Turn with me back to John 6. John chapter 6. We have a wonderful verse of scripture to look at this morning. I feel so blessed every time I get to preach from this. Just so blessed, so honored every time I get to preach from this verse. This is coming directly from the mouth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And in one verse, he declares God's authority and God's sovereignty in choosing and redeeming and calling and receiving own to himself.

Verse 37 John 6 verse 37 he said all that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Now we're going to look this morning at the subject of coming to Christ. Coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me, or her that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. That's a declaration of authority. And that's a word of promise and a word of comfort. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me. That's a very dogmatic statement, not might, not should, shall in him or her that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. It's beautiful, isn't it?

Last Sunday we looked at the subject of faith. I told you every now and then I feel led to look at the subject of faith because it's important to understand what is being said and what is meant when we speak of faith. Well, that's how it is about coming to Christ. Every now and then I feel led to bring a message on coming to Christ because we need to understand what that means. We need to understand what that is, because if we don't understand what it is and what it means, we will not be actually coming to Christ. So many people in this world think they have come to Christ who have not come to Christ. You mind if I repeat that? This is so. People talk about, well, when I came to Christ, so many people, so many people in this world think they have come to Christ when they have not come to Christ. And if we have not come to Christ, We don't have any part in the promise and the comfort of this verse right here. We don't have any part in it. So let's see if the Lord will reveal this to us. Let's see if he'll cause us to truly come to Christ, come to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's notice this first. Verse 37 says, all that the father giveth me. Only those that the Father gave to Christ will come to Christ. No one outside of the Father's giving hand will come to Christ. And that's because verse 44 says, no man can. No man can come to me. except the father which hath sent me, draw him."

The first thing we must understand about coming to Christ is no man or woman can come to Christ. That's where it all begins. It's where the whole thing starts. If we want to really understand something about coming to Christ, no man or woman can come to Christ. That's the start. Nobody. Nobody. It is not in the ability of men and women to come to Christ.

People think it's just a decision they have to make or it's a new leaf they have to turn over or something like that. There is no decision that man could make. Man can make all kinds of decisions. Make all the decisions you want to make. There is no decision that a man could make. There is no leaf that a man could turn over. I got a lot of leaves in my yard right now. Go turn them all over if you want to.

Man by nature is dead. Man by nature is dead. It takes a God-given miracle of life to come to Christ. It takes a God-given miracle of life before a man or a woman can come to Christ. Turn over to Ephesians 2. Ephesians 2 verse 1 says, And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.

Now we are born into this world physically alive but spiritually dead. People just can't understand this because we're born physically alive. And they think, well, I'm alive. Look at me. But that's not what this is talking about. Physically alive, but spiritually dead.

Men and women, every soul on earth is born into this world lacking spiritual life. And that lack of spiritual life is what keeps men and women from being able to come to Christ. They just can't. It keeps them from even desiring to come to Christ. Men and women think they desire to come to Christ, who have never desired to come to Christ. Oh yeah, I want to come to Christ. Are you sure? Let's see what's involved in that.

Hold your place right here. We're going to flip back and forth, but hold your place in Ephesians and go to John five, John chapter five. John 5 verse 40, our Lord Jesus Christ said, and you will not come to me that you might have life. That word and is a continuation from verse 39. He said, search the scriptures for in them. You think you have eternal life, but what he's telling them right here is you're missing eternal life. I'm eternal life. not the do's and the don'ts of the law. Search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life and they are they which testify of me and you will not come to me that you might have life.

In John 6 he said you cannot come to me but in John 5 he said you will not come to me. Man does not have a free will to come to Christ. You need to exercise your free will. Man does not have a free will to come to Christ. Man is not a free moral agent. Man is dead, spiritually dead. Man is dead in the water until God does something for man. That's how salvation begins. That's how coming to Christ begins. It all began with God. God purposed in his eternal will and purpose to do something for man.

Flip back to Ephesians, this time chapter one. Ephesians one verse three says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as He hath chosen us in Him. Who did the choosing? He did. You need to make your decision. How? I'm dead.

Verse four says, according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will. That all started with God. All of that happened according to the good pleasure of his will, not man's will, but God's will. The end of verse 11 says, he works all things after the counsel of his own will. Everything goes according to his will. And it was his will to save some people by drawing them and joining them together. with Christ, and he did that before the foundation of the world. That's where he elected to do this for his people.

Again, Ephesians 1 verse 4, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of Jesus. He predestinated us to Christ. That word predestinated means to limit in advance. It's a vanishing point. And at the point is Jesus Christ. And our lives start out like this. And the longer we go, it gets like this until we finally arrive at him. Predestinated. to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good, oh, it's such a good pleasure, such a good will, the good pleasure of His will. So God the Father chose a particular people and He gave them to Christ to save. He gave them to Christ to redeem, to adopt into their family. And those specifically are the ones that the Lord Jesus Christ is talking about when he says, all that the Father giveth me. All that the Father giveth me.

Turn over to John 17. John 17 verse 1 these words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said father the hour is come glorify thy son that thy son also may glorify thee as thou has given him power over all flesh all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him He said, that's who I came to give eternal life to. Every soul that you gave to me, elected to me, predestinated to me.

Verse six, I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word. Verse nine, I pray for them. I pray not for the world. but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine. Christ did not come for every man and woman in this world. I know that seems, it sounds like such a hard statement to make, like such a, but it's just the truth. This is just God. It's just God. Christ did not die for every man and woman on this earth. We need to come to Christ on that. Right? Christ didn't even pray. He does not even pray for every man and woman on this earth.

Well, who did He come for? Who did He die for? Who did He pray for? Every soul that the Father gave to Him to come for and to die for and to pray for. Verse 11, and now, I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gavest me, I have kept, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled. Verse 24, he said, Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world.

So that's who the Lord Jesus Christ is speaking of in John 6, 37, when he said, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. Now, here's our question for the morning. Who are those people? That's our question. That's a big question. That's an important question. Who did the Father choose? Who did the Father give to Christ? Who was it?

Turn over to Matthew 11. We're gonna look at a few places here and from this, we ought to be able to tell if he chose us or not. He either chose us or didn't choose us. So Matthew 11, verse 25. At that time, Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes." Not the religiously wise. Not theological doctors. But babes. Babes. Babes who just cry, Abba, Father. Little bitty babes. That's about all they can do.

You take a brand spanking new baby. Come on, can't you feed yourself? No, he can't do that. Can't you clothe yourself? Can't you clean yourself up? I'm tired of cleaning you up. Can't you clean yourself up? Nope, can't do that. That's about all a babe can do. Why did he choose babes? Why would he do that? Why is that who he chose? Verse 26, even so father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Why did God choose who God chose? He's God. He's God.

Verse 27, all things are delivered unto me and my father, and no man knoweth the son, but the father, neither knoweth any man the father save the son, and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him. To them, he said, in verse 28, come unto me. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden. and I'll give you rest." So not just babes but labored and heavy laden babes.

Look at Matthew 18 verse 10 it says, Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost." Labored and heavy laden babes that are lost.

Turn over to Mark 2. Mark chapter 2. Verse 16 says, and when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, They said unto his disciples, how is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he said unto them, they that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Sick, sinful, Lost, labored, and heavy laden babes.

Turn over to 1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 17. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

For the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness, but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren." What's the calling? Coming to me.

You see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, what he's saying is, look around. Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen. Yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence.

The father chose nothings and nobodies. The father chose sick, foolish, weak, lowly, despised, nothing and nobody, labored and heavy laden babes. Now either we hear this and say, that's not me. Or we say, I think you just described me to a T. It's one of the two.

One word sums all of that up very well. One word, very well. Go over to Romans five. Romans five, verse six. For when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. I mean, either that's me or not. And I actually find great comfort in that because that's exactly who I am. That's exactly what I am.

Paul told Timothy, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and I'm the chief. I'm the chief. That's who the father chose. That's who the father gave to Christ, and that's who the father will draw to Christ, and therefore that's who will come to Christ.

Now, if we are one of those people. This is how we will know it. OK, this is how we will know it. We will come to Christ. If we're one of those people. we will come to Christ.

Let's take just a minute here and see if we can enter into what it truly means to come to Christ, okay? Coming to Christ does not mean coming to self. Coming to a view of self. Coming to a heart-to-heart with self. Coming to Christ is not an intervention with self. Okay, self, it's time. That's it. That's not coming to Christ. Coming to the realization that this flesh needs to change its ways.

Now, don't get me wrong. The flesh needs to change its ways. But that's not what coming to Christ is. That's not what coming to Christ is.

Philippians 3 verse 3 says, we are the circumcision, the elect. Which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. None.

Coming to Christ is not coming to better works in the flesh, better deeds, better attitudes. I need an attitude adjustment. That's what I need. A way of life that more so lines up with what the Bible teaches. I am all for men and women aspiring to that. Don't get me wrong. But that's not what coming to Christ is. And therefore, that's not what salvation is. He is salvation.

Coming to Christ is coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. You know the scripture talks about in glory. They all have Christ in their foreheads. Coming to Christ is coming to Christ where everything else gets cut away. And the only thing that's in your mind, in the front of your mind, in the focal point of your mind, is Christ. Every time a question is asked, you can only think of one answer. Christ. Every time you need forgiveness or hope or reassurance, there's only one thing you can think on or focus on. Christ.

Coming to Christ is coming to Christ. It's coming to His flesh. It's coming to His deeds, His works, His goodness. Not ours, but His.

coming to Christ, it's not coming to church. Again, don't get me wrong. Don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is, but plenty of people come to church who have not come to Christ.

Coming to Christ is not coming to religion. It's not coming to a series of doctrines. It's not coming to an understanding of anything but a person. A person. It's coming to a person to find all of our good works in him. All of our commandments in him. All of our promises in him. All of our understanding.

What do you understand about this? What do you understand about this issue? Here's what I understand about it. Christ. What do you mean? I'm not sure, but that's the only understanding I have. I'm a babe. Come to a person.

We find all our hope, all our redemption, all our salvation, all of our forgiveness, all of our mercy, all of our grace that God has for sinners like us, it's all in him. It's all in him.

I'm not gonna, I was gonna turn, but I'm out of time. So I'm just gonna tell you that Hebrews 13 says, to come to Christ is to come to his cross. Let us go forth unto him without the camp. That's where the cross was, where he was crucified. It's to come to his cross. It's to light a fire to all of our works and to come to his cross. He finished the work. Everything that needed to be done is to come to his cross. We come to the cross.

Hebrews 4 says, to come to Christ is to come to his throne of mercy. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may find mercy and grace to help in time of need. To come to Christ is to come to his glory. Whoever does the work gets the glory. To come to Christ is to come to his will. You can enter into this, you can understand how we all have a will in every matter. You know, people who say, I don't care, it doesn't matter to me, Make a decision, they'll say, no, that's not what I wanted to do. Everybody has a will in the matter. To come to Christ is to bow to his will in the matter. Thy will be done.

But what if it goes the way you don't want it to go? Thy will be done. It's going to be best. It's going to be right. It's going to work together for good. It's going to be to his glory. Thy will be done. It's to bow to Him. It's to hope in His promises. It's to take our place as sinners at the King's feet. That's what it is.

Our Lord said, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. They won't come to church or religion or doctrine or good deeds or they'll come to me. They will come to me. To come to Him is to be made willing to come to Him. I am going to stop, but I'm too excited. So many people. Are willing to come to church and willing to come to religion and willing to come to doctrine and willing to come to education, but not willing to come to him. That's that's not enough. That's too simple. That's too. That's not enough for me. Is to come to him. It's to be made willing to come to Him. It's to fall in love with Him.

It's not to just know that He exists and know that He died on a cross and know that we're going to be in this incredible place that has golden streets and pearly gates. We live in such a nice house, but I'd live in a cardboard box with her. I didn't have any money when we got married. What are y'all going to do? Where are you going to live? I don't know. I don't care. It's to fall in love with him. It's to fall in love with this man. That woman at the well cried, come see a man. This is the greatest man I've ever met in my life. This is the sweetest, kindest, most loving, most generous. I've never met no man ever spake like this man.

To come to Christ is to desire nothing more than Him. What do you want besides Christ? What do you want besides Christ? It's not heaven, it's Him. It's not crowns and rewards and inheritance, it's Him. To come to Him is to come to Him. And if you desire to come to Him, I have great news for you. If you desire to come to Him, here's His promise to you. Don't even, I don't know where we are. Don't turn back. John, I can quote it. John 6, 37 says, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Have you ever had the thought I don't know if I'm one of the elect and I want to come to him, but what if he turns me away if I'm not one of the elect? Not a possibility. Based on his word, his promise. You come to me. All that the father giveth me shall come to me. And him or her that comes to me, I will not cast you out. If you have a heart to come to that man, you're one of the elect. You're one of the elect. In John 10, he said, my sheep hear my voice, I know them, they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Amen.