John 6:41-59 Christian Cannibalism or Spiritual Food?

29.03.09 John 6:41-59 (NASB)

Audio Sermon File: John 6:41-59

Going Deeper: Study Guide

Christian Cannibalism or Spiritual Food?

Today we are going to look at something that the Jews thought was crazy and grotesque. We are going to continue in the Gospel of John and we arrive at John 6:41-59. In the previous section from verses 22-40 Jesus was addressing the crowds that sought after Him, just after the feeding of the 5000. It is in this interaction with the crowds that Jesus clearly reveals in this Gospel, that He is the Bread of Life (v.35). Jesus is the Bread of Life and those who submit their life to Him will be spiritually satisfied, and shall be raised to eternal life. This theme that Jesus is the Bread of Life continues in our passage today through one injunction and two challenges.

The injunction is - DON’T GRUMBLE BUT LEARN (v.41-47); The two challenges are - ARE YOU READY TO EAT MY FLESH ? (v.48-52) and ARE YOU READY TO DRINK MY BLOOD ? (v.53-59).

John 6:41-59 reveals to us: 41 Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, "I am the bread that came down out of heaven." 42 They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, `I have come down out of heaven'?" 43 Jesus answered and said to them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 "It is written in the prophets, `And they shall all be taught of God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 "I am the bread of life. 49 "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 "This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh." 52 Then the Jews [began] to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us [His] flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 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 eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 "This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." 59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

As we move into our passage today, we are going right down to our last verse -verse 59 which lets us know where everything takes place. All the events and dialogue that are occurring is in the midst of a synagogue meeting. In this meeting Jesus gives the injunction (now starting in v.41)….

1. DON’T GRUMBLE BUT LEARN ABOUT THE BREAD OF LIFE (v.41-47)

v.41 In today’s passage Jesus is interacting with the Jews - which is a general reference to those who opposed Jesus’ ministry - which most likely from the context of the passage are the locals of Capernaum. These people were engaged in prolonged murmuring, like the droning of a swarm of bees. It was much like the complaining of the Israelites in the wilderness in the OT. Their debate and discussion focused on what Jesus had claimed in the verses that preceded today’s passage - summed up in these words - I am the bread that came down from heaven. Now you may be wondering - Why was this statement so controversial to these Jews? There was a stir because Jesus’ words spoke of His Divine origin - therefore it implied His Deity - which was offensive to the religious Jew who rejected the full revelation of God - revealing Himself as the God-Man Jesus Christ. The statement was controversial because the response of those who opposed Jesus was rooted in a hard-heartedness - an unbelief.

v.42 To the Jews this was seemingly unfathomable that this son of a carpenter - declared for Himself that He was Diety. They knew of Jesus and some of them probably even had known Him from birth. After all Jesus was born of human parents - Jesus was the son of Joseph - and these people knew His father and mother. They knew His roots….His family background - they were looked upon as blue collar small town folks…probably much like how some Vancouverites would look at small town folks. Some of these people had heard of the supernatural circumstances associated with Jesus’ birth. Yet in spite of all of this - Jesus’ claim to Divine origin was mind-blowing and their unregenerate minds could not grasp the truth and reality of Jesus’ declaration.

Even today people still are questioning the claims of Jesus’ Diety. It seems that this question which arose nearly 2000 years ago, still rages on. We can see the debate about who Jesus is even to this day - right now - with the release of The DiVinci Code - and movies with Hollywood versions of Jesus which are often way off base. The grumbling in our passage, can be likened to the debates between those who support the movie and those who reject it. Those who reject the movie are complaining - maybe they should sit down and learn about the true Jesus of the Scripture.

v.43 In the midst of the ongoing grumbling and a swelling tide of protest - Jesus interjects. Jesus commands the Jews - Do not grumble - they were getting nowhere with their complaining, so they were to stop it - it was unproductive for belief.

v.44 This is what Jesus says to the Jews in the synagogue - and these comments are really directed at the Jews hearts that were hardened - unbelieving hearts - - Jesus says No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. Those Jesus addresses were not drawn by God…… Look down at your Bibles to verse 44, there is a word Jesus uses - the word ‘draws’ - the word ‘draws’ pictures a fishing net being dragged - that there is a lot of resistance - and because of that resistance it is near impossible to bring in.
Romans 8:7-8 - the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able [to do so], 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

This verse from Romans is exactly what is taking place here in the Jews hearts. Their minds are by nature are so hardened to Jesus that it results in the natural outcome - rejection and unbelief. Yet there is the parallel reality which Jesus teaches - that belief comes only through God’s initiation, which leads to salvation and eternal life. Scripture is clear that God elects and draws people to Himself. When God does that, a person comes to a place in his or her life that responds to God in a personal love for Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

v.45 Jesus continues to expand on what He is stating by referring to the prophets of the OT. The prophets foretold of the coming of the Messiah. The Jews had the Scriptures - and they poured over them with a fine tooth comb. Today 2009, we are clearly in a day and age where God has taught and revealed the truth about His Son - Jesus. The question is - what are you going to do with that truth?

As God draws someone to Christ then they must have heard and learned from what God is teaching through the Word. Those who listen, consider, and obey the truth that God reveals about Jesus will be saved from their sins. The drawing process that God initiates therefore bears fruit as God intends, and the person will listen and learn and embrace Jesus as Lord and Saviour. It fully is a work of God and not of man, who by nature is dead to God (Eph. 2:1-10).

v.46 There is the popular saying ‘Seeing is Believing’ - we have all heard this haven’t we….but Jesus refutes this kind of mis-notion by underscoring it with the reality which He states - Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. So Jesus is explicitly saying that only He has seen God the Father. The Word, Jesus, is God (cf. Jn.1:1) - God the Son - and because of this - of course He has seen God the Father. By making this statement Jesus gives an answer to the question in the minds of the Jews, that they were grumbling about - that is Jesus’ claim of Divine origin. Jesus makes it quite clear to those who would listen and learn - that Jesus is God veiled in human flesh (Jn. 1:14 - And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth).

v.47 In verse 47 we have those familiar words again - Truly, truly, I say to you - something important is to be stated. This time it is something which is critical for each one of us to know if we want to verify if we will be in heaven after we die - to have everlasting life. The critical point made is belief. Not belief in God - allow me to qualify that - there are so many people today who would say they believe in God - but true belief in God cannot be divorced from belief in Jesus as the Son of God. In other words, what this is telling us is that the only way to quote - unquote - ‘see’ God is through Jesus Christ. John 1:18 was clear about this - No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained [ Him ]. Here is perhaps an easier way to understand the implications of Jesus' statements:

If you want to ‘see’ God then you must believe in Jesus.
If you want to please God you must please Jesus.
If you want to follow God then you must follow Jesus.
If you want to submit yourself to God you must submit
yourself to Jesus.

You get the point? Without Jesus there is no relationship with God. Jesus Himself declared that - I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me (Jn. 14:6). A personal saving faith in God always calls for an individual response to Jesus. The most fundamental facts about Jesus that we are to believe in, is that Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and on the 3rd day rose from the dead to have victory over sin.

There is a lot of grumbling about Jesus today. People have all kinds of excuses to write off Jesus. Yet it is quite clear and simple that we are called not to complain, but to listen and learn about Jesus from the Bible. The people Jesus addresses wrote Him off, and they are now just about to get really get offended. Jesus continues to teach patiently despite their failure to listen and learn - and He asks this question…poses this challenge….

2. ARE YOU READY TO EAT MY FLESH ? (v.48-52)

v.48 Once again Jesus makes the assertion that He is the bread of life. Jesus - God in human flesh - offers to all of us, a personal relationship with Him. We all realize that many people walk around with a spiritual emptiness. The remedy for unbelievers to fill that void is with people, money, sex, work, spiritual counterfeits, hobbies, sports, whatever it is - let me suggest to you that this emptiness cannot be filled with anything else other than with the bread of life - Jesus Christ. You need to have Jesus Christ in your life to be spiritually full. That is the very thing that the Jews were missing - they filled their lives with religion, rules, and regulations - but what they lacked was a believing relationship with Jesus. He knows where we stand with Him. He knew where the Jews stood too and He reveals this illustration….

v.49 The Jews fathers who were in the wilderness had manna. It was a physical substance from heaven to physically sustain them, yet it only kept them alive for a while - and then came death. Yes they ate the manna and their stomachs were full but in the end it did nothing for their spiritual hunger. In the end they died.

v.50 But in Jesus, is the sustaining bread - the sustaining source of life - sent by God - by which men might be saved - a bread which one may eat of it and not die. What does Jesus mean when He uses the word eat? When we eat food it must be chewed and then digested. The food that we eat is absorbed into our body for our nourishment and it gives us energy. Jesus’ very purpose in coming is to serve as the bread which comes down out of heaven - He is for our spiritual benefit. If a person truly considers Jesus’ claim and is drawn by the Father to repent of sin and believe, then that person will saved from his sins and not die. That person has eaten the spiritual food that Jesus offers, digested it and it reaps spiritual nourishment - which is salvation from sin. Acts 4:12 clearly states the exclusivity of God's means of salvation - Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

v.51 Jesus now changes the terms a little from, bread of life to living bread. These two references still are used to mean that this bread, that Jesus is referring to, is what gives a person life - that is to say that this person who eats this bread will live forever. Jesus the bread of life is alive and only He can give life.

At this point of the text, this is were things start to get very confusing. To the Jews what has been stated by Jesus, becomes very disturbing. The Jews can’t make any sense out of what Jesus is saying (and they can’t because they are not born again - Jn. 3:3 - and so they do not have the teacher of truth the Holy Spirit to reveal spiritual truth - 1 Cor. 2:14). So what Jesus does is connect the bread as being His flesh. Jesus says in verse 51 - the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh. This statement speaks about the extent of Jesus’ voluntary death on the cross, to make it possible for people to have a restored relationship with God by taking away our sin. This too was unimaginable to the Jews because they could not believe that the Messiah that they waited for would be killed.

v.52 Jesus’ statement gets an immediate response from the Jews. It all began with the Jews grumbling about what Jesus’ claim of Divine origin. Now they propel themselves into deeper turmoil and confusion and argue with one another. The Jews picked up and made the connection that Jesus was saying that He was the bread of life - or living bread. But the notion of eating Jesus’ flesh was down right grotesque, and they engage themselves in a bitter war of words.
So can you picture in your mind what is happening - things are getting heated up and there is an uproar. Don’t forget this is right in the synagogue - people are pointing their fingers at each other and Jesus, and accusations ring loud. The Jews unyielding emotions flared up into contempt - as if Jesus was going to turn them into cannibals. The Jews sharply debated this grossly offensive suggestion - How can this man give us [His] flesh to eat? The issue here was not even close to suggestions of cannibalism (and the Jews probably realized this)….but Jesus was using a metaphor to speak of something spiritually greater and more significant.

Maybe this illustration will help you understand the concept: If you like eating liver - and I place right in front of you a piece of raw liver, and I tell you that it is really good for you and that you should eat it raw - it will just slither down your throat - what are you going to do? Would you believe me? No, your going to be grossed out. Whether you eat that raw liver is a matter of belief. If you believe me your going to eat it. But since you know better, and don’t believe me your going to reject it.

Now if you like eating beef - and I place a nicely grilled piece of prime rib in front of you - still hot and sizzling - and I tell you that this is one of the best cuts of beef - what are you going to do? In your mind you know its edible, and you take it - this time believing and trusting that it is going to nourish you and satisfy your hunger.

So the concept of eating of Jesus’ flesh is the concept of belief. Belief in what? Belief that Jesus calls us - in other words to partake in belief that the Bread of life came to die - His body sacrificed for our sins on a cross - and we are to appropriate this in our life.

Though we may know this - sometimes a challenge like ARE YOU READY TO EAT MY FLESH is just too offensive. Do you find yourself in a place where you would rather have an abstract Jesus? A Jesus who doesn’t quite challenge you as much about sin. A Jesus that confronts, by getting up close and personal, when you are caught in your lies, surfing the net, about what you read, what you wear, how you are at work, what you say? Do we say or think - Jesus I wish you were not here at this moment? In those times may we know that the Bread of Life offers our sin stained and - dead souls (of those who are not born again cf. Jn. 3:1ff) spiritual nourishment and life, and rich satisfaction, because of His death which grants us true life - repent, believe, and receive.

Jesus is not finished with us yet nor is He with the Jews…and He offers up this challenge….

ARE YOU READY TO DRINK MY BLOOD ? (v.53-59)

v.53 Here is Jesus’ reply…which once again leads off with the words - Truly, truly, I say to you. Jesus doesn’t want anyone to miss the importance of His discourse on the Bread of Life - so on top of repeating His statement of eating the flesh of the Son of Man, Jesus adds that a person must drink His blood - and if a person didn’t do that they would have no life.

The Mosaic Law prohibited the Jews from drinking blood or even eat meat in which the blood had not been drained out (Lev. 17:10-14, Deut. 12:16). If the Jews did do what they thought Jesus was suggesting, then they would be engaging in a gross sin. Jesus’ call to drink His blood, to the Jew was really - really disturbing - because they did not understand the metaphor, and took it literally and lost sight of the true spiritual significance. So you might be asking what is going on here? Maybe you are just as confused as the Jews were. At a first reading this passage is somewhat hard to understand. This is why? Throughout Jesus’ ministry He used metaphors and parables to elicit a response from those the Father drew to Himself. Jesus did not always purpose to make everything He said simple to grasp. But those the Father drew to Himself for His salvation, Jesus knew they would make further inquiry. Those who would not listen and learn from the Father would be turned off or even offended by these kinds of statements - it would be a stumbling block.

Jesus is using a metaphor - a very difficult one at that. The Jewish people often used the actions of eating and drinking to be representative of the process of the mind in accepting, understanding, and applying a lesson. We could probably liken it to our common use of the word digest - meaning the same thing…..for example after participating in a heavy seminar…we might say - yeah…I’m going to have to digest that.

What Jesus means when He says eat the flesh of the Son of Man, is that one must understand, accept, and believe in the fullness of Jesus’ person and character and work upon the cross. When Jesus continues and says that one must drink His blood, it means that that person must continue in understanding, accepting, and believing in the ministry and purpose of His life.

v.54 This truth is repeated in verse 54 but this time in the positive. If this is still confusing - look back at the words eats and drinks…..now go back to verse 40, which states - For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life. In verse 40 we have the parallel concept in the words beholds and believes. So the concept of ‘eats and drinks in Christ’ is the same as ‘beholds and believes in Christ.’

If you are to have eternal life - you must understand that you are a sinner deserving God’s eternal wrath and there is nothing that you can do to save yourself. You must personally believe in Jesus, whom God has sent to save you from your sins and its penalty. You must believe in the true nature, character, and life of Jesus - and receive Him as the only Saviour from the penalty of your sins, put your complete trust in Him, and make Him the Lord over your life. You must accept His death and resurrection on behalf of bringing life to you as a sinner. These facts are life saving facts and they must be real in your life - appropriated and assimilated (digested). The person who is drawn by God will do so and Jesus will raise him up at the last day.

v.55 You may have heard of something which Catholics teach and believe - which is called Transubstantiation or some also refer to it as the Doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ. The Catholic view of the Lord’s Table is referred to as a sacrament, we would use the proper term - ordinance - because we see Communion as a symbolic act of obedience that Jesus calls us to observe. Catholics base their belief in Transubstantiation by going to verse 55. Catholic doctrine teaches that during Communion the elements of bread and wine during the mass actually and miraculously become the physical flesh and blood of Jesus. That is why some people in the course of history, have called Christians cannibals - CHRISTIAN CANNIBALISM.

Today we are going to observe the Lord’s Supper, and without getting into the details - our passage is not referring to this observance. There are compelling reasons why I say this - but I’ll just give you the main reason why - this passage is not about the Lord’s Table because it is instituted by Jesus in the Upper Room about a year after this.

It is best to understand this verse in context of what is being presented by Jesus, which is the spiritual significance of His Person. That spiritual significance is that - only in Jesus can we find the true SPIRITUAL FOOD that will convert and nourish our sin weary soul - to eat and drink from His fountain of eternal life.

v.56 Whoever eats this real food and drinks this real drink of real SPIRITUAL FOOD he abides in Christ - there is going to be a real relationship.

v.57 This relationship that Jesus offers to you is going to be like the one that exists between the Father who sent Jesus from heaven. The person who is drawn by the Father through Christ will experience a close and intimate fellowship with Christ - just like the fellowship between God the Father and God the Son.

v.58 As this discourse comes to an end, Jesus comes back to what He referred to earlier in v.49 - that of the manna that the Israelites ate during Moses’ time in the wilderness wanderings - that physical bread did not prevent physical death - just like we all will experience one day. Yet in contrast Jesus offers us this reality - he who eats this bread - the true bread of life which is Christ - will live forever. Eternal life comes from eating, drinking, and digesting the spiritual realities of believing in Jesus. We are not talking about CHRISTIAN CANNIBALISM, but true SPIRITUAL FOOD.

Are you willing to drink of His blood - to make the Bread of Life’s sacrifice real in your life? Accepting Jesus’ life poured out means that you humbly acknowledge that you are a sinner before a Holy God, you yield to God’s work of reconciliation and forgiveness of your sins through Jesus Christ, and have faith that you are freed by His incredible gift of eternal life, and you are therefore able to live in His grace today - forgiven of all your sin.

We live in a pretty crazy world, but as Christians we can know that we will live forever - we have eternal life - and that puts a real stability into our lives. Because of the Father’s love for us we can enjoy Him through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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John 6:22-40 Wonder Bread

22.03.09 John 6:22-40 (NASB)

Audio Sermon Files: John 6:22-40

Going Deeper: Study Guide

The following is from a web page entitled BAN BREAD, which offers us some food for thought… (http://www.newspeakdictionary.com/st-bread.html). These are some compelling reasons for banning bread…..

- More than 98% of convicted felons are bread users.

- Bread is made from a substance called "dough." It has been proven that as little as one pound of dough can be used to suffocate a mouse. The average Canadian eats more bread than that in one month.

- Bread has been proven to be addictive. Subjects deprived of bread and given only water to eat, begged for bread in as little as two days.

- Here is something important to know for our new parents - Newborn babies can choke on bread.

- Bread is baked in temperatures as high as 400 degrees Fahrenheit! That kind of heat can kill an adult in less than one minute.

- Bread has proven to absorb water. Since the human body is 90% water, it follows that eating bread could lead your body being taken over by this absorptive food product, turning you into a soggy, gooey, bread pudding person.

-Most Canadian bread eaters are utterly unable to distinguish between significant scientific fact, and meaningless statistical babble from a web page. KINDA MAKES YOU… WONDER… DOESN’T IT?

On a more serious note - our passage opens with the words The next day, triggering our minds back to what had just took place in chapter 6. Chapter 6 began with the miraculous ‘feeding of the 5000’ with bread and fish. At the conclusion of this miracle Jesus sends His disciples back to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee without Him. As the disciples make their way across the waters they are faced with a storm. In the midst of the storm, and in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, the disciples were fearful for their lives. This is when Jesus comes to the disciples - walking on the water - another powerful demonstration of who Jesus is - that He is the Messiah and Son of God. With the feeding of the 5000 Jesus demonstrates His creative power - that He can create at will. With Jesus walking on the water and stopping the storm, He demonstrates His Deity through His sovereign control over His creation.

As we move through our text we can divide our verses into 4 key sections. These divisions will reveal to us the human condition - helping us to see characteristics of hard heartedness in people towards the things of God. May this lead you to discover that Jesus is - The Bread of Life. That only Jesus can cleanse you from sinful human attitudes and grant you eternal life.

Our passage Jesus unravels 4 mindsets that the people harboured in their hearts which caused spiritual blindness and seperation from God….these are: #1 MATERIALISM - #2 SELF SUFFICIENCY - # 3 SKEPTICISM - # 4 UNBELIEF.

Surveying verses 22-40 we are going to see the progression of the passage. The people search for Jesus, giving us point:

1. MISSING THE NEED FOR SPIRITUAL BREAD (v.22-27)

Jesus then reveals our second point:

2. YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING TO EARN THIS BREAD (v.28-29)

The hardhearted people make a request, but Jesus reveals:

3. SATISFACTION COMES FROM THE BREAD OF LIFE (v.30-35)

Finally Jesus reveals THE ETERNAL WONDER OF THE BREAD OF LIFE (v.36-40)

1. MATERIALISM - MISSING THE NEED FOR SPIRITUAL BREAD (v.22-27)

22 The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but [that] His disciples had gone away alone. 23 There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?" 26 Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal."

v.22-24 So now we are at the next day, and the rest of the chapter focuses on one main theme - that Jesus is the Bread of life. It is apparent that some of the crowd that were a part of the miraculous feeding were still on the north-eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee. The people wanted to find Jesus, knowing that He did not leave with the disciples the previous evening, on their little boat. In the course of this search, other boats came from Tiberias with more people seeking out Jesus at the location where the miraculous feeding took place. In the midst of the search they all realized that Jesus was not there. These people did not know that in the middle of the night Jesus walked out on the Sea to meet the disciples - only the disciples witnessed that miracle. Since Jesus was not there, nor His disciples were anywhere in sight, they figured that He must have left the scene. They didn’t know how Jesus traveled, but they knew that He wasn’t there anymore. So they get back into their boats and they head over to the north western shores to Capernaum.

v.25 The people search for Jesus and now find Him. Even though the people were searching for Jesus they were surprised to find Him there - because they ask Jesus this question - Rabbi, when did You get here? The people were still puzzled as to how Jesus got across the lake without a boat, but Jesus doesn’t answer their direct question, but takes the opportunity to teach.

v.26 Jesus replies - Truly, truly, I say to you… do remember this phrase? ….something very important is going to be said by Jesus…"Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Jesus targets the thoughts of the people and addresses their concern for materialism. The people were searching out Jesus for blessing - in terms of goods. These people were the direct recipients of food for their hungry stomachs in the miraculous feeding of the large crowd at the beginning of this chapter. And now we still see that their minds were focused on material… earthly… stuff. Jesus is not denouncing the necessity of material goods - yes we all need them, but His point is that the people’s material necessities of everyday living blinded them to what was utterly more important. Jesus was telling them that they weren’t looking for Him because they were interested about the spiritual side of life. In fact the people totally missed the significance of the miracle…the signs which point to who Jesus is. Instead they came to get more handouts…another free meal…they craved for more of that wonderbread.

v.27 But this is Jesus’ challenge to the crowd …a deep response to a shallow people - Jesus says, "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you … Jesus isn’t telling the people to stop working to make money to buy the food that they need….and by the way a food that spoils.

All food has a shelf life - an expiry date - and likewise so does our earthly life….our earthly existence is limited and lets face it …..one day we are going to expire - die. When we are young we think that we are invincible - death rarely crosses our minds. When we are young we do things that our parents wouldn’t do. Have you noticed, the age of those who are involved with extreme sports? We perhaps have recently, casually read about another gang member who got targeted and killed - and of the innocent that have died in the cross fire - and we think that it will never happen to me, and we go on with life - without thought of the life beyond. When we get older death becomes more real - we can’t help but notice it increasingly creeping closer - but we still think in terms of the here and now.

When my grandmother was still alive - in the last years of here old age she would often say in Cantonese - ‘dung say’ - waiting to die. What a sad statement - you live a whole life, chasing after stuff - a better job, a better car, a better figure, a lager house, more personal recognition, bigger toys, a grand retirement….. - materialism….. - but we all will die. But what about the life to come? Whether your a Christian or not - most people do not seriously consider the things to come beyond this earthly life. I’m going to ask all of you to do this one thing this week - take an inventory of everything that pre-occupies you Sunday to Sunday - if you do this - it will become obvious where your focus is….whether on physical earthly stuff or on the eternal spiritual realities of life. Are you living for yourself or are you living for Jesus?

In this section of our passage, Jesus is leading the people to think not in terms of food for their stomachs, but of food for their souls. What Jesus is driving at is that they should be pursuing something which is infinitely more important…. the food which endures to eternal life. The food that Jesus is talking about is a food that never perishes…which is everlasting….eternal….and can be found only in Jesus Christ. In light of our eventual death - God, has set His seal His seal of approval on Jesus - meaning that Jesus is the only one who is certified, marked out, or sealed to be the genuine dispenser of eternal life. Jesus moves from addressing materialism to the people’s….

2. SELF SUFFICIENCY- YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING TO EARN THIS BREAD (v.28-29)

28 Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so 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 has sent."

v.28 The people respond to Jesus’ interaction with them and they ask - What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God? In the people’s reply was a sense of both zeal and self sufficiency. The zeal was that these people seemed to think that they had the capacity, and could do the works of God which He requires. Don’t forget these people had gone to Capernaum to search for blessing from Jesus with a material / earthly mindset - instead of a spiritual one. In their minds, pleasing God and obtaining eternal life was some kind of performance related formula - a system of works in an attempt to merit some kind of favour from God. So these people thought that they were self sufficient in pleasing God and in achieving eternal life. In other words they believed that they in their own strength were good enough to work their way to heaven. These Jews believed that by keeping the Law they would be saved unto eternal life. Eternal life to them consisted of following a bunch of rules and regulations, but they missed the whole point of the Law of God. The point of the Law of God was to show people how unrighteous, how un-holy, how much of a sinner they were before a Holy, righteous, just, and perfect God….and realizing this….they would get the message of how much they were insufficient in their self-sufficiency…therefore they desperately needed to turn to their Creator, God, to save them from their sins.

And this is the same with people today, even Christians to some extent. They think that going to church or following Jesus, is a bunch of rules and regulations in the Bible. Yet they miss the whole point. The average person on the street thinks that they have sufficiently done just enough goods things, with out doing too many bad things - that when they die and come before God… the result will be eternal life. …that God will be more than happy to let him into heaven…maybe even obliged to let them in. The people misinterpreted what Jesus was saying about work when He said - Do not work for…etc., back in verse 27.

v.29 But what does Jesus say about this? Instead Jesus says….this is the work of God …. that you believe in Him whom He has sent. Jesus defines the work not in terms of human effort and accomplishments, but in terms of abiding belief….in terms of faith. To have eternal life comes through faith in Jesus Christ, the One whom God has sent for the very purpose of granting eternal life. The answer to those who seek salvation from the weight of guilt and shame in this life de to their sin stained life …is this ….For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph. 2:8-9). Belief….belief that God grants to the sinner - solely by God’s work of grace - to believe in the very nature, character, and mission of the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus lays it all out - that the food that people should seek, that - which endures to eternal life (v.27) is found in a Person - Jesus Himself. Jesus points out that - you can’t work for this bread of life.

Jesus quoted in Matthew, Hosea 6:6 - which really illustrates the point here in our passage - For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. God doesn’t want outward signs of religion from a heart which is far from Him - but He wants a relationship with His creature. It is not what you do, but who you know. And who you know will dictate what you do. One commentator sums the reality of eternal life in Christ, with this statement - "Acceptability with God is a relationship God gives" (Borchert).

As we move into our third section…Jesus has made it quite clear that the people needed eternal life through Him. Yet we will soon realize that the message is not sinking in…and the response is:
3. SKEPTICISM - YET SATISFACTION COMES FROM THE BREAD OF LIFE (v30-35)

30 So they said to Him, "What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, `He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.' " 32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." 34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread." 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

v.30 The response from the people is almost unbelievable. The people are saying to Jesus - "What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? In other words they are saying hey, what are you going to do for us? They ask for a miraculous sign from Jesus so that they can believe. It is incredible that these people are asking for a miracle right now, since they had the previous day….only hours before, witnessed and benefited from a spectacular miracle (feeding of 5000). These people had been on the other side of the Sea of Galilee being fed bread and fish, yet they totally write off this sign from Jesus. This underscores the reality that it is God who opens people’s eyes to spiritual realities. People can witness all the miracles they want, but in the end if God doesn’t replace our hearts of stone with a heart of flesh, then you will never respond to the gift of eternal life in Jesus.

v.31-32 The people continue and they bring up the past. They look to their fore-fathers at the time of Moses, and they start comparing Jesus’ ministry with his. Moses provided the people with manna in the wilderness - bread out of heaven to eat. So the people were in effect saying that Jesus’ miraculous sign really was piddley - compared with Moses’. So what was is implied in our passage is that the people are kind of saying - now Moses miracle… that was a real miracle….that was really big, he fed the whole nation of Israel….and you Jesus just fed a few thousand people. Jesus…Moses fed them for forty years….and you Jesus - only a single meal. Moses bread came from heaven….Jesus, your bread from some earthly loaves - so Jesus show us something really big. Once again the people are blind to spiritual realities.

This is how Jesus responds…look down at verses 32…there are those words again… "Truly, truly, I say to you …. it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. Jesus frankly explains to those before Him, that Moses was not the one who gave the Israelites bread to eat from heaven, but it was the God the Father. In other words the point that Jesus makes is that - Moses is not greater than Jesus.
God is the One who gives them true spiritual bread. The word true in verse 32 means ‘genuine’ or ‘original.’ So Jesus is saying that the manna gave only physical nourishment which was only able to nourish a person for a while - but God is the only One who can give genuine spiritual life forever - God gives a true bread which gives eternal spiritual nourishment.

v.33 Now when we move into verse 33 it is really important for us to see the apologetic Jesus builds up. This is what he continues to say - "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." Did you catch that? Jesus smoothly transitions from - God gives spiritual life sustaining bread; - to - the bread of God is a Person. Think back to the beginning of this gospel in chapter 1:14 - The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus is the only One, God in human flesh, who comes down out of heaven. Jesus is the only One who can give each one of us eternal life - who are living in the world - because He is the Creator. Once again back to the prologue of this gospel - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

If we put what Jesus is saying here in our passage of chapter 6 - put it into an equation, this is what Jesus was expressing:

Physical bread = physical life;
Spiritual bread = spiritual life.

v.34 The crowd was getting excited - just like the woman at the well, back in chapter 4 - thinking that she could get some special source of water - this crowd was thinking they were going to get some free bread. They were still thinking in an earthly perspective - great another free meal like last night. The Jews were thinking - Yah…all right….that would be fantastic…. Jesus will - always give us this bread. So they were thinking that they were going to get an endless supply of bread. They were imagining - only if we could get an endless source of bread….no more baking….no more stores….so they urgently pressed Jesus for the goods….JUST SHOW ME MORE BREAD.

v.35 The people are so focused on the physical - on their stomachs - that they miss the big picture. Therefore Jesus declared openly in no uncertain terms His identity - I am the bread of life. This is the first in a series of self declarative, I AM statements Jesus makes in this gospel to the people. The people come for more bread and fish, but Jesus offers them more, much more….He offers Himself.

Jesus states - "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. He offers to people a personal relationship with Him, with the God of all creation (including themselves who due to sin have fallen short of the glory of God and are alienated from God). Anyone coming to Jesus for spiritual food will not go hungry. Anyone who believes in Jesus will not be spiritually thirsty….EVER! There is a guarantee imbedded here in the original text. The words will not is the strongest way to say no in Greek. Placing your faith in the person of Jesus Christ for all that He claims to be - the Son of God - and in Him is the only way to be reconciled to God, and believing that what Jesus has accomplished for sinners on the cross - that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,(1 Cor.15:3-4) - you will never - never, ever be spiritually hungry or thirsty again. By coming to Jesus Christ we find eternal spiritual refreshment and satisfaction for a sin weary soul. This reminds me of what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 - Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me , for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

The people’s earthly focus and skepticism now explodes in attitude #….

4. UNBELIEF - yet in the midst of rejection, Jesus still offers THE ETERNAL WONDER OF THE BREAD OF LIFE (v.36-40)

36 "But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

v.36 Jesus offers the people eternal life, but in strong contrast, the response of the people is rejection - and yet do not believe. They have seen Jesus doing all the miracles but they still do not believe.

v.37 There is a tension, a seeming contradiction, yet there is a parallel truth in verse 37. It is the correlating truth between Divine Sovereignty and human responsibility. On the one hand these people do not believe because the Father does not give Jesus their lives - and so they respond with UNBELIEF. Then on the other hand is human response. If God determines to change our hearts to accept Him, then He will receive us as His children through faith in Jesus Christ. It says in this verse that Jesus will receive those the Father gives. And to those who are received, Jesus will certainly not cast out. This the human response which God calls us to - those who truly come in humble confession of their sins before a Holy and righteous God….coming acknowledging that they cannot save themselves from their sins…but that Jesus can…and He has paved the way through His perfect life and then His voluntary and sacrificial death on the cross as our sin bearer….you will never be cast out from His presence. This is a promise, a guarantee. We as Christians can look at a passage like ours today, and know that God has done a wonderful work in our lives. We can know that Jesus is sufficient to keep us faithful to the end. Hebrews 12:1-3 encourages us with these words - 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

v.38-39 Jesus has come down to earth to do what God has sent Him here to do. It reminds us once again of John 1:14. What is God’s will? Jesus explains to the people - that God desires that of all the people that He has given to Christ, that Jesus will lose nothing (v.39). Now you may ask - lose what? The answer is that none shall lose eternal life. In other words no one who is found in Christ will perish, but instead they have eternal security in Christ. When all is said and done…when all is completed in our life…when it is time to return to our Creator at our earthly death…the one who has abiding faith in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour - will have no fear of God’s wrath, but you will be welcomed into your heavenly home.

On the last day we then will receive our resurrected bodies. This day is the time at the end of the Tribulation and before the Millenium of Christ’s reign on earth, where God will raise His saints from the beginning of human history to this last day. This is known as the ‘resurrection of the just’ and it is when we as believers in Christ will receive our heavenly bodies - bodies suited for a perfect place - bodies that will not break down - a body that will be glorious and eternal.
v.40 If there is anything that we should remember from our Bible passasge, is this - God calls everyone of us to respond to Him. This is the will of [the] Father. If you do not personally know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour in your life, this is the challenge, that you must [behold] the Son. You must look to Him for salvation for the complete forgiveness of your sins. Over the course of our sermon series and even today we have presented Jesus for who He is. Jesus is God the Son and he lovingly commands all to come to Him for rest from sin, and a restored relationship with God.

The words beholds the Son, suggests that you need to contemplate on who this Jesus is. And then if you are drawn by God through Christ…..you are called to respond in saving belief in Jesus Christ alone, by repenting of your sins. Jesus is the Bread of Life and those who trust their life to Him will not go away spiritually hungry and thirsty, but shall be raised to eternal life in Him - on the last day we then will receive our resurrected bodies, which will be perfect and perfectly suited to dwell in heaven with Christ in heaven for eternity.

(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)

John 6:16-21 Surviving the Storms of Life

15.03.09 John 6:16-21 (NASB)

Sermon Audio File: John 6:16-21

Going Deeper: Study Guide

Surviving the Storms of Life

When we began chapter 6 we found ourselves in the midst of a miracle. This was the 4th sign in the gospel of John, popularly know as the feeding of the 5000. The key lesson that we focused on was related to trusting God. We found that the disciples were pre-occupied about earthly things - how were they going to disperse this huge crowd, and if they stay… how are they going to feed them all? Up to this point the disciples had been with Jesus for about 2 years. We would think that they should have know the nature and character of their Master, and what He could do. Yet we find that their spiritual eyes are short sighted. They were in the presence of Jesus - God the Son - but they were spiritually blind. Despite this we should give the disciples credit for obeying Jesus’ instructions as He prepared for the miracle. Now Jesus performs the miracle for all to see. As the people finished eating, the disciples collected what was leftover. They were able to fill twelve baskets with the barley bread which had not been eaten by all the people. What the disciples learned that day was to focus on Jesus more, instead of focusing upon themselves. They learned that Jesus is sufficient for all things and He demonstrated it again through the miraculous feeding of the great crowd. With the miracle complete the disciples had learned something about trusting their teacher and His power. The disciples faith wavered but in the end it was bolstered, and caused them to mature just a little bit more.

Today we are going to see that Jesus reveals even more of Himself to His disciples. If you remember back to verses 14 and 15, the people began to say that Jesus was the Prophet that God had promised from the days of the OT. The people in interpreting the fulfillment of the OT Scriptures were correct. Yet it was energized by the wrong motives - the people interests, in Jesus, lay largely upon the Jewish hopes for political freedom from the yoke of the Roman empire. They sought a powerful and influential person who would be from their own people. They figured that Jesus was just the right One to play this role, and they tried by force to make Him king. We know from the gospels that even the disciples viewed Jesus as a political deliverer. Yet when Jesus rejected the position there was a great sense of discouragement. In their view this was a great time to become king. The feeding of the crowd gave rise to the possible recruitment of 5000 men.

As we begin the next section of chapter 6, we have the 5th sign that is presented in the our gospel - the miracle of Jesus walking on water. This is the account from the Scripture:

16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and after getting into a boat, they [started to] cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea [began] to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He ^said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." 21 So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

This sign is witnessed only by the disciples and no one else. It served to encourage the discouraged disciples who just witnessed Jesus reject the kingship of the people. The disciples could have been wondering if they had been mistaken about Jesus. They could have been thinking that they put all their eggs into one basket - perhaps they had misplaced their faith in the wrong person? They had spent all this time with Jesus and now when the people had pressed Jesus to be their king He refused. The disciples were likely replaying over and over in their minds the question - If Jesus was really serious about bringing in the Kingdom …then why doesn’t He seem to care? Perhaps the disciples hopes were somewhat shattered. Yet in Jesus’ refusal to be king he demonstrated His authority over the great crowd, for He was not going to do anything that was in conflict with His Father’s will.

This 5th sign would serve to be an encouragement to the disciples and settled the many doubts that they had. So what Jesus chooses to do is to reveal to His disciples His true identity as the Son of God - the sovereign Lord over all creation. This is what we will see through this sign - that Jesus is our LORD AND SAVIOUR, that He in all circumstances can be trusted. This miracle of Jesus walking on water helps us to think through our faith. It challenges us to live in greater trust in Jesus that He is the One who brings us through the so called ‘storms’ in our life. When we place our trust in Jesus we don’t need to be afraid.

Understanding how God matures us can be seen through three stages, in the journey of the disciples across the Sea of Galilee. The disciples grow in faith by:

1. TRAVELING IN DARKNESS ALONE (v.16-18).

The disciples are stretched to their own limits through:
2. TRANSITIONING FROM FEAR TO FEAR (v.19).

But they survive the storm, and likewise we can survive the storms that we face in our life by:
3. TRUSTING JESUS WITH THE FEARS (v.20-21).

So now let us begin digging into the text to see what the Lord is teaching us today.

1. TRAVELING IN DARKNESS ALONE (v.16-18)

v.16-17 Our events begin late in the - evening. Jesus had asked that His disciples go ahead of Him, by boat back across - the sea of Galilee, to the western seaside town of Capernaum. Jesus’ own plan was that He would be alone on the mountainside in prayer (cf. 6:15). Jesus spent little time to rest but found strength in the presence of God the Father, to carry on. Soon Jesus would be off again ministering to the disciples in the middle of the sea through a miracle. It seems that Jesus had given the disciples the instructions to go on without Him if He - had not yet come to them by the time it had already got - dark. It was now dark and Jesus still did not meet them. So in obedience to their master’s command (Matt. 14:22), the disciples got - into a boat, they [started to] cross the sea to Capernaum. They were probably reluctant to depart feeling anxious about leaving Jesus behind. Though they traveled these waters often they may have felt the vulnerability of going on the lake with some winds blowing. Little did the disciples know that a time of trial was awaiting them. They would find themselves alone in the dark, clinging on to life in desperation.

v.18 The Sea of Galilee is a lake about 21 km long and 13km wide. It is a fresh water body of water being fed by the Jordan River and underground streams. The water is clear and the home of many fish. The lake is close to 700 feet below sea level and therefore it is surrounded by mountains and cliffs. The air temperature can reach up to 40 degrees in the summer months, and that is in the shade. This combination makes for some treacherous conditions. A Bible encyclopedia states - ‘The difference in temperature between the surface of the sea and the high surrounding mountains makes it liable to sudden and violent storms, as the cool air from the uplands sweeps down the gorges and upon the surface of the water (ISBE).’

This is the situation that we have in our passage in verse 18 - as it states that - The sea [began] to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. The disciples were facing a dangerous situation, yet not something totally unfamiliar to them, since some of them were experienced fishermen - but we will discover that even their life experience would give them no comfort. In a moment everything seemed to be totally out of control. They were tossed about in the churning waters of the raging sea, all together - yet alone.

Jesus possess Divine knowledge and He knew about the storm, He knew that the disciples were struggling at sea - and remained in prayer until the appointed time. Jesus knew what He was to do with the disciples and the storm. He knew in His infinite wisdom that the disciples required to have their needs pushed to the limits before He intervened. In order to accomplish His work in our hardened hearts Jesus allows for situations that He knows that we can’t totally handle on our own. Many times we live with a mere knowledgeable faith - we say to ourselves - and to God … ‘I believe that You can handle this.’ But what God purposes for our maturity and His glory is that He wants us to realize and live out this - ‘Lord, I KNOW that you can handle this!’ So, God allows those storms to well up in our lives, in which we find ourselves strenuously rowing against, making little progress. But in order for us to learn this lesson…He leaves us alone, so that we be - TRANSITIONING FROM FEAR TO FEAR (v.19) …. Yes, sometimes God has to humble us before we can mature!

2. TRANSITIONING FROM FEAR TO FEAR (v.19)

v.19 Under normal conditions the trip across the Sea of Galilee, is only a few miles across the top, and would require little time to navigate. But from Mark chapter 6 (47-48), we know that the disciples were in the middle of the lake. The strong headwinds which they needed to fight against pushed them way off course. This caused them to take a greater deal of time to get to the other shore. They had been rowing all evening and had only rowed the distance of about three or four miles, that is about 5 or 6 kms. The time would have been between 3-6 am (Mk. 6:48), so they would have battled the storm, rowing at least 6 to 9 hours at this point. This is when they saw Jesus - drawing near to the boat. This is where the drama of the encounter begins. We need to remember that the disciples had been rowing all night - so they were tired - drained physically and mentally. They were shaken and scared because of the danger of the storm. They were surrounded by darkness without any security, and their life saver was left on the shore since Jesus was not in the boat.

Haven’t we sometimes found our selves in a like emotional situation? A meltdown in a relationship - perhaps you are drifting apart from a spouse - from your parents - a friend; Maybe you are encountering an uprising of emotional turmoil - someone close to you is severely ill - you have had an argument with a close friend - you are moving to an unfamiliar place; or possibly there is an unwanted disorder in circumstances - the loss of a job….all these turn in events which drive us into a frenzied vertigo…..we don’t know where the horizon lies…. leaving us with a sense of self paralyzing hopelessness and despair. The disciples found themselves in such a like emotional situation. Then they all saw a figure beyond the boat….their life saver Jesus….but it seemed too good to be true…. and then they slipped back into fear - and in this new fear, they thought it to be a phantom or ghost (as Matt. And Mk. record). Their response was from fear to fear. They were frightened - struck with fear and seized with alarm at this strange occurrence - Jesus walking on the sea.

As believers what a powerful assurance we are given. That even when things are seemingly out of control and we begin to feel like we have been pushed out of an airplane with our hands tied behind our backs…. plunging rapidly downward in a dizzying spiral…and we just can’t reach forward to grab the pull string on the parachute of our own resources…Jesus is here. Here is an illustration that I found that might help us understand what I have been stating:

A construction worker who was employed on some high building project, was working at night. Busy on the edge of the wall, many stories high and with insufficient lighting, he suddenly lost all his balance and fell, but managed to grasp the edge of the wall with his fingers. Desperately he clung for his own life, hoping that his plight would be discovered. He was in total darkness below the level of the wall, and his cries were lost in the chatter of the roar of the machines, and the myriad of other sounds arising from the project. Soon he felt his arms grow numb, and his fingers begin to relax against every effort of his will to hold them rigid. Frantically he tried to save himself, but… At last his fingers slipped from the wall, and, with a retching cry of sheer terror, he fell…….plunging down… all three inches to a scaffold that had been there in the darkness all the time!

Isn’t this just like us many times? We like the disciples think that we can get through anything with our own endurance and resources. We like the construction worker clinging on to everything that we have….right to the end. When we acknowledge that we indeed have our weaknesses, we become fearful, anxious, and perhaps even unhappy….yet underneath…. all the while, are the everlasting arms of a faithful, loving and all-powerful Saviour - ready to break our fall, prepared to show us the best way, ready to restore our faith in a faithful God. (HO VanGilder, in Knight - fear).

We as believers are never TRAVELLING IN DARKNESS ALONE, and we don’t have to be TRANSITIONING FROM FEAR TO FEAR…we just need to be ….

3. TRUSTING JESUS WITH THE FEARS (v.20-21)

A long time ago a real person wrote this response about real circumstances…

18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, 2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ... 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 [we are] afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you....14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 15 For all things [are] for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal ….. 5:5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight... That was the Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 3:18-5:7).

v.20-21 In the midst of these terrifying circumstances for the disciples - Jesus speaks calm into the situation - the focus of the disciples fears shifts from the storm unto the Saviour - ahhh…the sound and reassurance of a familiar voice - It is I; do not be afraid. Jesus says It is I - which literally is I AM. Apart from the introduction of this book back in chapter 1 ….this is one of those small glimmers in this gospel, of Jesus’ self declaration - His true unveiled identity - and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…full of grace and truth - He is Deity - He is God - the great I AM of the OT Scriptures. In the authority of His person, Jesus commands the disciples - don’t be afraid. It is in the presence of Jesus that we can find abiding peace for the storms of life. We find in Him, Divine assurance and protection.

Since the disciples now knew that this was not a phantom, but Jesus in person - So they were willing to receive Him into the boat. As Jesus steps into the boat with Peter, the sea storm stopped (Matt. 14:32). The miracle was now complete, without Jesus even saying a word or lifting a finger - what an awesome display of Divine power. It was like the storm was waiting for the purpose of the miracle to be finished. With this taking place immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going, so they made it to their destination. Another miracle took place.

So how do we on a practical level TRUST JESUS WITH OUR FEARS? There is no miracle formula…and it is in fact often undervalued and taken for granted….that is read and apply Scripture into your life. In the past years there was a book written entitled ‘Experiencing God’ and one of the catch phrases is ‘Let go and let God.’ That sounds like a good thing to do, but it is theologically wrong. What that statement teaches is that we just sit back and God will do everything. ‘Let go and let God’ is wrong because it absolves us from human responsibility….taken to the logical ends it is saying that - if things go wrong it is God’s will (or even fault). So how do we Biblically trust Jesus? We can look at a variety of verses but let’s just take one of them - Col. 3:16 states - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…’Dwell’ means ‘to live in’ or ‘to be at home,’ and the word ‘richly’ can be translated as ‘abundantly or extravagantly rich.’ This means that our response in trials, and just everyday living, is that Scripture should permeate every aspect of the believer’s life and control every though, word, and deed. We need to be submitted to the Word of God in obedience therefore allowing the Holy Spirit to shape and direct us with the truth of God’s Word (MSB). When we live our lives in obedience to the living Word…Jesus….when we ‘welcome Him into the boat’ (if we kinda stretch that phrase a bit) - in other words, we respond to His Word…. He will chart the course of our life and bring us to our destination. Jesus guides us not according to our own desires, but according to the Father’s will….according to His own timing and purpose.

In the gospel according to Matthew we have this statement of response - Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." Once again the disciples spiritual eyes were open for a moment. They recognized Jesus for who He claimed to be - the Son of God. The book of Colossians 1:15-17 - states this: And He (that is Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, [both] in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created by Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. The disciples saw with their very eyes - Jesus reveal Himself as - the One who made the world. Jesus was I AM - God in human flesh - God with the disciples - God with us. Jesus in walking on the water controlled the forces of nature which He created. He suspended the law of gravity and demonstrated that He is the Sovereign Lord of all creation….therefore there was only one response - and that response was that the disciples worshipped the one true God - unveiled to them being revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. What an awesome demonstration of His person. What an effective tangible object lesson, that was given to the disciples. It is also a powerful reminder to us.

More recently, in our times a pastor wrote this….‘We will never find ourselves in a place where Christ cannot find us; and no storm is too severe for Him to save us from it. He protects His own, whom He will never fail or forsake (Josh. 1:5; Heb. 13:5). The lesson for the disciples is the lesson for us. There is no reason for God’s people to fear. There is no reason for anxiety, no matter how hopeless and threatening our problems seem to be. Life is often stormy and painful, often threatening and frightening. Some believers suffer more than others, but all suffer at some time and in some way. In spite of that, the storm is never so severe, the night never so black, and the boat never so frail that we risk danger beyond our Father’s care’ - J. MacArthur

Today…Sunday…is the start of a new week. Isn’t it great that we are able to start off the week with God’s Word and His people? As we enter this week may we be reminded that we don’t have to feel that we are TRAVELING IN DARKNESS ALONE (v.16-18). This week if we find ourselves looking to our own resources and we are TRANSITIONING FROM FEAR TO FEAR (v.19)….think about what we have learned today…and be assured that we can through the Spirit of God, be TRUSTING JESUS WITH OUR FEARS (v.20-21).…… He will lead us and mature us…as Jesus stated… IT IS I….DO NOT BE AFRAID.

(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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John 6:1-15 Lessons From Five Loaves And Two Fish

08.03.09 John 6:1-15 (NASB)

Sermon Audio File: John 6:1-15

Going Deeper: Study Guide

Lessons From Five Loaves And Two Fish

As chapter 6 begins it leaves behind the events of the previous chapters, and leads into what is the climax of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus is back in Galilee, and when he began His ministry in this region it was a public ministry. Jesus at that time sought out the people proclaiming the gospel to all those who would listen. Some of these people received Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. In these early days the Jews were cynical about Jesus. That unbelief eventually grew into open hostility, and with the clear assertions that Jesus made - that He was God, a murderous hatred erupted. Meanwhile the people gave Jesus mixed reviews - some were born again, yet others remained fluid in their understanding and unbelief. It would go without saying that whoever it was, the people were quite fascinated by this miracle man - a carpenter named Jesus (Mk. 6:3).
As the opposition from the religious establishment intensified and the reaction from the crowds remained uncommitted, Jesus would begin to withdraw from a primarily public ministry to one that was private. On top of this was the attention generated by the 12 disciples who came back from going through out Herod’s territory - stirring the jealousy of Herod Antipas. At this point John the Baptist had been buried, but Herod believed that Jesus could be the Baptist returned from the dead. So he was worried to say the least and could have imposed some form of retaliation against Jesus.

In light of Jesus’ humanity - He grew tired from the demands and opposition of the religious leaders, the fickleness of God’s people, and the immaturity of His disciples. This was on top of the back breaking schedule of teaching, question answering, and miracles that He performed.
Another important aspect of His withdrawal was that Jesus could spend more time with His disciples preparing them for what was to come - in terms of His death, and the disciples future trials in laying the foundations of Christ’s church. Was Jesus afraid to face His own death and want to spare His own life? No. Jesus was resolute as to what the will of the Father was. No one could take Jesus’ life unless He allowed it to take place - and at the appointed time. We will discover this reality later in the gospel - Jn. 10:18 - No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father. He also withdrew because Jesus wanted to avoid unnecessary and premature confrontation with the Jews. And He also withdrew so that He could be alone with the Father. For our Scripture today we find this written:

6:1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2 A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?" 6 This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. 7 Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive 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 fish, but what are these for so many people?" 10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. 12 When they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost." 13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Apart from Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, today’s miracle is the only one that is recorded in all four gospels. This speaks to the importance of this 4th sign. In light of this I am going to include information in this sermon which is a harmony of the 4 gospels. Therefore some of the conclusions and references that I am going to present are not derived solely from today’s text (you can find most of the Scripture references through our blogsite). As we understand, our gospel’s theme is to know that Jesus is God and that He offers eternal life - the theme continues. But the key applicational idea is TRUST - trust in a powerful God.

Today’s passage is generally referred to as ‘The Feeding of the 5000.’ There are differing theories of how the feeding takes place, but the only reality that is acceptable is that this is a genuine miracle - after all John, in verse 14, records that this was a "miraculous sign that Jesus did."

1. THE PRELUDE TO A MIRACLE (v.1-4)

v.1 The prelude to a miracle takes place - After these things - that is sometime following the events of chapter 5. Depending on what the unnamed festival was, in chapter 5, this event could have taken place anywhere from 6months to 1 year later. The setting is changed also - away from the bustling city of Jerusalem, to the wide open spaces of Galilee in the north. As our story breaks, Jesus at this time is already on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. At Jesus’ time the people already referred to it as the Sea of Galilee; but it was formerly named the Sea of Tiberius after the Emperor in about AD 20-22.

The demands of ministry was getting so busy that Jesus and the apostles ‘did not even have a chance to eat’ (Mk. 6:31). As a result Jesus and the apostles left the crowds to get rest in a quiet place (Mk. 6:32). They jumped into a boat and crossed over to the other side of the lake, which is the north eastern shores of the Sea, to a town named Bethsaida (Lk. 9:10). This was much more of a private place.

v.2 There was A large crowd that were following Jesus, since many heard about His arrival. The original text fills us in that there was a continuous pattern of the crowd following Jesus wherever He went; and a continuous demonstration of miracles. Jesus had compassion upon the people and healed many (Matt. 14:14). He even took the opportunity to teach them (Mk. 6:34). Even though our gospel records 8 signs, there were many more that are recorded in the other gospels.
The presence of Jesus caused such an interest that there were people that arrived to the place Jesus landed his boat (Mk. 6:33). In light of what has taken place in Jesus’ ministry the majority of the crowd came to be an audience of thrill seekers looking to be wowed by more - signs - yet some did go in the hopes of being healed. Those looking for healing were the weak…those without strength. What we witness here is the great compassion of Jesus. Despite Jesus’ exhaustion the depths of the human need around Him, the pain, anguish, confusion, and spiritual lostness of the people - deeply moved the Lord. In Jesus’ earthly life He too suffered and experienced the trials that any man would encounter.

We see Jesus reaching out to those God loves - His fallen creation - without prejudice for gender, race, age, social status, financial position, believer or unbeliever - people just like us - God loves. In Jesus we see in all its fullness - the compassionate heart of a gracious and merciful God.
Jesus knew in His omniscient mind that these people were superficial, self centered thrill seekers - He knew that they refused to understand, they rejected belief in Him, and yet they were the reason He would ultimately suffer an excruciating death - so Jesus ministered to them….. Jesus showed love to them. Jesus love you. Underlying this heart of compassion is the clear and present danger of eternal damnation. Jesus knew that the reality of a life spent apart with Him was real. Jesus knew that in the love of God there also co-exists the reality of justice - that God is a just God. The truth of the matter is that there is hell - a place of torment for those who reject God by not receiving Christ as Lord and Saviour. Jesus healed the body, yet ultimately - the greatest concern was the healing of the sin ravaged soul. A person healed physically by Jesus could suffer again from something else. Yet when Jesus heals our sin stained soul, we will never face the penalty and domination of sin ever again. We are freed from eternal damnation unto eternal life, through Christ.

v.3 Jesus goes up on a particular mountain, yet unspecified by John as to the name, and Jesus sat down with His disciples. At this point….

v.4 John gives his readers a time reference for all these events - it was close to the Passover, the feast of the Jews. This reference also gives lending support of why there were particularly larger numbers of people following Jesus this time around. The large crowds were attributed to the masses of people that were in transit to the annual Passover. It appears that Jesus would not attend this coming Passover since there was strong opposition to Him in Jerusalem (cf. 7:1).
The prelude to a miracle leads us to the next section of our passage which is…

2. THE PERPLEXITY OF THE DISCIPLES (v.5-9)

v.5-6 It was now getting late in the day, late afternoon (Lk.9:12). When Jesus lifts up His eyes, He takes note of the large crowd of people coming His direction up the side of the mountain. The disciples wanted Jesus to send the people away into the nearby towns to by food and find a place to stay - since they were in a remote place (Lk. 9:12). Jesus turns to Philip - to ask a question. Philip was naturally a good choice out of the disciples to ask since he was a native of the near by town of Bethsaida, like Andrew and Peter. But beyond the logical choice was the real reason Jesus asks Philip - Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat? - this question was a test. Jesus was miles ahead of Philip - he didn’t have to ask anyone for any advice. Jesus already knew what He was intending to do.

v.7 This is how Philip answers - follow along with me in verse 7 - Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little. This amount - two hundred denarii was not a large sum of money, but it was probably still more than the disciples had collectively. The denarii was a Roman coin, which was the equivalent of one days wages (cf. Matt. 20:2). Let us do a modern day Vancouver BC calculation - the current general level worker gets $8.00 an hour minimum wage. The average person works about 40 hours, 5 days a week. A days work is 8 hours. 8 hours x $8.00 = $36.00 a day. I saw regular french bread for sale for 97cents (round that to $1.00 a loaf). So a days wage would buy 36 loaves of supermarket french bread. Take this number - 36 loaves x 200 (Two hundred denarii = 200 days of work) = 7200 loaves of bread.

It really is hard to come to a modern day equivalent, but the 7200 loaves that we approximated - brings our attention to the fact that Philip was really emphasizing that the situation was without hope. Even if they had the money it would still not be enough to feed the great crowd, even if it was a small portion for each person. What Philip is really saying is that we have a impossible situation on our hands. It is highly likely that these people we probably more hungry than usual, due to the trip to get to Jesus.

Jesus was testing Philip to see where his perplexity would lead. Jesus was hoping that Philip would have turned to Him as the resource instead of earthly resources. In the presence of the great crowds Philip lost sight of the greatness of Jesus’ power. Philip’s perplexity took his eyes off of Jesus and the miracle that he could do - and he responds with a skepticism. Philip’s faith was put to the test. Wouldn’t it seem natural that after being with Jesus for so long, that Philip would just turn to Jesus for the solution? Philip is like a man standing at Shannon Falls in Squamish - asking ‘where can I get a drink?’

v.8-9 Andrew now jumps into the conversation. Andrew was Simon Peter’s brother, and this relational reference speaks about his secondary importance as far as the disciples go. Andrew brings to the attention of Jesus and the other disciples - a partial solution. He said, There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people? It seems likely that Andrew was trying to find out if the people themselves had enough food to either sustain themselves or more hopefully the entire crowd. The results of his research was that He brings to Jesus a lad - a boy, most likely a little boy. He had with him five barley loaves. Barley flour was an inferior product in those days - it produced a course texture of bread. This little guy had five loaves of cheap bread, and He also had two fish. All these seemingly insignificant details points us to the possibility that this little fella was poor. In Andrew’s words, he also highlighted the desperation of the moment - ‘there are so many people here, there is no way we can feed them all with this kids lunch.’

Once again a test exists. The perplexity of Andrew reveals that his focus was on earthly things and not heavenly things. The disciples could not see beyond their own resources. The miraculous did not enter into their minds. If someone would ask them if Jesus could do miracles they would have quickly answered - YES. But this time, they looked to their own insufficiency without looking to Jesus’ all sufficiency. Most of us have been Christians for a long time. And we would probably think that if we were in this situation, we would simply ask Jesus for help. We would be tempted to think that we would just turn to Jesus and say you can do it. But the reality is that - way too many times we are face to face with the God of all, and yet we are spiritually blind. We know it - but it seems that we don’t have a clue.

We know Jesus turned water into wine; we know that He healed the royal official’s son; we know that He healed the man by the pool; we even know what the outcome of today’s passage is …..yet how many times in our Christian walk - probably even this week, have we faced a crisis, a turn in circumstances, a trial - and all we look at is the seemingly overwhelming and un-scaleable situation…. and turn to our own resources…. We have failed to consider the power of our Lord.

Up to this point the disciples were with the Lord for two years. They were eating with Him, were able to ask Him questions, they learned from Him, they saw Him demonstrate His power - yet they were dull…dull to the spiritual presence and power that should have been so obvious. They failed the test and this was not the first time. The Lord now teaches the lesson through….

3. THE PERFORMED MIRACLE (v.10-13)

v.10 Jesus now begins to do what He was intending to do. The main focus of our passage is about to begin - Jesus’ power. Jesus prevails over the spiritual dullness of the disciples, and the performed miracle is about to take place. The people had been standing for a while so that they could see and hear Jesus. He asks the disciples to get the people to sit down - literally recline, or sit back, which was not an uncommon posture for eating in those times. John notes - that there was much grass where they were situated. So to recline was possible . It was green grass so it may indicate that this was in the spring time (Mk. 6:39). This is what the scene would have looked like - there on the mountainside were thousands of people gathered without any order - in one large crowd. The disciples at Jesus’ instruction have the people sit in rows like a garden bed, arranged in groups of 50’s and 100’s (Mk. 6:40). The mosaic of the peoples clothes could be likened to the neatly arranged flower gardens of BC’c parliament buildings, in the spring. This garden bed pattern, allowed the disciples to move through and distribute the food rapidly and efficiently.

John also includes the detail that those who were counted were men. In total there were about or approximately five thousand - men. Only the men were counted and if we were to count the women and children there could easily be 15 - 25,000 people. This is one big hungry crowd.

v.11 Jesus takes the loaves, and having given thanks - that is that Jesus ‘said grace’ for the food - He gave thanks to God for it. Having done this, the disciples began and distributed the barley loaves. Everyone seated were able to have as much as they wanted. The same thing takes place with the two fish. It appears that the miraculous multiplication of the food took place continuously as the disciples were walking through the crowd, until everyone had enough.

v.12 This was a substantial meal that satisfied everyone that was there - as much as they wanted to eat. The people were completely full they were satisfied - maybe even stuffed.
A lot of consumers today are talking about organic food. It seems that the trend these days in some restaurants is that you have a choice between regular chicken (mass produced) and free range chicken (organic). If we step back for a moment and think about this miracle - we realize that Jesus divinely created this food. This means that the bread and fish were perfect in its composition - better than organic - it was untainted by the effects of sin upon this earth. So the bread and fish must have been the best tasting food that these people have ever eaten in their lives. At the end of the meal, the disciples are given the command to collect the leftover fragments of food. These were not little scraps or crumbs, but they were actual pieces of bread that were left over. Jesus didn’t want any of this food to be lost - or wasted, which was going to be eaten by the disciples and shared with Jesus. Jesus produced the perfect amount of food for the occasion.

v.13 Following Jesus’ order the disciples gathered the leftovers. They were able to fill twelve baskets with the barley bread which had not been eaten by all the people. The baskets used were of a heavy material, something much more rigid and strong, possibly a wicker basket. With the miracle complete the disciples had learned something about TRUSTING their teacher and His power. The disciples faith wavered but in the end it was bolstered, and caused them to mature just a little bit more.

v.14 The people were full and their minds turned from their stomachs to their thoughts. They considered what had just happened and understood this to be a miracle - a sign. But now the actions of the crowd reveal their perverted minds, and we witness….

4. THE PURPOSE OF THE PEOPLE (v.14-15)

Once again John uses the word sign, in this gospel to refer to Jesus’ miracles, is to direct the readers attention to God. The people began to say that Jesus was the Prophet that God had promised from the days of the OT as in Deuteronomy 18:15 - The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. The people in interpreting the fulfillment of the OT Scriptures was correct. Yet it was energized by the wrong motives - the people were self seeking and therefore Jesus became the answer to their physical and superficial interests.

v.15 These interests lay largely upon the Jewish hopes for political freedom from the yoke of the Roman empire. They sought a powerful and influential person who would be from their own people. After all Jesus stood up to the religious elite, and He had supernatural abilities. They figured that Jesus was just the right One to fulfill those shoes, and they tried to take Him by force to make Him king. Just like other occasions, Jesus did not conform to the pressures that people placed upon Him. There was popular demand, but Jesus was not seeking popularity. At this time, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and make their way back across the Sea to another village named Bethsaida on the west side of the Sea, near Capernaum (Mk.6:45). Jesus began to dismiss the people (Mk. 6:45). And Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone to pray by Himself (Mk. 6:46).

In the past maybe we have come to look at this passage as another miracle of Jesus. Yet by taking a second look - a deeper look, and drawing out the details of the text perhaps we can see this as more than just another story - more than just another miracle. God places it in His Word to teach us something. If we submit our self to the Word of God and look deeper, beyond the surface of this passage we can discover some really meaningful application for our own life. Some of these are the LESSONS FROM FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH which are printed into the back of your bulletin.

The biggest lesson, as I mentioned already is this - way too many times we are face to face with the God of all, and yet we are spiritually blind. We know Jesus is with us, but perhaps we don’t give Him much of our attention. Let us ask God to help us with our spiritual short sightedness - so that every part of our life can bring glory to our Lord - that is the reason that we have been saved by Christ. Let us consider if we have not, His power and resources by humbly realizing in repentance, that we often fail to TRUST God. Jesus has paid the penalty for sin on our behalf, therefore He will help us to see Him more and to fully put our trust in God.

(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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John 5:31-47 Star Witnesses

01.03.09 John 5:31-47 (NASB)

Audio Sermon File: John 5:31-47

Going Deeper: Study Guide

Star Witnesses

One of the most intriguing things that has happened to me was a phone call a few years back. I received a call at work which had Hollywood like overtones…the call seemed kind of surreal…and it was the kind of thing that you never would expect, but only on TV or the big screen.
When I answered the call …the reply was ‘Hi I am agent XXX of the FBI from the Los Angeles office…’ Can you believe it the FBI called me! This kind of caught me off guard and my first thought was - why are they calling me? …did I do something that I didn’t know about during my seminary years in LA? Then one of my next thoughts was - is this guy for real? And I will tell you more about what happened later.

In chapter 5 we have already discovered that Jesus was in Jerusalem during a feast of the Jews (5:1). In addition we know that starting in this chapter and all the way through to the end of chapter 12 the OPPOSITION to the Son of God comes out into the open. The Jews were threatened by Jesus’ theological claims, and to the presence and popularity of Jesus among the people - so in their depraved hearts - they clearly wanted Jesus dead.

The Jews were greatly offended by Jesus’ statements of truth. The truth was that the Father sent Jesus to earth and brought undivided glory to the Father (5:23). Jesus also acted in full obedience to the Father (v.30). And Jesus also unmasks these truths in chapter 5: that He is EQUAL IN NATURE to God, and possesses EQUAL AUTHORITY to the Father - because Jesus is God the Son, and all God’s glory is being displayed in Him. As our look at chapter 5 continues we find this in God’s Word:

31 "If I [alone] testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. 32 "There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true. 33 "You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34 "But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 "He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 "But the testimony which I have is greater than [the testimony of] John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish--the very works that I do--testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37 "And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. 38 "You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. 39 "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. 41 "I do not receive glory from men; 42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43 "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the [one and] only God? 45 "Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. 46 "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. 47 "But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

As we begin we have already discovered in the previous verses that the Jews launched an impromptu attack on Jesus which could be likened to a court room trial. The Jews that were there, were the religious establishment and they dismissed the serious and immense implications of believing the claims of Jesus. As a result they were not committed to Christ and headed for judgement. The Jews took the liberty to examine the claims of Jesus by placing Him upon the hotseat. Through our passage today, the drama stirred up by the Jews continues, and they ‘hammer’ Jesus - and the court room like trial progresses - and now Jesus provides 4 witnesses to stand against His opposers:

1. The Baptist’s Life (v33-35)
2. The Works of Christ (v.36)
3. The Words of God (v.37-38) and
4. The Scriptures (v.39-47)

These 4 STAR WITNESSES are more than enough testimony to substantiate the claims of Christ. The rejection of sound testimony has its consequences - and Jesus doesn’t hold anything back about belief in Him, before the Jews. At the heart of the matter, which is the bottom line - is that the WITNESSES testify to the Jews need of a real relationship with God through Jesus. So as I go through our sermon - I would ask you to keep thinking about the word relationship.
v.31 Jesus had already given His own testimony in the verses which precede our passage. Yet like in any court case, the court would not make a decision based upon self witness. Jesus knew this and said in verse 31 - If I [alone] testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. This statement is not an admission to the possibility of false testimony - but what Jesus is doing is stating something very logical. That any person judging a trial would inevitably suspect and even expect the accused would possess some bias toward himself and the case. In other words it is unreasonable to establish truth solely through one person, if other witnesses are available. From a Biblical perspective this is also true, as Deuteronomy 19:15, states this - ‘A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.’ Without additional witnesses there would not be enough evidence that could render a legal judgement. Jesus therefore provides the STAR WITNESSES.

v.32 The overarching WITNESS as we go through our passage today is God Himself. Jesus states - "There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true. Jesus wraps this whole passage in the proper context - that is that the only witness that counts, and establishes the truth, is God. Yes it is true - that true and unbiased testimony comes from God - the author of life and living - and truth is established by Him.
Yet we will see that as individuals, just like the Jews - we can accept the truth or reject the truth regardless of the source. If we are not open to God, then to the person who rejects God, he or she will also reject the facts - even if they are true. This is the mindset of an unbeliever - as it states in Roman 1:25 - They exchanged the truth of God for a lie. Therefore it is God the Father who fills the role of being the additional and continuous witness of the ‘two or three’ that is needed to establish a testimony which is true.

THE FIRST WITNESS is...

1. The Baptist’s Life (v33-35)

v.33 To begin the list of witnesses brought forth, Jesus goes to John the Baptist. Going back to chapter 1:29, it was the Baptist that revealed who Jesus is when he made this declaration - Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

v.34 Jesus didn’t need the testimony of a man. So Jesus’ reference to John the Baptist, really is a contrast between mere human testimony and that which comes from Himself. It was the end purpose that God use the Baptist to lead others to Jesus, who is the One who is able to save. So Jesus is saying that if you don’t accept my testimony, then you should at least accept John’s testimony pointing the way to salvation. All - if not most of us have gone through a blackout. Even if we have a candle - we are so thankful for that bit of light. But when the power turns back on, yes we are grateful, but most of us - once again take for granted electrical power and light. Jesus’ first witness was like the lights people used during the blackout.

v.35 Likewise John the Baptist was a lamp that was sent to the Jews so that they could see in their spiritual darkness. He prepared the way for the Messiah - Jesus, in such an unmistakable way that Jesus compares Him to a brightly shining source of light. That light was what God gave to the Jews as a starting point for the gospel. Those who came into contact with John were challenged and did rejoice in his ministry. The result was that some came to know the Messiah that he pointed to, yet many did not receive Jesus as their Saviour - despite the true light that was now available. The light was available for a short while to the Jews, but then faded out with the imprisonment and then death of John the Baptist.

THE SECOND WITNESS...

2. The Works of Christ (v.36)

v.36 John’s light only lasted for a while, and his testimony was strong, but Jesus tells the Jews that there is testimony … greater than [the testimony of] John. This leads Jesus to call to bear, the second STAR WITNESS - that body of witness was THE WORKS OF CHRIST Himself. Jesus was in a sense saying - If you don’t take my word, well then you can’t deny the ministry of John the Baptist - and that is really good evidence. I know you deny my person already, but what about the works that the Father has given to me to perform? Even the things that I am doing now should say something to you that should clue you in, that God has sent me. The word - work - refers to the miracles that God has given to Jesus to do. Jesus performed miracles because He was sent by God, and these works were proof of this. We should note that miraculous works do not produce faith in a person - saving faith is a gift given by God.

THE WORKS OF CHRIST himself were witness to the fact that who He said He was - is true. It also served to speak to His Divine origin, that Jesus was sent from God down to earth. Now Jesus ups the anti and brings forth the next witness.

THE THIRD WITNESS

3. The Words of God (v.37-38)

v.37-38 If the works were not enough for the Jews to believe in Jesus, because the works could be considered as coming indirectly from God - then here is the direct witness…. the Father who sent [Jesus], He has testified of [Jesus]. This direct testimony is something that has taken place - and because it comes from God - it will stand as a lasting witness. Up to and including this moment in time the opposing Jews that were before Jesus - still rejected Him, despite the body of witnesses. What follows now - is a stinging revelation of these Jews’ hearts. Jesus remarks that the opposing Jews have never heard God’s voice or even have seen Him in appearance. Remember… that Jesus is saying this to some of the most religious men in the city, and even nation of Israel. Despite their religiosity - what Jesus is declaring….or passing judgement on - is that these Jews have no living relationship with God since they do not believe Him whom He sent (v.38) - they reject Jesus the Messiah - so therefore they have no life. All we need to do is just to look back to verse 24 and it is clear the state of these Jews - v.24 Jesus says - Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. In fact these Jews, that Jesus is addressing will never come to a saving relationship in Christ. Why do I say that? How do I know? Jesus in verse 37 states - You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. The language of the original text reflects that the hearing and seeing, is a permanent state. Jesus knows their hearts and knows their future destination, and He holds the power to judge man. Even though the Jews were very well versed in God’s Word - and they even had the ministry of the prophets before them - and they even had Jesus proclaiming God’s Word - they rejected it all.

Jesus makes it abundantly clear that God’s word is not abiding in them now as He addresses them - nor ever. The Jews did not have the spiritual illumination that they claimed and believed that they had. They never really appropriated and applied God’s word into their lives. It was all outward, it was a - ‘impress them with what I know’ religious conformity. This is what 1 Cor. 2:14 teaches us - But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
On the outside the religious Jews looked great, and many people looked up to them. But on the inside they were self deceived and they were un-righteous to their darkened depraved core. The reason why they did not have spiritual illumination is that they rejected Jesus and so were not indwelt with the Spirit of God. It is only through a personal relationship, not a religious relationship…that a person may hear and know God, and truly understand His will as revealed in the Scriptures.

As I was telling you at the start - about the call from the FBI… the reason that the FBI agent called was to establish some facts on a case that they were working on. I was in effect being called to be as a WITNESS. The case involved a friend of mine that works in a national defense/aerospace sector. With the high threat of terrorism and espionage in the US and even world wide, I guess the FBI needed some information from me. This is the part of the call which really is like the movies…the FBI agent asked me if I could arrange a rendezvous with other FBI agents on US soil. They suggested that I could perhaps drive down the 99 - to the Canada/US border and be interviewed on the US side. I asked them to come to Canadian soil - and they said that it would require too much red tape - so they said they would call me back. The nature of the meeting was to establish my friends declared relationship with me. My friend was moving into a part of a company that requires US Governmental security clearance, and therefore he was undergoing a heavy duty background check. My friend had to list all the foreign contacts that he has had in the past several years - and I was one of them having served in the same church while I was down in LA - I guess I am ‘guilty’ by association and therefore I was caught up in the dragnet.

My friend used my name as a WITNESS to establish his activities in the recent years….so I got a call from the FBI. The FBI agent was calling me to be a WITNESS to the integrity of my friend…In turn I didn’t know if the FBI agent was ‘legit,’ so I called my friend, and used him as a WITNESS to verify the reality of the call and the identity of the agent.

Today’s passage is no different - we all need witnesses to establish the facts…to be able to come to a sound conclusion. Jesus so far has brought forth as WITNESSES - 1. The Baptist’s Life; 2. The Works of Christ; and 3. The Words of God ... Jesus now calls to bear testimony….

THE FOURTH WITNESS

4. The Scriptures (v.39-47)

v.39-40 Jesus has just touched upon, in verse 38, and now draws upon His final STAR WITNESS - The Scriptures. The Scriptures are used to offer testimony to Jesus’ claims to Deity. The Jews were excellent students who search the Scriptures - diligently studying God’s Word. They were academics in the field of Biblical studies, and Jesus recognizes this. Yet what Jesus had a problem with, was that the Jews looked merely to the intellectual aspect of their pursuit, and therefore neglected the spiritual side and purpose of the Word.

What Jesus was saying - was that the Jews believed that eternal life was based upon the magnitude of knowledge one could gain about the Bible - and not upon the Person that the Scriptures testify or pointed to. The main theme of the Scriptures is Christ as the Messiah. So the Jews pursuit of Biblical knowledge led them to be ‘information dumps’ - they had no real life changing knowledge about Jesus, who alone could save them and grant eternal life. As believers we often get caught up in learning all we can about the Scripture. And this is a good thing. We have Theologica, we have Christian radio, and a host of ways that we can learn more. Yet in this process we need to guard ourselves from becoming sheer scholars. Yes it is important to excel academically, and there is a place for it - but it is not to be at the expense of godliness. One of my professors said this and I will always remember it - It is not what you know, it is who you are.
In some senses what Jesus is saying in our passage is the same - It is not what you know, it is who you are - the Jews had information - head knowledge, which translated into scholarship. Yet the critical thing was the area of their lives which called for a knowledge and relationship with Jesus - they could talk the talk, but they couldn’t walk the walk. They knew it all, but were not believers in Christ.

The opposing Jews were proud of their knowledge, but they should have been ashamed of their godliness (lack of true godliness which brings glory to God). Despite all their studies this reality surfaced - and because Jesus knows their hearts He says - you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. True life worth living, and the real hope of a life of blessing to come, is found only in relationship to Christ Jesus.

The Scriptures stand as a witness to Jesus. Jesus confronts the Jews head on and exposes their spiritual hypocrisy. Jesus doesn’t leave it at that, but from verses 41 to the end of chapter 5 - He gives the reason why the Jews don’t believe and the consequences of unbelief.

v.41-42 Jesus continues His discourse and spells out that He is not seeking praises - I do not receive glory from men. It is not the honour of men or even glory for Himself that Jesus is seeking, but Jesus seeks to bring glory to the Father. Jesus, knows the hearts of men - and He identifies a problem. He has come to know through personal experience that these religious men that He addressed, do not have the love of God in them. Outwardly they appear to love God, but Jesus sees their inward condition which is void of love for God. What Jesus was saying was that these Jews did not love God, and as a result they did not love Christ. These Jews were religious professionals - they practiced religion on a proficient secular level. This kind of thing happens today - as an application - this is what our passage warns us about. Christians today if unaware can slip into this trap - we can love listening to preaching, we can love reading Christian books, we can love doing ministry - and we can do all these religious activities without loving God. It is relationship - not religion - that pleases Christ.

When relationship is in check, religious activity will be in check - and we can escape the snares of a dead faith, and the noose of empty works.

v.43-44 Jesus came to the Jews to grant eternal life, with the full authority of God. Jesus came in the Father’s name, which is to say that all the impeccable character of God was with Christ. The Father sent Christ as His emissary, his agent to do His work. But what happens? Do the Jews receive Christ? No, instead they are openly opposed to Him. This very act of rejection substantiates their unbelief and lack of love for God in their hearts.

Isn’t it true that our actions speak louder than words. Our actions expose our heart attitudes. The Jews willingly accept everyone else under the sun. They accept anyone who makes a self claim of greatness…false messiahs….accepting of anyone who comes - not in the Father’s name, but in his own name. They receive man and not God - no wonder Jesus asks - How can you believe? These Jews are man pleasers, looking to one another for self congratulations - and had not a second thought - about bringing glory to God - like Jesus does. They pat each other on the backs and say ‘you’re such a great guy.’ All their academic intellectual knowledge amounted to mere praise or glory from one another, yet the single most important source of praise was missing. The ultimate evaluation - of one’s life - the one that is most significant and meaningful - is from the [one and] only God.

v.45-47 All the STAR WITNESSES have been called to testify to Christ’s claims. The courtroom-like scene comes to an end, but there is a final twist. Jesus who was on trial by the Jews turns the tables on them. The Jews aren’t the ones who hand down the judgement….not even Jesus will accuse [them] before the Father. The Jews’ own scholarly knowledge - is what will condemn them before the Father. The religious Jews focus was on keeping the Mosaic Law, the Pentateuch - this was the fulcrum, which they believed eternal life rested upon - yet they missed the whole point of what Moses wrote - and therefore rejected God’s revelation. They believed that holiness could be obtained by carrying out the Law - but Moses wrote the Law in order to demonstrate that they could not fulfill the standard of holiness that is fitting to a perfect God.

This is what the Apostle Paul says about the Law in Romans 3:20-23 - ...because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law [comes] the knowledge of sin. 21 But now apart from the Law [the] righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even [the] righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Moses words in the Scriptures - is what will accuse them of guilt. What Moses wrote served the purpose of pointing man to his sinfulness and the utter need for a Saviour. Jesus said this to His disciples - in Luke 24:44 - "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."

The discourse ends with this question from Jesus…. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? Jesus is saying to the Jews - if they had really believed Moses, they would not oppose and reject Jesus - they certainly would not murderous intent in their hearts toward Him - and want to have Him killed - but instead they would have trusted in Him as their Messiah and Lord.

Let me finish today’s lesson with this closing statement - Jesus calls to the stand four STAR WITNESSES and then lays out the consequences of unbelief in these WITNESSES. At the heart of the ‘trial’ is the call by Jesus that relationship with Christ is what is important. Relationship with Christ brings glory to the Father. And rejection of Jesus Christ, the One who is the substance of that saving relationship - and to claim to have a relationship with God is apostasy.

(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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