Sustenance From Heaven

 Sermon Reflections from Sustenance From Heaven | Alex Hardt | November 5, 2023

After a very difficult week physically, Pastor Alex shared with us his journey that led him to focus more clearly on what is important and why God’s love transcends all pain and supports us in ways nothing else on earth can.  Sometimes the greatest lessons come through our pain and suffering as we learn to focus on Him and what He provides 24/7.  His support will never fade or diminish and is always available.

The passage Pastor Alex had chosen to focus on is one that answers our needs and points us to Christ.  As I read through the passage, I was almost knocked over by all the promises contained in those few verses in John 6:35-40.  They are eternal promises from our good God who sees to our every need.  Many times we focus on our wants and think that is what we need, but God knows and provides exactly what we need.  Pastor Alex needed his focus to be rebooted and his priorities realigned.  I too needed that and took the pain filled lessons to Pastor Alex into my life.  God was trying to get Alex’s attention to realign his life and priorities, He has done that to me also. Thanks Alex for your heartfelt sharing.

Now to the eternal promises in this passage.  I pray that they will dive deep into your heart and help you to adjust yourself anew to His kingdom work and life.  These verses come after Jesus miraculously fed the 5,000 and walked on water to join the disciples during a storm.  The crowd was surprised as they saw the disciples leave in a boat to go to the other side but did not see Jesus with them.  Later they saw him on the other side. They questioned him about how he got there and were looking for him to perform more miracles.  Jesus knew what they needed was spiritual food-sustenance from heaven! 

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”  Jesus promises that belief in Him will provide heavenly food and drink that will satisfy our souls.  We do not need to look anywhere else as all is found in Jesus.
36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”   This promise is comforting as when we come to Jesus in faith, He will NEVER send us away.  We belong to Him and will never be cast aside as worthless or useless.  We are precious in His sight and are loved by Him.  This promise sends my thoughts to John 10:28-29 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”  Praise God!!
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 

These 2 verses have 2 precious promises.  1- Those who put their faith in Jesus will never be lost by Him and 2- He will raise us up to be with him eternally if we die before He returns.  Our salvation is an eternal promise from Jesus to be kept for, with and by Him for all time.

40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”  Here Jesus repeats His promise to raise us up to be with Him eternally and that belief in Him gives us eternal life.  Jesus has repeatedly told us in John that belief in Him secures eternal life for the believer.  John 3:16  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 5:24 ““Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”  John 17:34“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Which of these precious promises did you need to hear today?  Take it to heart, thank Him for His promises and life changing Word. Claim His promises in your life this week and experience a realignment yourself as you refocus on Jesus, the one who sustains and holds us close.

Linda

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