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Title: Foundation of Christianity
Today’s key verse is John 6:63. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” To understand these words, we must read from the beginning of John 6 (Jhn 6:1-2).
What we can take notice from these verses are, firstly many people already followed Jesus and were around Him. Secondly, they followed Jesus because they saw the sick being healed. Is it wrong to believe in Jesus and follow Him after seeing the sick get better? Nope. As long as you believe in Jesus properly, there will be no problem at all.
Afterwards, Jesus saw that many people following him were hungry, He performed miracle of five loaves and two fish and fed about 5,000 people. Since only adult men were included in the number at the time, theologians estimated that there must have been at least 20,000 people at the Sea of Tiberias at the time (Jhn 6:9-11).
The miracle of feeding 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread 2 fish is incredible. So, is it a problem to believe this and follow Jesus who has the power to feed 20,000 people? As long as you believe in Jesus properly, there will be no problem at all.
People began to follow Jesus because of His ability to heal the sick, then, they realized that Jesus had the ability to fed 20,000 people out of small amount of food. So, it is natural to think that it would be great if this person could become our king or leader. Next day came, and the people gathered again where Jesus was. However, last night Jesus and His disciples crossed the sea and went to Capernaum. So people follow them to Capernaum (Jhn 6:24-26).
Jesus said that the reason people followed Him to Capernaum was because they ate and were satisfied. The people who came to Capernaum were probably surprised. Jesus would have continued to preach and spread His Word. So people must have thought they were the believers of Jesus and they must have thought ‘I followed Jesus because I loved His Word.” Yet, if Jesus said, “You are not believing in Me but follow me because you are fed and filled.” Wouldn’t you be surprised and shocked if you were in their shoes? Then, Jesus told them what to do if they want to become a real believer. Jesus told them to work for the food that lasts for eternal life (Jhn 6:27-28).
And only then do people begin to wonder, asking questions regarding the spiritual realm rather than physical realm, such as what we must do to do God’s work (Jhn 6:41-43). So, Jesus taught that He was the bread of life that came down from heaven, and the people who followed Jesus were stumbled here (Jhn 6:58-61). Furthermore, Jesus said that people must eat Jesus, the bread of life, to live, and even Jesus’ disciples were stumbled, too.
So, were these people the people who believed in Jesus? We could say that they were following Jesus but they were not true believers yet. In this situation, the word given to explain the essence of Christianity is John 6:63. Physical things are of no use, but spiritual things give life. The words I have spoken to you are spiritual things and life. Physical things (miracles of being healed/eating and being filled) are of no help in believing in Jesus/gaining eternal life/salvation.
Only spiritual things are helpful. Jesus said, “the words I have spoken to you are the spiritual things” Therefore, believing the Word is the spiritual thing. Believing in the Word helps us believe in Jesus/obtain eternal life/obtain salvation.
We have reached today’s conclusion.
What are the basics of Christianity? It is to believe in Jesus and be saved, but how? We must receive, understand, and believe the words of Jesus. Christianity is nothing without the Word. Vice versa, even if we have nothing but as long as we have the Word of God, then we have everything. That is Christianity.
We cannot compromise on the Word of God. Our church must be a church that focuses on learning, teaching, meditating, and studying the Word. Do you all agree?
You are truly blessed because you are all here to receive, understand, and believe the Word of God. Look at the Bible, it is not easy to understand and believe the Word.
Jhn 6:63 says that many people who followed Jesus and even his disciples abandoned Him and left because the Word of Jesus was too difficult for them.
Think about how much did Jesus feel hurt? Jesus came to give the Word, but the people left Jesus saying “we love Jesus’ healing, we love Your miracle, we love this and that but the Word.” And saying that they don’t like the Word ultimately means they are not believing in Jesus (Jhn 8:47).
We know that only Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, but the people and disciples who left Jesus because of the Word of God, they were also the people who betrayed Jesus. With such a sorrowful and miserable heart, Jesus asked the 12 disciples again (Jhn 6:67-68).
Peter made a statement that was truly like refreshing sprite or cold water in the time of harvest. This is a scene where Peter acknowledged that the Word Jesus wanted to give is the Word that gives eternal life, and at the same time confessed that only Jesus has that Word, so he will not see or follow physical things anymore. Of course, Peter failed to keep his confession and denied Jesus three times later. But on that day, he was a man of faith like ice cold water that cooled the heart of Jesus (Proverbs 25:13). Let’s confess, “I am now standing in the position of the Word. And I am going with the Word of God.
In the Bible, Job is the icon of the person with great tribulation. Job lost all his possessions. He also lost his own children. His body was also sick. His wife left him too. How did Job overcome these great tribulations?
People say that he prayed a lot, had a lot of patience. It’s all true but the founding pastor explained that the secret of Job’s patience and victory was also the Word (Job 23:12-13).
Job suffered tribulation for 30 years, and during those 30 years, he never left the Word of God. He treasured the Word of God in his heart all the time.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 