I TELL YOU THE TRUTH
JOHN 6:26, 32, 47, 53
Introduction:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you,” means “I tell you the truth” in modern English. In this 6th chapter of John the Lord make this statement four times. The Lord gets plain spoken with these so-called disciples. They were following Jesus, but not necessarily by faith. They were along for the material benefits that they received from being with Him at the right time.
Let’s examine these four statements for their truth.
I. VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU…
John 6:26, “Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.”
A. Ye seek me not because you saw the miracles, John 6:15, “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.”
1. They were interested only in themselves, Philippians 2:21, “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.”
2. Israel was looking for a King to save them, not from sin, but rather, from the Romans, Luke 19:38, “Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.”
B. But because you ate the bread, Romans 16:18, “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
II. VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU…
John 6:32, “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.”
A. Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, Exodus 16:4, 8, “Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. 8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.”
1. Moses had supplied them with leadership under the Lord, but not bread.
2. The LORD had given them bread from heaven, Psalm 78:22-24, “Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation: 23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.”
B. My Father gave you the TRUE Bread from heaven, John 6:33, “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.”
1. Jesus is the True Bread from heaven, John 6:35, “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”
2. The Jews were murmuring because they recognized Jesus, John 6:41-42, “The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?”
a. Jesus was in His home country, Matthew 13:57, “And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.”
b. Even the Lord’s brethren did not believe in Him at that time, John 7:5, “For neither did his brethren believe in him.”
III. VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU…
John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
A. He that believes on Me, John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
1. John the Baptist came before Him that men might believe in Jesus, John 1:6-7, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.”
2. The entire book of John was written for this purpose, John 20:30-31, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
B. Believing that you might have everlasting life, John 3:15, “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
1. The end of your faith, 1 Peter 1:9-10, “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:”
2. It is the will of God, John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
IV. VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU…
John 6:53, “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.”
A. Unless you identify with Jesus, Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
B. You will not have eternal life, Romans 10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
CONCLUSION:
Jesus told us the truth. There is no salvation in any other. Luke wrote in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Everything that is written in the Bible is written in order to save us from hell and give us a better life here on earth.