_After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee_
THE REASON FOR THIS JOURNEY
I. AS REGARDS HIMSELF.
1. To avoid the fury of Herod who had just slain the Baptist.
2. That the anger of the scribes and Pharisees (Marc 6:3) might abate.
In this He teaches us to avoid all that might needlessly... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Gather up the fragments_
SERMON FOR THE NEW YEAR
The natural thought would be--let the fragments lie; a divine
munificence can again be equal to a similar emergency; henceforth we
will be in sublime disdain of fragments--a niggardly economy.
But Christ prevents any such bad generalization from t... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Then those men when they had seen the miracle_
THE SEQUEL TO THE MIRACLE
I. THE EFFECT OF THE MIRACLE ON THE MIND OF THE MULTITUDE. They, like
all Jews of the time, were expecting the Prophet like unto Moses. The
Divine commission of Moses was authenticated by the miraculous manna;
what then coul... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_The day following_
JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE
I. OUR LORD’S AVOWAL OF HIS DIVINE NATURE AND HIS HEAVENLY ERRAND.
More than thirty times in this one discourse does He use the personal
pronouns “Me” and “I,” in such connections as that it would be
blasphemy if He were anything less than really God. Th... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_When the people saw that Jesus was not there … they took Shipping,
and came to Capurnaum_
ABUSE OF THE MIRACLE OF THE LOAVES AND FISHES
I. A COMMENDABLE PURSUIT (Jean 6:24).
1. Where they sought Him. At Capernaum. Probably His abode. He has His
house on earth still, and should be sought in His o... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Ye seek Me not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of
the loaves._
LABOUR NOT FOR THE MEAT WHICH PERISHETH.
THE CARNAL EYE ON THE WORK OF GOD
How different are things sometimes from what they seem! How pleasant
to see a multitude in quest of the Son of God; but Our pleasure
disap... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Then they said unto Him, what shall we do that we might work the
works of God_
SYNAGOGUE QUESTIONING
I. THE SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE AND UNBELIEF OF THE NATURAL MAN.
1. When our Lord bade His hearers, “Labour for the meat which
endureth unto everlasting life, they began to think of works to be
done.”... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_What sign showest Thou then that we may see and believe_
CHRIST THE CHRISTIAN’S FOOD
Hewitson writes: “I think I know more of Jesus Christ than of any
earthly friend.
” Hence one who knew Him well remarked, “One thing struck me in
Mr. Hewitson. He seemed to have no gaps, no intervals in his comm... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Lord, evermore give us this bread_
I.
THE VAIN PRAYER. Because
1. It recognizes not the Giver in the bread.
2. It recognizes not the Bread of Life in the giver.
II. THE ANSWER OF JESUS aims to disclose their spirit
1. By insisting on the figure of the bread in His person.
2. By enlarging the... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Ye also have seen Me and believe not_
THE REASON OF FAITH
1.
The grand distinction of Christianity is that it makes its appeal to
faith, and upon that rests the promise of salvation.
2. But this is the scandal of men. If we hold any truth by reason,
perception, or on evidence what need of holdi... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_All that the Father hath given Me shall come unto Me, and him that
cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out_
THE CERTAINTY AND FREENESS OF DIVINE GRACE
I. GRACE TRIUMPHANT IN SPECIALITY.
1. Christ leads us up to the original position of all things. All men
are naturally from the beginning in th... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of
Him that sent Me_
THE LOVE OF THE FATHER
The amazing love of the Father appears
I. IN HIS SPARING THIS GUILTY WORLD, though He spared not the angels
that sinned. His mercy is seen in man’s long day of grace, and in
thy day of... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_The Jews then murmured at Him because He said, I am the bread which
came down from heaven_
WEIGHTY TRUTHS
I. THAT CHRIST’S LOWLY CONDITION IS A STUMBLING-BLOCK TO THE NATURAL
MAN.
1. Had He come as a conqueror with royal favours for His followers
they would have received Him willingly; but their... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life_
EVERLASTING LIFE
I. THE BLESSING, “everlasting life.” Everlasting life was never
proposed in the schools of philosophy to the faith of man, or urged as
a principle or motive to holiness. Those who taught were not sure of
it themselves. What does it m... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_These things said He in the synagogues_
_
I._
The OCCASION of this wonderful revelation to the Church. The desire of
the Jews to have the miracle of the manna repeated. Those of larger
views may have had the supply of an army in thought.
II. The DESIGN was to quench for ever any such ambition. I... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Many therefore of His disciples, when they heard this, said, This is
a hard saying; who can hear it?_
THE DEFECTION OF THE DISCIPLES
I. OCCASIONED BY A HARD SAYING (Jean 6:60). It was unquestionably hard
(Jean 6:51; Jean 6:53; Jean 6:57).
1. Difficult to understand even for Christians (Jean 14:17... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_From that time many of His disciples went back._
Those who are mentioned in regard to
I. THE CHARACTER THEY ASSUMED. Disciples. This term was first used to
designate the Apostles; then it was applied to or assumed by many whom
our Lord had to distinguish from His “disciples indeed.” How many
ther... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Will ye also go away?_
… To whom should we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life
HUMAN DESTINY AND ITS ATTAINMENT THROUGH CHRIST
I. GOD HAS SET BEFORE US A DESTINY. “Eternal life.”
1. The idea of a future world in the abstract is probably present to
every man.
2. It is impossible for any one... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_We believe and are sure that Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
living God_
THE CHRIST OF GOD
Faith without knowledge is mere fancy.
For the want of knowledge the faith of the ancient Jews gave way in
the wilderness. So here the nominal disciples went away because they
did not know who He was f... [ Continuer la lecture ]
_Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?_
JUDAS ISCARIOT
I. WHO THEN WILL SAY THAT THE MEN WITH WHOM CHRIST BEGAN HIS NEW
KINGDOM WERE MORE THAN MEN; not bone of our bone, but a princely sort,
quite away from the common herd? On the contrary, they fairly
represented human nature i... [ Continuer la lecture ]