Pondering the Gift of Belief
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Analyzing both the source and the increase of God's gift of faith.
Text: John 6:41-44
Date: 01/01/2017, the Traditional service.
Series: "John: Encountering Love" Part 42
Description:
As Jesus continues His great predestinarian discourse in John's sixth chapter, we will find the themes of the sovereignty of God in election and the irresistibility of grace repeated in even stronger terms. We will analyze this central doctrinal message of John's Gospel, probing the text to make sure our interpretation is true. But we will also consider the relationship between God's sovereignty and the gift of true belief. Where and how does belief originate and how can we as believers increase or strengthen our faith? We will find our answer in these verses as Jesus reveals the source, the method, the continuation and the glorious result of the gift of belief.
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, John 6:41-47.
A. Context, John 6:33,35.
B. Analyzing true belief.
1. The absence of belief, vs. 41-43.
a. The Jews grumble, vs. 41.
i. Identifying the audience, John 6:36.
ii. A predictable reaction, Num. 14:2, 11:6.
iii. The specific reason for grumbling.
b. The "knowledge" of unbelief, vs. 42.
i. The danger of "knowledge", John 8:44, 5:37-38.
ii. The heart of unbelief.
iii. The tragedy of "knowledge".
c. The admonition, vs. 43.
2. Analyzing the essence of belief, vs. 44.
a. In-between the positive and the negative, John 6:37a.
b. Clarifying the doctrine.
i. A little math.
ii. Examining the sets.
¥ The positive set.
¥ The negative set.
c. Analyzing the verse.
i. The all-inclusive exclusive set.
ii. A futile resistance, Acts 16:19.
iii. The work of the Apostler.
d. The essence of belief.
3. The method and continuation of belief, vs. 45.
a. The message of the prophets, Isa. 54:13, Jer. 31:34.
b. Learning from the Father, Eze. 11:19, John 3:3, Rom. 8:30.
c. Maintaining the context.
4. The source of illumination, vs. 46, John 1:18, Heb. 1:1-2, Matt. 5:17.
5. The glorious result of belief, vs. 47, Eph. 2:8-9.
III. Application
A. Faith and the black hole.
B. Faith, illumination and you.
IV. Conclusion