Kingdom Compassion
John 6:1-15 NLT

• Jesus feeds the 5000 – fourth sign
  
• The feeding of the five thousand is one incident recorded by all four Gospel writers:
  
  • Matthew 14:13-21
    
  • Mark 6:31-44
    
  • Luke 9:10-17
    
  • John 6:1-15

Pentecost Sunday

• Shavout <Hebrew> = “Weeks”
  
• Pentecost <Greek> = fiftieth
  
• According to Scripture, the “Law,” the Ten Commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai on Shavuot
  
• The Festival of Weeks also commemorates the early wheat harvest in Israel.
  
• The spiritual birthday of Israel

God’s Great Gatherings:

• The Feasts are central to the nation of Israel and key to our understanding God’s dealings.
  
• God’s holidays – Leviticus 23:1-2
  
• Exodus 12:14,24 – A permanent ordinance – Forever!
  
• Exodus 12:19 – A condition of covenant – in or out!
• Three Hebrew words are used:
  
  • Chag = appointed by God
    
  • Miqra = convocation “called out”
    
  • Mowed = Festival – A Holy Ghost party!
    
• The Feasts were special times, appointed by God where the covenant people of God come together for a time of spiritual renewal and celebration.
  
• The feasts are central in their life, culture, & identity

The Father Heart of God

• Jesus told Philip in John 14 “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
  
• John opened his Gospel with a powerful affirmation.
  
  • In Jesus the eternal Word was made flesh, bringing a new revelation to humankind.
    
  • The grace and truth which come by Jesus supersede the Law given by Moses (1:1-14)

The 7 Signs in John’s Gospel

1. Turning water into wine (2:1-11)
   
2. Healing an official’s son (4:43-54)
   
3. Healing a paralytic (5:1-15)
   
4. Feeding the 5,000 (6:1-14)
   
5. Walking on the waters (6:16-21)
   
6. Curing a man born blind (9:1-41)
   
7. Raising Lazarus (11:1-44)

The Father Heart of God

• Our God is a self-revealing God
  
• His heart is to reveal His moral nature and His Divine attributes
  
• His revelation is both general and special
  
• His creation is to reflect this nature
  
• I Corinthians 4:1 = We are both servants and stewards of these mysteries!

He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor. I Samuel 2:8

Never take advantage of poor and destitute laborers, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living in your towns. Deuteronomy 24:14

He gives prosperity to the poor and protects those who suffer. Job 5:11

He rescues the poor from the cutting words of the strong, and rescues them from the clutches of the powerful. Job 5:15

The LORD replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do. Psalm 12:5

Help him to defend the poor, to rescue the children of the needy, and to crush their oppressors. Psalm 72:4

Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud. Psalm 138:6

He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor. I Samuel 2:8

Weary In Weakness

• We must be careful not to strengthen the layers surrounding our weakness!
  
  • Weary in Shame
    
  • Wicked in Sin
    
  • Wounded in Situations
    
  • Weakness in Self
    
• Our weakness, then, can be distinguished from our shame, our sin, and our wounds.

Deity On Trial
John 5:16-47 NLT

• Prosecution – Vss 15-18
  
• Initially charged with breaking the Sabbath
  
• Main charge was claiming equality with God
  
• Jesus is charged!

• Defendant’s response – Vss 19-27
  
• Vss 19, 24, 25 – Emphasis on the truth; “amen, amen,” “verily, verily,” “truly, truly,” “I assure you,” “I tell you the truth!” ----- “Seriously!!!”
  
• Yes, guilty on both counts!!!
  
• Jesus pleads guilty!

• Judgment – Vss 28-32
  
• Announced to all that ever lived.
  
• The judgment is eternal.
  
• The defendant is now the judge!
  
• Jesus is the Judge!

• Witnesses – Vss 33-40
  
• 1st John the Baptist
  
• 2nd Signs and wonders
  
• 3rd The Father
  
• 4th The Scripture – Moses himself!
  
• Jesus calls witnesses.

• Closing Argument – Vss 41-47
  
• Does not need their approval.
  
• They reject Him because they reject the truth and the Father.
  
• To understand that those who reject Jesus as the Son of God do so because of their deliberate denial of convincing evidence.
  
• Jesus closes the case!

Weary In Weakness

• We must be careful not to strengthen the layers surrounding our weakness!
  
  • Weary in Shame
    
  • Wicked in Sin
    
  • Wounded in Situations
    
  • Weakness in Self
    
• Our weakness, then, can be distinguished from our shame, our sin, and our wounds.

God At Work
John 5:1-17 NLT

John 5:17

• Jesus explains that the work of creation ended on the seventh day, but not the work of compassion.
  
• “My Father is always working, and so am I.”

Initial thoughts:

• Nagging realities:
  
  • Because we have a sense of justice
    
  • Because we know that there are consequences to our choices
    
  • Because we know that God is all-powerful
    
  • Because we know that God is no respecter of persons
    
  • Because there is clear precedent in the Old Testament for blessings and curses
• We struggle with this story of healing:
  
  • Why didn’t Jesus heal all the people that were there?
    
  • Why didn’t Jesus require any faith of the man?
    
  • Why would Jesus intentionally go to the gathering of the sick and only give attention to one man?
    
• Jesus’ Answer: John 9:1-7

As he was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that caused him to be born blind?”
Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. This happened so that the works of God might be revealed in him. I must work the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. John 9:1-7

The Works of God!

• John 5:17 – The Trinity at work
  
• John 5:5-9 – 38 years of suffering
  
• A comparison is sometimes made between Deuteronomy 2:14 and John 5:5
• Jesus saw him
  
• Jesus knew about him
  
• Jesus spoke to him.
  
  • It would appear as though the Lord came to the pool specially to meet this man.
    
• Here we see the predestinating foreknowledge of God.
  
• His ways are above our ways!

John 5:10

• So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, “It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” NRSV
  
• Poor human reason when it trusts in itself substitutes the strangest absurdities for the highest divine concepts. - John Chrysostom
  
• We will pursue this weakness next week.

Weary In Weakness

• We are helpless and hopeless!
  
• The fact that the man had no friends shows he was helpless
  
• The fact that he had been there for thirty-eight years suggests he was also hopeless.
  
• There was nothing he could do toward his salvation except believe!

Asclepius

• This man and the dozens of others at the pool of Bethesda could no longer distinguish their weakness and their real need!
  
• When we have lost hope and do not walk in faith, then our only hope is in the conventional wisdom of the day.

Weary In Weakness

• We must be careful not to strengthen the layers surrounding our weakness!
  
  • Weary in Shame
    
  • Wicked in Sin
    
  • Wounded in Situations
    
  • Weakness in Self
    
• Our weakness, then, can be distinguished from our shame, our sin, and our wounds.

A Taste of Heaven
Philippians 4:8-9

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9

Heaven Breaking Through

• Romans 14:17 “The Kingdom of heaven is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
  
• John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself”
  
• Jesus message = The Kingdom of Heaven
  
• Jesus method = Incarnation
  
• Jesus mission = life for life
  
• The Kingdom of heaven is here, but not yet!

Walking by Faith in the Spirit

• Change the language of your mind (previous message)
  
  • This is not just a paragraph on mental health.
    
• These qualities that should dominate our thoughts.
  
  • They will guard us from the evil—and because of evil, pain—which so easily infiltrates our minds, especially in today’s society.
    
• The word finally indicates that Paul has arrived at the climax of his teaching on spiritual stability.

Walking by Faith in the Spirit

• Dwell on these things:
  
  • Introducing an important truth: spiritual stability is a result of how a person thinks.
    
  • Proverbs 23:7 declares, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”
    
• The focus today is on emotion and pragmatism.
  
  • The importance of serious thinking about biblical truth is downplayed.
    
  • People no longer ask “Is it true?” but “Does it work?” and “How will it make me feel?”
    
  • No concern for “absolutes” but for “feelings”!