John 6:15-40
Notes
Transcript
Come, Eat and be Filled!
Come, Eat and be Filled!
3 Part Series about Jesus’s sermon about the Bread of Life!
Last Sunday we studied John 1:1-14 and we read about the only miracle that is reported in all four Gospels. It is the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000.
and the crowd who witnessed and benefited from the miracle were so excited to see more!
I. The People seeking Jesus (v.15; vv.22-25)
I. The People seeking Jesus (v.15; vv.22-25)
In verse 15, John tells us that they wanted to make Jesus a King by force! They thought Jesus is the solution to the problem of the nation and Him being the King would surely benefit them.
However, Jesus withdraw and went up to the mountain to pray (v.15)
Jesus knew the hearts of man. He is all-knowing.
they were intending to take Him by force, making him King and it is not yet the time that was set by the Father. They want Jesus to be King for the wrong reason. They have seen the miracle but they did not yet understand the significance of the miracle (which Jesus will explained in the succeeding verses).
Will you make me your King when I say “take up your cross and follow me?”
Will you make me your King when I say “You will suffer as I have suffered?”
A. Jesus came to help His disciples (vv. 16-21)
A. Jesus came to help His disciples (vv. 16-21)
They were out in the sea when a strong wind was blowing. The image of the sea often carries negative connotation. It represents danger because of the violent storms, especially in this area.
Then they saw Jesus miraculously walks on water - they got afraid thinking they were seeing a ghost!
Jesus is omnipotent and compassionate! He came to aid His frightened disciples. Jesus intervenes in their times of troubles and brings them to safety.
Matt. 14:24-33
Peter’s courage to walk on water but failed when he focused on the big waves. Imagine for a moment you are Peter....
The believers declaration “You are certainly God’s Son!”
Reflection:
Like the Disciples, let us learn to trust in Jesus in the midst of the storm. He might not remove the storm but He will come to journey in the storm with us.
B. They took a boat and traveled from Tiberias to Capernaum to find Jesus (v.24-25)
B. They took a boat and traveled from Tiberias to Capernaum to find Jesus (v.24-25)
They traveled around 16.2 kilometers by boat. That’s far! But the People were People excited to see more miracles, and because they were in dire need of a savior from life’s troubles (like a king who can rescue them from the Roman bondage).
We can relate from them...Man will try to force solving his problem apart from God (they by forcing Jesus).
In verse 25, the people asked, “when did you arrive in Capernaum?”. Jesus did not answer. But It would be interesting if Jesus answered “I walked on the water!”. I would love to see their reaction!
The miracle of Jesus walking on the water was a private sign for the disciples only. It was for the strengthening of their faith in Jesus who is the miracle working God!
Reflection:
Like the crowd, do no stop seeking Jesus (persistence). Seek and you will find.
Matthew 7:7–8 “7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
The Gospel
The Gospel is for those who are desperate and troubled. Those who see themselves as spiritually bankrupt.
Matthew 5:3 “3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Praise God, Jesus was not forced to give His life as a ransom for the sinners. Jesus willingly gave his life to save the sick and the lost and the spiritually bankrupt.
Sometimes we think that we need miracles in order to have faith in Jesus. But the truth is that we only need faith to see miracles…but even faith to believe in Jesus is a miracle it self!
Proper Response:
I will not stop seeking Jesus even in times that I can’t seem to feel presence.
I will trust Jesus to be with me even in the midst of the storm and to wait for Him until he calms the storm.
Illustration:
I once was like these people who want to find Jesus in order to experience miracles and in order to be saved from poverty and from the troubles of life. Though my motives were wrong, God see to it that my faith will be tested early on. He allowed series of storms in my life....
Will I believe even if my prayers were not answered right away? Will I still believe in Him even if I have to lose my motorcycle outside of the church and then a week later my wallet was stolen. A tragedy one after another! God surely tested my faith! And it’s a miracle that I still have faith. od was with me during the storm.
God used His Word to remind me that Jesus did not come just to fulfill my desire for material things. He came to give eternal life which is more important than food, clothing..etc..He reminded me as well of His promises in Matthew 6:33 “33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
I was reminded as well of His sovereignty in Romans 8:28–29 “28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;”
II. Jesus inviting the People to Eat the Bread of Life (vv.26-40)
II. Jesus inviting the People to Eat the Bread of Life (vv.26-40)
A. Jesus commanded them to put their efforts for what will last forever; eternal value (vv.26-27)
Matthew 4:4 “4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ””
Physical food is short-lived but spiritual food leads to eternal life.
This spiritual food will be given by the Son of Man referring to Jesus himself (John 6:53).
God the Father Himself authenticated Jesus’ claim that He is true heavenly “food.” (seal).
B. The People’s Response: Doubt and Unbelief (vv.28-31)
If we paraphrase verse 28, it’s like this, “How can we work for eternal life”.
(v.29) Jesus answered, “You don’t have to work for your salvation, you just have to believe in me who was sent by God the Father.” They need to put their trust in the One the Father has sent
God demands that people recognize their inability to save themselves and receive His gift (Rom. 6:23)
Give us a sign! Show us! Convince us! (vv.30-31). What? They just witnessed the healing and the feeding a day before! They still were not convinced! Truly, they were spiritually blind! That’s why Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief. (v.36).
They thought God’s order is see and believe. But the divine order is believe and see (cf. John 11:40).
C. Jesus declares that He is the Bread of Life (vv. 32-35)
(vv.32-35) Jesus responded, the manna came from God, not from Moses! But their is greater than the manna that the Father will provide - the manna was temporal, but this one that the Father will send from heaven is eternal and those who eat from this bread will never hunger nor thirst and they will live forevermore!
Manna was food for the body, and it was useful. But Jesus is God’s full provision for people in their whole existence ( life and hope here on earth and after)
I am the Bread of Life. This corrected two more errors in their thinking: (1) The food of which He spoke refers to a Person, not a commodity. (2) And once someone is in right relationship to Jesus, he finds a satisfaction which is everlasting, not temporal.
D. Belief and Assurance of Salvation (vv.36-40)
6:36 Jesus then rebuked the crowd for their lack of faith. They had the great privilege of seeing Him and yet they did not believe. Seeing does not necessarily lead to believing (cf. v. 30).
6:37. Jesus then gave the ultimate explanation of their lack of faith: the Father works sovereignly in people’s lives. There is an election of God which is the Father’s gift to the Son. The Son has no concern that His work will be ineffective, for the Father will enable people to come to Jesus. Jesus has confidence. But people may have confidence also. (Cf. the crippled man’s response to Jesus’ question, “Do you want to get well?” [5:6–9]) One who comes to Jesus for salvation will by no means be driven away (cf. 6:39).
III. The Peoples Response to Jesus’s Invitation (vv.41-58)
III. The Peoples Response to Jesus’s Invitation (vv.41-58)
IV. The Disciple’s Response to Jesus’s Proclamation (vv.59-71)
IV. The Disciple’s Response to Jesus’s Proclamation (vv.59-71)