Sovereign Grace Chapel, located
at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to
listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ, our Lord. And I want to begin reading in
verse 26. Jesus answered them and said,
verily, verily, I say unto you, ye seek me not because you saw
the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves and were
filled. Labor not for the meat which
perisheth. but for that meat which endureth
unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto
you. For him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, what
shall we do that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered
and said unto them, this is the work of God. that ye believe
on him whom he hath sent. I'm gonna stop right there. That's
my title, The Work of God, for this morning. But let me read you something,
this is by J.C. Ryle. I read this, I really like this.
The early Christians made it a part of their religion to look
for his return. Backward, they looked to the
cross and the atonement for sin and rejoiced in Christ crucified. Upward, they looked to Christ
at the right hand of God and rejoiced in Christ's interceding. Forward, they looked to the promised
return of their master and rejoiced in the thought that they would
see him again. And we ought to do the same. I like that. That's true, we
ought to do the same. We can look backwards now and
see Christ, we can look upwards and see Christ, and we can look
forward to actually seeing Christ when he comes again. Anyhow, Jesus answered these
fellows in verse 26, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye seek
me not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the
loaves and were filled. Labor not. Labor not. I could preach on that right
there. Just labor not. For the meat which perisheth,
but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which
the Son of Man shall give you, For him hath God the Father sealed. I like that too. Now, people
are continually saying to seek Christ. That's a good thing. I mean,
which in and of itself is not a bad thing. But let me be clear,
seeking Christ is good, coming to Christ is good. However, in
this case right here, Jesus Christ himself said that's not quite
enough. Which is a very strange thing
to a lot of people. These people came seeking Christ.
Well, here's the thing. Sometimes, all the time, why
you are seeking Christ is important. why you are seeking Christ. The
why of seeking Christ is as important as the seeking of Christ. Now
these did seek Jesus, which is good, and they sought Jesus Christ
for the wrong reason. And that's what he told them.
That's what he told them. They sought Jesus because their
bellies were filled. That's what he told them. And
you understand, Jesus Christ wasn't lying. He wasn't exaggerating. He spoke the exact perfect truth
to these gentlemen. And he told them, labor not for
the meat that perisheth. Labor not for the meat that perisheth. They ate of the loaves and were
filled. Now the operative word there
is were filled. They were filled. Guess what? the meat that perishes, you're
hungry again. You're hungry again. Now they're
hungry again. Matter of fact, Paul wrote to
us in Philippians, you don't have to turn there, about these
type of followers. Brethren, be followers together
of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. For many walk, of whom I have
told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are
the enemies of the cross of Christ. He's talking about men who walk.
He's talking about followers. What's he say? Whose end is destruction. Ah, here it is. Whose God is
their belly. Oh my. and whose glory is in
their shame, who mind earthly things. That's who was following Christ
here. That's who was seeking Christ here. Their mind were
on earthly things. Christ told them, your bellies
were filled. That's why you're here. You want
your belly filled again. And Paul told us, watch out for
them. Watch out for them. What'd he
say? Here it is. They walk, but not
well. And that's the truth of it. They
follow for their belly's sake. They mine, they pay heed, they
have their attention on earthly things. Earthly things. They
have a fixation on earthly things. And Paul says, beware. And Christ
told these people here, You follow me, not because of the miracles,
but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled. That's not what the gospel is
about. That's not what the gospel is
about. Oh. And he told them, labor not for
the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth unto
everlasting life. Which? The Son of God shall give
what unto you? For him hath God the Father sealed. Pay very close attention to this.
A, there is everlasting life. And B, it's the Son of Man that
gives everlasting life. Jesus Christ has power over all
flesh. Why? What for? He says it. What? He has power
over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many
as the Father has given him. It's John 17, very first part
of it. He has power over all, and I'll
tell you, I'll put it this way. He has all power over all flesh. Walter been reading it in Romans
nine. He makes out of the same lump of clay, that potter makes
one vessel unto honor and one vessel unto dishonor. And that's
what he said, and that's what he meant. He has power over all
flesh to give eternal life. And that's what he just told
these people. John 10 and verse 26 says this, but ye believe
not because ye are not of my sheep. And y'all can do anything with
that you want to. That's what the Bible says, that's what Christ
said, and that's exactly what he meant. You believe not because
you're not my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep
hear my voice, and I know them. Oh, and they follow me. They
follow me. And I give unto them what? Eternal life. I give unto them
eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any
man pluck them out of my hand. I give my sheep eternal life,
everlasting life. And my sheep will never perish.
Oh, I like that. The children of God, the sons
and daughters of God, shall never perish. Why? Because he gives. The Son of Man can give everlasting
life. Mm. Oh my. And Him, the Son of Man, the
Father, hath sealed. Set it down that He is the One,
the Christ, the Anointed, the Messiah, Emmanuel. God with us. God with us. God manifests in the flesh. So, Then these gentlemen, these people
who had followed over because their bellies had been filled,
answered Christ. Christ said, labor not for the
meat which perisheth. Then they said, then said they
unto him, what shall we do? That we might work the works
of God. Now you understand, Walter, it just hit me. I have quoted
this scripture many times. I've read from this scripture,
I've read it, tried to study it, and it never dawned on me
that these people here act out of their wanting their bellies
filled, followed Christ, and they answered Christ with the
exactly wrong question. Think about it. I've quoted this. I've referenced this. He told
them to labor not. What did they say? What shall
we do? What shall we do? They asked, and here it is after
what he just said, they asked no question about everlasting
life. They asked no question about
the Son of Man. They ask no questions about the
Son of Man, whom the Father has sealed past tense. He's there standing right before
them. He has the words of eternal life. He told them about eternal life.
Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat that
endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give
you. Not a question one about the
Son of Man, not a question one about an everlasting life. It
reminded me of that one, you said it years ago, when John
said, there's one here who shoelatched it, I'm not worthy to unloose.
They never asked one question about where he was. They never asked one question.
You know why? The same thing with these people
whose God is their belly. What Christ said to them went
right over their heads. They didn't understand it. Now,
I have been there, folks. When people said things, it went
right over my head. I know what it feels like. You
just don't understand. And I've read this, and it just
never dawned on me that they asked exactly the wrong question.
He told them to labor or not, and they asked, what shall we
do? They missed his point. They missed what he said. They
missed, I'm gonna tell you something, they missed eternal life because
they missed the son of man. They missed the point, the gospel,
because they ignored what Jesus Christ said. Because here's the
thing, they asked what and they didn't ask who. because the who
is more important than the what. When that who is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is always more important
than the what. It's the Son of Man, which giveth
unto you eternal life. It's the Son of God, which is
the well-beloved Son of the Father. And what did God say at the Mount
of Transfiguration? Hear ye him. And that's what these folks didn't
do. They were asking about the what and they weren't asking
about the who. They were concerned about their
bellies and not concerned about their souls. You understand? When God gives you a consciousness,
just a small little touch of the consciousness of your sin,
you'll start to worry about the who. Who can deliver me from the body
of this death? Understand, it's not who can
deliver me from this body of death, no. Who can deliver me
from the body of this death that I'm in? Oh, that's the point. Who can deliver? Who can deliver? Now Christ did answer their question.
He did. They didn't ask of eternal life,
like I said. They didn't ask about the meat
that endures unto everlasting life. They didn't ask about the
son of man. They didn't ask of him that gives eternal life. They just passed right over that. And I can tell you this, the
natural man will always miss the point. You know why? Because the natural man always
misses the who, the who. They are terribly worried about
what, what is your doctrine? What is your statement of faith,
Walter? You believe in the confession
of whatever year it was. I believe Christ. I believe Christ. And if that confession agrees
with Christ, okay. And if it doesn't, no way. No
way. Oh, let me tell you something.
Even though men miss the point of truth, even though the natural
man will always ask the wrong questions, Christ Jesus has the
answer. Christ Jesus has all the answers
and Christ Jesus has all the right answers. And here's their
answer and here's your answer. This is, I love those words,
this is the work of God. And these are the words of Christ
also. This is the work of God, this
is it. that you believe on Jesus Christ,
the son of God. What'd he say? This is the work
of God that ye believe on him whom he has sent. That one you
just ignored when you asked that question. What shall we do? The son of man who gives everlasting
life. Believe on him. Believe on him,
that's what he says. This is the work of God, this
is it. Understand, this is not the work
of men, this is not the work of a man or a woman, this is
the work of God. This is the work of God. Oh,
what do I mean? I mean what the scripture states. Faith in Christ Jesus, everlasting
life in Christ Jesus is a gift. from beginning to end. Everlasting life is given by
the Son of Man. Oh, I like that, I do. What do
I mean? Faith in Christ Jesus is the
gift of God. Scriptures are plain. Understand,
believing Christ is necessary and the faith of Jesus Christ
is necessary to believe Christ Jesus. What did it say? In Hebrews 11, Enoch, God translated
Enoch. Enoch did not see death because
God translated him. But it says this, for before
his translation, Enoch had this testimony that he pleased God. Now that's in verse five. Hebrews
11 verse 6 of Hebrews 11 says this but without faith it is
impossible to believe to please him God Without faith it's impossible
to please God For he that cometh to God must believe that he is
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him
Believing in Christ Jesus is not the act of the natural man
It is not in the capacity of the natural man. You like that
word? The natural man cannot believe
the things of the Spirit of God. That's what it says. I read it
last week, I'll read it again this week, I don't mind. Believing
Christ is not the act of a man as he is born. Again, faith in
Christ Jesus is the gift of God. He is the author and the finisher
of faith. And he is the giver of faith. And by faith, his faith, we believe. And even that's not of ourselves.
Ephesians 1 and 18 and 19 says this, the eyes of your understanding
being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his
calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance
in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness
of his power to usward who believe, who believe. according to the
working of his mighty power. You understand, this is one of
them things that Paul wrote about in Philippians. He works in you
both to will and to do of his good pleasure. You understand,
it's of his good pleasure that you believe Christ. and he works in you both to will
it and to do it. Why? By the working of his mighty
power. According to the working of his
mighty power. Oh, it takes the power of God
to believe him that the Father sent. It takes the power of God to
believe him that the Father hath sealed. It takes the power of
God to believe him that the father calls his well-beloved, only
begotten son. Oh, I like that. The natural
man does not believe the things of Christ because the natural
man cannot. The natural man is far too more
concerned with the what than the who. This is the work of
God. John 3 in verse 18, he's already
written it. Christ already said it. He that
believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name
of the only begotten Son of God. And John wrote himself in three
in verse 36. He that believeth on the Son
hath, past tense, everlasting life. And he that believeth not
on the Son shall not see life. but the wrath of God abideth
on him. Who is more important than what? This is the work of God, that
you believe him, that you believe him. You understand, the work
of God, the work of God is seen in election. He chose his people from before
the foundation of the world. The work of God is seen in redemption. Our Lord Jesus Christ shed his
blood for his people. The work of God is seen in justification. By his stripes, you're healed.
You understand? The Lord hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all. And by his stripes, we're healed. the work of God is seen in reconciliation. And that Jesus Christ brings
us to God, who cannot even look upon sin, but through his redemption,
through his justification, we are reconciled to God. Because the work of God that
you believe Him who redeemed, Him who reconciled, Him who justified,
Him who is glorifying the people of God, the ones that the Father
gave Him. But let me tell you just a few
things, just a little of the work of faith in man by believing
Him. And I do want to give you just a
few things of what believers do because of the who, because
of believing Christ. Number one, doing the will and
work of God is not always a physical or material effort. What do I
mean by that? Genuine, sincere faith in Christ,
hearing Him, and believing him is doing the will of God. This
is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent.
Faithfulness to the gospel, to the Lord's church, to the Lord's
people, and to our own families is doing the will and the work
of God. It is required, what, in stewards
that a man be found faithful. And here's the last thing, just
short list, loving the brethren. Loving the brethren. Dependable,
enduring love for one another is fulfilling the commandments
of the Lord, and it is you believe him. And it's something the world,
I don't think they can quite grasp a hold of. You understand,
I love brethren I never even met yet. Because if you love whom has
begotten, you love them that are begotten. Oh. This is my commandment, that
you love one another as I have loved you. Because true love,
faithful love, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth
all things, and endureth all things. Why? Because you believe
him. Him. Christ is the message. Christ is the gospel. Even more
personally, if you want to put it, Christ is our gospel. He's
been given to us, and his gospel message has been given to us.
And we have it in this book. We hear him, we look to him,
we believe him, and by his grace and his power, we preach him.