Questions & Answers
The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 2 viewsJesus answers some very pressing questions from some people who are following him. Their interaction with him is much different than Jewish leaders from chapter 5. Jesus concludes with a question of his own.
Notes
Transcript
We started this section a couple weeks ago when Ron preached from vs 1-25 regarding Jesus feeding 5,000. Then one of the most well known accounts of Jesus ministry, he walks on water in order to catch up to his disciples who had previously left.
Those who had benefited from the feeding take off to Capernaum to find Jesus and his disciples.
We are going to work our way through this text (it’s kind of long) but as we do I want to keep this in the back of your mind. John is contrasting this group and their line of questioning with the the group we encountered in chapter 5; the Jewish leaders.
In fact this whole section deals with questions and answers.
Read John 5:25.
Question #1: When did you get here?
Question #1: When did you get here?
-They were very confused because they new Jesus did not leave with the 12.
Read John 5:26-27
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
-Notice Jesus uses the same double amen that he used when addressing the Jewish leaders.
-He exposes their true motivation
-In a ways they are like the Jewish leaders who were more interested in “keeping the sabbath” then the fact that a man was healed.
-They recognize something amazing happened but the not because it was a sign point to Jesus. Rather they just wanted another free meal.
-So the answer to their questions is steers them in the direction that Jesus wants to go.
-In fact, His response is really more of a gentle rebuke.
Answer: Do not work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life...
Answer: Do not work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life...
-Now obviously Jesus is not advocating for anyone to quit his job rather he is making the point they, his followers, are present on two plains the physical and the spiritual.
-The spiritual food, the eternal food comes from Jesus is and it is available to those who trust and believe in him.
-In practical terms, are you just looking or a free lunch that will just get you to the next meal or do you want something better? Something that will carry you into eternal life?
Now this has their attention!
Question #2: What must we do to do the works God requires?
Question #2: What must we do to do the works God requires?
Read John 6:29
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Answer: Believe in the one He has sent.
Answer: Believe in the one He has sent.
-So belief is once again tied to salvation and eternal life.
-The acknowledgment that the the person of Jesus, which would include his duel nature, his teachings and his actions are reliable and truthful.
-We must avoid creating a Jesus that we like or feel most comfortable with. This is “the one” God has sent.
-Belief deals with certainty and so Jesus is in fact calling us to a sincere commitment.
-Let’s be honest what are the things that we can absolutely be certain of? Some would say death and taxes.
-I believe that there are lots of folks out here today who desperately want Jesus to be real or really like the idea of Jesus but belief is another thing altogether. Jesus doesn’t give us the options for anything less than belief.
Then comes the next question.
Question #3: What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you?
Question #3: What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you?
So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
-John draws our attention to Moses again. This isn’t the first time , it won’t be the last.
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
-Notice the double amen “very truly”.
-What is Jesus referencing?
In Exodus 16 the children of God are concerned about their health and well being. They have convinced themselves that the Lord has brought them out into the desert only to allow them to starve to death.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”
We get a little more detail regarding the mana from Numbers
The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin. The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.
It’s not about the bead (manna). It’s not Moses. It’s the Father that they should be focused on.
Answer: For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
Answer: For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
In classic form Jesus has pointed out that once again the OT (in this case the wilderness manna) is points to him.
-now they get really excited
“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
Now things really start to get interesting because he’s already got them thinking about Moses and he says.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
-Did you catch that “I am...”
-this is the first of several “I am” statements Jesus will make.
-In Matthew 5 Jesus said “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness and you shall be filled.” This is saying that quite clearly that Jesus satisfies our hunger and our thirst ( on a spiritual level)
-Know this Christian, you’re are not called on to work out salvation based merely on your own efforts. No God is active both in the saving as well as the preserving of the those who commit themselves to serve God in Christ.
Follow up Question: Isn’t this Joseph’s son; don’t we know his parents? What’s all this talk about coming down from heaven?
Follow up Question: Isn’t this Joseph’s son; don’t we know his parents? What’s all this talk about coming down from heaven?
This isn’t addressed to Jesus directly, rather they are looking around at one another for some kind of understanding.
What’s with all this “come down from heaven” talk.
The short answer is this:
Answer: I am the living bread who gives eternal life.
Answer: I am the living bread who gives eternal life.
But look at the detail Jesus goes into:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
No one comes that the Father doesn’t draw
Jesus will raise them up in the last day
The prophets talked about being taught by God and what He has taught leads to Jesus.
Very truly belief in Jesus=eternal life
Whoever takes the bread of heaven lives, Jesus says “I am the bread of heaven”
Remember a couple weeks ago when I preached a sermon called “When Jesus goes to far” ? Well he does it again, “this bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
Follow up Question #2: How can he give us flesh to eat?
Follow up Question #2: How can he give us flesh to eat?
And it appears that this question is hotly contested
Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Answer:
Answer:
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
-The double amen is used again
-Much of the Wilderness Narrative dealt with the “eating and drinking”. That is a part of God’s rescue plan involved providing them this food and drink.
-Even the food and drink of Exodus points to Jesus. Like the manna form heaven and the water from the rock Jesus gives life.
-This would no doubt sounds cannibalistic but Jesus is looking forward to the last supper when he would say “his is my body and this is my blood”.
-In order to drive the point home he reminds them that the manna from heaven sustained their ancestors but it did not give them eternal life, they still died. Not so when it comes to the Bread of Life.
Remember when I said it seems like Jesus went to far again? They ask one more question among themselves:
Question #4: This is a hard teaching, who can accept it?
Question #4: This is a hard teaching, who can accept it?
On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
-There is doubt, rejection.
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
Jesus aware of the situation
Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
Answer: The words I have spoken are spirit and they are life.
Answer: The words I have spoken are spirit and they are life.
-It is no wonder that many often said of Jesus that he taught with authority.
-If this were a made up story wouldn’t the hero be so convincing that everyone believed. Doesn’t that make for a better story?
-But many do not believe-first hand witnesses to the teachings of Jesus. What is more Jesus knew that this would be the case.
-This is not a high point in Jesus’ ministry
He looks around and he asks a question now.
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
Question #5: You do not want to leave too, do you?
Question #5: You do not want to leave too, do you?
Peter steps up and answers for the whole group
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Answer: You have the words of eternal life. We believe you are the Holy one of God.
Answer: You have the words of eternal life. We believe you are the Holy one of God.
-Peter reinforces the very ideas that Jesus has been making.
In Jesus there is eternal life. In fact there is no other person that offers what Jesus offers.
Belief cannot be overlooked in our confessions of faith.
Peter and the apostles did not only believe they knew Jesus was the Holy One (the Messiah) of God.
Application & Implications
Application & Implications
1. We ought to evaluate what is important to us?
1. We ought to evaluate what is important to us?
Hard work is important and there is nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of our labors (Read Ecclesiastes). However Jesus makes a strong point that we must prioritize that which is eternal. It must comes first.
2. Belief is intimately intertwined with our salvation so it’s important that what we believe is sound.
2. Belief is intimately intertwined with our salvation so it’s important that what we believe is sound.
3. We should have a plan for when we encounter difficult teachings.
3. We should have a plan for when we encounter difficult teachings.
Pray for the HS’s wisdom and insight
Read the context carefully
Consult your pastor and other resources
Be patient and be OK with the mystery
Be reassured by what you do know, like Peter did. “Who else has the words of eternal life? You are the Holy One of God.”