There are two great battlefields over Christian doctrine. Sceptics will not believe in the Virgin Birth, nor will they believe in the Resurrection.. Specifically, Miracles are anti-Science and therefore impossible. But these two miracles are the foundation miracles of Salvation. God became man and showed himself to us in Christ. Christ died on the cross, rose again, and ascended into Heaven..
1. THE DESCENT OF GOD FROM HEAVEN John 6:35, 41-43 Incarnation
a. Jesus is the LORD from Heaven..
Jesus is God Incarnate. He came down from heaven at Christmas by the Virgin
Birth. The Deity of Christ and his Virgin Birth go together. This was the only
way that God could become Man. This is denied by the Jews, by the cults, and
all other religions. They think they know about Mary and Joseph, and deny the
virgin birth. The Qur'an is wrong about Mary. So is the WatchTower. So are the
Mormons. Jesus is the LORD (KURIOS, YHWH)..
b. Jesus is the Man from the Earth..
Jesus is the Bread of Life. This Bread of Life is his Flesh (SARX), born of
the Virgin Mary (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6). The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us
(John 1:14). The night that he was betrayed, he took the bread, and broke it:
"Do this in remembrance of me". He had a real flesh and blood body. This way
he could make himself a sacrifice for sinners. For us. "This bread is my
flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (51b). He gave it: on the
Cross of Calvary..
2. THE ASCENT OF MAN TO HEAVEN John 6:44-51 Resurrection
a. We are Drawn by God..
"No-one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him". The Holy
Spirit drew us to God from our childhood. We are only here today, because God
the Father drew us to Himself. Here is Election, that God drew us. Here is
Freewill, that we responded..
b. We are Taught by God..
"It is written on the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who
listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me" (45). Jesus quotes from
Isaiah 54:13. All through the Law and the Prophets and the Writings, we trace
the red thread of the Blood of Christ. All the sacrifices of the Old Testament
led up to Christ, and found fulfilment in his sacrifice at Calvary. "The
Spirit of God bears witness to our spirit, that we are children of God: and if
children, then heirs: heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ" (Romans
8:16). Anyone can read the Bible, but only those who are taught by the Holy
Spirit can understand the Bible..
c. We shall be Raised by God..
"In very truth I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life." (47). "Whoever
eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on
the Last Day" (54, not in our reading)..
That's what this Communion service is all about..
Ben
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Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
