Turn back to John chapter 5. John chapter 5. Look at verse 40. John 5 verse 40. And you will not come to me that you might have life.

There is much talk in our day about man's so-called free will. In the garden, Adam chose to disobey God. He disobeyed God and he took and he ate of that fruit. God had told him, he said, Adam, in the day that you eat thereof, thou shalt surely die. He disobeyed God. He and Eve, they followed after their own evil desire.

at Calvary. Think about, think about this. Those, all those people that were gathered together on that day, they were given a choice. That's what men say in our day, that men, men need to make, man needs to make a choice. Man needs to make a decision.

Again, at Calvary, Matthew, Matthew 27. Won't you turn there? Look at verse 20. The chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus. And the governor answered and said unto him, whither of the twain will you that I release unto you? We'd think that'd be an easy choice, wouldn't we? They said, Barabbas. And Pilate said to him, he said, what shall I do then with Jesus, which is called the Christ? And they, not just a few of them, look at that, it says, they all say unto him, let him be crucified.

Verse 23, Pilate tried to reason with them. The governor said, why? Why? What evil hath he done? And they cried out the more, saying, let him be crucified. And when Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing but rather a tumult was made, he took water and he washed his hands before the multitude saying, I'm innocent of the blood of this just person. See ye to it. And then again, then answered all the people and said, his blood be upon us and our children.

Just these two passages. We should read these and beg the Lord to never leave us to our own will. Now those people, listen, they did what God determined. Scripture is clear on that. They did what God determined to be done. but they did what their wicked hearts desired.

Men say that man has a free will to choose Christ. We'd never choose Him. We would never choose Him apart from Him choosing us. We would never love Him apart from Him loving us. Martin Luther said this, he said, if any man doth ascribe aught of salvation, even the very least, to the free will of man, he knows nothing of grace, and he hath not learnt Jesus Christ aright. Our Lord said this, he said, you will not come to me that you might have life.

Now I have just four quick points this evening with regard to this passage. You will not come to me that you might have life. And the first one is this. The natural man is dead. The natural man is dead. You will not. Our Lord said, you will not come to me. that you might have life. The absence of life, what is that? It's death. When Adam died, we died in him. Legally, we're dead. God told Adam, he said, in the day that you eat thereof, thou shalt surely die.

In Romans 5 verse 21, wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin, so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. You see that? Can we see that by Adam's transgression? That one transgression, sin, entered into the world. Sin and all that goes with it, spiritual death, physical death, darkness, disease, enmity against God, that entered into us. When Adam sinned and fell, we all sinned and fell. We're legally dead. And we're spiritually dead, dead in trespasses and sin. Ruined. We're ruined by the fall. Remember, Henry used to say that wrong on the fall, wrong on it all. For a man or a woman or a young person to understand the gospel, we have to have some understanding of what happened in the garden.

Listen to God's word. It says, in Adam, all died. Death. That gets our attention, doesn't it? I talked to two different people today. Two different people today. And both of them were dealing with the death of a loved one. When we hear that, it hits us, doesn't it? Just the mere thought of it.

Well, in Adam, we all died. And all men and women, listen, were sinners and were born spiritually dead, born with a corrupt heart. We come forth from the womb, speaking lies, having, listen, with an inclination, more than an inclination, a strong desire, a heart that desires to do evil. We're incapable, apart from Christ, incapable of doing anything good. We may impress our neighbors. We may impress some of our close family. Listen, inside is deadness, inability. And before God, we can do nothing, nothing good.

God is holy. He must have absolute perfection. There's not one thing we do that we can do perfectly. We're dead, dead and incapable of, what can a dead man do? Dead man can't change his position. He can't change his thoughts. He can't change his condition. He's dead. And that's us. That's us by nature, lost, condemned, under the wrath of Almighty God.

All, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We are doomed. We are condemned. We're willingly ignorant of spiritual things. Described as without hope, without God, without Christ in this world. Legally dead, spiritually dead, eternally dead. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Matthew 7, turn there with me. Apart from Christ, we'll die clinging. We'll die clinging to our good works, our so-called good works. Look at Matthew 7, verse 21. Matthew 7, verse 21. Again, our Lord speaking. He said, not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? In thy name cast out devils. In thy name done many wonderful works. Those sound good to the natural ear, don't they? He said, many will say those things to me. And listen to what he says. Then I will profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Separated from God eternally. Eternal death. That's so. The opposite, but you know the opposite of that is Eternal life.

Eternal life is found in Christ. It's found in Him. He that hath the Son hath life. Paul told Timothy. He gave him this advice. He said, lay hold. Lay hold of what? Lay hold of eternal life. Just listen to these words from Romans 6. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God, what is it? Eternal life. Where is it found? Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

This leads me to the second point. In Christ, there's life. Life in Christ. Paul wrote of the promise The promise of life. The promise of life which is in Christ Jesus. The promise of life. I tell you, I could make you a promise and you could take that for what it's worth. This is the promise of life. which is in Christ. This is a promise of God, God who cannot lie. In the book of Titus we read of eternal life which God promised before the world began. in hope of eternal life, the hope of eternal life. Listen, our hope is not in anything that we now see or anything that we possess, whether that's physically or materially. Our hope is the life of Christ. It's of Him, that He's begotten us by the Holy Spirit, that He secured us in His hands. He said, no man, no man can pluck them out of my hand. Eternal life is a promise of free grace, not of reward, not a wage, not something we earn, but a promise. Eternal life is the promise of God. God who is faithful to his word. God, again, who cannot lie. He's the God of truth.

Eternal life, which was promised after we did a few good things. Eternal life, which was promised before the world began. Life. Redemption, given us in Christ from the beginning. Turn over to 1 John 5. 1 John 5. Look at verse 11. Here we read 1 John 5 verse 11. This is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. This is the record. This is the record. This is the sum and substance of all that is declared, all that's written, all that's preached.

God, out of, listen, pure, free grace because of His sovereign will and according to His pleasure, He's given His people life in His Son. that spiritual life that was lost in the fall, the life of God, the life of glory and fellowship with God, a life of righteousness and happiness and freedom to be free from sin, to be free from sorrow. We suffer in this world, we sin in this world, but He's taken away our sin, free from sin and sorrow free from death forever. A life that can only be found in His Son, can only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And listen, life, a life promised, a life purchased, a life purposed, but life itself, life in Christ, Christ who is our life. Our Lord said this, he said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. And no man cometh unto the Father but by me. There is no life, no life apart from Christ. He has life. in himself. He's the source of life. He's the giver of life. He's the light of life. He's the word of life. And he came to this earth that we, that his people, might have life.

Third, eternal life is for those that come to Christ. that come to him. Back to our text in John chapter 5, verse 40. You will not come to me that you might have life. Who's speaking here? Who's talking? These are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. If a man or a woman is going to have life, it can only be found in one place. It can only be found in one person. Life in Christ.

Our Lord spoke these words in John 14, 19. He said, because I live, Because I live, ye shall live also. The Lord Jesus Christ, He's our righteousness, our redemption. He's our mediator. He's Lord. Jesus Christ is Lord. And though we don't see Him in person, He's revealed in His word. He's revealed through the preaching of his work. He's the giver of life. And as our Redeemer, he purchased life for his people. And he lives and shall never die. Christ is our life. That's what Paul wrote to the Colossians. He said, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, ye shall appear also with Him in glory." And we're one with Him. God's people are made one with Him. A union with Him, a living union, a vital union, an eternal union with Him from which we can never be separated. To live with Him eternally. Hebrews 7.25 says, wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. He saves not just a little. This world talks of a Savior that has done all that He can, and He's standing there wringing His hands, waiting for man to do the rest.

Consider the greatness of our sin. Could we do one thing to overcome even just one sin? You ever consider that? Can He save me? Could the Lord save me? What did we just read? He is able to save to the uttermost. He's able to save completely. He's able to save perfectly. He's able to save utterly. Look at Hebrews 7.25. He is able to save to the uttermost that come unto God by Him. He's able. He's able.

Turn with me to one more scripture. Turn to John chapter 6. Look at verse 37. John 6 verse 37. Eternal life is to those who come to Christ. Look at verse 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise, no way cast out. Each one that God the Father gave to Christ in eternity past shall come to him in his time. Every man that cometh shall be saved. I can say that. Every man, every woman, every young person that comes to Christ shall be saved. Because no man can come to him except the Father which sent him draws him. It's all of him.

Fourth, by nature. By nature, we will not come to Christ. By nature, we will not. He said, you will not come to me that you might have life. Let me just read a few passages to you. John 6, 44, no man can come unto me except the Father which has sent me draw him and I'll raise him up again at the last day.

In Luke chapter 14, turn there, Luke chapter 14. Won't take us long to turn, turn there. Our Lord told a parable. Look at verse 16 of Luke 14. He said unto a certain man, he made a great supper, and he bade many. And he sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, come, for all things are now ready. They were invited. And they all, with one consent, began to make excuse. The first said, well, I bought a piece of ground, and I need to go and see it. I pray they have me excused. Another one said, well, I bought five yoke of oxen, and I need to go prove them. They had all manner of excuse, all manner of reason not to come, didn't they? And then the third said, I've married a wife. I've married a wife, and therefore, I cannot come.

Now, I want you to think about this. Those that had been invited, listen, this was a great supper. This was a wonderful thing, wasn't it? But they would not come. And they all had an excuse. Well, look down to verse 21. Servant came and he showed his Lord these things. And the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, he said, go out quickly into the streets and the lanes of the city and bring in hither. You go get him and you bring him to me. And listen to this description. The poor, the maimed, the halt, the blind, those that are nothing, those that have nothing, those that know nothing, those that can do nothing. You go get them and you bring them to me.

In John 5, leading up to our text this evening, there was a pool of Bethesda. And at that pool, it says that there lay helpless, among others, a great multitude, same description, impotent, blind, haught, withered, There was a certain man there who had a great infirmity for 38 years. And the Lord saw him lying there. And he asked him a question, simple question, would you be made whole? And that impotent man answered him and he said, sir, I have no man. When the water is troubled to put me into the pool, but while I'm trying to get there, another steppeth down before me. And the Lord Jesus said unto him, rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

This is an impotent man. Our Lord tells this man to do something that he cannot do. Take up your bed and walk. And in John 5 verse 9 we read, immediately. Immediately that man was made whole and he took up his bed and he walked with the command. With the command comes the power.

Do you still have Luke 14? The servant said, Lord, it's done as thou hast commanded, and yet there's room. And the Lord said unto the servant, you go out into the highways and the hedges, and you compel them to come, that my house may be full. By nature, by nature, we will not come to him. But at his command, we will. His people will. Again, with that command comes the power. He said, all that the Father hath given me shall come to me. He draws them to himself.

I pray the Lord would continue, as he has throughout the ages, continue to call out his sheep, to make men willing in the day of his power, that he would call them by the power of his spirit, Not by our will, but by His will. Our Lord said that. Remember that? Our Lord said, nevertheless, not my will, but thy will be done.

Well, let me close by reading from the book of James, James chapter one. James chapter 1, verse 18, James 1, 18, of his own will. Whose will? his will. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth. Our election, our salvation as sons, as heirs of God, I promise you there was no consideration as to what we were going to do or not going to do. Not as a result of any foreseen merit in the creature, but according to his own will. His people, think about that. Chosen, loved, adopted, saved before we were even born. before this world was even spoken into existence.

Oh, that the Lord would bid us to come. To come, not to the front of the building, not to the preacher, but to come to Him by the power of His Spirit. I pray he blesses, bless his word. Isaac come lead us in closing here.