praise you for the revelation, the marvelous revelation of your word. Thank you for these promises.
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Thank you Father for the warnings that you love us this much to warn your people.
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Thank you Father for this the gospel for it is the power of God and to salvation through your son the
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Lord Jesus Christ. And Father I think of Psalm 19 at the end of the chapter there as David said, your words
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Lord, your words are more to be desired than gold.
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Yes much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey than the honeycomb. And Father he went on to say and made this be our prayer.
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Moreover by them your servant is warned and in keeping them there is great reward.
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Who can understand his errors, cleanse me from secret faults, keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins and let them not have dominion over me
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Lord. Then I shall be blameless and shall be innocent of the great transgression.
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So Father let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight oh Lord my strength my
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Redeemer and we do pray this in the name that's above all names Jesus Christ.
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Amen. The Apostle John lists two groups, only two, and their reactions.
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The first is the false disciples reaction of unbelief. Verse 60 to 66.
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Second we see the true disciples reaction of true belief and verses 67 to 71.
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After this sermon our Lord gives that he is the bread of life only a few, a remnant of disciples remained.
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Verse 67. The Apostle John as I mentioned last
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Lord's day describes three responses that Jesus comments in which they found hard offensive difficult sayings that were scandalous.
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They were number one desertion, two devotion, and three deception.
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We see desertion, devotion, and deception. Those three words actually summed sum up the responses and yet many of Jesus's followers found his teachings so difficult to accept that they abandoned him and they that's exactly what it means to go apostate.
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They fell away, they defected, they rebelled. I looked up the word apostate, apostolize.
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The Greek word apostate it means defection, to revolt, to rebel, to fall away, a departure from the truth or the faith.
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Beloved this is not anything new and we see it everywhere but when I speak not anything new we also find this in the
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Old Testament. There's many many scriptures but I've chosen this morning Deuteronomy chapter 13.
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There are 18 verses I'd like to read very quickly as you turn with me to Deuteronomy 13.
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This entire chapter 18 verses speak of the punishment of apostates.
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The punishment of apostates. Scripture says this, if there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer or dreams and he gives you a sign or a wonder and the sign or the wonders come to pass which he spoke to you saying let us go after other gods which you have not known let us serve them you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or the dreamer of dreams for the
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Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul you shall walk after the
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Lord your God and fear him keep his commandments and obey his voice and you shall serve him and hold fast to him but that prophet or the dreamer or dreams shall be put to death because this is the way
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God views it folks because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage to entice you from the way in which the
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Lord your God commanded you to walk so you shall put away the evil from your mist you see how much
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God loves his people and how much he hates apostasy verse 6 if your brother the son of your mother your son your daughter your wife your of your bosom your friend who is as your own soul secretly entices you saying let us go and serve other gods you shall have not known neither you nor your fathers of the gods of the people which are all around you near to you or far off from you from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth you shall not consent to him or listen to him nor shall your eye pity him nor shall you spare him or conceal him strong words but God cares about his people folks verse 9 but you shall surely kill him your hand shall be first be first against him to put him to death and this is why
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God views this and afterward the hand of all the people and you shall stone him with stones until he dies because he sought to entice you away from the
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Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage so all
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Israel shall hear and fear and not again to do such a wickedness as this is among you if you hear someone in one of your cities which the
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Lord your God gives you to dwell in saying corrupt men have gone out from among you and enticed the inhabitants of the city saying let us go and serve of the gods which you have not known then you shall inquire search out and ask diligently and if it is indeed true and is certain that such an abomination was committed among you you shall surely strike the inhabitants of the city with the edge of the sword utterly destroying it all that is in it and its livestock with the edge of the sword verse 16 and you shall gather all of its plunder into the middle of the street completely burned with fire the city and of all its plunder and for the
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Lord your God and it shall be a heap forever it shall not be built again so none of the curse things shall remain in your hand that the
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Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger and show you mercy have compassion on you and multiply you just as he swore to your fathers because you have listened to the voice of the
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Lord your God to keep all of his commandments which I command you today to do what is right in the eyes of the
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Lord your God that ends that chapter the punishment of apostates but it's a warning to God's people no matter how and who it is in your midst
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God says we you are not to fall away do not forget the
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Lord your God obey his commandments fear him he is the one that has brought you out of the land of Egypt redeemed you from the house of bondage that's how much
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God loves so basically here you have God prescribes drastic measures to guard against apostasy from worshiping the one true living
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God very serious isn't it but this shows you how much God cares for his people but at the same time it's
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God's own namesake we're not to forget the Lord we're not to fall away and if anyone entices us to do so God says this you shall put away this evil in your midst and God has severe punishment for that now that's the way
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God looks at it his view has not changed even though we do not live under the old economy there would be a lot of false teachers dead right now but we know what to do we're to stay away from such and we also as God's people should know better from the warnings of Scripture not to go apostate to fall away defect from the truth
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Joel Beakey says this concerning this there are three transgressions here the prophet who speaks falsely the family member who seduces and unto idolatry and third a community that's succumbed to idolatry and there we have very very serious warnings so Deuteronomy chapter 13 here basically gives to us the punishment of apostates now as we look in John chapter 6 we see apostasy taking place
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I will pick up again and I got more to say about the false disciples and then we're going to go to the true disciples but there's a lot scripture
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I'd like to tie in to everything that is being said here so false disciples false disciples their reaction the false disciples so as you see in verse 60 to 66 the people here that are introduced here are called disciples they are called disciples when
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Jesus knew in himself his disciples that his disciples grumbled about this he said to them does this offend you does this scandalize you does and by the way keep in mind it does not apply that they were of the true followers of the
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Lord Jesus Christ rather the word disciple here refers to someone who attaches himself to a teacher as a student or a learner but it does not imply anything about the disciples being truly sincere or devoted to Jesus Christ and they follow
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Jesus for other reasons basically what you have here in this text are large crowds of people in which we have seen who followed
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Jesus that were fascinated by the sensation of miracles that he performed especially the healing of the diseases the miracles all that the
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Lord did and at least two occasions feeding them they were thrill seekers they were not truth seekers as MacArthur says they loved
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Jesus's bread they loved Jesus's miracles they loved Jesus's blessing but they even loved
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Jesus's works but they did not love his words powerful they hated his words and that's what it comes down to beloved what does this teach us it teach us never loved the blessings of Jesus more than his words we love him for who he is but we never are to take the blessings even the gifts that God so graciously gives us and to put that before the
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Lord he's to have first place pastor
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MacArthur says this their reaction is typical of false disciples listen to this as long as they receive
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Jesus to be a source of healing free food deliverance from an enemy of oppression the self -serving disciples flock to him but when he demanded that he that they asked the knowledge acknowledge
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I'm sorry that they acknowledge their spiritual bankruptcy they confess their sin commit themselves to him as the only source of salvation they became offended and left like countless like countless other false disciples throughout the history of the church they followed
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Jesus for what they thought they could get out of him on the other hand he says true disciples come to Jesus Christ poor in spirit
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Matthew 5 3 mourning over their sin 5 4 hungering and thirsting for righteousness that only he could supply
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Matthew 5 6 that only he can supply in quote so we see that our
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Lord Jesus left absolutely nothing to doubt when he identified what it means to follow him there is a cost and it will cost us everything
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Jesus puts it very crystal clear this is another sermon in a sermon but I'm not going to go there but I won't quote this to you because this is so critical and what it really means to follow
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Jesus and Jesus is very serious about this Luke 9 you could go to Luke 9 23 25 you could go to Matthew 10 34 39 and Jesus says this if anyone wishes to come after me number one he must deny himself take up his cross daily follow me that's what it means to follow
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Jesus and denying ourselves is denying ourselves it's not about self our self is to die deny it take up his cross daily what does that mean
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Oh be an obedient to the commands of Jesus Christ Jesus says this for whoever wishes to save his life will lose it whoever loses his life for my sake he will he is the one who will save it but what is it a profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses and forfeits his soul you see what really matters here
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Jesus brings eternity in view your soul what really matters and by the way aside from the command to follow me
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Jesus is saying this is saying from our Lord is repeated more times in the gospel than any other saying of Christ outside of follow me and yet we rarely rarely hear this preach nowadays what a tragedy what a tragedy how this must grieve the
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Spirit of God how this must grieve our Lord who is the head of the church
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I'm not saying we're the only church there's few faithful churches but I'm telling you brother it's few scripture says the way is straight narrow there are few and most people say these words are offensive they get offended well let them get offended you know they need to be offended and I say that love because we have offended a holy
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God God is offended but yet God is so merciful and he gets people breath he gives them space to repent he's given us space to repent
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God is so patient and that's the gospel the gospel is offensive by the way if the preaching is not offensive then it's not the power of God there's something wrong and that's the problem with the churches today there's no offense there's no power there's no offense and scandalous powerful preaching to tell the people and say look this is the way the word of the
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Lord says it we need to hear it my heart gets convicted by and that's what a lot of people they want the numbers rather than telling the truth because they know they don't lose the numbers and a lot of times pastors is in it for the money and what they could get out of it that pastor needs to be kicked out and fired it's a difference between just a quote -unquote pastor and a man of God God give us men that love the
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Lord to tell people the truth I would not be a right pastor that loves your soul if I did not tell you the truth and here we are we're faced with defection what if I skip this
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I'd be disobeying the Lord and I give an account for in the day of judgment it'd be more severe message of the cross is offensive beloved beloved and you can see this in 1st
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Corinthians chapter 1 18 through 25 you can see this in 2nd
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Corinthians chapter 2 as you go on that Paul go with me there very quickly look at 1st
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Corinthians jump to chapter 2 you see in chapter 1 that the offense of the cross the message of the cross of Jesus Christ is an offend offensive is offensive to people that do not know the
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Lord it's the power of God verse 18 and chapter 1 1st
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Corinthians for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of God for it is written
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I would destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the pewter you know prudent it humbles us it puts us where we should belong we're we're flesh with dirt anyway wisdom of God verse 20 21 for the world through wisdom did not know
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God it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe jump to 1st
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Corinthians 2 Paul says this and I brethren I when
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I came to you did not come with excellence of speech he didn't come with eloquence or of the wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God for I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified
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I was with you in weakness listen to this in fear and in much trembling how how open he was how transparent he was
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I come to you in weakness and fear and much trembling my speech and my preaching were not persuasive words of human wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power why because he said that your faith should not be in the wisdom of in but in the power of God look at how the
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God used the Apostle Paul here think of that Paul comes from comes to Corinth after being beaten and imprisoned and vilified this is the background he was run out of Thessalonica he ran ran him out of the city you see what preaching the cross does it's an offensive and it cost him something and in Berea he was scoffed at and Athens he was scoffed at so he must have been physically weak
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I picture him here and in weakness and the power of God was displayed there was no tricks there was no techniques there was no manipulation there was no theatrics just trembling and fear and weakness because he saw his mission serious he even warns against apostasy in first Timothy chapter 1 verse 18 to verse 20 listen to this he taught he speaks writes this to he writes actually two letters epistles to Timothy his son and the faith in verse 20 verse 18 he says discharged or command
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I commit to you son Timothy he's a he's like a father to Timothy and he says according to the prophecies previously made concerning you that by them you may wage a good warfare look how he's encouraged him have faith and a good conscience which have rejected some have rejected later on he says in second
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Timothy that none stood with them but the Lord even Demas forsaken him having loved this present world went apostate went shipwreck fell away from the faith and then he says here they've some have rejected concerning the faith have suffered ship wreck that's the way he pictures it it's like a ship that is wrecked from the sea and he calls them by name who are
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Hamanias and Alexander whom I deliberate to Satan that they may learn not the blasphemy he calls them by name notice
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Paul tells charges Timothy here his son and the faith to wage a good warfare this stands out to me beloved urging him to fight the good fight of faith against the enemies of Christ and by the way
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Christ has many enemies but we are to stand firm in the power of the Lord and stand firm in the faith having faith in a good conscience that's what he said having faith in a good conscience do you have faith in a good conscience beloved this is the rudder for your soul
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MacArthur says good conscience serves as a rudder that steers the believer through the rocks and reefs of sin and error and this is what the false teachers ignored by the way was a good conscience and truth tragically results and shipwreck
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Paul warns more about this and those that are disqualified it means they cast away shipwrecked we have seen this in our day it's been around for a long time defection is not anything new
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God help us not to go shipwrecked now I want to encourage you in this message that even though we are facing spiritual struggles and catastrophes there are encouragements and the
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Lord here for the true disciples but first of all we must see from the scriptures what happens when someone goes apostate and we need to look at the scriptures of the warnings that are given to us so I've chosen a few here there are many many folks if you start studying this you find this all through the
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Bible all through the Old Testament all through the New Testament chosen
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Hebrews chapter 2 look at verse 1 to 4 I'm going to go through this quickly the writer of Hebrews and I notice
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I want you to notice one thing how he says we he doesn't say me he says we therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard the things we have heard least we drift away for if the word spoken through angels proves steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the
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Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders were various miracles and gifts of the
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Holy Spirit according to his own will what a warning how shall we neglect so great a salvation and if you go on and look in Hebrews look at chapter 3 just going to go through these very quickly look at them chapter 3 exhorts to be faithful verse 7 therefore as the
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Holy Spirit says today if you will hear his voice he's quoting Psalm 95 by the way the end part of it do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion the day of trial in the wilderness where your father's were tested me where your father's tested me tried me and saw my works for 40 years therefore
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I was angry with that generation and said they always go astray in their heart
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God knows their hearts they have not known my ways so I swore by wrath they shall not enter my rest notice verse 12 beware brethren he's speaking to the church beware brethren least there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief and departing from the
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Living God he's speaking to believers but it's sort one another daily while it's called today least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin so we need all the means of grace we can get because of our hearts was so prone to wonder and stray from God verse 14 for we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end while it is said today notice he doesn't say yesterday tomorrow today today if you will hear his voice do not harden your hearts in the rebellion and he goes on to say this he gives an example of failure of the wilderness wonderings for who haven't heard rebelled say that means apostate indeed was it not all who came out of Egypt led by Moses now with whom he was angry 40 years was it not with those who sinned whose courts fell in the wilderness to whom did he swear that they would not enter his wrist but to those who did not obey you see that's what true belief always leads us is true obedience when we disobey the
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Lord we are pulling away we're falling away we're going astray that's why we need to always be obedient to every command of the
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Lord folks our hearts have a tendency to to not obey the
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Lord but we should because we should love him first 19 so we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief look at Hebrews chapter 6 look at verse 4 for it is impossible for those who are once enlightened have tasted the heavenly gift and have become partakers of the
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Holy Spirit listen to this have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come if they fall away that's that's defection that's going apostate to renew them again to repentance since they crucify again themselves the
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Son of God and put him to open shame for the earth which drinks in the rain and that often comes upon it and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated receive blessing from God it doesn't mean you without hope listen this but if it bears thorns and briars it is rejected and near to being cursed whose end is to be burned you see what he's saying he's given an illustration in nature that that's how it works and God's law but there's a better estimate there's an exhortation after this warning there's a promise it doesn't mean we're without hope but there's a warning of hardness of heart in other words we could be enlightened and that's what he's talking about we see many false teachers in this position it's like they've gone they've crossed the line and folks we don't know when people cross the line but I'm telling you you see a lot of false teachers today that has crossed this line they've tasted the good word of God the powers of age to come they fall away to renew them again to repentance since they've crucified again for themselves the
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Son of God he put them to open shame now verse 9 but beloved we are confident of better things listen this gives us hope concerning yes
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Tom at the true disciples here things that accompany salvation though we speak in this manner for God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward his name in that you have ministered to the
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Saints and do minister and we desire that each of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until when the end that's perseverance of the
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Saints verse 12 the admonition continues that you do not become sluggish but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises jump to chapter 10 there's more warnings there's a lot here hold fast your confession verse 19 therefore brethren having boldness to enter the holiness by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he concentrated for us through the veil that is his flesh and having a high priest over the house of God let us it is corporate see this the body of Christ let us draw near with the true heart of full assurance of faith he uses that word full assurance once again having our hearts sprinkled with it with an evil conscience our bodies washed with pure water water let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering don't waver for he who promised is faithful let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works verse 25 and we're doing this today praise
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God by his grace not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as in the manner of some but exhorting one another as so much the more you should see the day approaching there is a judgment day coming and then he continues how do we do this for if we live if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there's no longer remains a sacrifice for sins now he's saying but a fearful certain fearful expectation of judgment a fiery indignation which will be devout will devour the adversary how serious this is anyone who has rejected
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Moses's law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses and listen what he says here in other words if you it's bad enough to sin against law but it's worse to sin against grace that's what he's saying that Jesus spilled his blood how much more worse punishment do you suppose will he be thought worthy who has who has trampled the
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Son of God underfoot folks this makes me tremble trampled underfoot the
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Son of God counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing apathetic and insulted the spirit of grace listen what he says you talk about loving warnings listen to this for we know him who said vengeance is mine
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I will repay says the Lord again the Lord will judge his people it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
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God verse 32 but I but recall the former days now he gives some he gives some admonition and encouragement here after the warning recall the former days in which after you were illuminated you endured a great struggle with sufferings partly while you were made a spectacle both of the reproaches and tribulations and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated notice what he says for you had compassion on me in my chains we don't know which
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Apostle wrote this but whatever the case they had compassion on him in chains joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods knowing that you have have a better and enduring possession for yourselves in heaven in other words
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Jesus is worth it have you anchor steadfast notice what he says therefore do not cast away your confidence which has a great reward for you have need of endurance listen what he says you have need of endurance patience so that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise for yet a little while it's just a little while life is short folks and he who is coming will not
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I'm sorry will come and will not tarry and then he says right here how do we do this verse 38 now the just shall live by faith but notice the warning but if anyone draws back says
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God speaking my soul has no pleasure in him but first 39 we are not those who draw back to perdition if you are the true disciple and true church of the living
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God you've been regenerating and you repented of your sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ we are not the ones that draw back but of those who believe to the saving of the soul folks that's just a few warnings there's many more serious serious warnings
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Paul gives them the writer of Hebrew gives them Peter gives them 2nd
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Peter chapter 2 verse 20 and 22 for if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the
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Lord Savior Jesus Christ they are again entangled in them and overcome the latter end is worse for them than the beginning listen to this for if it would have been better for them not have known the way of righteousness righteousness then having known it to turn from the
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Holy Commandment delivered to them but it has happened to them according to the true proverb by the way this this proverb he quotes
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Peter quotes here speaks of their nature he uses animals have you ever seen a dog return to its vomit that's the nature of a dog and what he's saying that's the way the false disciples and false teachers were they return back in other words just for a time they came out they reformed but they went back right into them in them in this in the putrid a dog returns to his own vomit one illustration a dog another one is a sow a pig the nature of a pig having washed her you wash her up wallowing they go right back wallowing wallowing in the mire they love the mire they love slop dogs will eat their own vomit he uses this as an illustration basically saying that's the way they never been transformed so that's what he's saying a
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Peter saying oh these disciples these these they say they're true disciples but they're false disciples and their works show it their fruit show it they're deceived and deceiving they promise liberty verse 19 they themselves are in slaves of corruption and depravity in which people are trying to escape and they're trying to help others get out but they're still enslaved themselves verse 20 tells us they escaped the pollutions the putrid the poison vapors of sin so what happened there's no regeneration there was reformation they just externally came out from that for showmanship for themselves
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God calls for a transformation doesn't he folks and it comes by regeneration they were religious but everything were was on their terms and not
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God's terms they did not come to true repentance they did not truly believe in who
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Jesus really is and obeyed his his words folks they had a form of godliness but denied the power thereof let us beware that these are powerful warnings and as I'm speaking this to you it literally grabs my heart and searches my own heart these folks these false disciples heard the true gospel how many people you know that hers here's the true gospel even moved toward it but yet they rejected
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Jesus Christ and the gospel for they did not have a desire to obey the truth they went apostate and we see this in John 6 verse 66 from that time many of his disciples went back they went away walk with him no more that means a abandoned
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Christ it was decisive and it was final these people went to hell folks and yet they follow
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Jesus they heard Jesus they saw his miracles and they decisively went away it's like first John 2 19 we looked at it last week they went out from us they but they did not they were not of us for if they had been they is speaking of the false disciples if they have been of us they would have continued underscore that they would a continued with us but they went out that they might not that I'm sorry that they may be made manifest that none of them were of us speaking of false disciples where they go away from just a church building no they went away from the truth the truth it comes down to the truth folks it comes down to the
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Word of God this is what we're about this is what we believe these 66 books of incense inspired pages from Genesis to Revelation false disciples now in saying that how can we as believers avoid such well let's very quickly look at the true disciples in verse 67 to 69 then
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Jesus said to the 12 he turns to the 12 after many of them defected do you also want to go away this is interesting because the first occurrence in John's gospel the term the 12 first appears here is first mentioned here it designates the apostles in the synoptic
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Gospels verse 67 says then Jesus said to the 12 do you also want to go away our
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Lord use the defection now listen to this he uses the defection of the false disciples to contrast the faith of the 12 he turns to the 12 and now we come to verse 68 and 69 and this will be the application of today's message it's encouraging and all those warnings as convicting as I just read
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I want to leave you with an exhortation of encouragement if you're a true believer in Jesus Christ the
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Apostle Peter by the Spirit of God is the spokesman of the 12 is has an encouraging word here and we consider how we as believers should respond to our own personal struggles from defecting from the faith that we should note three very important things
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I'd like to bring out here in this interaction the first one is we should note
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Jesus's question look at his question second we should note
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Peter's understanding of opt of his options as only two and then third and final we should note
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Peter's answer let's look at the first we should note that and pay very close attention to Jesus's question and this is what
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I mean by this Jesus does not ask the 12 do you understand me no he doesn't say that or does he ask and say well it's a hard saying for them and talking about the false disciples that fell away and but it's easier for you right no nor does
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Jesus say to the 12 this makes perfect sense to you right no Jesus didn't need that because he is the truth he is the way he is the life no one comes to the father but by him
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Jesus doesn't ask if they understand or if it's easier for them to accept in here no no no a million times no
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Jesus's question is pointed and by the way notice Jesus's question is pointed and aims right to the heart after he's after all he is the searcher of the reins of the heart right the motives of our heart he searches us out he says and asks do you also want to go away as simple but do you also want to go away now that's a question that's a question of great love that's a question of somebody that really loves me
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I can't imagine Jesus looking into my eyes I do you want to go away I want you to think about this folks if you ever tempted to fall away from the
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Lord you remember the love that he has for you and him looking into your face and said do you also want to go away after all he's done for you challenging but convicting you've heard these hard sayings even so will you continue to follow me will you continue to follow me to the very end no matter how difficult it gets in other words what he's saying is in that question is this it's about trust it's not about understanding it's about trust and it's about trusting his words and this is what we're going to get to what more can he say what more can he do he has said it he is loved us and he's given us his word and he's backed it up he's backed it up by dying on a cross and shedding his blood that's the first thing the second thing we need to note is how
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Peter understands his options that first part of the response is critical and following Jesus to the end now he says and Peter says
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Lord that's critical Lord to whom shall we go have you ever thought that where we're going to go you could go back to the world there is only two options and when you go back to the world and love the world like Demas did you defecting from the faith and you heading right to hell at this moment
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Peter recognizes that we all have to go and trust someone who are we trusting scripture says trust in the
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Lord with all your heart not to lean on and lean to your own understanding acknowledge him in all your ways not some but all of them you know what else
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Peter is recognizing there's no neutral ground there's no neutral ground there's a straight line of demarcation you ever notice when
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Jesus speaks there is a straight line there is a line basically says on this side you love me or on this side you love me not on this side you're saved on this side you're lost on your way to hell on this side you obey me on this side you disobeyed there's no neutral ground there's a line of demarcation back it up with more scripture this one
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Jesus says in Matthew 1230 there's many more he says hey he that is not with me is against me and he who does not gather with me scatters abroad did you see that no neutral ground what about Old Testament Jeremiah 724
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Jeremiah says this yet they did not obey or incline their ear but followed the counsels and dictates of their own evil hearts and went backward and not forward how convicting is that this is why
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Joshua says in chapter 1 be strong and be of good courage for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance to land which
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I swore to their fathers to give them only be strong notice how many times God says be strong and very courageous that you may observe to do according to all of the law which
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Moses my servant commanded you do not turn from it don't turn from it don't turn to the right hand or to the left that you may prosper wherever you go and then he says this here's the key that this book of the law shall not depart notice that not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate in it day and night it's how important it is to meditate the
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Word of God day and night you shall meditate day and night that you may observe that means to obey to do to do according to all that is written in it then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success and that does not mean necessarily driving around with big
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Cadillacs and BMWs and having big mansions that means spiritual prosperity folks then he says again have
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I not commanded you be strong and of good courage do not be afraid nor be dismayed for the
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Lord your God is with you wherever you go there's the key right there God is with us if you have that promise of knowing that God is with us hell or high water take my life
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God would utter usher us right into glory we can even face death and joy with joy any glorious this flesh is going to die anyway don't worry about the way you're gonna die gotta take care of that and he'll give you the grace to it did it's a
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Spurgeon said this there's living grace and there's dying grace he said at the moment when you live focus on living grace but when the time comes for you to die then you can fall on dying grace and God's grace is sufficient praise his name first Samuel 1522 we've heard it so many times so Samuel said has the
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Lord as great delight and burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the
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Lord he's speaking to King Saul after he only partially obeyed did not fully obey strip stripped him from the kingdom behold to obey is better it's better than sacrifice and to heed than the fat of rams
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God desires heart obedience folks over ritual sacrifice and animals what does that mean that means living an obedient life to the words of Jesus and his commands is more important that is what pleases
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God and is by faith Hebrews 11 6 but without faith it is impossible to please him for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him do you seek him when you up against a hard situation do you seek
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God so a believer comes to God in faith he lives by faith he walks by faith it's faith it's trust in the words of Jesus Christ and that's what
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Jesus is saying here and Peter says Lord to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life folks it comes down the words doesn't it the words of God you see that Peter was often he he's reminiscent basically of what he said in sister
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I feel pie when Jesus says who do you say that I am and Peter is the one that spoke up for the 12th he said thou art the
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Christ the Son of the Living God now he got his person work at that time but he he didn't understand the works of Christ because he was rebuked for it but he understood that well
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Lord to whom shall we go it says Peter is echoing the psalmist in 73 25 and 26 you're going to love this the psalmist says this whom have
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I in heaven but you and there is none upon earth that I should desire beside you do you desire
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God more than everything in this life do you desire God and then once we get to heaven even the glory and the majesty of all of heaven will fade in comparison to the glory of God and the face of Jesus you take away
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Jesus there is no heaven whom have I in heaven but you do you see what the psalmist is saying he's saying
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God you're my joy my delight you're my everything and there is none upon earth that I desire beside you is
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God your greatest desire and your reward here on this earth or is it other things that you put before God is it your lust is it yourself is it money is it all this stuff that's going to burn verse 26 listen this how honest is this psalmist don't you love the honesty he says my flesh and my heart fell did you get that how many times has your flesh failed every time my little arm of flesh fails every time that's why
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Jesus said it is the Spirit who gives life the flesh profits nothing the words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life my flesh and my heart fail he didn't say oh sometimes he says oh no right directly my flesh and my heart fail but God listen to this but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever hallelujah what a
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Savior well third and final this is the main point we were stretching toward Lord to whom shall we go
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Peter says you have the words of eternal life and we have believed you see where that leads see the order here the words of eternal life
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Christ has he's trusting in his words we have believed secondly we believed your words we trust your words and have come to know that's how you come to know by believing that you are the
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Holy One of God you are who you said you are you are the Messiah nobody else it always comes down to believing the words of Jesus his words his words obeying his words where the crowd was only willing to accept
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Jesus as a kind of bread king to supply their material needs it fell away and served him and followed him for the wrong reasons but Peter says you have the words of eternal life if you ever tended to fall away from the faith and in fact you remember that folks number one he says we have believed number two we have come to know that you are the
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Holy One of God this is the reminisce again of the confession in Matthew 16 16 and then
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Jesus says Jesus did not congratulate him on what he said he knew he spoke truth and Jesus said this and he said and yet Jesus answered did
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I not choose you Christ chose you the twelve and then he says one of you is a devil there's deception the slanderer diabolos a false accuser one of you are is a false accuser one of your faults you are a slanderer let me close with this truth
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Peter's affirmation in verse 68 69 expressed two key marks a true discipleship of true disciples of Jesus the first is faith faith
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James speaks of dead faith and living faith but we're talking about true faith living faith active faith obedient faith what it means to believe as Paul says
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I know whom I have believed in and I'm persuaded that he's able to keep that which
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I've committed unto him against that day Paul says I know whom I have believed in folks do you truly believe that Jesus Christ is the
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Son of the Living God have you believed who Jesus is if so you will truly obey him trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus in the trust and obey to truly believe if you believe then that is a true mark of a spiritual birth new birth regeneration of faithfulness
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Romans 10 9 and 10 but what does this say notice this the
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Word there it is the Word of God the Word is near you in your mouth in your heart that's how near it is that is the word of faith which we preach that is if you confess with your mouth the
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Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead you will be saved verse 10 for with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confessions made unto salvation for the scripture says whoever believes on him will not be put to shame for there's no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same
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Lord over all is rich to all who call upon him and by the way that calling on him is repentance turning away from the sin folks you have to make a choice here us
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Calvinist we you know it has a tendency to throw out choice but it doesn't mean throwing out choice we make a choice every day you made a choice here today to come to come and worship you got you made a choice to get up this morning to open the
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Bible if you made a choice to have breakfast we make choices every day do you choose
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Jesus and everything that you do whoever shall call on the name of the
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Lord shall be delivered shall be saved repentance have you chosen to repent remember what
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J .C. Rowell says there's no repentance in the grave while it is today do not harden your hearts repent and believe the gospel
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Lord to whom shall we go there's another mark it's character how about your character who you are the perfect tense of Trent the verb translate as we have believed and have come to know conveys the idea of an act that is completed in the past but it's ongoing results you see this this is perseverance of the
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Saints and that's a choice now God keeps us God has the power to keep us but at the same time
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God the scripture says you continue you abide you continue to go in the direction towards the
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Lord every day of your life in other words the initial faith of true disciples results in a continued commitment and the loyalty to Jesus Christ let me close with something
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MacArthur says one more time he says this quote unlike the false disciples who had made a final decision to abandon
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Jesus the twelve except for Judas had made a permanent pledge to follow him in this way
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John contrasted the stark difference between those who are fickle and those who are faithful amen
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I like that are you fickle like the false disciples that fell away or are you faithful to the end folks there's no there's no neutral ground here it's it's
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Christ or hell it's it's Christ or the wrath of God you see this remember the scriptures and Hebrews desertion desertion are you devoted are you deceived which of this which of these describes you today may we be faithful to the end as Psalm 119 76 for the
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Keith alluded to this this morning I have gone astray like a lost sheep that's not the end of the story there he says is seek your servant for I do not forget your commandments you see that's the remedy of not falling away and fall into apostasy my heart has a tendency to fall astray to go astray just like the the great old hymn says
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Oh to grace a greater debtor daily I'm constrained to be let that goodness like a fetter bind my wondering heart to be prone to wonder
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Lord I feel it you can hear him praying look prone to a wonder Lord I feel it prone to lead the
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God I love here's my heart Lord take and seal it seal it for that courts above let's pray our
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Father we thank you for your great grace and Lord we thank you for great fear and Lord we thank you for your great power
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Lord help us today to be faithful to the very end help us
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Lord by your grace to continue in the direction toward the cross towards you towards seeing you because we know
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Lord this life is so short you we are made for you to love you our our hearts as Augustine says are restless until we find everything in you help us to be devoted to the very end of our race until we see
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Jesus face to face Lord we need your help you've given us your Holy Spirit Lord your love constrains us to continue your goodness leads us to repentance how patient you are with us and help us
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Lord to continue going into that wonderful straight narrow way by your grace because Lord we cannot do it ourself but you have not left us as orphans you have given us your blessed
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Holy Spirit to help us along the way help us I pray Oh God help us as we follow the
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Lord Jesus Christ and help us to continue faithful to the very end to the very end loving him loving one another loving and denying ourselves taking up the cross daily following you