{"id":1210,"date":"2020-03-18T15:53:23","date_gmt":"2020-03-18T22:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=1210"},"modified":"2020-03-18T15:57:33","modified_gmt":"2020-03-18T22:57:33","slug":"the-son-of-god-is-the-warrior-rejected-by-many-followers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/18\/the-son-of-god-is-the-warrior-rejected-by-many-followers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Son of God Is&#8211; The Warrior Rejected by Many Followers!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"color:black;font: 10pt arial;\"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>   <o:RelyOnVML\/>   <o:AllowPNG\/>  <\/o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <\/xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:WordDocument>   <w:View>Normal<\/w:View>   <w:Zoom>0<\/w:Zoom>   <w:TrackMoves\/>   <w:TrackFormatting\/>   <w:PunctuationKerning\/>   <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas\/>   <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false<\/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>   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\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan; \tfont-size:11.0pt; \tfont-family:\"Calibri\",\"sans-serif\"; \tmso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; \tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; \tmso-fareast-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; \tmso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; \tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; \tmso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} <\/style>\n\n <![endif]--><\/p>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:#212121\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1210-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Midweek-Lent-03-18-20.mp3?_=1\" \/><source type=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/FILELINK?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Midweek-Lent-03-18-20.mp3\">http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Midweek-Lent-03-18-20.mp3<\/a><\/audio>&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Midweek Lent #2<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">John 6:66-68<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The Son of God Is\u2014 The Warrior Rejected by Many Followers!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Dear fellow Lenten worshipers,<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">It doesn\u2019t happen very often, but I know people who have friends that go all the way back to when they were<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>in grade school, friends that they still hang out with right down to this very day.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>For example, both of my younger brothers attended my home congregation\u2019s Lutheran elementary school as well as our area Lutheran high school.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>They made friends that they still get together with right down to this very day.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Many of you know that my \u201coldest\u201d friend is Pastor Greg Ewald.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We have been friends since our freshman year in college\u2014 which was way back in 1976!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I also have a friend in Flint Michigan named Jerry.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We have been good friends for about 20 years and we still keep in touch via phone.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Do you have any lifelong or longtime friends?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>With the advent of social media platforms such as Facebook it is easier than ever to either re-connect with friends from your past and\/or stay connected with the friends you now have.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But imagine how you would feel if you found out that your group of friends was no longer keeping you in the loop when they planned their get-togethers.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Imagine how you would feel if you found out that one of your Facebook friends \u201cunfriended\u201d you.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Imagine how you would feel if you found out that the reason your friends are giving you the cold shoulder is because they don\u2019t like how openly you live your faith!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">That is the context in which we find our sermon text for this evening.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The portion of Scripture that we turn our attention to tonight reveals to us that:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">The Son of God is the Warrior Who is Rejected by Many Followers.<\/i><\/b><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Our text is recorded for us in John 6:66-68.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>John writes, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cFrom this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>\u2018You do not want to leave too, do you?\u2019 Jesus asked the Twelve.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Simon Peter answered him, \u2018Lord, to whom shall we go?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>You have the words of eternal life.\u2019\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Jesus was now in the final year of His three year public ministry.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>For two years crowds of people regularly followed Him\u2014 eagerly watching and carefully listening to this amazing Rabbi from Nazareth.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Shortly after Jesus fed five thousand men, plus women and children, with just five loaves of bread and two small fish, the people begin to think that they should make Jesus their king.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>They were even planning on making Jesus their king by force if necessary.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Why were they so intent on making Jesus their king?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Because Jesus had the ability to miraculously provide them with food!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>No work necessary!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>No payment required!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Now factor in that these people were all a part of the Chosen Nation that the Lord God had carefully protected for more than two thousand years.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>These were people who knew the promises that the Lord had given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob\u2014 promises which centered on sending this world a Savior from sin!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Tragically, many of Abraham\u2019s descendants were no longer looking for a Savior from sin.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Even some of their religious leaders had abandoned the beautiful promises of a Savior who would defeat Satan and had twisted those promises into a prediction of a king who would get rid of those hated Roman rulers and establish a kingdom right here on this earth\u2014 perhaps even a kingdom with unlimited bread and miraculous healings!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">How could that have happened?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>An enemy had been hard at work!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>This enemy had attacked the written revealed Word of God.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>This enemy had used whatever means necessary to convince the religious leaders of God\u2019s people to reject Jesus of Nazareth as the long-awaited Promised Messiah.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>This enemy had convinced many others to follow the example of their leaders.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">A very powerful example of this tragic truth is found in the fact that the day after Jesus had miraculously fed over five thousand people with just five loaves of bread and two small fish this large crowd of people found Jesus on the other side of the Sea of Galilee and said to Him, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cWhat miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>What will you do?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>\u2018He gave them bread from heaven to eat.\u2019\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Notice how the crowd was still fixated on receiving free bread!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>This is when Jesus tried to teach them, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cI am the bread of life.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty\u201d<\/i> (John 6:35).<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Jesus tried to help them understand that He was indeed the <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cbread of life\u201d<\/i> who had come down from heaven and that everyone who <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cate\u201d<\/i> this bread, that is, everyone who <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">believed <\/b>in Jesus as the Promised Messiah, would live forever!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Jesus promised that He would raise them up on the Last Day.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But many of the people who had been Jesus\u2019 disciples simply stopped listening to Him.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Many of them simply turned around and went home.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>John tells us that many of them <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cturned back and no longer followed\u201d<\/i> Jesus as His disciples.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The very same enemy who was fighting so fiercely against Jesus so many years ago, still fights against Jesus today.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The very same enemy who led the people so many years ago to the conclusion, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cThis is a hard teaching.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Who can accept it?\u201d\u2014 <\/i>that very same enemy is still trying to convince people today that Jesus\u2019 teachings are <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201ctoo hard\u201d<\/i> or \u201ctoo judgmental\u201d or \u201ctoo unloving\u201d to be believed.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>This very same enemy has encouraged people who don\u2019t know Jesus as <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cthe bread of life\u201d<\/i> to grow even deeper in their separation from the one true God by establishing numerous false religions such as Islam, Hinduism, atheism, materialism, and many more\u2014 all of which offer some sort of pathway to God or some sort of substitute for God and like a pied-piper lead people down that broad road that brings them directly to hell.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">This very same enemy has even made significant inroads into the Christian church, spreading false doctrines, attacking the inspiration of the Bible and using critics of Christianity in the media, in schools and universities and in politics to damage and destroy people\u2019s faith in Jesus.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>This enemy is Satan\u2014 a terrorist who is cornered and knows he is going to be confined to the dungeon of hell forever, but he wants to take as many people as he possibly can with him!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Maybe you know someone who once stood before the altar of the Living God and promised to remain faithful to Him and to His Word \u201ceven unto death,\u201d but now they rarely if ever enter the house of God.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Maybe you know someone who seems to be slipping in their faith or drifting away from God.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>If so, then you understand why Jesus turned to <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cthe Twelve\u201d<\/i> and asked them, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cYou do not want to leave too, do you?\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Jesus wanted to give His hand-picked apostles the opportunity to make a clear confession.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Was there emotion in our Lord\u2019s voice?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Did the apostles hesitate before they answered Jesus\u2019 question?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Did they want to see how many others were staying before they gave their own answer?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We, of course, don\u2019t know the answers to those questions.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But we do know this\u2014 Simon Peter instantly gave that beautiful bold confession, the confession that was undoubtedly shared by the other eleven apostles, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cLord, to whom shall we go?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>You have the words of eternal life.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Don\u2019t you just love Peter and his beautiful bold confession!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Don\u2019t you just love the confidence and the clarity of Peter\u2019s confession!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Peter knew that Jesus\u2019 words, the words that have now been recorded for us through the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, Peter knew that Jesus\u2019 words are in reality <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cthe words of eternal life.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Peter\u2019s beautiful bold confession reminds us that the Bible is God\u2019s own love story to us.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The Bible contains God\u2019s words of life, forgiveness and salvation.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The Bible contains words that have unparalleled power.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That\u2019s why Paul is able to proclaim to the Romans, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cFaith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ\u201d<\/i> (10:17).<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Only God knows how many believing Christians there are in this world.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And yet, this we do know:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Every single one of them did absolutely nothing to create saving faith in their hearts.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Every single one of them\u2014 including you and me\u2014 came to faith by only one very powerful means, one agency, one path.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It doesn\u2019t matter if it is spoken, read, or received in a tactile, visible fashion called Baptism.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It is the single most powerful force for good in our world.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It is God\u2019s holy inspired Word!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That is what brought you and me to trust that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has purchased and won for us the forgiveness of all of our sins!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(Pointing to the cross) He did it all and paid it all for us!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He loved us enough to die for us so that we might live with Him forever!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That\u2019s why our Warrior Jesus fought so hard against false teachers and false teachings while He was here on this earth.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And that is why our Warrior Jesus says to us today, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cWatch out for false prophets.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>They come to you in sheep\u2019s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves\u201d<\/i> (Matthew 7:15).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>These false teachers continue to oppose Jesus and His teachings right down to this very day.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>These false teachers continue to try and lure you away from your Savior, away from His Word and away from His cross.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>These false teachers have lots of opinions and lots of theories, but what they do not have is <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cthe words of eternal life.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">\u201cLord, to whom shall we go?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>You have the words of eternal life.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Peter and the other apostles knew that they were blessed to hear and to have the <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwords of eternal life\u201d<\/i> and they did not want to lose what Jesus had so graciously given to them.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Purely by the grace of God we have received and enjoy that very same blessing, my friends.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">are <\/b>forgiven.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">have <\/b>eternal life.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But we also need to realize that every single day we face a very powerful challenge from a very powerful challenger.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>When we see what is being accepted and tolerated and promoted by society, when we hear what other churches are teaching\u2014 or not teaching\u2014 Satan himself challenges us to see whether or not we are going to continue to follow the Warrior who has defeated Satan (Pointing to the cross) or whether we are going to join the many many disciples who have rejected Jesus, rejected His Word and go our own way.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">\u201cYou do not want to leave too, do you?\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>May God grant that we will always follow in the footsteps of Peter and stay focused on our Warrior and what He has accomplished for us (Pointing to the cross).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>May God grant that whenever we are challenged to turn our back on our Warrior and on His holy Word we will always give that beautiful, bold and clear confession, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cLord, to whom shall we go?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>You have the words of eternal life.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">To God be the glory!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Amen<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"postie-attachments\">Download sermon audio ::  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Midweek-Lent-03-18-20.mp3\">Midweek-Lent-03-18-20.MP3<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Midweek Lent #2 John 6:66-68 The Son of God Is\u2014 The Warrior Rejected by Many Followers! &nbsp; Dear fellow Lenten worshipers, &nbsp; It doesn\u2019t happen very often, but I know people who have friends that go all the way back to when they were&nbsp; in grade school, friends that they still hang out with right down to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1210"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1210\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}