Bread of Life: Trust God for True Provision

So we're gonna get into that today as we're wrestling with provision, but it's just a reminder for everybody here, whether you're new or if you've been around for a while, we believe the bible is the truth. We believe that this is the truth and it doesn't change. So, culture changes, the laws change, your and my opinions change, but you need to know this does not change. It's absolute truth. And so, because of that, we can go to it, we can know what's right and wrong. And then, even within here in the New Testament, there's these words that in many versions have red letters. [00:30:14] (37 seconds)  #TruthDoesntChange

These red letters are the actual words of Jesus, and I wanna tell you, the words of Jesus are exponentially more important. And so, are these times in the bible where Jesus says, I tell you the truth, and then he begins to teach something. So, here's what we're gonna be looking at. We're gonna be in John chapter six. [00:31:01] (19 seconds)  #StudyJohn6

These red letters are the actual words of Jesus, and I wanna tell you, the words of Jesus are exponentially more important. And so, are these times in the bible where Jesus says, I tell you the truth, and then he begins to teach something. So, here's what we're gonna be looking at. We're gonna be in John chapter six. [00:31:01] (19 seconds)  #RedLettersMatter

So here's the first thing about provision this morning you guys need to know about. Provision comes without ulterior motives. I wanna say that again, that's really important. Provision comes without ulterior motives. So you need to understand the people talking and trying to find Jesus, they had ulterior motives. They had just experienced the day before Jesus feeding 5,000. So, they got a free meal out of the deal when they hung out with Jesus. So when they were looking for Jesus, they were looking for Jesus because day one I got a free meal. What is he gonna give me day two? That was the real reason they were trying to find Jesus. [00:31:38] (42 seconds)  #ProvisionNoUlteriorMotives

These red letters are the actual words of Jesus, and I wanna tell you, the words of Jesus are exponentially more important. And so, are these times in the bible where Jesus says, I tell you the truth, and then he begins to teach something. So, here's what we're gonna be looking at. We're gonna be in John chapter six. [00:31:38] (19 seconds)  #WordsOfJesus

And it helped really set up who we are as a church. You need to know today whether you're new or if you've been here a million times, we are a non ulterior motive church at Compass City. There's a reason why we never sell stuff in the lobby. There's a reason why we sub we love lots of nonprofits, but you'll never hear anything about anybody else for this hour. [00:33:27] (22 seconds)  #NoUlteriorMotiveChurch

Sometimes people really get on us too. You need to be talking about this. We should really be advertising this or this organization's really good. Let's partner here. Well, you need to know that maybe good church on Sunday morning is always gonna be about Jesus. I want people and I've always wanted people to come into the church and know for this hour they're gonna be here, there's no ulterior motives. There's gonna be a moment that you can come in, you can wrestle with your own idea, and wrestle with this concept of Jesus, but just know that it is only about Jesus. [00:35:42] (37 seconds)  #OnlyAboutJesus

One thing you need to know about me, Brian, I'm an anti manipulation guy. I hate when people try and have have tried to manipulate me in the past, or I hate it when I watch other people being manipulated. So, you need to know anytime that we talk about anything at the church, it's anti manipulation. I'm gonna talk about things in the bible that are hard and that will probably challenge you, but I'm doing it because I believe what the scriptures say. So this is important. [00:36:04] (29 seconds)  #IntegrityInTeaching

One thing you need to know about me, Brian, I'm an anti manipulation guy. I hate when people try and have have tried to manipulate me in the past, or I hate it when I watch other people being manipulated. So, you need to know anytime that we talk about anything at the church, it's anti manipulation. I'm gonna talk about things in the bible that are hard and that will probably challenge you, but I'm doing it because I believe what the scriptures say. So this is important. [00:36:04] (29 seconds)  #AntiManipulation

The anti manipulation and and the ulterior motive thing, Jesus is speaking to it. He said, you guys are just here for a free meal. You don't care about me. You want the free meal. Now here's the funny thing. Jesus is asking this of the people looking for him. The greater question for us is what is our ulterior motive with God? Or if you were to be self reflective, is there an aspect of you that has an ulterior motive with God? What's funny here is this message is really not about provision. Jesus is leading us deeper into this idea. And and what it's looking like is, am I looking at God as a genie or am I looking at him as a savior? This is what Jesus is boiling it down right to the beginning. He said, do you see me as just a genie where you rub the lamp and you ask for something and I give it to you, or do you like me? Do you love me? Do you wanna follow me? [00:36:41] (70 seconds)  #SeeGodAsSavior

Now, the funny thing about both of those things is they're perishable. And what Jesus is getting here, he's not talking about perishable things. When we think about provision, my mind goes immediately to stuff, to money. Jesus, provide the money that I need. God, I got this bill. I need to pay for this thing. I need to buy this thing, so I need money. Jesus is not talking about money. He's saying invest your money in things that are not perishable. Money is perishable. Perishable things are not valuable. [00:41:17] (40 seconds)  #InvestInTheEternal

But I know that the things that we concern ourselves with are the things that control our thoughts. And when we lay it down our heads, we're worried about it, so it's the bills in our life. It's the vacation that we're saving for. It's the $4.00 1 k that we wanna make sure we get money into now because we we wanna retire someday. It's the cars. Maybe you have a car payment. Maybe you're saving up to buy a car because your car is not working. Maybe it's the toy that you're saving up for, the new cell phone, whatever it is. We have this fixation as Americans on perishable stuff. But what Jesus is saying here is focusing your life on Christ is the thing that he's saying. [00:42:01] (44 seconds)  #ChooseChristOverStuff

Like, literally, is laying out. He's trying to be as as clear to him as he says. He says, focus on me. I'm not perishable. The stuff you want is. Now here's the funny thing about it is that Jesus making the point. Please hear me here. When you focus on Christ, your life is targeted toward Christ. Provision is just a byproduct. [00:42:41] (27 seconds)  #ProvisionIsByproduct

So again, he's focusing it right back toward him, believe in the one who God sent. Don't worry about that stuff. Believe in the one that God sent. So provision comes by trusting God. Provision comes from trusting in God. And so what's interesting about this when he says believe in the one, that word believe, it's it's fun to go back sometimes in the original language. In the Greek, this Greek word believe is actually, means trust. That word is a verb. And so, what happens a lot of time, people are like, I am believing. I am believing. Well, what he's saying is trust, and trust requires some action behind it. And so many of us, this is where we stop is in the action side of trusting God. [00:43:52] (49 seconds)  #BelieveIsTrustInAction

So again, he's focusing it right back toward him, believe in the one who God sent. Don't worry about that stuff. Believe in the one that God sent. So provision comes by trusting God. Provision comes from trusting in God. And so what's interesting about this when he says believe in the one, that word believe, it's it's fun to go back sometimes in the original language. In the Greek, this Greek word believe is actually, means trust. That word is a verb. And so, what happens a lot of time, people are like, I am believing. I am believing. Well, what he's saying is trust, and trust requires some action behind it. And so many of us, this is where we stop is in the action side of trusting God. [00:43:52] (49 seconds)  #TrustIsAVerb

don't have a reason to not trust God. Jesus' track record is a 100%. He does provide. He has everything that we need in our fears of insecurity of not having enough. We have to trust him. And what's funny is in the bible, the only place in the entire bible, all 66 books, there's one time God actually challenges us to test him, only one time, and it's in the context of the tithe of finances. [00:44:54] (35 seconds)  #TestGodWithTithe

You need again, you gotta remember, I just said I started this conversation saying when we're talking about money, there are no alter your motives here. I don't want your money. We don't want your money. There's this important idea that it's a mechanism that when we're forced to tithe, we now focus on God and not on the resource. We focus on God and not on the provision. [00:48:08] (23 seconds)  #TitheFocusNotMoney

``All all these people running around with Jesus, and they're like, we wanna do the miracles. We want the next meal. We want you to do something for us. And Jesus is like, you got it wrong. Quit focusing on the stuff and focus on me. And so this is that moment where he says, trust me. Believe in me. There's an action step. Test him. It's the only time in the bible God does. And you guys need to know, God provides enough. God doesn't provide Lamborghinis. He doesn't provide these things. God provides enough when we trust him in those areas. [00:48:30] (36 seconds)  #FocusOnChrist

So provision comes from God and not from man. And I think this is important for all of us here who are high achievers. Provision comes from God and not from your boss, not from a person, not from a paycheck. Provision comes from God. It's a good reminder of who we're supposed to focus on. There's this one actually really interesting concept that we have in Christianity. [00:48:54] (27 seconds)  #ProvisionFromGodNotMan

You know, you you have a relationship with your boss that's strained. Pray about that relationship. Ask God what you can do. What we don't wanna do is you get into this mode where we're trying to please people hoping to get something. Because then what do we have an ulterior motive. And so focus on Christ, let him provide the rest. [00:52:02] (24 seconds)  #StopPleasingPeople