4-30-17 Remember The 5th Dimension?!

Scripture:  John 6:35-40

VIDEO: The 5^th Dimension

          How many new the song as soon as it started? How many knew who the group was? For those unfamiliar, that was a group called “The 5^th Dimension” popular in the 60’s and 70’s

          Besides my favorite song of theirs, “Up, up and away” – “The Age of Aquarius” was one of their biggest hits that came from the 60’s musical “Hair.”

          Today’s message has nothing to do with any of those songs or the singing group, the 5^th dimension – however that little intro may help you remember the title of today’s message: “Remember the 5^th Dimension?!” I use the term loosely as a way to describe something that we all need to keep in mind, especially when times are tough. We all go through difficult circumstances in life – some that we have no control over and some that we have caused for ourselves. In either case, no one welcomes tough times but they are a part of life. The difference between the follower of Christ and one who has not yet placed their faith in Him should be that we can endure hard times knowing what awaits us. The finest Christian has no advantage over the non-Christian getting through hard times in this sense – the bible says: “if it is raining – the best people and the worst will get wet – if the sun shines, both enjoy the warmth.” The difference is knowing the one who walks through the rain with us and that there will come a day beyond the rain, which is where the 5^th dimension comes in.

God has always placed great hope in His Social Networks.  There have been four major ones so far and one yet to come – hence the title – the Fifth Dimension.

Each of these Social Networks was supposed to resemble what the Fifth will become.

1        Adam and Eve and their Children

2        Noah and wife and their children

3        Abraham and Sarah and the Jewish People

4        Jesus and His Bride on earth – the church

5        God and the raptured church in heaven for all eternity         

John 6:35-40

(Here comes the first of 7 selfies Jesus took that can all be found in his pic album titled “John”) Then Jesus declared, "I am (Ex 3:14 “I am who I am”) the bread of life. (The other 6 selfies actually show more than 6 sides of Jesus --- for example; I took a selfie that shows two sides of me – holding a bible representing me as a preacher, and holding theater masks representing me as a theater director – now understand, I look a little different because I took this selfie before I had lost all my weight – here it is: [SLIDE: Fat Jeff] Jesus’ other 6 selfies in his “John” album are: SLIDES one PPT with 7 clicks: 6:35 Bread 8:12 light; 10:7 Gate; 10:11 Good Shepherd; 11:25 Resurrection & Life; 14:6 Way, Truth and Life; 15:5 Vine) He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven (In this chapter Jesus repeats that phrase 6 times) 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 that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 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 him up at the last day." (Even Death cannot destroy the Life that Jesus gives)

41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."  They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

          43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."