What Are You Seeking?

Introduction

Who here knows what an attractional church is? Or an attractional ministry? We’ve been going over that in my class Non-Profit Financial Management. Basically, it's a church or ministry that attempts to attract congregants through means of entertainment. The point is to pull people in that would not otherwise go to church, and then after they hear your sermon, they’ll instantly become devoted to God. Now, I’m not saying that doesn’t happen, nor am I saying attractional ministry is wrong, the warning, however, is that there will be people so fixated on the attraction… they miss the ministry.

I’m going to be reading a passage from John 6, but before I do that, I want to summarize what goes on at the beginning of this chapter. You’ve probably all heard of the feeding of the 5000. After this large crowd followed Jesus to the top of a mountaintop, He realized the people needed food. The disciples were like, “that doesn’t fit in our budget”. However, out of the entire crowd, they found one who had food. A little boy who had five loaves of bread and two fish was brought to Jesus. Jesus instructed them to begin distributing the food to the people, and more and more, the food was multiplied, until everyone had their share and there was even food left over. The people were attracted.

Now lets begin reading.

John 6:22-40 ESV

22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten 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 boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

They were seeking the wrong thing. It says they went back to where they received the bread… they only went to Jesus because they expected Him to be in the same place doing the same thing for them.

Don’t we all do that? I can speak for myself when I say I’ve had misplaced desires before.

Now I could just stand up here and say, “this passage tells you to seek Jesus”, and be done. You got the point, but this passage gives three clear reasons why Jesus should be sought after over the bread the people desired.

1. Eternal… Not Perishable

27a Do not work for the food that perishes

Now Jesus here isn’t literally telling us not to work for food. Of course we need to work, of course we need things in this life, His point is not to be overly concerned with that which doesn’t last.

Paul also takes an exaggerated approach to making this point.

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

Now I’ll be honest, sometimes it's depressing to think about this. I could give a list of things I never want to end, and yeah it can make me sad at times. But the beautiful thing is not everything is sure to perish. We have something to be hopeful of.

27b but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.

There is one thing we can be rest assured will never end and that’s what Jesus is offering. He says that’s going to fade, the whole world’s going to fade, I’m giving you something you can cling to for eternity.

2. Given… Not Earned

28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

Remember the people Jesus was talking to, it was the Jews. They had been given by God the Law, instructions of works that needed to be done and rules that needed to be followed to be in communion with God. Everything had to do with works.

The law was there for its time, to satisfy until the Messiah came, who brought us into a new covenant with God.

The people thought they could be independent and self-sufficient, but Jesus said, “no, to receive what I have for you, you need to be fully dependant.

29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

“Trust me” He said. “Trust me to give it to you.”

3. Sufficient… Not Insufficient

26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

When the crowd came to Jesus, He called them out, saying, “you are seeking me, but for the wrong reasons.”

They just ate the day before, and they’re already wanting more?

The thing about food is it doesn’t matter if you ate yesterday, you’re hungry again today. It doesn’t matter if you ate this morning even, you’re hungry again today. Most of us eat 2-3 meals a day, not including snacks, and we still get hungry. We drink water and still get thirsty. We sleep and still get tired. Nothing suffices forever.

Those are merely some examples of things we need to survive. Think about the things we simply want as well. There is something about us as humans where contentment does not come easily. When we get what we want, sure it feels good for a moment, but soon we’ll move on and want something new.

We do this in our relationship with Jesus all the time. Especially in the western church. We pray to Him. We pray to Him, asking for this, asking for that, begging Him for a miracle, and when He does we’re thrilled and our relationship with Him peaks… but after the excitement wears off our relationship dies down.

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

Only Jesus can suffice. Only Jesus can give us what we need, and fulfill our deepest desires.

"There once was in man a true happiness of which now remain to him only the mark and empty trace, which he in vain tries to fill from all his surroundings, seeking from things absent the help he does not obtain in things present. But these are all inadequate, because the infinite abyss can only be filled by an infinite and immutable object, that is to say, only by God Himself."

-Blaise Pascal

Conclusion

Here’s what I’m not saying. I’m not saying you shouldn’t work, you shouldn’t provide for your needs. I’m not saying it's wrong to want things. My point is as simple as this: Seek Jesus over everything.

Why am I preaching this idea to a room full of ministers? I’m not preaching Salvation necessarily right now, I’m preaching priorities.

Two reasons I need you to hear this:

1. Make sure you’re not pointing people to an attraction… Make sure you’re pointing them to Jesus

2. Make sure you’re seeking the right thing

Build your foundation on Jesus, not just His gifts.

Don't be so fixated on the bread you eat today, but on the eternal bread He offers.