Tuesday, September 22, 2020

 John 6

 It is such a privilege to have the opportunity to dig into these chapters.  John 6 packs some crucial moments.  Jesus is widely popular.  The time frame between chapters 5 and 6 is several months, but John is sticking to his point and purpose of explaining how Jesus Christ is, in fact, God incarnate.

The primary event of this chapter is the feeding of the people with a boy’s small lunch.  This is one of the most public of all of Jesus’ miracles, and it is recorded in all four gospels. 

 It is interesting how the crowd’s need for food provokes different reactions from the disciples.  Some just want the problem to go away.  Some are concerned about money.  Some simply want to bring whatever they can find to Jesus, trusting Him to do the rest.

 Are we like that?  Simply happy to receive a handout.  Don’t we recognize that powerful miracle?  This incident not only allows Jesus to teach important truths about Himself, it also demonstrates some of the spiritual barriers which keep us from properly seeking God. 

 As we follow this chapter, we see people regress from seeking, to complaining and to abandoning Jesus altogether.

 One of the things that some people miss, is how Jesus returns to a place where He quietly returns to His Heavenly Father.  Before His next move, He retreats to be by Himself to seek God.

 And when we see Him again, He is walking on water during a storm.  It is what happens next that amazes me.  When Jesus gets into the boat, they are IMMEDIATELY taken to their destination.  How often do you try to navigate through a storm without Jesus?

 “Do Not Be Afraid”

 And now we find Jesus in a synagogue teaching where the crowd had followed Him because as He said, they only wanted this miracle food and to make Him their miracle King to defeat the Romans.  How often do you want Jesus to defeat some obstacle in your life?

 Jesus made a contrast between material things and spiritual things.  If you put a sign on the door for free food or free money, you would probably draw a crowd.  But how many people will come in if you change the sign to say, “spiritual fulfillment and eternal life”?

 Jesus really wants people to be more impressed with the spiritual food He brings by a miracle.  He goes on to tell them that God the Father has set His seal – His guarantee – on Him (Jesus).

 You have probably heard, “hard work pays off”, possibly you have said it.  And these people were accustomed to working to get their food, so they ask Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God” – (how shall we labor for this?)  It seems they are basically asking Jesus to “just tell us what to do so we can get what we want from you.  We want your miracle bread and for you to be our miracle king.   Tell us what to do to get it.”  You know - if we do the right thing, it will please God.

 “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”  Jesus first and foremost commanded them (and us), not to do, but to trust.  If we want to do the work of God, it begins with trusting Jesus. 

 

A parent does not only want obedience from their child, they want a relationship of trust and love.  That is even more important to the parent.  The hope is that obedience grows out of that relationship of trust and love.  God wants the same pattern in our relationship with Him.

 When I began writing this, my question was, why do so many people desert Jesus?  And I believe many people stumble over eating bread from heaven.  And think about this – the Jews thought they were chosen by God by virtue of their physical natural birth.  Jesus made it clear that God must draw them before they can come to God.  Everyone who responds to the Father will respond to the Son.

 We often like to feel as though we “lead” in our relationship with God.  In truth, He calls, and we come.  This understanding of God’s initiative in salvation should make us more confident in evangelism, knowing that God is drawing people and we can expect to see those whom the Father draws come to Him.

Do you have someone or more than one person who isn’t following Christ?  Well, if you are like me and have a huge desire to see your loved one’s follow Jesus, then you need to pull up your big girl pants and TRUST Jesus.  St. Augustine says it far better than I ever could.

 “If a man is drawn, says an objector, he comes against his will.  (We answer) If he comes unwillingly, he does not believe: if he does not believe, he does not come.  For we do not run to Christ on our feet, but by faith; not with the movement of the body, but with the free will of the heart…  Think not that thou are drawn against thy will; the mind can be drawn by love.”

 

Blessings,

 Lisa