John chapter 6. Let's read these
two verses one more time. John 6, verse 44 and verse 45. Certainly this is a definite
and clear declaration, once again, that salvation is all of God,
all in Christ Jesus to His eternal and ultimate glory. No man can
come to me except, except the Father, God Almighty, God the
Father, which hath sent me, draw him, draw him. What does that word mean? Draw
him. And I will, and I will raise
him up at the last day. I will, I will. Verse 45, it
is written in the prophets. Now we studied this from Isaiah
54. It is written in the prophet Isaiah, and in all the prophets,
the salvations of the Lord, they shall be all taught of God. Somebody is going to be taught
of God. They all shall be taught of God. Every man, therefore,
that hath heard and learned of the Father, they come to Christ. They believe the gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now this phrase, no man, no man. Any part of the word, no, you
don't understand. No man. Now I'm entitling the message
today, no man's land, no man's land. The term, I looked it up,
actually Googled the word, the phrase, no man. And I found out
that this phrase, no man's land, was a widely used term during
World War I, 1914. when they had those trenched
warfares. When one army would be entrenched
over here and the other army would be entrenched over here
and the land between those two armies, you would dare not go
out into that space. It was called no man's land. No one could survive. You'd crawl
out on that land and it's certain death. Certain death. No one
would dare cross that land Now, there is in the gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ a no man's land. There is no coming to God
apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. I won't have you turn and read
it because you all know this scripture very well. Where the
Lord says, I am the way, the truth, the life. What does he
say next? No man. No man comes to the Father
but by and through Me." God, apart from the Lord Jesus Christ,
is an all-consuming fire. You dare not approach the holy
throne of God apart from the way that God has established
in Christ Jesus. To approach God on His holy throne,
in His holy character, apart from the appointed Mediator,
Apart from the appointed Redeemer, apart from the appointed Savior,
would mean certain death and eternal judgment. Now hold your
place there, and let's see if the preacher can make good on
that. Turn over here to Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. To approach the Thrice Holy God
upon the merit of your work, Righteousness, your morality,
your ceremony would mean certain death. Look what it says here,
Hebrews chapter 10, verse 28, He that despised Moses' law died
without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sore punishment,
suppose you, shall he be thought worthy who have trodden underfoot
the Son of God? and hath counted the blood of
the covenant wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing,
and done despite to the Spirit of grace. We know him that hath
said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith
the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge
his people." It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the
living God, an all-consuming fire to trample the blood of
the covenant of the Lord Jesus Christ and that's what you're
doing to try to come to God apart from Christ you're saying that
the blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ is nothing it's
frustrating the grace of God if you think you can earn righteousness
by your own doing my friend the only way is the way there is
salvation in no other There's no other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved only in Christ. Again,
we see that salvation is of the Lord, not of man. Again, we see that salvation
is all of grace, not the work of man. You remember from the
second epistle of Timothy, when Paul writes to young Timothy
and says, be not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because it's
God who saved us. It's God who called us with a
holy calling, not according to our works, but according to God's
own purpose and grace, given us in Christ Jesus before the
foundation of the world. Salvation is all according to the will
of God, not the will of man. Man's will is not free. I beg
your pardon. Man's will is in bondage to his
rotten, sinful nature. Salvation is according to the
will of God, the will of the Lord, not the will of man. We
studied Wednesday night from Romans 9, where the Apostle writes,
quoting over in Exodus 32, or Exodus 33, where the Lord says
to Moses, I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
I'll have mercy on whom I will have mercy. So then, it's not
of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but it's God that
shows mercy. And the Apostle James declared,
of his own will beget he us with the word of truth. Salvation is in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Salvation is in a person, not
a pool, not a position, not a persuasion. Salvation is in a person, the
Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is in Him, not in any
denomination, church, or man. Salvation is in Him. The wise
man Solomon said, there's a way that seems right unto men, but
that way is a way of death. In the matter of salvation of
sinners, This is the greatest no man's land. Would you dare
tread upon this land and raise your fist in the face of God
Almighty and dare approach His throne in your own righteousness,
your own doing? The Lord will not share His glory
in the matter of saving sinners. We are born again. We studied
this in John chapter 1. Not according to the will of
the flesh, nor the will of man, but we're born again and we believe
the gospel and receive the Lord Jesus Christ because we're begotten
from above, born of God. The grand design of redemption
is what? The glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. And He's worthy of it. We've
seen that repeatedly in our study through the Revelation. Worthy
is the Lamb that was slain to receive all honor and glory.
You see, the Lamb, we sing that song, the Lamb is all the glory
in Immanuel's land. You see, salvation is Immanuel's
land, not man's. Salvation is Immanuel's doing. This is the Lord's doing and
it's marvelous in our eyes. Now let's look for a few minutes
at John chapter 6. The Lord plainly declared that
He is the living bread. He says that in verse 35. I am
the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never
hunger. He that believeth on me shall never thirst. He plainly
told them that He came to do the work and will of the Father.
He says that in verse 38. I came down from heaven not to
do my own will but the will of Him that sent me. He declared
without hesitation that all the elect of God will come to Him.
All the elect of God will embrace Him. Verse 37, All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will
in no way, no wise, never cast out. He declared that he will
not lose one sheep of Christ, but raise it up again at the
last day to eternal glory. Verse 40, this is the will of
Him that sent me, that everyone would see it the Son, and believe
it on Him may have everlasting life, and I'll raise Him up at
the last day. These are clear words and a clear
declaration of the gospel of God's saving grace in Christ
Jesus, and yet look at the response. Look at the response of the natural
man, especially the lost religious man. Verse 41. They murmured
at him. They murmured at him. Well, that's
not fair. God has His part, man has his
part. They murmured at him. Such is the way of the rebellion
of our sinful flesh. They murmured at the way of truth. And furthermore, look what it
says in verse 52. Then they murmured at him first, and then, you know
what they did? Look at verse 52. The Jews therefore
strove among themselves. They started fighting among themselves,
saying, how can this man give us his flesh to eat? And then
you know what they finally did? Look over at verse 66. From that time many of his disciples
went back and walked no more. Now left to yourself, left to
your own sinful thoughts, your own wicked will, your own depraved
way, left to ourselves, that's our response. Murmuring, arguing,
and finally, turning and walking away. Such is the sad state of
our, your, our sinful nature, murmuring, arguing, and finally
departing. What's the problem? What's the
problem? Now the problem's not with the
message. The message was true. The message was faithful. The
message was honoring God. The problem was not with the
one who delivered it. I mean the one who delivered
it was the Prince of Peace, the one who delivered it. Freddie
is the King of Kings. The problem was not with the
message, it was not with the messenger. You know what the
problem was, don't you? And what the problem is yet today?
Problems with our sinful flesh, with our wicked and sinful flesh. Therefore He declares unto them,
don't murmur among yourselves because, look what He says in
verse 44 now, no man. No man. That's pretty exclusive,
isn't it? No man. No man can. No man has the ability to come
to Christ except the Father draw him. Now, let's look at this
carefully. No man comes to Christ without
the power of God. Again, salvation is Emmanuel's
land. His glory. His sheep will hear
His voice. He said that in John 10. My sheep
hear my voice. I know them and they will follow
me. He said they will come to me. No man. Now let's be clear. Seeing we have such hope, we
use great plainness of speech. Let us not keep nothing back.
Let us not hold back. No man, no sinner, no person
is naturally inclined to fall in love with the Lord Jesus Christ
or embrace Him as everything in salvation. Regardless of his
station in life, regardless of his intellect, regardless of
his ancestry, regardless of his education, regardless of his
environment, his environment is not the problem. He's the
problem. No man Now that means no one. That means nobody. That means
not a soul. That means none. You got the
idea? No one. Absolutely not. Absolutely none. None will come to Christ without
the power of God, without the intervention of God. Now let's
look at the second part of that. No man can. No man can. Now what does that word mean?
No one has the ability. No man can. No man has the ability. No man has the will, the want
to, the power, the desire for true salvation as it's found
in the Lord Jesus Christ. No man. can come. No man has
the desire. While they may be very religious, they do not possess eternal life. Our will is in bondage to our
rotten nature. You remember back, turn to chapter
5, John chapter 5. Remember what the Lord says over
here? John 5.39, he says, "...search
the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life.
They are they which testify of me, and you will not come to
me that you might have life. I receive not honor from men,
but I know you." Here's the problem. You have not the love of God
in you. You will not come to Christ. Those who are spiritually dead
in sin, have no ability to give themselves life. Now, if the
Lord ever teaches you the truth of total depravity, and not just
that other folks are, but that you are, that you're a sinner,
you'll have no problem with this blessed gospel truth that salvation
is of the Lord. If the Lord ever strips you and
puts you in the dust and teaches you what you really are, dead
in sin, You'll have no problem with this blessed truth that
salvation, all of God's doing, has to be. Dead men don't give
themselves life. Dead men don't raise themselves
from the grave of total corruption. And that's the problem. We're
dead in sin. It's just not that we're sick.
We're dead. Spiritually dead. All of our
spiritual senses are dead. We have no eyes to see His glory.
We have no ears to hear His blessed Word. We have no appetite for
the Word. We have no appetite for the bread
of God. We have no sense of smell of
the sweet fragrance of His sacrifice satisfying God. We're dead. We read in 1 Corinthians 2, The
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.
Why? Why not? He's dead! Dead! Dead! Jeremiah 13, these words are
found. The Lord asks this question, can the Ethiopian change his
skin? Can a black man make himself
white? Can the leper change his spots?
No! Then, if they can, you also may
do good who are accustomed to doing evil. You can change your
nature, but you can't. Man in his best state is altogether
vanity. The Lord said in Isaiah, all
of our righteousnesses are filthy rags in his sight. And in Romans
3, there was none righteous, no, not one. There is none that
understands, there is none that seeks after God, no, not one. No ability, no man. can come. We're all sinful and shut out. We're shut up to God's sobbing
mercy. Well, who then can be saved? My soul. Well, let's see. You want to find out? Turn over
here to Mark chapter 10. Let's see what the Lord says.
Mark chapter 10. Turn over here. Mark chapter 10. There was a rich man young man
who came to the Lord seeking salvation upon the ground of
his law-keeping. And the Lord revealed unto him
that he was a sinner, and that he was to follow the Lord alone,
and he went away sad and grieved, because he had great possessions."
Verse 23 of Mark 10, And Jesus looked round about, and saith
unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter
into the kingdom of heaven! And the disciples were astonished
at his word. But the Lord said again unto
them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches
to enter into the kingdom of God? And they were astonished
out of measure, Mark 10, 26, saying among themselves, Who
then can be saved? And the Lord, looking upon them,
saith, With men, no man. With men it's impossible,
but not with God. For with God all things are possible."
You see, we're shut up to the sovereign purpose of God. We're
shut up to the sovereign mercy of God Almighty. That is exactly
the way God Almighty has designed salvation. By His purpose and
grace He saves sinners. The problem is that we just got
sick and need a little shove in the right direction. The problem
is not that our flame is just dim and we need somebody to blow
on us that inflame our heart. The problem is not we're just
not sick. We just don't need a little encouragement.
The problem is that we're dead. Dead. Shapen in iniquity. Dead in sin. And we got here. How did we come into this world?
Dead. Physically alive. but shape in iniquity and dead
in trespasses and in sin." Remember from our study in Isaiah, where
he reveals, the Lord reveals unto us the total depravity of
all humanity. He said the whole head is sick,
all of our thoughts are corrupted and vile, the whole heart is
faint, From the sole of the foot, even to the head, there's no
soundness, there's no goodness, but wounds and bruises, putrefying
sores that have not been closed. These are bound up. These are
mollified with ointment. We're just one big, ugly, ulcerated
sore of iniquity before God. You see, we have a sin problem,
don't we? A definite sin problem. Our heart
is polluted. with sin. Now listen to these
things. Our understanding is darkened. Our understanding is darkened.
We have no right understanding of who God is, or who we are,
or the way of salvation. Our understanding is darkened.
It says that in Ephesians 4.18. Not only that, our will is perverse. The natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God. Our mind is corrupted. The carnal
mind is enmity against God. The carnal mind hates God. Our
affections are polluted. The whole heart, the understanding,
the mind, the will, the affection, our affections are polluted.
You know what? You remember John 3.19 where
it says, we love, what? Darkness, not light. The reason
we love darkness and not light is because our deeds are evil. Now, here's the third part. You got the first two? No man
can except the Father which sent me. Draw him. And I'll raise
him up at the last day. Draw him. Except the Father.
Now this includes the whole Godhead. It includes the Son and the Spirit.
This word, except. Except. No man can come to me
except. Where have we seen that before?
That word, except. Turn to John chapter 3. Turn
over there. John chapter 3. Remember when
we studied through John 3? Except. No man can come to Christ
except. Here it is, John 3, 3. He taught
the same thing to Nicodemus. Verily, verily, verse 3, truly,
truly, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot
see, he cannot understand, he cannot know the kingdom of God. Verse 5, Verily, verily, I say
unto you, except a man be born of water and spirit, he cannot,
there's that no man's land, he cannot, He cannot enter into
the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh
is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Marvel
not that I say unto you, you must be born again. Turn over
here to John chapter... I believe it is John chapter
6, verse 63. John 6, verse 63. It is the Spirit
that quickeneth... John 6, verse 63. It is the Spirit
that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing. The word that I speak
unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. Apart from the
Father choosing us in electing grace, apart from the Lord Jesus
Christ redeeming us by His effectual blood atonement, and apart from
the Holy Spirit convicting, convincing, and regenerating, we'll never
come to Christ. Never. Never. never savingly
embraced the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember Ephesians 2.1, you have,
he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sin, but God
who is rich in mercy for his great love were with, he loved
us even when we were, what? What's the word? Dead. He quickened us together with
Christ Jesus and raised us up together in him. Now the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ certainly involves much more
than just a simple invitation. Now that's what's going on in
religious circles today. They'll preach a nice little
sermon saying that God's trying to do something. God wants to,
but you won't let Him. God wants to bless you, but you
won't let Him in. And then they'll stand down front
after they play 15 verses of Just As I Am and beg people to
come forward and make a decision. And they call that salvation.
That's not salvation. That's Tommy Rock. That's Tom
Fullery. That's a pure invention of men.
Salvation is not a decision you make. If you're trusting that,
you're lost. You don't know God. You don't
know the gospel. Salvation is in Christ and it's
being drawn to Him. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ is not just a simple invitation to come forward. It's the command
of God. He draws His people to Himself. The word draw here, in this text,
if you look the word up, you know what it literally means?
To drag. To drag. That's what it means.
To drag. To drag. It means to affectionately
compel, putting forth power to invincibly and successfully overcome. God must overcome you. That's
what happens in salvation. Salvation is not just easy believism. Salvation is a mighty work of
God in your heart, which He invades your heart, your mind, your will,
your understanding, and convinces you that you're a sinner, that
Christ is the only Savior, that He's all of our righteousness.
Now let me show you an example of this word, draw. Turn to John
chapter 21. And it's the same word here,
John 21, when Peter decided to quit the ministry and go fishing,
and some of the other apostles followed him. And the Lord, risen
Lord, came to them and asked them, as they fished all night,
do you have any meat? Verse 5, and they said, No. And
the Lord said in verse 6, He said unto them, Cast the net
on the right side of the ship, and you shall find. And they
cast therefore now, and they were not able to draw it for
the multitude of the fishes. These fishermen, when they went
out fishing and had those fishing nets, the fish must be captured
by the net and must be drawn into the ship. They don't... I guarantee you, Peter did not
do this. When they fished all night, he
didn't go out there with John and James and the other apostles
and stand out there on the bow of the ship, hey fish, if you
will, jump in the boat. You would think he'd be insane.
That's insanity, isn't it? He had to, on purpose, cast a
net, draw it with skill, and draw it into the boat. That's
exactly what God does in salvation. Remember what the Lord said,
I'll make you fishers of men? He draws his people irresistibly
and effectively with the gospel truth, not with lies. Not with
the cunning schemes of men, but with gospel truth. If God the
Holy Spirit doesn't affectually draw us to Christ, we'll never
come. Now you may be religious up to
here, but you'll never savingly come to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Left to ourselves, we'll never believe the gospel of God. Now
these two scriptures, Psalm 65, Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest and causes us to approach unto Him. And then in Psalm 110,
these are familiar scriptures. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of His power. The gospel is the power of God
in the salvation. The Lord must raise us from the
spiritual grave to enable us by faith to come to Him. The
Lord will draw all His people to Himself. He will. He will draw all His elect unto
Himself with that gospel truth, sent in the power of God the
Holy Spirit, quickening, regenerating, calling, irresistibly drawing
them to Christ. Now listen to this scripture.
This is familiar. John, or rather Jeremiah 31. He said, I've loved thee with
an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness, what's
the word? I've drawn you to myself. You know how He irresistibly
draws us to Himself? He makes Himself irresistible. He brings us to such a station
and a place in our experience of salvation that we must have
Christ at all costs. I must have Him. He's altogether
lovely. He's the Lord my righteousness.
Now He will draw all His covenant people to Him. I can make good
on that. Turn to John chapter 12. John
chapter 12. Look at verse 31. John 12, 31. And I, verse 31. Now, John 12,
31. Now, he said, is the judgment
of this world. Now shall the prince of this
world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from
the earth, He's talking here about His crucifixion, talking
about sin being judged, He's talking about Satan being put
out of business, and I, if I be lifted up, will draw all... Put
a line through that word M-E-N. It's not in the original. You
see it's italicized? Put a line through it. It doesn't
belong there. If I be lifted up, I'll draw
all unto Me. Who is the all? Well, it tells us in John 6.37,
doesn't it? All that the Father giveth to me, they shall come
to me. And those that come to me, I
will in no wise cast out." Okay, look at verse 45. Now, I'm not
going to spend as much time on verse 45, so don't get anxious. Verse 45, it is written, that
is, God has decreed this. That is the decree of God, not
going to change. It is written in the prophets
of God. It's written in the Word of God. And they shall be all,
the same all, taught. Taught. Taught of God. Taught
of God. Everyone, every man therefore
that has heard his sheep hear his voice, and have learned of
the Father, they come to Christ. They come to Christ. Now, in
these verses, we see the design of grace, we see the means of
grace, and we see the results of grace. Let's consider for
a minute how the Lord draws us to Himself. The Lord draws us
exactly as He decreed to do in Isaiah and the prophet. The Lord
draws us exactly and exclusively the way He has decreed in His
Word. All that are ordained to eternal life The all that are
ordained to eternal life, you know what they do? They believe
the gospel. All those given to the Lord Jesus Christ will come
to Him. All those chosen in Him, all who are children of God,
will sooner or later, God will cross their path with the gospel
of His grace and invincibly, irresistibly convince you, you
need Christ. I can't convince you you need
Christ. I can tell you that you do. I can declare unto you the
gospel. God has to convince you. And this will happen sooner or
later with all the sheep of Christ in a special way, with a special
revelation being taught of God. You know, it reveals, it takes,
I've said this over the years and it's so, it takes God to
reveal God. He's hid these things from the
wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father,
it seems good in your sight." Peter, whom do men say that I
am? Remember Matthew 6 to 8? Well,
John or Jeremiah or one of the other prophets, whom do you say
that I am? Remember his answer? Thou art
the Christ. Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the Living. Blessed are you, Simon, Peter, Flesh and blood didn't reveal
this unto you, but my Father hath revealed this unto you. Those drawn to Christ by the
Holy Spirit's invincible power and irresistible grace do not
come to the Lord Jesus Christ ignorantly or blindly. Faith's not blind. Faith's not
born of ignorance. Faith is born of truth. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing
by the Word of God, the Word of Truth. All those who have
been taught of God, they come to Christ. Everyone that has
heard and learned that in salvation the Lord Jesus promises everything,
they come to Him. They believe the Gospel. The
Holy Spirit teaches us one primary lesson in three parts. One primary lesson in three parts.
In John 16, we read about it. Don't turn there, but I'll just
remind you of it. When He, the Spirit of truth,
has come, He'll convince us of sin, what we are. He'll convince
us of righteousness, what we need. And He'll convince us of
judgment, what I deserve and what happened to the Lord Jesus
Christ on Calvary, being judged for our sin. He'll teach us the sinfulness
of ourselves, the beauty and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ,
that He's altogether lovely. Those who have heard the gospel
of Christ and have been taught of God, they willingly come to
Christ continually, always and forever, and they come right
now. Right now. When's the time to come to Christ?
Right now. Today's the day of salvation. Come to Christ and
don't move a muscle. Coming to Christ is not something
physical. Coming to Christ is not something
mental. Coming to Christ is spiritual.
Coming to Christ is coming to Him by faith in your heart. It's
seeing Him as altogether lovely. May God be our teacher. May God
draw us to the Lord Jesus Christ for all of salvation. And this
question, consider this. Our Lord asked those religious
men that day, what think ye of Christ? What think ye of Christ? What think ye of the Lord Jesus
Christ? Those who have heard, and learned, and have taught
of God, He's everything. He's just not something in salvation. Christ is all, and in all, and
we're complete in Him. Now, aren't those two verses
something? What does that teach us? Again, we see again and again
that salvation is of the Lord, don't we? No man can come to
me except the Father which sent me. Draw him and I'll raise him
up at the last day. My hope when I come to preach
is not that I can persuade some men to do something. My hope
lies in a whole totally different thing. My hope is in this. God will bless His gospel to
the hearts of His people and they will believe the gospel. That's why I don't browbeat,
butthole, badger people. If you're one of His, He'll run
you down, overcome you, and convince you, and convict you, and make
you love the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart.