The Father Grants Authority

Lesson #107

In this lesson we will look at the second of five passages that relate to John 6:44: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”” (John 6:63 – 65 NASB).

What about those who do not believe; who do not come to Jesus like for example Judas? Jesus makes it clear that there will be some who will not believe. Jesus knows who they are and explains that they have not been granted permission by the Father to come because he did not draw them. These were left in their sin under God’s curse to live out their rebellion against God.

In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats all humanity is divided into two groups. The sheep are the ones who have been born again and will spend an eternity with God. The goats are the ones who were not born again and will spend an eternity in hell apart from God. The bible also speaks of lost sheep. In the context of chapter 6 it would seem that these are people who have been chosen and drawn by the Father to be given to Jesus. These people are to be found by believers sharing the gospel with all who will listen. It is the process of evangelism that we are commanded to do. The only ones that will hear and understand and believe are the ones granted him from the Father. The rest, like Judas, remained in their lost condition.

This process becomes clear to me as I study the movement of God around the world and see where church growth is taking place. God the Father controls this growth by his drawing and granting authority to people in different parts of the world at different times in history. Those he draws and grants his authority to he brings to Jesus, at times through extremely difficult situations, but he does bring them. The devil may try, but anyone chosen will be drawn through anything he may try and as this process unfolds the person grows in his love and desire to come to Jesus to that time set by the Father for being born again. As one remains faithful to the text the pieces come together and a wonderful picture from God begins to unfold.

Our third text is John 8:47; an interesting verse and is one that will broaden our understanding and will be covered in the next lesson.

Prayer

Father, as I study the material of John 6 I see marvelous sovereign plan unfolding that explains the growth of the perfect body of Christ. It is not something that happens by chance or by our choosing to believe, but is growing according to a perfect plan conceived in the beginning of time. Your sovereign will is perfect and by grace out of love people are coming to Jesus. Thank you for drawing me and developing a desire in me to come to Jesus.