1. HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE Flesh, Blood and Intimacy With Jesus John 6:51-59 10.02.11

2. HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE Deism This view represents the universe as a self-sustained mechanism, from which God withdrew as soon as he had created it, and which he left to a process of self-development. Source: – Strong, A. H. (2004). Systematic theology (414).

3. HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE Repetition in John 6:51-58: “Life”  9x “Flesh” appears in 6 of the 8 verses “Blood” appears in 4 of the 8 verses “Eat” or “feed” appears in 7 of the 8 verses.

4. HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE The Jewish Law prohibited drinking of blood and eating meat with blood still in it. (Gen. 9:4; Lev. 3:17; Lev. 17:10,12,14).

5. HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE “He who accepts, appropriates, and assimilates my [Jesus’] vicarious sacrifice as the only ground of his salvation, remains in me and I in him.” As food and drink are offered and accepted, so also is Christ’s sacrifice offered to believers and accepted by them. As those are assimilated by the body, so is this sacrifice assimilated by the soul. As those nourish and sustain physical life, so this nourishes and sustains spiritual life.” -William Hendriksen

6. HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE What is the result of eating the flesh and drinking the blood? Eternal Life. Intimacy with Jesus.

7. HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE What do we know about “abide?” “Abide” is a verb. Belief leads to abiding. (1 John 4:15) Abiding is proven by obedience. (1 John 3:24) The Holy Spirit is the enabler & proof of abiding. (1 John 4:13)

8. HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE Why might we feel distant from God? We’re not yielding to the Holy Spirit (1 John. 4:13). We have unconfessed sin in our lives (1 John 3:24). We are apathetic toward God.