We're here in John chapter 6, and we talked about John 6 last week, and we covered two miracles in the early part of the chapter.
In the last half of the chapter, there's a lot of information we could talk about because when it comes to the last half of the chapter,
the Calvinists go crazy and the Catholics go crazy with all kinds of weird doctrines and stuff like that.
And I think the reason why is because when you look at John chapter 6, we're really talking about salvation.
And there's so many verses that talk about believing on Jesus Christ.
And whenever you talk about salvation, that is something that there's a lot of contention about.
The Bible is very clear on us as believers. When we read this, John 6, it's not confusing to us.
It's very simple, but obviously, unsaved people, they don't understand that.
So look at John chapter 6, verses 41 and 42.
Jesus didn't murmur at him because he said,
I am the bread which came down from heaven.
And they said, is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?
How is it then that he'd say that I came down from heaven?
And so the Catholics are going to tell us a couple things.
One thing that they're going to tell us is that this is required for salvation, taking communion.
And the other thing they're going to say is that when you take the little cracker and you take the wine,
it actually turns into the body and blood of Jesus once it's inside your mouth.
Because when you're holding it, it's very obvious it's not the body of Jesus.
But magically, once it comes into your mouth, it is the body of Jesus.
You take it back out, it's not the body of Jesus.
But when it's inside, it is the body of Jesus and it's part of salvation.
But I want you to notice that in John, and one thing they say in John 6,
is that when Jesus is preaching this, people had problems with what he was saying.
They say, well see, they're having problems with it because they have problems with this doctrine of the Eucharist
and it actually turns into his body and blood.
But notice in verse 42, what is the problem that the Jews have?
Notice what it says, is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?
How is it then that he's saying, I came down from heaven?
So what is the problem that the Jews have?
Is there a problem with what he says about being the body and blood of Jesus?
No, their big problem is what Jesus said, I came down from heaven.
That's the part they don't believe, that's the part they don't get.
And the reason why so many people walk away from him in John 6, is because he is talking about salvation.
And because of the fact they get offended with what he says, because they do not understand salvation.
It's nothing different today.
Look, if I preach this sermon in a Baptist church,
I'm sure some of the words I say would offend people because they don't understand salvation.
And when they don't understand salvation, they're not going to understand anything.
And Jesus is using symbolism, and to us, I am the bread of life is not that complicated.
But it's sure complicated to the Catholics.
It's sure complicated to the Jews, why?
Because they're not saved.
Now turn to Exodus chapter 12, Exodus 12.
Obviously most people didn't believe on Jesus.
They didn't think he came down from heaven.
They say, wait a minute, you're the son of Joseph.
We know your father, we know your mother.
How is it that you're saying you came down from heaven?
Now, let me say this, we're going to talk a little bit about communion tonight.
We're not going to get too much into it, but a little bit we are.
And in John 6, it's talking about salvation.
These are not the big communion passages that are towards the end of the Gospels.
But the Catholics use it as their communion passage.
But let me just say this, because you might wonder, what is our position here about communion?
We have not taken communion so far in this church.
And there is a specific reason why.
My belief about communion has been the same for a very long time.
And it's the same view that Pastor Minnis has.
I had the same exact view, and if you've ever heard him preach on it, you'll know.
Let me just say briefly that we believe communion is to be taken one time per year.
And the reason why is because the Lord's Supper replaces the Passover.
And the Passover was one time a year.
What does the Passover symbolize?
It symbolizes the death of Jesus Christ.
And so we will take communion the week before Easter.
So I'll preach a whole sermon about communion.
I'll explain my view, and I'm not going to go into too much detail in just a little bit.
But I'll preach a sermon coming up here in about a month, and we'll take communion.
We would do it mid-week service, because that would be four days before we celebrate Easter or the resurrection of Jesus.
Except most people can't come to the mid-week service, and it is a special time.
But we will take communion one week before Easter, because we're remembering the death of Jesus Christ.
What we believe is to be one time a year. Why? Because the Passover was one time a year.
Now we'll go into detail more about that. You might have various verses that come to mind.
I'm not really going into that in this sermon. It's kind of outside the scope.
We're going to look at five points in this sermon, though, that show that what the Catholics believe about communion or the Eucharist is complete garbage.
Their belief that it actually turns into the body and blood of Jesus, and their belief that this is part of salvation.
Because since the Lord stopped to replace the Passover, you would think that in Exodus chapter 12 you would actually see what they teach.
That it actually turns into the body and blood of Jesus. But let's see what it says in Exodus 12.
Verse 5. Exodus 12 verse 5.
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year.
We shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats.
And so the lamb was without blemish, and it's a male lamb.
Obviously this symbolizes Jesus Christ. Why?
Because Jesus was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world and was without sin, and without blemish.
That is why when they made offerings, sacrifices, they had to be perfect without blemish. Why?
It's a picture of Jesus Christ. And so it can't be maimed. It can't have a scar or a broken leg.
It wouldn't be fitting because it's a picture of Jesus Christ.
Now notice what it says in verse 6.
And he shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month, and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
And they shall take of the blood and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door posts of the houses wherein they shall eat it.
So basically, if you know the story in Exodus chapter 12, this was the last play and they're killing the firstborn child if there is no blood on the door.
Now the way the blood was on the door was in the shape of a cross.
So the blood was in the shape of a cross on the door. I wonder what that picture is. It obviously pictures Jesus Christ.
And if somebody did not have the blood on the door, then the firstborn child in that house would be killed.
Now if you notice, when it comes to the blood being on the door inside the house, this is something that's done in your house.
It's not done in the church. And you say, why? Because of the fact, when it comes to salvation, that is an individual choice you make.
You must have the blood applied to your individual heart.
That doesn't change the fact that we still take communion as a church. We'll talk about that more coming up in a month.
But obviously during the Lord's Supper, we don't kill a lamb anymore. That was done 2,000 years ago.
But yes, when it came to the land, that was the individual house because of the fact that you individually must believe on Jesus Christ.
Obviously, you go to a church and a lot of people come to this. When this church grows and there's 100 people, I promise you there will be some unsafe people.
Even in our church on a Sunday where there's 40 people, there's probably somebody who's unsafe.
And I'm not even talking about people that are deceivers, but maybe first-time visitors that maybe don't understand salvation.
You are some people that don't believe. And so to think of salvation, it is an individual choice.
But it was in the shape of a cross on the door because of the fact that it obviously symbolized what Jesus Christ would do for us.
Verse 8,
And so we're going through these verses and so far there's no indication that the bread they're eating is actually turning into the flesh of Jesus.
There's no verse that would indicate that.
Now since the Lord's Son was replacing the Passover, you would think that there would be some verse or some hint that God would give, especially if it's part of salvation.
Catholics say this is part of salvation. It's so important. It replaces the Passover.
Why is it that there's no indication of the verse you read that this is actually turning into the body of Jesus?
They don't even claim that this explains it in Exodus 12. They just go to John 6.
Look at verse number 11. We won't go through this whole chapter. We're just going to go through the first several verses here.
Verse 11,
And the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt.
And in verse number 13 you see where we get that song, When I See the Blood. We're actually going to sing that song. It's the last song here tonight.
But that's where we get that song, When I See the Blood.
Verse 14,
So notice in verse 14 they're going to keep this forever.
Look, we still keep this today.
Because in fact the Lord's Supper replaced the Passover. This is to be kept forever.
The only difference now is we don't have the lamb.
And look, the Jews don't kill the lamb.
This is supposedly part of their religion because they don't think the Savior's coming.
Why don't they kill the lamb? And why don't they follow the Passover?
Because they don't even believe in their own religion. They don't follow what the Bible says at all.
But we don't kill the lamb anymore because obviously we know Jesus died 2,000 years ago.
But we still partake in the bread and we partake in the juice, not wine, which symbolizes Jesus Christ.
Now turn to Matthew 26.
And so the first reason why what they say about the Eucharist is wrong is because the Passover gives absolutely no indication whatsoever that this is part of salvation.
Look, when it says that they killed them during the nights, they were physically killed.
They did not have the blood. Now this pictures spiritual salvation, but they were physically killed.
Now yes communion pictures spiritual salvation. It is not part of salvation though.
Because we know the Bible says believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
And there is no indication in Exodus 12 that it literally turns into the body of Jesus Christ when it's inside your mouth.
That is ridiculous. So in the Passover, which considering this was something they kept forever, don't you think that God would mention that hey this is actually turning into my body of Jesus.
But he doesn't mention anything like that.
Now in Matthew 26 we're going to look at a passage that talks about communion or the Lord's Supper.
And once again we're going to see that it's not literally eating the flesh of Jesus or drinking his blood.
Notice what it says in Matthew 26 verse 26.
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it and break it and gave to the disciples and said take, eat, this is my body.
Now notice as he's handing them the bread, he says this is my body.
Think about if I had bread in my hand and I was handing it to dust and I said this is my body.
Not this will become my body once it enters your mouth.
He's saying this is my body.
See every word of God is very important.
Now they're in the middle of eating but what he's handing to them is not inside his mouth.
It's not like he's eating the bread and saying this is my body.
With a full mouth.
No he's saying this is my body.
Not this will become my body.
This is my body.
So when it comes to the communion of the Lord's Supper, even more clearly it's showing this is not becoming his body.
He's saying this is his body before they eat it.
Why? It's a symbol.
It's not actually becoming his body.
It's a picture of his body.
Verse 27.
He doesn't say hey this will become my blood once it enters your mouth.
No, he says this is my blood.
Why? Because it is picturing the blood of Jesus Christ.
It's not literally the blood of Jesus Christ.
Now notice verse 29.
You say why is it that we don't have actual fermented alcohol?
Because in verse 29 it says the fruit of the vine.
Now obviously there's a lot of issues why we don't drink fermented alcohol here at church because that actually is sin.
So when you're trying to picture the sinless perfection of Jesus Christ it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to commit sin while doing that.
But that's why we do fruit juice and not actually fermented alcohol.
Now turn to Mark 14.
Let's look at another passage that talks about communion of the Lord's Supper.
Now obviously I understand everybody in this room, we know the Eucharist is false.
And when it comes to helping explain it to Catholics, they really just need to get sin.
That's why they don't get this.
Because this is not that complicated but whenever we cover a topic I think we ought to go in depth on it.
And this is their big passage. Obviously this is in Catholic country.
So here in John 6 I think it's important we show left, right, and down the center that the Eucharist is false.
It's ridiculous.
Mark 14 verse 22.
This is my blood.
This is my body.
Verse 23.
And he took the cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to them.
And they all drank of it.
And he said unto them, this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for me.
So once again he says, this is my blood.
Not this will become my blood, but this is my blood.
So you know in John 6 they can go there if they want, but when you actually look at a passage on the Lord's Supper,
which they're claiming from John 6, but this is actually the passage on the Lord's Supper,
it's not actually his body and his blood.
Jesus says it's his body and his blood before they actually part the achives.
So what they teach is it becomes his body and his blood.
That is ridiculous. That's not what the Bible teaches.
And once again in verse 25 it talks about the fruit of the vine yet again.
Now turn to John 3.
And so first off when you go back to the Old Testament and you look at the Passover in Exodus,
Exodus chapter 12, there's just no indication whatsoever that it's actually turning into the body and the blood of Jesus.
And there's no indication that that's required for salvation.
It symbolizes salvation. Obviously you need the blood on the door,
and we need to have the blood apply to our hearts and our lives and have our sins washed away as we sum about.
But it's not literally salvation.
Look, if somebody was saved in the Old Testament and they did not take the Passover that year,
they'd still be saved because it's only a picture of salvation.
The land is a picture of Jesus Christ. It's not actually salvation.
Why? Because salvation happens one time.
The Passover happened every year. And the Lord's Supper is something every year.
And with the Catholics, they do it every week.
So if this is part of salvation, you're getting saved every single week?
That doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
Because when you get saved, your future sins are washed away.
Look, if that got you saved every single week, why in the world would you take communion when you're in your 20s?
Because you're probably not going to die in a couple days.
You might as well just wait to get spiritual in your 50s or 60s.
It doesn't really make a whole lot of sense, but they think you get saved over and over and over again.
Another reason why the Eucharist is completely false is because that in the book of John,
the book of John often uses examples about salvation.
The book of John is the best book to talk about salvation. I don't think there's any question about that.
But it's also the book that uses a lot of symbolism.
So Catholics like to just stay in John 6 and just argue there.
But if you looked in the book of John as a whole, outside of the fact there's a million verses that say believe.
But just in John, there's a lot of symbolism when it comes to salvation.
Notice in John 3 verse 12, Jesus said this would be the case.
John 3 verse 12,
If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?
So what is the earthly thing that He's not understanding?
He's not understanding being born again.
So Jesus is telling him, look, I'm giving you an earthly example.
I'm trying to break it down so you can understand this.
And if you don't get this earthly example, you won't understand the spiritual application.
You won't understand the heavenly things.
Notice John 3 verse 3 where this starts.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?
Can he enter the second time unto his mother's womb and be born?
So Nicodemus doesn't understand the spiritual world.
Now in today's world, everybody knows the term being born again.
One reason why this is a big religion in this country is called the born again religion.
So people say, yeah, I'm born again.
It's like, but are you born again?
It's like, well, probably not.
So in this day, though, once he mentions being born again, Nicodemus is confused.
Now think about this.
If you're someone who doesn't know this term, it's probably going to sound confusing.
Being born again, it's like, wait a minute, I only have one birthday.
What do you mean being born again?
Can I go the second time and do my mother's womb and be born?
You can see where you would be confused.
Especially because most people believe, aren't we all children of God?
Isn't that what most people believe?
Isn't that what the Catholics teach, that everyone's a child of God?
Look, the term being born again doesn't make a whole lot of sense if we're all children of God.
Because you're being spiritually born into the God's family.
And look, if you're already a child of God, then what's the purpose of being spiritually born into God's family?
This whole passage in John 3 doesn't make any sense whatsoever if we're all children of God.
The Bible says that we must receive Him and then we become sons of God.
And so in John 3, there's an example of using the physically being born example to being spiritually born.
Now turn to John 4.
And in John 4, we'll see another example.
John 4 verses 13 and 14.
So he uses the example of water.
The reason why he uses the example of water is because they're beside water at that time.
So it's something that's going to resonate with her.
It's like when I preach to gospel people and I notice that somebody has a child, you know, that's a good example.
You know, explaining the father-son or father-daughter relationship and how a parent would judge their kids and discipline them.
But they're still going to be their child.
That's a good example to use them. It's going to make sense to them.
Look, she's beside water at that time, so that's a very good example to use.
So he compares the spiritual life with everlasting water.
Turn to John 10.
And obviously there's tons of examples when it comes to salvation.
But look, if we're going to take all of these things literally, then we're going to run into some problems.
John 10, for example. John 10 verse 7.
Then said to Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Now, Catholics say this is literally talking about the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Well, I'm going to start arguing that John 10 is literally saying Jesus is the door.
I think that's Jesus over there. I'm going to start arguing that.
Do you realize how stupid that is?
They don't understand symbolism at all. Let's just earth on all these passages.
When he says, I am the door of the sheep, it's obvious he's being symbolic.
And as far as I know, nobody thinks in John 10 verse 7 that he was literally being serious.
Maybe there will be some religion one day that will come up with that crazy belief.
Or maybe there is one today. But he says, I am the door of the sheep.
Obviously he's being symbolic.
Look at John 6. It's obvious to anyone who's saved that he's being symbolic.
Now in verse 8 of John 10.
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, it shall be saved. It shall go in and out and find pasture.
So why is it that Jesus uses these examples?
The fact that salvation is like a door and that Jesus is like a door.
That makes a lot of sense because of the fact that it's easy to open a door.
It's a door and everybody drinks water.
So these are examples that make sense.
We're seeing specifically in the book of John, we're seeing a lot of examples being used.
Now go back to John 6.
And let's look at John chapter 6 verse 30. I think this will also make some more sense.
They said therefore ongoing, what sign showest thou then that we may see and believe thee?
What dost thou work?
So these unsaved people are saying, I want to see a sign.
Isn't it true that unsaved people will say things like that sometimes?
If I just could have a sign and God just revealed it to me, I would believe.
Well, that's not really the truth.
Because in Luke 16 it talks about the one who rises from the dead.
And that's the truth because one did rise from the dead.
Did everybody magically believe in Jesus?
Now it would have made sense for everybody to believe in Jesus.
But you know what, if they're not going to believe this, they're not going to believe the one who goes from the dead.
Now that's crazy to us, but it's hard for us to think about being an unsaved person.
Especially since you've been saved for a while, it's hard for you to think back to my life when I was an unsaved teenager.
What was in my mind?
I was probably really foolish and stupid if I was asked any questions about the Bible.
But unsaved people, they just don't understand this.
They make sense to us. They don't make sense to unsaved people.
They're asking for a sign.
I'm sure before I was saved I would have found the same thing.
Hey, you know what, I'll believe if I just see a sign.
But turn to Matthew 12.
Let's see the sorts of signs that Jesus shows.
Because in John 6, which is their chapter, where they say it literally turns into the body and blood of Jesus,
they're asking for a sign.
Let's notice what Jesus says when people are looking for a sign in other parts of the Bible.
Matthew 12, verses 38 through 40.
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying,
Master, we would see a sign from thee.
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign,
and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonas.
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly,
so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Now let me just say this, Baptist, that when it says the heart of the earth,
that does not mean six feet under the ground.
It means the heart of the earth or where hell is located.
It's not that complicated.
The sign they're being given, and Jonas said, out of the belly of hell cried I.
Obviously picture in Jesus Christ.
That's what Jonas said in Jonah chapter 2.
But it says the sign that's going to be given to you is that Jonah,
as he was three days and three nights in the whale's belly,
so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
So what is Jesus telling them?
The only sign you're getting is that I'm rising again from the dead.
I'm fulfilling all of the scripture from the Old Testament.
I'm going to die for the sins of the world.
I'm going to rise again.
That's the only sign you're getting.
Look, when we preach the gospel to people,
it's foolish to try to convince them of the truth with some magical method.
We just show them that Jesus was buried and he rose again.
If they don't want to receive that, then they're not going to get saved.
Now turn to Matthew 16.
This is the problem with apologetics ministries,
because they try to prove the existence of God,
and they use all these different methods and all these logical arguments,
but the problem is nobody gets saved through logical arguments.
Honestly, they might be right in the things that they're saying,
but that just doesn't lead people to the Lord.
See, what leads people to the Lord is the power of the Lord of God
and just showing them what Jesus did for us.
In Matthew 16, verses 1-4, God reads,
The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came and tempted and desired him
that he would show them a sign from heaven.
He answered and said to them,
When it is evening, he say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.
And in the morning will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering.
O ye hypocrites, he can discern the face of the sky,
but can you not discern the signs of the times?
A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign,
and there shall no sign be given unto him, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.
And he left them and departed.
So what does he say? Once again,
Hey, your sign is the prophet Jonas.
As he was three days and three nights in the oil of phallus,
so shall the sun of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
So going back to John 6, when they are looking for a sign from God,
well, what sort of sign did he give them in other parts of the Bible?
He just talked to them about salvation.
Right.
That's what he said to them.
So in John 6, yeah, you know what, he is talking about salvation,
but he's giving them signs, he's giving them pictures.
So throughout the Bible, the signs being given, the pictures,
there's symbolism of salvation.
Yes, the bread symbolizes salvation.
Yes, the juice symbolizes salvation.
It's not actually salvation.
It's not actually the body and blood of Jesus.
Okay, God speaks against drinking blood,
and so if we're just going to partake, they do it every single week.
That's real healthy in your body.
Just drink blood every single week when God says don't drink blood.
Okay, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Now, in John 6, another thing I want to show you is this,
that if what they say about the Eucharist is true,
this will contradict a lot of scripture.
Okay, because they say this refers to salvation.
This is actually salvation.
It contradicts a lot of scripture in John chapter 6.
Okay, we know it contradicts a lot of scripture throughout the entire Bible.
We're going to look at so many verses in John 6 that show us
salvation is believing only.
Okay, verses 27 through 29.
Labor not for the meat which perished it,
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?
So once again, they're looking at salvation and thinking it's a work.
What shall we do that we might work the works of God?
What work do I have to do to harm my way to heaven?
Jesus answered and said unto them,
This is the work of God, that you believe on him who ye have sent.
Okay, now there's people that are the Calvinists,
where they'll go here and say,
well see, believing's a work.
Okay, now I think that's ridiculous
because when you look at the context,
it's clearly saying, hey, it's not a work.
It's just by believing.
Anyone who's saved is willing to understand.
If you want to tell you that literally,
then in verse 29 it says this is the work of God.
So it's not your work.
It's the work of God.
Believe on him who ye have sent.
All he's telling us is to believe.
That's not a work.
What does he say salvation is?
Believing on Jesus Christ.
Now wait a minute.
If the Eucharist is part of salvation,
if you had to actually take the little cracker or the wine,
then you know what that contradicts?
John 6 verses 27 to 29.
It also contradicts verse 35 to 36.
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life.
He that cometh to me shall never hunger,
and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
But I said unto you that ye also have seen me,
and believe not.
So when he mentions in verse 35,
I am the bread of life,
what does he say right after that?
He that cometh to me shall never hunger,
and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Why?
Because being the bread of life is picturing salvation.
But he's saying what salvation is by believing.
And in the next verse he's saying,
hey, I told you this,
that ye also have seen me, and believe not.
So he's saying I'm using example after example.
I'm showing you what salvation is.
Just believing on me if you don't believe.
You see, the Catholics would read this.
They see all these verses that say believe only,
and then they walk away and say, well, see,
you've got to drink wine and be saved.
It's like, what in the world?
I mean, this contradicts this chapter over and over again.
Because in verses 35 and 36,
maybe more clearly than anywhere in this chapter,
he's showing, hey, the bread of life,
just believe on Jesus Christ.
Because the Omaha is not the bread of life.
The Buddha is not the bread of life.
Jesus is the bread of life.
He's not saying, hey, once you eat bread and community,
it becomes my body.
That's ridiculous.
That's not what it says.
Verse 40.
John 6, verse 40.
And this is the will of him that sent me,
that everyone which seeth the Son and believeth on him
may have everlasting life,
and I will raise him up at the last day.
And so the will of God the Father
is that everyone which sees the Son and believes
may have everlasting life.
Once again, what is salvation?
Believe.
It does not say,
and this is the will of him that sent me,
that everyone which drinks wine every Sunday
at Catholic church and takes this cracker,
you know, has everlasting life for a week.
And then they got to get it again next week.
That's not what it says.
He's saying that, you know what, if you believe on me,
you have everlasting life.
John 6, verses 47 to 48.
Verse 47.
Barely, barely I say unto you,
he that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
I am that bread of life.
Notice once again how believing on it for everlasting life
is connected to the bread of life.
Okay?
So what does he say?
Hey, you got to believe on me to have everlasting life.
And he says, I am that bread of life,
saying I'm the one you have to believe on.
He's making it very clear.
Believe on me, you have everlasting life.
I am that bread of life.
You must believe on me, and you receive everlasting life.
He doesn't say, hey, you must eat me.
Okay?
I mean, what in the world?
He doesn't say that.
He says, believe on me, and you have everlasting life.
Right.
It's very clear in their chapter that salvation is by believing.
There's so many verses here in John 6.
I don't know how you can walk away and say, well, see,
you must, you know, take this.
You never leave.
It's ridiculous.
Look at John 6, verses 64.
Starting at verse 64.
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.
He said, therefore, and he said, therefore, said I on you
that no man can come unto me except that were given
unto me by my Father.
From that time, many of his disciples went back
and walked no more with him.
Why do they walk back?
Because they're following him,
but they still don't understand salvation.
And he's explaining salvation very clearly in this chapter.
Believe, believe, believe, believe, believe.
But you know what?
They don't believe.
I mean, Jesus said he knew who was not going to believe.
Okay?
From the beginning, who they were that believed not
and who should betray.
So who should betray him is one person.
Jesus is scary.
But there are many that believe not
because who they were, that's plural.
There's many that didn't believe.
Jesus knew who the people were that were with him
that did not believe.
And he also knew the one who betrayed.
So there are many people walking with him
who heard the words of Jesus all the time
and they didn't really believe.
Okay?
There could be many reasons for this.
Maybe they thought they were saved,
but they just didn't really understand.
They wanted to believe, they heard it,
it was convincing, but they didn't believe anything.
Or there could have just been a lot of people
that were just false prophets just in and among there
just pretending to be like them.
It was probably a combination of each.
No matter what the church is,
you're going to have people that come in here
and pretend to be like you
and you're going to have people come in here
that they think they're saved, but they might not be saved.
I'm sure we're going to have lots of visitors
that they come to this church.
Maybe they even heard the gospel of Solomon
when they visited, but they didn't get it.
Last week we had three people who visited with Solomon
and they did not understand the gospel presentation.
They weren't saved yet.
They needed a little bit more time.
And so I'm sure with Jesus
there was a lot of people like that.
But he explained salvation very clearly here in John 6
and a lot no longer walked with him.
Is it because they were offended that,
oh, I've got to eat you?
No, it's because they didn't understand salvation.
And why are you going to walk with a man
for all this time
if you don't understand that it is salvation?
And this is more confirmed when you go to the next verses
in verse 6 to 7.
Ben said to Jesus in Psalm 12,
will you also go away?
He said, are you also going to go away
with every single other person that left?
Go away.
Then Simon Peter answered them,
Lord, to whom shall we go?
Thou hast the words of eternal life
and we believe and are sure
that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
So what is Simon Peter confirming?
He said, hey, we hear your words.
We believe.
We have no doubts.
They walked away because they didn't believe.
They didn't understand.
But he said, we know you have the words of eternal life.
We know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
So yes, this is a chapter talking about salvation.
But it's very clear.
It's by believing on Jesus Christ.
Verse 7, Jesus answered them,
have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil?
He spake of Judas Iscariot of the son of Simon,
for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
Obviously, Judas Iscariot was never a believer.
Sometimes you'll go out sowing and people will bring this up
and say, what about Judas?
Do you think he went to heaven?
And we'll say, no he didn't.
And they'll say, well, he lost to salvation.
No, because in John chapter 6,
one of you is a devil.
He didn't believe at that time.
He wasn't saved in John chapter 6.
He still walked with him.
And who knows fully what was going through his mind,
but you know what?
Judas Iscariot, he did not believe
and he ends up betraying Jesus Christ.
He was never saved.
And so one reason why the Eucharist is completely false
is just for the simple fact
that when you go back to the Passover,
and we didn't go through the whole chapter for the sake of time,
but if you read Exodus chapter 12,
there's just no indication whatsoever
that that's required for salvation.
And there's no indication whatsoever
that taking that bread, taking that dough as it calls it,
and Exodus 12 actually turns in to the body of Jesus Christ
if you go to the New Testament with the Lord's Supper.
You look at the passages on the Lord's Supper,
and guess what?
There's no indication whatsoever
that it's part of salvation.
And also it's very clear that before they eat it,
before they drink it,
it already is in the body and blood of Jesus.
So it doesn't become.
It's just merely a symbol.
Also we saw all the symbolism
through the book of John about salvation,
and also that just in John 6 itself,
if it was part of salvation,
then that contradicts a lot of scripture.
But the last thing I want to look at is this,
that if the Eucharist is true
and it was required for salvation,
doesn't it make sense that you would take this in a public place
so everybody could have it
rather than being in a private location?
That's what it says in Mark 14 verse 12.
And the first day of Unleavened Bread
when He killed the Passover,
His disciples said unto Him,
Where on earth thou that we go and prepare
that thou mayest eat Passover?
Now, they're going to a specific place to prepare the Passover.
If this is part of salvation,
it would make sense that when Jesus was feeding the thousands
as we talked about last week,
that would be a good time to think of you.
Why?
Well, that's part of salvation,
and then He gets in,
if that's part of salvation.
It makes sense when He fed them all the Jews
they would take in.
It makes sense that they would take it in a very public place
because Jesus had thousands listening to Him at times.
They never take communion at those times.
They're actually going to prepare a place.
Verse 13,
And He sent them forth to His disciples,
and saith unto them,
Go ye into the city,
and there shall be to a man bearing a pitcher of water.
Follow Him.
These two disciples,
we can see in another Gospel or here in John,
verse number 14,
And wheresoever who shall go in,
say to the good men of the house,
The Master sayeth,
Where is the guest chamber?
Where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples?
And He will show you a large upper room,
furnished and prepared,
there made ready for us.
So they're going to a large upper room
to have the Passover.
Okay?
Notice how it said the Passover in verse 14.
The Lord's Supper is the Passover.
The Passover became the Lord's Supper.
Okay, so they're going to prepare the Passover,
and you're going to notice in this section
that they're actually taking the Lord's Supper there.
Why?
Because Jesus was about to die for the sins of the world,
they would no longer be taking the Passover
because that lamb was already slain.
But I want you to notice,
they're going to a large upper room.
Look, we'll have communion at our church here
in about a month,
but if communion was part of salvation,
we would go to result walk,
and we would set up a booth,
and we would have like ten men at our church
just like straight preaching
throughout the whole park,
and just trying to convince people
to take communion with us.
That's what we would do.
You say, why?
Because we'd get more people to take communion.
We'd get more people to take, you know,
a fruit juice, a grape juice,
and take a free little piece of bread.
Yeah, people would do it.
I mean, I'm sure you could scare them into thinking,
hey, you know, just in case this is part of salvation,
you need to take it.
People would take it.
If this was part of salvation,
we would go to a public place.
We're not going to a public place.
Why?
Because of the fact this is meant to be done at church
amongst believers, okay?
This is something where we remember the death of Jesus.
The problem is the Catholics can't remember the death of Jesus.
Why?
They still got Jesus on the cross.
We don't want unsaved Catholics taking communion with us.
Why?
They don't understand.
They can't remember the death of Jesus
if they've never believed on Jesus Christ.
All these other false religions,
they haven't believed on Jesus Christ,
so it wouldn't make sense for them to take it with us
because they don't even understand salvation, okay?
And so we go to have it at a church service,
and we're going to do that in a month.
But if it was part of salvation,
we would go to a very public place
and try to get as many people as possible to take it with us.
And Jesus was obviously not an idiot.
If this was part of salvation,
they would go to a very public place
where people could partake it with them.
Notice what it says in verse 16.
And his disciples went forth and came to the city
and found as he had said unto them,
they made ready the Passover,
and in the evening he cometh with the Twelve.
Now in verse number 17 it says he cometh with the Twelve,
but if you remember, two of his disciples,
which are Peter and John, are already gone.
See, the Twelve is an expression, okay?
It doesn't necessarily literally mean twelve people.
They were known as the Twelve, so he cometh with the Twelve.
So he wasn't actually coming with twelve people
because Peter and John were already there.
They were making ready and preparing.
It's an expression you see throughout the Bible.
Sometimes it does literally refer to twelve people with it.
Sometimes it's just an expression.
Let me say this, though.
You know, my opinion, it doesn't explicitly say
there was only twelve people there.
Neither do I.
It highlights those twelve,
and I know we have that famous painting
that, you know, one of the men aren't the men she drew or whatever.
But that doesn't mean that that's what the Bible says.
The Bible doesn't mention there being more than twelve people,
but it doesn't mean that there aren't.
It highlights those twelve.
Remember the story of the man possessed by the many devils?
This is a legion for we are many.
You read that in one Gospel,
and you are for sure one man there.
You cross-reference that in another Gospel,
and you'll notice there was two people here.
He wasn't the only one at that time.
But in one of the Gospels,
most of us, you know, you're reading that,
and you kind of just think there's only one guy, right?
Because that's the famous story.
Legion for we are many.
You cross-reference that with another Gospel.
There's actually two of them that were here.
But one of the Gospels focuses on one person.
Throughout the Bible, the Bible's focusing on the twelve.
But there's often a lot more than twelve
with Jesus when he's preaching.
But when we talk about the twelve,
is there the most preeminent ones,
the ones that he was with, the most dedicated?
So it makes sense to focus on them.
The reason why I mention that is in verse 18.
Notice what it says.
And as they sat and didn't eat,
Jesus said, verily I say unto you,
one of you which eateth with me shall betray me.
So Jesus says, one of you that's eating with me
is going to betray me.
Now notice what it says in verse 19.
And they began to be sorry for one to say unto him,
one by one, is it I?
And another said, is it I?
So he's saying, one of the people that's eating with me
is going to betray me,
and everyone's saying, am I the guy?
And notice what it says in verse 20.
And he answered and said to them,
it is one of the twelve that dipeth with me in the ditch.
To me, when I read that,
it sounds like there's more than twelve there,
and he's saying, it's one of the twelve.
Everyone's asking me, is it I, is it I, is it I?
He's saying, it's one of the twelve.
To me, it sounds like he's narrowing it down.
It's possible, though, that there were just twelve.
I'm just saying, when I read that,
that's kind of what my thoughts have been walking away.
The Bible doesn't explicitly say there's more than twelve there,
so I don't really have dogmatic evidence either way.
But when I look at Mark 14, verse 20,
to me it seemed to imply there might have been more than twelve people there.
To me, it sounds like there's more than twelve people saying,
is it I, is it I, is it I?
He says, it's one of the twelve.
And he narrows it down.
And then we know that Judas makes it clear it's him.
And nobody gets it, because everybody loved Judas.
He was everybody's favorite person, because he was, you know,
everyone loves reprobates.
They always seem nice, but they're complete phonies.
And so, the five things we noticed tonight were this.
When it comes to the Eucharist being exposed,
one thing is just simply that the Passover gives no indication whatsoever
that this is actually talking about real salvation, spiritual salvation,
or the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ.
We also see that the Lord's Supper makes no mention of it whatsoever.
We saw in the book of John there's so many references
with symbolism of salvation in the book of John.
So it makes sense that in John 6, he's using symbolism once again.
And in fact, you can clearly prove that in John 6.
You see back to back verses multiple times
where it talks about him being the bread of life,
and it talks about believing on him for everlasting life.
So it's very clear he's not literally saying
that it's his body and blood.
And we also see that it contradicts many places in John 6,
and it also just doesn't make any sense that
if this was referring to spiritual salvation and it was required,
you would go to a very, very public place.
That is what we would do.
It doesn't make any sense to make it private,
but obviously it has nothing to do with salvation.
This is actually something the Bible says.
It's for believers.
And so obviously we all know that this is a false doctrine,
and the whole reason why the Catholics are confused on this
is simply that they do not understand salvation.
I read several articles from the Catholic point of view on this,
people that are writers or scholars or whatever,
and they're explaining John 6 and using all their arguments.
I didn't even bring the arguments at the table at night
because they're just really weak arguments.
And it's like there are arguments for this being
actually turning to the body and blood of Jesus.
I mean, where in the world does it say
that it turns into the body and blood of Jesus?
Wouldn't there be one clear verse that you go to?
Because whenever you believe some sort of doctrine,
there should be some clear verse that you have, right?
For salvation, we have clear verses.
For the posterity rabbis of the church, we have clear verses.
If there's a doctrine you hold to, especially a doctrine so important
that's part of salvation, that's one of their sacraments,
that you have to do this every single week,
wouldn't there be one clear verse that you point to
where Jesus says, hey, when you eat this,
it's going to actually turn into my body.
But that's not what we see in John 6.
It's a false doctrine, and obviously they don't understand
because they don't understand salvation.
Let's close the door for it.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us
to be here in your house tonight.
We just came to see the scripture on John 6.
And it's obviously very clear to us, God,
that there's a lot of people in this country confused
because they don't understand salvation.
And just help us do everything we can as a church
to reach as many Catholics and reach as many Protestants
and whatever religions here, God, that you can get them saved
and show them the truth and teach them the Bible
and that they can turn away from their false beliefs
and leap on you and also after that grow in the world, God.
We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.