Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee would
like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. I invite you to turn with me
this morning to John chapter 6. John chapter 6. Our Lord performed a wonderful
miracle by feeding 5,000 people with five barley loaves and two
small fish. What an amazing miracle, an amazing, great miracle with
such a small thing to start with. Our Lord said, despise not the
day of small things. He can do a mighty work with
a small thing. He said, if you have faith as
the grain of a mustard seed, you could move a mountain. And we know that that faith comes
from him. That's a gift of God. It's not
of ourself. We know that he's the author
and the finisher of faith. But he said, if you had faith
as the grain of a mustard seed, the smallest seed known to man. Well, right after this great
miracle of him feeding 5,000 people with these two, five loaves
of bread and these two fish. And here in John six, verse 14
says, then those men When they had seen the miracle that Jesus
did, said, this is of a truth, that prophet that should come
into the world. 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. Until the birth of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the whole earth waited for the coming of the Messiah. The whole earth, just like we're
doing right now, waiting for his return. They waited for his
coming. They talked about him. They quoted
scriptures concerning him. They looked to him. They hoped
in Him, just like we're doing right now. He said in the Old Testament,
how He would come, where He would be, just like He has said in
the New Testament, how He will return, where He'll be. He said, He's going to descend
from the clouds and bring the whole host of glory with Him.
Well, for generations and generations, people waited for the promised
one. One was promised. One is coming. Verse 14 right here in John 6
says, Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus
did, said, This is of a truth, that prophet that should come
into the world. This is Him. This is Him. Here He is, we've waited all
this time. This has got to be Him. You know, we're gonna get
to say that. We're gonna get to say that.
One of these days, the graves will open and every soul and
body is gonna come forth. And then the trumpet shall resound.
And the Lord is gonna appear in the clouds and He's gonna
come down with a whole host of glory, and we're gonna be able
to say, there He is. There He is, the one that we've
been waiting for. The one that said He would come
back, there He is. Look with me over at chapter
14, John chapter 14, verse one says, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. In my Father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that
where I am, there you may be also." He said, I promise, I
promise, I will come back. All those that the Father gave
to me, I will come and get them. All those whom I shed my blood
for, I will come back and take them to be with me where I am."
That's what he said. Turn with me over to Revelation
chapter 22, the last book of the Bible. Revelation 22, these
are His very last words that He wrote for us. The last words
written in His book. He says in Revelation 22, verse
20, He which testifieth these things saith, surely I come quickly. I come quickly. And John, under
the inspiration of God, writes, Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all. Amen. That's what he said. I'm coming back. I'm coming back. That's what he has declared.
Well, back in John 6, verse 14 says, Then those men, when they
had seen the miracles that Jesus did, said, this is of a truth,
that prophet that should come into the world. This is the one
that the scriptures talked about. This is him. In Deuteronomy chapter
18, this is what was written of the one who would come. Deuteronomy
18 verse 15 says, the Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a
prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like unto me,
unto him shall you hearken. Verse 18 says, I will raise them
up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and
will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them
all that I shall command him. Verse 21 says, and if thou say
in thine heart, how shall we know the words which the Lord
hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the
name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass,
that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken. But if the prophet
hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him.
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet. A prophet
will come and the words that come out of his mouth are going
to be the actual words of God. How will we know? Here's how we'll know. Everything
he says will come to pass. Everything he says will come
to pass. How comforting is that? Isn't that comforting? Not one
word shall fail. What did we just read? What did
he just say? I'm coming back. I'm coming back. They asked John
the Baptist, are you that prophet? John said, no, no, I'm not him,
but he is coming. He is coming. Now here's the
problem for mankind. Here's the problem that every
man needs to acknowledge. When Christ comes back, all those
whom He does not know, all those who do not know Him, He will have nothing to do with
them. What do you mean all those that
he does not know? I thought God knew everything.
God does know everything. But this is what he said. All
those who have not been put in Christ, all those who have not
entered into the rest, entered into the safety, entered into
the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ, this is what he'll say
to them. Depart from me. Ye that work
iniquity, I never knew you. I never knew you. And then the
wrath of God is gonna abide on those people. That is the painful
truth that must be acknowledged by mankind. We are all sinners,
sinners in the hands of an angry God. And outside of Jesus Christ,
we have no hope. Look to Christ, call on Christ,
beg Him for mercy. Outside of Christ, there is no
hope. Well, our text in John 6, verse
14 says, then those men, when they had seen the miracle that
Jesus did, said, this is of a truth, that prophet that should come
into the world. 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. Alone. He will not have it. He will not have it. Those men,
they saw the miracles that he did and they were impressed.
They were impressed. They knew that this has to be
of God is not this one that God said would come this prophet
that would come. Why don't we make him our king? It seemed that they had good
intentions, but our God will not have it.
You cannot make him king. So many people say, make Jesus
your Lord. You can't. You cannot make Jesus
Lord. All who think they can have no
idea who he is. No idea. And they're in great
danger. I'm telling us the truth. I'm telling us the truth. Turn
with me over to Acts chapter two. If you can make Jesus Lord, then
you're God. You know that? Only God can do
that. If a person has the ability to
make Jesus Lord, then he's God. But look at Acts chapter two,
verse 36. It says, therefore, let all the house of Israel know
assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you have
crucified both Lord and Christ. God hath made him Lord and Christ. Verse 37 says, now when they
heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto
Peter and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what
shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, repent
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and
to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as
the Lord our God shall call. You know who the promise is to?
As many as the Lord our God shall call. Those foolish men, they
saw the miracles that he did and they said, I'll tell you
what, why don't we make him our king? You can't make him king. He already is king. He already
is. Many years ago, there was a Sunday
school class with a bunch of young children in it. And the
teacher was teaching from this portion of Scripture right here
in John chapter 6. And the teacher asked all these
young children, why would the Lord not allow those men to make
Him king? And a little six-year-old boy
spoke up and said, because he already is king. And that little six-year-old
boy had it right. He already is king. You can't make him king. He was
born king. Born king. Turn with me to Matthew
chapter two. Matthew chapter two, verse one
says, now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the
days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the
East to Jerusalem. Wise men, not fools, wise men. What made them wise? Verse two
says, saying, where is he that is born King? born king of the Jews. For we have seen his star in
the east and we are come to worship him. Worship him. If you're reading along with
me in verse one, it says, the days of Herod the King with a
little K, little K King. But verse two says, where is
he that is born King of the Jews? Capital K. This is the King of
Kings. And we're going to make him King. That's the case. We have no idea
who he is. He said this is a life eternal. That they might know thee. The. Our Lord was made to be
a few things. He was made. To be a few things
in due time for his people. King is not one of them. He is,
He always has been, He always will be the King. Always. He said, you call me
master and Lord, and you say, well, for so I am. So I am. Paul wrote to Timothy
in 1 Timothy 1.17, he wrote, now unto the King eternal, eternal. immortal, invisible, the only
wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Amen. As our Lord hung on the
cross, a superscription was written over him in Greek and in Latin
and in Hebrew. And it said, this is the King
of the Jews. This is the King. And you can't
make him king because he already is the king. This is the king
of the Jews. Now I want to just go through
a few scriptures and see what the one who cannot be made king
was made to be. He was made to be some things
for his people. Thank God he was made to be some
things for his people. Turn with me over to John chapter
one. John 1, verse 1 says, In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Verse 14 says, And the Word was
made flesh. made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth." Grace and truth. Our King, the Word, the Word
Himself. The Word who was in the beginning
with God, the Word who was God, all the way from the beginning,
He was made flesh. Look at verse 31 right here in
John chapter one. It says, and I knew Him not,
but that He should be made manifest to Israel. Therefore am I come
baptizing with water. He was made manifest. Thanks be to God. He was made
manifest to Israel. Made like unto man manifest. He said, a body hast thou prepared
me. He was made that, but he was
already the king. We can't make him king. Turn
with me over to Romans chapter one. Romans chapter 1 verse 1 says,
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated
unto the gospel of God, which he had promised afore by his
prophets in the holy scriptures concerning his son, Jesus Christ,
our Lord, which was made of the seed of David, according to the
flesh. He was made to be a man. Made
to be a man. This man, Jesus, the one who
nobody respects, they like him just fine. They don't have a
problem with him, but they don't honor him. I mean, truly honor
him. They don't reverence him. They don't fear him. In their eyes, he's just a man
like you and me. Is he a man like you and me?
Oh, no. He's the king. He's the king. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter
5 with me. Here's the amazing mystery of
the gospel. Here's the good news to sinners.
This king, this high king of heaven, 2 Corinthians 5 verse
21 says, for he hath made him made him to be sin for us who
knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God
in him. It's amazing to even speak it. An amazing mystery of God, He
was made sin. That is my salvation. That's
my hope, not only that He was just made sin, it's that He was
made my sin. There's a song that says, my
sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought. My sin, not in part,
but the whole. was nailed to the cross and I
bear it no more. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Oh, my soul. Praise the Lord. He was made sin. Did he fall
from his kingdom? Adam fell. Adam fell from his
standing before God. God created Adam and Adam was
good, very good. Adam fell. In Adam, I fell. I am a fallen creature. Christ
was made sin. Did He fall from His kingdom?
Was Christ a sinner? Absolutely not. Absolutely not. God the Father
said to God the Son, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever a
scepter of righteousness. Call His name Jesus, for He shall
save His people, His subjects from their sin, their sin. It says right here in verse 21,
for He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin. He never knew any sin. That we
might be made the righteousness of God in Him. He took my sin
off of me and He laid it upon Himself. That I might be made
the righteousness of God in Him. Thanks be to God. Turn with me
over to Galatians chapter four. Galatians chapter four, verse
four says, but when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth
His Son, made of a woman, made under the law. He was made under
the law, made subject to the law, God's holy law. Did the law condemn Him? No,
because the one who was made under the law, made the law. He's the King. It was our King,
Jesus Christ, who met with Moses. He was the one who met with Moses
in that burning bush. He was the one who met with Moses
on Mount Sinai. He said, Moses wrote of me. Moses, Jesus Christ is the one
who gave Moses that law. He said, I'm not come to destroy
the law, but to fulfill it. You see, I couldn't fulfill it.
You couldn't fulfill it. No man, no mortal man on this
earth could fulfill God's holy law. So God the Son said, lo,
I come. In the volume of the book, it
is written of me. He came to fulfill the law of
God. And the law couldn't condemn
him because he fulfilled every jot and tittle. What a king we
have. What a king we have. Philippians
chapter two says, he made himself of no reputation. Isn't that
amazing? Hebrews two said, he was made
a little lower than the angels, made like unto his brethren.
Why? If he is the king, why? Well, turn with me to Hebrews
chapter five. Hebrews five verse eight says,
though he were a son, Yet learned he obedience by the things which
he suffered, and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal
salvation unto all them that obey him." Isn't that wonderful? He humbled himself and suffered
even unto death. Being made perfect, he became
the author of eternal salvation. This is our King. No matter how
low he willingly became for us, we still see him as he is, the
high King of heaven. A man named Simeon saw him in
the temple when the Lord was eight days old, humanly speaking,
eight days old. And as he held that little baby
in his arms, Simeon said, Lord, now let us thou thy servant depart
in peace. Let me die in peace according
to thy word. for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. God's people know that the Lord
Jesus Christ does not need anything from anyone. We don't make Him
anything. We do not at any time see Him
as Jesus the man. The Lord is our King. He's our King and He's our God. At that exact moment in time,
Simeon didn't see him as a helpless child. He saw his salvation. Mine eyes have seen the glory
of the coming of the Lord. Look at Hebrews 7 with me. Hebrews
chapter 7 verse 25 says, Higher than the heavens. Higher
than the heavens. You know why? It's because He's
the King. All hail the King. May God make it so that He's
our King. Save us, O King. Until next Sunday
morning, may the Lord bless His Word. You have been listening
to a message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport Sovereign
Grace Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like a copy of this
message or to hear other messages of Sovereign Grace, you can write
to our physical mailing address at 905 Yadkin Street, Kingsport,
Tennessee 37660 or log on to our website at kingsportsovereigngracechurch.com. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock a.m., worship at 10.45 a.m., and 6 o'clock
p.m. Wednesday evening at 7.30 p.m. Please tune in next Sunday morning
at 8.30 for another message of God's free and sovereign grace.