Grace and Peace For Who? (Eph 1:1-2)

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: grace to be you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (vs1-2).

Grace and peace are in Christ and only for the FAITHFUL, the saints, and those that HONOR God by faith. If we don’t BELIEVE the gospel, transformation never comes, and we have not yet been saved. It is NOT those who hear about Christ, but those that BELIEVE who are saved; it is not what we know, but whether or not we trust Christ ourselves, even as the ark only saved people inside, no matter how many admired it, understood its saving purpose, or even helped it be built - “These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them; that every one that kills any person unawares may flee there” (Numb 35:15).  We must YIELD to Christ for salvation, and if we do, if we BELIEVE on Him, then we have GRACE and peace from God.

He is RECONCILED to us, is at peace with us, and He has PURE and free GRACE for us continually. The wrath is gone, the love is ETERNAL, and we can be sure of our calling and election BY the faithfulness He gives - “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for is you do these things, you shall never fall” (2 Pet 1:10). We TRUST Him apart from works with assurance, and then we work by this assurance, and MORE assurance comes.

Be thankful that you’ve obtained mercy, if you believe, but if you don’t believe, then don’t assume things are good with you; they aren’t.  You are under God’s wrath and will be punished; you and I are taunting death and provoking wrath , if we don’t believe.  Grace and peace makes you holy and faithful. Are you? Do you believe?

Eat My Flesh and Drink My Blood (John 6:32-68)

“Whoso eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (vs54).

Eating and drinking is the gospel of Jesus Christ. We feast on Him like leeches, taking of His blood and life laid down for us (Prov 30:15). We never get to a point that we no longer take from Him, depend upon Him, and receive from Him all that we need. He says, “Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53).

This life is the GIFT of God, for all who come to Christ, and it is a life of continual believing.

First, eternal life is God’s gift. He says, “Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven”, so that Christ is GIVEN to all who hear the word (John 6:32). The Son of God, the Savior, the Substitute for sinners is not in a corner hidden away to be earned. The Father, rather, preaches and gives Him freely to us. He says, “For the bread of God is he which comes down from heaven, and gives LIFE unto the world”, not just a chosen few, but ANYONE who wants salvation may have it through Christ (John 6:33, 51).

Secondly, this gift is received by coming to Christ, and He will not cast out or turn away any. It is written, “All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). It doesn’t matter your sin: come to Christ, and He’ll take you. Sometimes, I hear of things being free or maybe I have a coupon, but it has expired, or I do not meet some qualification. I am rejected ultimately. But, with Christ, it isn’t so. Come to Him sin condemned, sin loving, God hating, and evil to the core, but come to Him TRUSTING Him to be gracious to you by His own blood and life laid down, and you shall get the grace that you need. He will never say to anyone that looks to Him, “I’m sorry. Go away. You’re too vile, came too late, have squandered too many sermons, and you do not please me”. Instead, He will take the sinner and heal him, He’ll take the guilty and cleanse him, and He’ll take the transgressor and change you and me into sons of God.

He will be faithful to us all the way through, though we’ve been faithless to Him. He is the Great God and Savior, the Lord who saves sinners ONLY (John 6:29).

Thirdly, believing is the way that we live (John 6:29, 40). You have no merit, so believe that He’s enough and stand RIGHT with God. You have no strength, so believe that He is why God will help you, and you have the Spirit and strength that you need. You have sinned against the light, but believe that He is MERCIFUL to transgressors, receives you freely, and gives you all that you need for obedience. In all things, BELIEVING God’s GOODNESS to sinners is the way to live, the way that we’re RIGHTEOUS, and the way to inherit and obtain blessings. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ“.

Lastly, only God draws men to Christ - “It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life“ (John 6:63). He says, “No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). We are SINNERS who must be TAUGHT of God (vs45). He must teach us our need until we despair of anything in self, and He must TEACH us our salvation in Christ, so that we TRUST Him (God Almighty) in spite of what we are.

For the elect, God will do the teaching - “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that has heard, and has learned of the Father comes unto me“ (vs45). We will feast on Christ all of our lives. We will believe unto the saving of our soul. And, when multitudes walk no more with Him, we will say, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that you are that Christ, the Son of the living God” (vs68-69). The Spirit has given us life, caused us to take this Bread, and He will feed us continually, causing us to NEED and BELIEVE on Christ.