Pop the Top
Years ago, while visiting my Grandmother in Cobb Hospital, I watched her mentally and physically slowly leave us through Alzheimer’s over the years. One particular time as she was there and the news got out, we saw different family members gathered to visit her and comfort her through this one of many stays.
As I arrived, I saw that my Mother was already there with a number of cousins and other family members. My Grandmother was having a pretty good day, so as I entered the room, she looked at me and asked who I was. I replied DeWayne, and I could see the look of confusion on her face, so I added what most of my close and immediate family referred to me as and that was Dinky. She then smiled and said you are one of Littlelynn’s boys, right? Littlelynn (Little-one) is what she called my mother, and that is another story for another day). I told her she was right and just sat and listened as different people came and went that day.
As I observed the counteraction with different people, I saw that she was enjoying the attention and then someone asked her how she was doing. The answer was “I am doing great; I don’t understand why I am here I want to go home”. I asked her if she wanted to go fishing with me, and her reply was “Let’s go!” after a few moments of hearing how good she was doing my cousin Ricky came in and joined in on telling her we were going to get her up and take her with us to the lake. She was all for it, and she was as sprite and active as could be.
Then just like that, things changed, the Doctor walked in and said, “How are you doing today, Mrs. Jarrell’s?” and then her response was, in a weak sad voice, “I’m not doing good at all, I feel terrible.” As she laid back and closed her eyes as if she had no strength to even speak. And then me trying to encourage her and play with her I said, “Awe that’s not what you were saying a moment ago, you said you didn’t see any reason why you were in here and you felt good enough to go fishing with me and Rick.” That didn’t go over too well with her, she sat up in that bed and said in an angry voice, “You ain’t purdy (pretty) you ain’t purdy at all, if I could get out of this bed I would…,” and at that time my Mother said get out and get out now! Rick was laughing, and she didn’t seem to care for that either, so he said to hold up Cuz I’m going with you.
So, down we went to the break room.
After standing in a pulpit in a number of churches over 30 years, you get where you can detect conviction on people’s faces. I remember when I was in church as a child. Usually bored to tears and ready to go home or anywhere except sitting in that church. That the preacher would finely wind down and the song leader would come up and start the invitation. Sometimes I wanted out because I had other thing I rather be doing, and other times was because I was under so much conviction that I wanted out, and I wanted NOW!
When a preacher says let’s sing just one more verse, there is a reason, and usually an excellent reason, and that is that they see something that you don’t. What we see is someone standing there holding the seat in front of them so tight, until their knuckles are white. They are hoping to get out of that church, and to get out NOW. The Holy Spirit has come down and the spirit of conviction is on their face. We as preachers see this, and we want to give them every chance we can for them to move. This could be the last time for them to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. So, just one more verse. When you hear that, I ask you to please start praying for the ones hearing that invitation.
Back to the elevator ride down to the break room. I am extremely claustrophobic, and so when I get on an elevator and the doors close, I usually start talking, to get my mind off the fact that I am in a little room and the doors just closed and everyone is breathing up all my oxygen. The thing that I normally start talking about is the Bible and what Jesus means to me. That day was no different. It works as a fantastic evangelistic tool because the ones in there with you have nowhere to go, so you have only a few seconds to present the gospel.
This was one of those occasions, except the conviction I saw this day in that elevator was on my cousin’s face. Ricky was more like a brother to me than a cousin. Years ago, when his mother was pregnant with Rick’s little brother Steve, and he was born, they brought him home and showed him to Ricky, and said here is your little brother. Rick told him he didn’t want him; he wanted Dinky for a brother. As I said, we are close.
Now we have made it to the break room and Rick started asking questions about being “Saved.” So, I told him all he had to do was ask the Lord to come into his heart in the form of The Holy Spirit, Accept the forgiveness of his sins, and Believe that God has given him the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ, who paid the price for the forgiveness of those sins. He said that he wasn’t sure about all this stuff. He like me, was raised in church, he has seen how some people are on fire one week and gone the next, and he said he didn’t want to be like that. I said I didn’t want him to be like that either. I wanted him to be like Jesus, not people. He then asked how do you do that? How do you accept salvation?
We were standing in front of a Coke machine and I had just dropped two quarters in and asked what he wanted. He said a Coke, I pressed the Coke button and down it came. And the Spirit of God did also. At that moment God gave me an example to share with Rick. I reached and got the Coke and said this is Salvation, this is a gift from me to you, I paid the price and it cost you nothing all you have to do is reach out and take it. I held it out to him, and he reached out and took the Coke from my hand. Then he said is that all there is to Salvation? Do I just have to take it?
He like most would think that I would have said yes and all would be well. But I didn’t, instead, I reached and snatched the can back from him and said, nope see I took it back, this is where God showed up, and I said a lot of people think just saying words get them Saved, but there is more to it than that. I then popped the top of the drink and handed it back to him and said now drink that. He took a few swallows and I said “That is Salvation”, you have to make Christ a part of you, you have to invite Him into your life.
When he was just holding the can of Coke, anyone could do as I did and take it away from him, but now that he drank the Coke it is now and forever a part of him and there is nothing I or anyone else could do to get that out of him. That is Salvation, Making Jesus Christ a part of you by Believing in the price that was paid by the Father, through the Son, by indwelling you with the Holy Spirit. That is “SALVATION.”
We need to do as Christ said for us to do, after feeding the thousands with a kid’s sack lunch of 2 pieces of fish and five little biscuits. And then miraculously walked on water, and then tells the ones that followed after for another meal that they have to take Him in them through the eating of His flesh and drinking His blood. Take His character, take His Love, take what he is holding out and giving to you freely, all you must do is accept it. It is not about asking for forgiveness it is about accepting the fact that you are already forgiven.
Feeding the Five Thousand
John 6:1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”
10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” NKJV
Then we see Jesus Walks on the Sea and then He speaks about being The Bread from Heaven
John 6:22 On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone — 23 however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks — 24 when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”
26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
30 Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'”
32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
But we saw in this story that Jesus is foretelling the last Supper and then we can see that in Matthew:
Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper
Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. NKJV
It is reemphasized in First Corinthians:
Institution of the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. NKJV
I believe that many of people that are sitting in the “Church” building today have taken the can and never popped the top. We the preachers and teachers sometimes do a poor job of letting them know that just saying words are not the same as having a draw of the Holy Spirit of God.
We sometimes just say to repeat after me, and they say words and there is no repentance and confession of being a sinner. We have a gift of salvation given to us but we must accept the gift of forgiveness. We do not have to ask for it, it is already ours all we must do is Believe!!! The Bible is clear that all sins were and are and are going to be forgiven. It is not about forgiveness, again it is about accepting that forgiveness, or popping the top and drinking it in.
We must take the Bread and eat, “His Body.” Taking the “Bread of Life” and let it nourish us;
John 6:35-59 (NKJV) And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst…
40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”…
47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.
48 I am the bread of life.
49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
58 This is the bread which came down from heaven–not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
We also see that Jesus said we must take the Cup and drink, “His Blood.” Take the “Cup” The Living Water and quench the everlasting thirst. As we see when Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, He said;
John 4:10 (NKJV) Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”…John 4:14 (NKJV) “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Accept that “Forgiveness” Like when I offered Ricky the Can of Coke is like saying the words, but when you pop the top and take it in you no one, and I mean no one can take it away from you then. That is accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. And then you will see that there is nowhere else to go as Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And if not then we see as the students of Jesus did;
Many Disciples Turn Away
John 6:60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 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 would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve. NKJV
I always find it amazing that our Lord lets those leave, he offered the can and all they had to do was pop the top, but they chose to leave, they chose to walk away, and He let them walk away and then He even asked His disciples if they too were going to leave. It was so freeing as a minister to see 1 out of the 12 that walked with Jesus knowing that he saw the same thing as the others but that one chose not to pop the top. It took me years to understand that you will not reach them all. The bottom line is the hearer’s choice to accept or walk away. And Jesus let him do just that, walk away, and even betray him.
Never does the scripture after the Death Burial and Resurrection, say that we must ask for forgiveness, it says that we need to accept His forgiveness.
Confession, admitting that we are sinners and need to accept forgiveness.
1 John 1:7-10 (NKJV)
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
And then we need repentance, to turn from the way that we were living and follow Christ and Him crucified for the remission of our wrong doings, “sin”.
Luke 5:31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” NKJV
Luke 24:47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. NKJV
Acts 26:20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. NKJV
2 Cor 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. NKJV
God is giving everyone more time to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. NKJV
Rick did later accepted Christ and even went on to be a minister of the same Gospel I tried to share with him that day. Because he not only took the can He popped the top, drank it down, and tried to get as many as he could to also “Pop the Top.”
The gift has been given. The can is in your hand.
All you must do is.
Pop the Top.
From my next book, “More to Ponder”
