R sbc
Sunday Morning
Nov 28th. 2004
Series: Christ the Sum & Substance of The Bible
Sermon # 22
Subject: “ Following Christ For the Wrong Reasons”
Text: John 6:1-2
Into: The great crowds that followed Jesus around were not following him because of a spiritual need, but rather a physical need. By way of introducing this message I would like to begin by looking into some the places where Christ went and who followed him and what for?
Mark says:
Mark 3:8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.
Luke says:
Luke 6:17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
In our text it says great multitude followed him because they saw the miracles hid did on them that were diseased.
I... WRONG ATTRACTIONS...
It is clear in the teaching of Christ that he did intend to work miracles on people that he chose to do so, but that was not the primary reason he was doing this. These were sign’s of who he was...
1st. To see the physical blessings of Christ only is to be left in blindness..
Every miracle that Christ performed was not eternal nor did it last, people still got sick, people stilled died, people still committed sins against him, people were still unthankful they were not converted to him.
2nd. To see Christ only in the physical and be attracted to him is to remain lost.
A. You are lost and cannot save yourself.. John 15:5
B. You are lost and will not come to Christ.. John 5:40
c. You are lost and will not come to the light, why? your deeds are evil.. John 3:20-21
d. You are lost and will not come to Christ because of your pride...Prov. 16-18
e. You are lost and will not come to Christ because you love darkness: John 3:19
f. You are lost and will not believe on Christ because you hate him: John 15:18
Keep in mind this morning that those of you who defy the Lord, who hate his church, who live as thought you will never die, make light of the gospel message, just remember what the BIBLE says:
1 Corinthians 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
3rd. To see Christ only in an wrongful attraction is to ignore the many warning of the bible about your condition.
This message primarily as you can see is to the lost here today, maybe to those who think you are saved, but you are really not. The Bible gives warning after warning about your state...
I plead with you this morning listen GOD has spoken, heed it, believe it, remember that one day it will come home to you.
a. It gives the warning of life itself being short:
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
The ancient Job said, Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
Paul said “ Hebrews 9:And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement...
b. The warning of what happens when you die without Christ:
Job 18:5 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine..
It is called outer darkness..
It is called outer darkness were the worm dieth not..
It is called outer darkness were there will weeping and gnashing of teeth...
It is called the bottomless pit..
It is called the lake of fire...
It is called a place of torment...
It is called the second death..
It is called hell..
These are all warnings from the LORD and some of you walk out of here lost and undone over and over again... one day you may walk out for the last time and go out into eternity without hope of ever being rescued.
If there is truth in this part of the message then there is great reason to hope this morning that there is also a greater truth that I wish to share that is not new, but it the same old message the same Christ, the same salvation that you have heard over and over..
II.. “THE REAL REASONS TO FOLLOW CHRIST”
1ST. There is the great need spiritually to follow Christ...Jesus told Nicodemus you must be born again, which was the great need of this religious man. This leader of the Jewish people. You need to follow Christ this morning
because he is the way the truth and the life and no man can come to the Father but by him.
2nd. There is the great calling to follow him:
I can call you from this pulpit this morning but it takes more than that. He must call you. You must hear that still small voice as he tugs at your heart. Listen to the LORD ‘S wooing you.
Matt 11:28-30 “ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly at heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
3rd. There is the great blessings of heeding the calling of the LORD..
He will grant repentance and faith to believe in him:
He will give light where darkness resides:
He will give hope where there is no hope:
He will give security where there is no security:
He will give righteousness where there was none at all..
He will give grace where there was no grace..
He will give a new nature to establish a new creation in you.
He will give you a home in heaven one day to replace this old world.
He will give you a new body to replace this vile body..
He will give you eternal life where you had none before..
He will grant justification where there was none.
He will impart sanctification were there was uncleanness...
He will give assurance where there was none..
He will give more grace to face all that you will face once you are saved..
What more could you want? What a life this will be in Christ. All of us who are saved here today know of this for he is our hope and our all in all. No wonder Christ is the sum and the substance of the Bible. He also is the sum and the substance of our life. Without him were would I be?
There is a great story in II Samuel Chapter nine that I want to close with and trust that you will see the grace of God in it..