Now we're looking at John chapter
18. Let's begin by reading one verse,
verse 19. John 18, verse 19. And the title is taken from this
verse, verse 19. the Lord Jesus Christ, of his
disciples, and of his doctrine, his teaching. So I'm entitling
the message, His Disciples and His Doctrine. Now when the Lord Jesus Christ
was arrested and led away, they took him directly to Annas, the
former high priest, and then to Caiaphas, the current high
priest. Caiaphas asked this question
in verse 19. First of all, he said, what about
your disciples? What about your followers? Where
are they now? I think he said this in a mocking
way. Where are they now? What happened
to those multitudes you fed? Where are those whom you healed? Where are those who said they
were your apostles? Where are they now? And I believe
he said this in a way to mock the Lord Jesus. God, where's
your following? I thought you were somebody. Now you stand before us alone. And then secondly, he asked of
his doctrine. Doctrine, you see that in verse
19? Now, underscore this word. Notice
it's singular, doctrine. It's not doctrines. It's doctrine,
doctrine. The scripture warns us about
the doctrines of man. This scripture in Mark 7 says,
how be it in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men. But when the word of God is used
in scripture in regard to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ,
it's always found singular doctrine. Doctrine, the doctrine of Christ. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ has one blessed truth, many aspects of that truth, but
one blessed truth, one blessed doctrine. Now hold your place
there and turn back to John chapter 7. Our Lord said, and he uses
this word here in John 7 verse 16. John 7 verse 16. You got it there? Jesus answered
them and said, my doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will,
he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether
I speak of myself. Even there the Lord is talking
about all that God had given him as the prophet of God. He
speaks of this whole truth as one truth, one teaching, one
doctrine. Now, if you read through the
Word of God, you'll never find the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ referred to as doctrines. It's always singular. For example,
in Acts 13, we read about the gospel being called the doctrine
of the Lord. And then in 1 and 2 Timothy,
it's called sound doctrine. And then in Acts chapter 2, it's
called the apostles' doctrine. And then in Titus it's called
the doctrine of God our Savior. It's always singular. Now why
do you make a big deal about that? Because the word of God
does. He'd never read about the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ being called the doctrines of this
or that or other. Always singular. Now Caiaphas
here, the priest, is not asking for information or instruction
or to be instructed of the Lord by the Lord's teaching. He's
only asking of his doctrine that he might accuse him of blasphemy,
speaking evil against God. That they might have some legal
ground to put him to death. Some legal ground to charge him
of a crime, a capital crime under the law to blaspheme God or to
speak evil of God was punishable by death, by stoning. And that's
what they sought. We'll come back to verse 19 in
a minute, but let's go back to verse 10. John 18 verse 10 and
we'll work our way down to verse 18 and verse 19 and 20. Hopefully
we'll get that far. Simon Peter, when the Lord Jesus
Christ was betrayed and he said, if you seek me, let these go.
that the saying might be fulfilled of the scripture, of them which
thou gavest me, God's elect, I've lost none. Then Simon Peter,
having a sword, drew it, and smote the high priest's servant,
and cut off his right ear, and we know his name, according to
the word here, was Malchus. Peter, fully intending to defend
his Lord. He takes on his army. Some say
there were 400 men that came out to arrest the Lord. And here's
Peter drawing a sword to try to defend the Lord. Do you remember
what he said? I'm gonna die with you. I'll
go to prison with you. I'm gonna do this. Peter is making
good on his word here, isn't he? Remember what he said, that
I will die with you. Peter was a fisherman by trade. He wasn't a swordsman. And when
he drew his sword to take off somebody's head, he missed and
all he got was an ear. I think maybe old Malchus just
kind of ducked like that and he took off the ear. He wasn't
aiming for his ear. He was aiming for his head. I
don't know what he intended. You know, Peter is so impulsive,
just acts without thinking. The Lord Jesus Christ, we read
in Luke 22, the Lord in great mercy picks up that man's ear
and puts it back and heals him. What a miracle of grace. And I thought about this in a
spiritual way, a gospel nugget that we can glean here. The Lord
in mercy has operated upon our ears. He has touched our ear. He's performed a miracle surgery
upon our ears. That is the understanding of
our heart. We have been blessed of God to
have ears to hear him speak. Think of it. Most folks hear
his word and ignore it. Our Lord said in Matthew 13,
blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear. If you see Christ as all of your
salvation, it's because God has operated upon your eyes. He commanded
the light to shine out of darkness to enable you to see the blessed
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have an ear tuned to Him,
you remember His sheep hear His voice and they follow Him. If you have an ear to hear Him,
it's because He's operated upon your heart and given you an understanding,
given you a desire to hear Him speak. who speaks in great power
and in mercy. Now look at verse 11, John 18,
verse 11. Then the Lord said unto Peter,
Peter, put up your sword. You always saying here, Peter,
I don't need your help. I don't need you to help me.
Could right now as we read in Matthew chapter 26. I believe
it is. It's recorded there. The Lord
said to Peter I could call right now 12 leadings of angels to
wipe out these 400 men immediately 60,000 angels you remember what
one angel did in the day of the prophets one angel smoke several
many Thousands of soldiers the Syrians killed every one of them
Israel didn't even fight Imagine what 12 legions of angels would
do. Peter, put up your sword, stop fighting, be still and know
that I'm God. The cup which my father had given
me, shall I not drink it? This is a cup of God's wrath
due to our sin being laid upon him. Peter, I don't need your
help, you put up your sword. The only sword that believers
are justified in using is the sword of the Spirit, which is
the Word of God. The Word of God is described
as quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. Put
up your sword, Peter. The Apostle writes this, Though
we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds. Take the sword of the spirit,
which is the Word of God. I notice something else here,
how the Lord willingly submits to God Almighty, taking the cup
of wrath unto Himself. You remember He said, no man
takes my life from me. I have power to lay it down,
I have power to take it in. This commandment have I received
of my Father. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ
is no accident, is it? He's not the helpless victim
of godless men. He's the holy spotless lamb of
God that's sin of God. In the fullness of time God sent
forth his son made of a woman, made under the law to redeem
them that were under the law. The Lord Jesus Christ dies, the
appointed death, at the appointed hour. For the appointed people,
he said, I lay down my life for the sheep. At the appointed time,
he said, my hour has come. As it said in John 17, verse
one, Father, the hour has come. So he dies. The appointed death,
him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God. Never look at the death of the Lord Jesus Christ as an
accident. He dies on purpose, doesn't he?
This is God's purpose, this is God's land, this is God's sacrifice
for sin. He dies the appointed death for
the appointed people at the appointed time for the appointed purpose. What is the purpose in the death
of the Lord Jesus Christ? To enable God to be a just God
and Savior. How can God save this sinner
and not violate his holy character? Only that the Lord Jesus Christ
took my sin, paid my debt to enable God to be a just God and
Savior, enable Him to be just and justify the ungodly to be
just and the justifier. Thank God the Lord Jesus Christ
took the cup full of the sin of God's people and drank it
and also endured the wrath of God, it pleased God to bruise
him in our room and in our stead. The cup which my father had given
me, shall I not drink it? And he did. Baptized in the wrath
of God, he drank damnation dry, didn't he? Look at verse 12. Then the band and the captains
and the officers of the Jews took Jesus. and bound him. Now who is this
man? They took him, they lay hold
on him and they bound him. Now this is no ordinary man. This is the creator of all the
universe. This is God Almighty manifest
in the flesh and yet he allowed men to abuse him, arrest him,
mistreat him, spit in his face, pluck out his beard, whipped
his back, They bound him and led him away, that the scripture
may be fulfilled." Now think about this, these men had witnessed
and experienced His power. They were all just knocked to
the ground. I mean the Lord just put them
in the dust. They had even experienced the
Lord's mercy, the power of his mercy and healing, Malchus, but
yet they remained hardened and unmoved in their heart. It had
no effect on them. Salvation Is God doing a mighty work of
grace in the heart of the sinner? It's obvious. These men, even
though they experienced something of God's power and even the power
of His mercy, yet they remained unmoved because God hadn't touched
their heart. You remember Saul of Tarsus?
was put in the dust and experienced the power of God's grace, the
power of his love and was smitten and convicted and converted and
made a new creature in Christ. It says here the Lord Jesus Christ
was bound that the scripture might be fulfilled. We read in
Psalm 118, it says, bind the sacrifice with cords even to
the horns of the altar. The Lord Jesus Christ is that
sacrifice bound, bound up. Abraham, remember, bound Isaac,
and put him on the altar, that's a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ
being bound for us. You see the Lord Jesus Christ
was taken and bound that we might be set free. You remember he
said in verse eight, I've told you that I am, if therefore you
seek me, let these go their way. He was bound by the law, by our
sin, that we might go free. Take me and let these go. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith
Christ has set you free. Look at verse 13. They led him
away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which
was the high priest that year. Now notice they led him away. The Lord Jesus Christ was not
driven to the cross. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. He willingly, voluntarily, lovingly
laid down his life for us. Now look at verse 14, Caiaphas
was he which gave counsel to the Jews that was expedient that
one man should die for the people. Now remember this, look back
at John chapter 11. Caiaphas was this man, the high
priest, was the first among them to make a suggestion that they
kill the Lord Jesus Christ to save the nation from Roman destruction. Look back in John chapter 11
John chapter 11 verse 49, and one of them named Caiaphas, being
the high priest, let's go back to verse 47, then gathered the
chief priests and Pharisees and the council and said, what do
we for this man do as many miracles? If we let him alone, all men
will believe on him and the Romans will come and they'll take away
our job. They'll take away our nation.
You see that in verse 49. And one of them named Caiaphas,
being the high priest that same year, said unto them, You know
nothing at all, nor consider that it is necessary, expedient
for us, that one man should die for the people, that the whole
nation perish not. And this spake he, not of himself,
But being the high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus
should die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but
that also he should gather together and one, the children of God
scattered, that were scattered abroad. From that day forth,
they took counsel together that they might put him to death. Now it's interesting here, the
gospel message of substitution fell from his lips and he didn't
know what he was saying. John considered that statement
by Caiaphas to be a prophecy concerning the substitutionary
work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in true it was. In fact,
it was. How he suffered the just one
for the unjust that he might bring us unto God. Now John 18, look at verse 15. Simon Peter, verse 15 and 16. At first we read in Matthew 26
that all the disciples forsook him and fled. And then Peter,
later on, he comes back, Simon Peter, followed the Lord Jesus
and so did another disciple. That disciple was known unto
the high priest and went in with the Lord Jesus into the palace
of the high priest, but Peter stood at the door without Then
went out that other disciple, which was known to the high priest,
and spake unto her that kept the door, and then they brought
in Peter." Boy, he's in dangerous ground. He's in a dangerous place
with the enemies of God. Now we read in Matthew 26, 56,
at first all the disciples forsook him and fled. But evidently Peter
gets enough nerve and courage to come back with another unnamed
disciple, most think it was either Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea,
who was known by the Pharisees, the high priest, and then Peter
had gained entrance through the office of Nicodemus or Joseph. Now look at verse 17. Then saith
the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, art not thou also
one of this man's disciples? And he said, not me. And he said, I'm not. We see in this the sovereign
providence of the Lord. Peter is going to learn a hard
lesson right here, isn't he? Peter's gonna learn just how
frail his flesh is. Are we any different than him?
Is our flesh any stronger than him? You remember Psalm 103,
the Lord knows our frame, we are but dust. Turn back to John chapter 13
for just a minute. John chapter 13 verse 36, Simon
Peter Said unto him, Lord, where goest
thou? And the Lord answered, whether
I go, that you cannot follow me now, but you follow me later. Simon Peter said unto him, Lord,
why can't I follow you now? I'll lay down my life for you.
I'll go to prison for you. I'll die for you. And the Lord
said, will you? Will you lay down your life for
my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, before the cock crows,
thou hast denied me, ye will deny me three times. Now read
on, let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe in God. Peter heard the Lord speak what
would happen to him. And just as the Lord had spoken,
so it came to pass. Peter denies the Lord as we read
on in John chapter 18, not once, not twice, but three times he
denies, I know, I mean it's pretty pretty clear isn't it? He's making
it very clear. He's denying his Lord, standing
with the enemies and denying the Lord Jesus Christ. Now Peter
learned a very important lesson that day didn't he? Just how
dependent he was upon the Lord Jesus Christ to keep him, to
keep him. Now what can we learn from this?
Peter's fall is recorded in the book of God repeatedly. Matthew,
Mark, Luke, John. Because it is intended to be
a lesson for us. A lesson for us. Now here are
several things I want to bring to your mind. Sinners, saved
sinners are still sinners. subject to great, great sins. Sinners saved are still sinners. You remember the Apostle writes
in Romans 7, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. Oh, wretched man
that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? I
thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Saved sinners are still
sinners. You're looking at a man who's
a sinner. A sinner. A sinner. Secondly, our only
righteousness before God is that righteousness we have freely
imputed in Him. Peter wasn't standing upon his
own righteousness. He didn't have any. How weak
is the flesh. Our only hope for justifying
righteousness, for a justifying righteousness before God is the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now one of the apostles said,
I count everything else lost, dung, and ruined, that I may
win Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faithfulness
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly, our only hope before
God What is our hope before God? Christ, isn't it? He's all of
our hope, not some of it. He's our only hope before God. He is. Our only hope before God
is Christ. His obedience, not mine. Now,
He was faithful unto death. His obedience worked out perfect
righteousness for me. His faithfulness to God's law
and justice. The shedding of His blood, not
mine. We can shed all the blood we want. The blood we shed will
never put away sin. His blood did. The blood of Jesus
Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin. Our only hope before
God is His obedience, His blood, and thank God He ever lives to
intercede for us. John said, when you sin, we have
an advocate with the Father, who is it? Jesus Christ the righteous. Salvation from start to finish
is by grace alone not our works. It is God who saved us and called
us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to
God's own purpose and grace. Other things we can learn is
this, everything the Lord decrees will come to pass. The Lord told
Peter this would happen And you know what? It did. Everything
our God speaks will come to pass. Every warning, every promise. He never speaks in vain. He never
gives us empty warnings or vain promises. His word, he said,
I've spoken it, I'll bring it to pass, I've purposed, I will
do it. Remember this as well. Peter
said of his fellow disciples, these others may forsake you,
but I never will. You see, self-righteousness always
justifies self and blames someone else. And the scriptures teach
us, wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he
fall. Even though Peter failed miserably,
sinned against the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ
is long suffering unto us. Look back at John chapter 16,
verse 33. Thank God we have an advocate.
Thank God the Lord Jesus Christ puts away all our sin. John 16,
33, these things I have spoken unto you that in me you might
have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation. Well,
Peter had it, didn't he? But be of good cheer, I have
overcome. Let us also learn this, to look
at the whole ministry of Peter, the whole life of Peter, not
just one failure. Peter was a faithful apostle
and a great preacher of the gospel and he did give his life for
the gospel, didn't he? He died as a martyr for the gospel. So let's not look at just one
aspect of Peter's failing, let's look at his whole life. It was
a life of faith, a life that honored God. And let us be quick
Let us be not quick to judge others overtaken in a fault,
but rather let us be ready and willing to restore such a one,
considering ourselves, lest we also would be tempted. Now, what
would you do in the same place, in the same time, in Peter's
shoes, wearing his coat in the same place? How would you fare? The Lord leaving you to yourself,
and the Lord saying that you will deny me, where would you
be? That old Peter, he's no count. You do and I would do exactly
the same thing or worse. Or worse. I tell you, there is
nothing apart from God's grace, if He doesn't restrain us, there
is no evil that we will not commit unless God restrains us by His
grace. We're sinners still. Thank God that He does restrain
us. Let us learn also not to trust
in the flesh in any aspect of our salvation. We are the true
Israel which worship God in His Spirit, that rejoice in the Lord
Jesus Christ, and what's the last part of that? And we have
no confidence in the flesh. Not mine, not yours, not anybody. Saving faith looks to the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now, look at verse 19. Peter stands with the enemy,
warms himself. Peter stood with them. Against
the Lord and denies him three times then verse 19 we read the
high priest then asked the Lord Jesus Christ of his disciples
and of his doctrine and the Lord answered verse 20 I spoke openly
to the world and And he did. His ministry was a public ministry.
I ever taught in your own synagogue, in the assembly of the Jews,
in Luke chapter 4, we read about him going into the synagogue
there at Nazareth and teaching and preaching the gospel. And
again in John chapter 6, we're going to look at it in just a
minute. I ever taught in the synagogue in the temple where
the Jews are always resorting, residing? I said nothing in secret. Why ask me? You ask them which
heard me. That's the thing we should do. What I've said unto them, they
know what I've said. If you ever want to find out
about a man's ministry, what he preaches, what he teaches,
don't ask him. Ask them that heard him, that
sit under his ministry, what he's preaching, what he's teaching.
The high priest, let's go back to verse 19 for just a minute.
The high priest asked, this high priest named Caiaphas, asked
the great high priest of God, and that's who the Lord Jesus
Christ, here's his peon. I mean, he's the high priest
of the Jews, and he's a nobody. And he's asking the great I Am,
the great high priest of his disciples, of his doctrine now
those two things his disciples and his doctrine you cannot separate them from each other where you
find his disciples his true disciples you'll find them teaching his
doctrine and where you find the doctrine of Christ being declared
you'll find his people worshiping a true and living God around
the doctrine of Christ The Lord defines who these disciples are. Look back in John chapter 8 for
just a minute. John chapter 8. John chapter
8. He defines the disciples who
they are. In John chapter 8 verse 30, and
he spake these words, as he spake these words many, many believed
on him. Then said Jesus to the Jews which
believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples
indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set
you free. The Lord defines what disciples
do and what they believe. They believe all that the Lord
teaches and they continue in his word. They abide in his word. Now listen to Scripture in 2
John 1.9. 2 John 1.9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth
not in the doctrine of Christ. Now the doctrine of Christ is
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whosoever transgresseth
and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that
abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the
Son. and the Son, those who abide
in the doctrine of Christ. Now, what is the doctrine of
Christ? It is the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Paul said, I'm not ashamed. Paul
said, I'm ready to preach the gospel of Christ to you who are
at Rome. He said, I'm not ashamed of the
gospel of Christ. It is the power of God and the
salvation to everyone that believe it. For therein that gospel,
that doctrine of Christ is the righteousness of God revealed.
In this doctrine of Christ includes everything he declared and everything
he accomplished. You cannot separate His word
of truth from what He achieved. Everything He said and performed
makes up the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ. His word,
turn back to John chapter 12. His word, He spoke absolute truth. Everything He spoke was the doctrine
of God. The absolute truth. Look what
He says here in John 12. John 12, 49, For I have not spoken
of myself, but the Father which sent me, he gave me commandment
what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His commandment
is life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak, therefore,
even as the Father said unto me, that's what I speak. Absolute
truth. Everything He said makes up the
doctrine of Christ. Everything He did, everything
He performed, the work of redemption makes up the doctrine of Christ. His word and His work. Look back
at John 17, verse 14. John 17, verse four, rather. I have glorified thee on the
earth, John 17, 4. I have finished the work you
gave me to do. All that he said that he would
do, he did do. This all makes up that one blessed
truth, the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ. So then, who are
his disciples? Who are his disciples? They believe
the doctrine of Christ. Turn back over here to John 8
again. John 8, verse 47. John 8, here's what they do. Who are the disciples of Christ?
They believe His doctrine. They believe His Word. John 8,
47. He that is of God, heareth God's
Word. You see that? He that is of God
heareth God's word. You hear them not because you're
not of God. Turn to John chapter 10. You believe not, verse 26, the
Lord said, because you're not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
John 10, 27. My sheep, they hear my voice.
That's the doctrine of God. And they follow me. They're disciples. And I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than
all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
I and my Father are one. Who then are the disciples of
the Lord Jesus Christ? They hear His word, believe His
word, and they follow Him. They follow Him. Now turn back
to John 18 for just a moment. John 18, look at verse 20. The Lord answered him, I spoke
openly to the world, that is, Jew and Gentile, young and old,
bond and free. I ever taught in the synagogue
and in the temple where the Jews always resort, And in secret
have I said nothing? Why ask thou me? Ask them which
heard me what I said. Behold, they know what I said.
Now I want you to turn back to John chapter 6. John chapter
6. What? did the Lord say in the
synagogue." Now you can go back to Luke chapter 4 and read Luke
chapter 4 when he came to Nazareth, his hometown, and in the synagogue
and he stood up to read from Isaiah 61 to declare that salvation
is of the Lord. You remember what happened in
that day when he declared the sovereignty of God in salvation?
They sought to throw him off a hill, remember, to kill him.
And here in John chapter 6, here's another time we read about the
Lord in the synagogue. John chapter 6 verse 59. These things said he in the synagogue. We're going to go back and look
at that in just a minute. These things said he in the synagogue.
So he taught openly, publicly. in Capernaum and in Nazareth,
many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this..." What
did they hear? They heard the doctrine of Christ.
said, this is a hard saying. The gospel, the doctrine of Christ
is hard, harsh is the word. When Jesus knew in himself that
his disciples murmured at it, he said unto him, does this offend
you? Verse 62, what an if you shall
see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before. It is the
Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. The words
that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, they are life. But there
are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the
beginning who they were that believed not, and who should
betray Him. And He said, therefore, said I unto you, that no man
can come unto Me except it were given him of the Father. Many,
from that time, many of his disciples, oh, now wait a minute. What'd
we say a disciple did? They heard his word and they
continued in his word? From that time, many of the disciples
went back and walked no more with him. Were they really disciples? No. Look, read on. Then said Jesus to the twelve,
will you also go away? Simon Peter answered him, Lord
to whom shall we go? Thou hast the word of the eternal
life. We believe and we're sure thou art that Christ, the Son
of the living God. Now what was When these people
over here said, this is a hard saying, who can hear it? Who can hear the doctrine of
Christ? His people, His sheep. What did He say that got them
so upset? It's the same message He said
in the synagogue back in Nazareth in Luke chapter 4. And you know
what it is? It's the doctrine of Christ.
The doctrine of Christ. Now look back at John chapter
6. Look at verse 44. Here's what they said was hard,
those disciples who walked away, those faint disciples, phony
disciples. He declared unto them, total
depravity, sin that we are. For he said, no man can come
to me except the Father which sent me, draw him, I'll raise
him up at the last day. He declares that we're totally
unable to hear Him, to look to Him, to come to Him, because
we are totally sinful. There's none righteous, no, not
one. We have no ability to believe
the gospel, to love the Lord Jesus Christ, apart from His
sovereign grace. So what did He preach? Total
depravity. Total deprivation. You will not
come to me that you might have life. Men love darkness, not
light. The second thing he preached unto them was unconditional election. Right here in John chapter 6.
They said this is hard. Who can hear it? Look at John
6, 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him
that come to me will I in no wise cast out. He sets forth
the Bible doctrine of election. God choosing a people from all
eternity and predestinating them to be just like the Lord Jesus
Christ. God had given me a people. They
will hear my voice, and they will follow me, and they will
be my disciples. Thirdly, the Lord Jesus Christ
preached unto them limited atonement. That's right. Look at verse 38,
39. For I came down from heaven,
not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. And
this is the Father's will, which hath sent me, that of all which
he hath given me I should lose nothing, but raise it up again
at the last day. He dies for His sheep according
to the Scripture. Limited atonement. I should lose
nothing of all that the Father had given to me. Particular redemption
and definite atonement. That's the doctrine of Christ.
And they said, this is a hard saying. Who can hear it? Were
they His disciples? No. Many of them walked away
from Him. Thirdly or fourthly, He preached
unto them Irresistible grace. Back to verse 44. No man can
come to me, no man has the ability, except the Father which sent
me. Draw him, draw him. What is that? It's irresistible
grace, isn't it? You see, he set forth the doctrine
of Christ. And they said, this is hard,
they said, who can hear it? Peter said, I want to hear more.
Thou hast the words of eternal life. We believe and we assure
you're the Christ. You have the doctrine of God. And lastly,
he set forth the doctrine of perseverance and preservation.
Verse 40, John 6, verse 40. This is the will of Him that
sent me, that everyone would see it, the Son, and believeth
on Him, may have everlasting life, and I'll raise Him up at
the last day." They will persevere because they're kept by the power
of the Lord Jesus Christ. From that time, many of His so-called
disciples, verse 66, went back and walked no more with Him.
They said the doctrine of God, the doctrine of Christ is a hard
thing. Who are the disciples of the
Lord Jesus Christ? They believe His Word. They follow
Him. They believe the doctrine of
Christ. They believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. They
look to Him. They trust Him. They rely upon
Him. They delight in Him. They love Him above all else. They look to Him. Now, are you
a disciple of Christ? Are you a lover of the Lord Jesus
Christ? Do you delight in His doctrine or do you say, that's
hard? That's harsh. God choosing a
people? That's not fair. God calling
a people? Leaving others to themselves?
That's not right. I tell you, the disciples of
the Lord Jesus Christ, they say this, Lord whatever you do is
right. Shall not the judge of all the
earth do right? If you believe the doctrine of
Christ revealed in the Word of God, it is so. You are a disciple
of the Lord Jesus Christ. A believer, a lover of the Lord
Jesus Christ. And these things are not harsh.
They're not hard. They're just so. And His sheep
hear His voice. And they love Him. And they follow
Him.