What does Jesus care about?
The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 37:52
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We’re going to be looking this morning at John 6. But before we dive in, let us pray.
Prayer for illumination
We have a lot to cover this morning, so I won’t be reading every single verse in this chapter, but I encourage you to go home this afternoon and read over it again. Also, don’t forget to do your homework from Hebrews 6 for tonight as well!
Since John 6 is a rather long passage and has a couple of different stories woven in through it, I want to give you some idea of where we’re heading this morning to help you understand what John is doing in this passage.
As you skim through the passage this morning, you’ll see that in the first section of John 6, verses 1-15, Jesus miraculously feeds the 5,000. This takes place, like most of Jesus’ actions in the early part of John, in the region of Galilee where Jesus spent a significant portion of his ministry.
Then, his disciples cross the Sea of Galilee to head over to Capernaum on the other side. In verses 16-21, Jesus meets them in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, walking on the water.
Next, in verse 22, Jesus and his disciples are at Capernaum and the crowd that Jesus has just fed follows them. So, everything from verse 22 all the way down to verse 59 is Jesus speaking with the crowd and exposing their sinful motives for following him.
Then, in verses 60-71, Jesus has an aside with a smaller group of his disciples and explains some of the puzzling and offensive things he had just spoken to the crowd at large. We’re told then that many of his followers stopped following him from that day on, but Peter and the rest of the 12 disciples reaffirm their commitment to follow Christ.
So, for those of you who have been in our evening Bible study on interpreting the Bible—one thing that ought to jump out at you is the fact that verses 1-15 and verses 22 through the end of the chapter are really one story. It’s a story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and then rebuking them for their sinful motives. The story of Jesus walking on the water in vv. 16-21 is there to serve as a contrast which shows Jesus’ divinity against the backdrop of unbelief.
And the reason that we’re looking at the whole passage today instead of just a smaller segment of it is that it all works together as one cohesive story with one main point. And the main point of John 6 (and the sermon this morning) is this:
FCF: As fallen creatures, we tend to view Jesus as a ‘genie in a bottle,’ as someone who is there to satisfy our physical needs and desires. But John 6 shows us that Christ’s Kingdom agenda is what matters most and we need to put it first in our lives.
FCF: As fallen creatures, we tend to view Jesus as a ‘genie in a bottle,’ as someone who is there to satisfy our physical needs and desires. But John 6 shows us that Christ’s Kingdom agenda is what matters most and we need to put it first in our lives.
Jesus cares more about saving your soul than saving your life. (vv. 1-13, esp. v.12)
Jesus cares more about saving your soul than saving your life. (vv. 1-13, esp. v.12)
1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
The crowds followed Jesus “because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.” (v. 2)
The crowds followed Jesus “because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.” (v. 2)
They saw the signs but they missed what the signs pointed to.
Imagine that you’re riding in a car with your spouse, rolling down the Pigtrail in NWAR. Your spouse is driving, and you both notice a sign that says, “15% grade next 2 miles” and then as you begin going down that steep hill, you see another sign with a hard left arrow. Your spouse says, “You know, that sign reminds me, I think we have about 15% of our gas LEFT in our tank, maybe we should think about finding a gas station. Meanwhile, they haven’t slowed down at all and you’re barreling towards a hairpin turn at the bottom of the hill. How absurd! But that’s precisely what the crowds had done with Jesus.
They saw the signs and thought, “This is great! Here’s a man who obviously has a direct connection with God—maybe he can heal that wart I can’t seem to get rid of!”
Our illnesses and physical needs are more than just “warts”—they’re serious issues that we have a right to be concerned with. But, when we’re standing in the presence of God Almighty, don’t you think there are bigger, more important issues?
Jesus fed the 5,000 as another sign—a sign that he desired not to lose any of his followers.
Jesus fed the 5,000 as another sign—a sign that he desired not to lose any of his followers.
Jesus’ feeding the 5,000 wasn’t merely an illustration of his divinity—it was that, of course, but it was also the occasion of an object lesson to his disciples.
Note that there were 12 basketfuls taken up afterwards and Jesus says:
12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”
Is it for spoiled food that Jesus is concerned? No—it is a metaphor for his disciples. Jesus performs miracles for the disciples so that they will believe in him.
12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
When Jesus performs a work of healing in your life—or perhaps allows illness to strike you—it is not your physical wellbeing that he is most concerned with, it is your spiritual wellbeing.
When Jesus performs a work of healing in your life—or perhaps allows illness to strike you—it is not your physical wellbeing that he is most concerned with, it is your spiritual wellbeing.
Jesus cares more about who is King of your heart than who is King of your nation. (v. 14-15)
Jesus cares more about who is King of your heart than who is King of your nation. (v. 14-15)
14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
Yet again, the crowds miss the point and seize the opportunity to try to fix their political woes.
Yet again, the crowds miss the point and seize the opportunity to try to fix their political woes.
They had no small political issue. They had been invaded by foreign armies and sent into exile. They were now occupied by the Roman empire who taxed them, used their tax money to fund the army that they sent to “keep the peace.” The Roman empire had set up evil puppet rulers like Herod, who exterminated babies in an entire city just to try to eliminate a challenge to his throne. History tells us that at one point, over 2,000 Jews were mass executed on crosses lining the highway in and out of Jerusalem.
The Jews had political problems. There were, legitimately, conspiracies in Jesus’ time. The poor were being exploited, the innocent condemned. Their freedoms were taken away. Evil rulers occupied high positions.
And now, here is the Prophet we’ve been waiting for all these years! Here’s the one who can oust the Romans and heal our land! Here’s the one who can eliminate the corruption and establish God’s Kingdom here on earth!
But what does Jesus do?
15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
As he stands accused before Pilate, Jesus tells us why:
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
Jesus didn’t come overthrow rulers in the government, he came to overthrow the ruler of their hearts. He isn’t interested in establishing a physical, geopolitical kingdom, but a spiritual one.
Jesus cared more about who was King over their hearts than who was King over their nation.
The Jews wanted Jesus as King of their nation, but they wouldn’t let him be King of their hearts. The fact that you want Christ to rule over your nation is no evidence at all that he is ruling over your heart.
Forget for a moment about the debate that is currently swirling around about who is “king” over America and let me ask you this: Do you desire to have a godly leader as the ruler over our nation? If so, who is ruler over your heart this morning?
Satan has an ingenious plan—he desires to keep you distracted with worldly things, and in the name of having a nation that honors God, no less!—if only he can keep you distracted so that he can steal away your heart.
Jesus cares more about being your peace during the storm than about keeping the storms at bay. (vv. 16-21)
Jesus cares more about being your peace during the storm than about keeping the storms at bay. (vv. 16-21)
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
Note that Jesus did not go with the disciples at first—he allowed them to enter the storm, so that he could display his glory through that situation.
Note that Jesus did not go with the disciples at first—he allowed them to enter the storm, so that he could display his glory through that situation.
There’s a common saying that goes, “The Lord will never give you more than you can handle.” I imagine that it comes from a misunderstanding of I Cor 10:13 where God promises
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
But Paul didn’t mean that you could handle the temptation or trial in your own strength. He meant that God will always BE your way of escape during temptation or trials.
God often does give us more than we can handle so that we will depend upon him to save us.
God allowed the disciples to enter a storm so that he could calm it and demonstrate to them that he is God.
When Jesus walks upon the water in the midst of the storm, and in another instance calms the storm, he demonstrates that he fulfills these passages from the OT which speak of God:
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.
And as the disciples tremble in fear, look at what Jesus says:
20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
v. 20-- “I AM, do not fear” The first of four “I AM” sayings in John 6.
The presence of the I AM removes all fear. The one who is in their midst is the Great I AM
If God is allowing you to go through a storm right now, look for his presence in the midst of it. Jesus never promised us life would be easy, but he did promise this:
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Jesus cares more about feeding your soul than about feeding your body. (vv. 22-59)
Jesus cares more about feeding your soul than about feeding your body. (vv. 22-59)
PARAPHRASE of 22-25: The crowd notices that Jesus is gone, so they follow him to Capernaum.
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.”
PARAPHRASE vv.28-34: The crowd asks Jesus for another sign. They say, “Moses gave us manna, what will you give us?” Displaying their unbelief.
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. 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 whoever comes to me I will never 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 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
PARAPHRASE vv.41-46: The crowd begins to complain about Jesus claiming to be from Heaven. Jesus tells us that the reason they
47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever 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 that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, 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 you. 54 Whoever feeds on 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 Whoever feeds on 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 whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
Jesus gives us eternal life, he feeds our soul, and that is more important than all our physical needs.
Jesus gives us eternal life, he feeds our soul, and that is more important than all our physical needs.
Again, Jesus gives us three more “I AM” statements, in verses 35, 48, and 51. He does this in context of talking about the manna that God provided
He shows himself to be the Great “I AM” of Exodus 3:14 who:
Led them out of bondage in Egypt
Parted the Red Sea
Eliminated their enemies
Fed them and gave them water in the desert
Provided them with a land of their own
But more importantly, Jesus is the one who would pay the price for their sins.
In Matthew, this is what Jesus had to say:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
We’ve seen so far that Jesus cares more about saving your soul than saving your life, more about who is King of your heart than who is King of your nation, more about being your peace in the midst of the storm than keeping the storm at bay, and more about feeding your soul than about feeding your body. So, the question is, how do we have that kind of Kingdom perspective? Jesus tells us in the last few verses of John 6:
Jesus wants you to care more about His Word than the world’s word. (vv. 60-71, esp. v.67)
Jesus wants you to care more about His Word than the world’s word. (vv. 60-71, esp. v.67)
PARAPHRASE vv.60-62
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” 66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
Jesus again calls us to focus our minds on heavenly, spiritual things rather than on earthly, physical things.
Jesus again calls us to focus our minds on heavenly, spiritual things rather than on earthly, physical things.
There are many “words” floating around in our world today, telling us what to believe and what is important. But only the Word of God is truth. Only the Word of God (Jesus, the logos) gives eternal life.
There are many “words” floating around in our world today, telling us what to believe and what is important. But only the Word of God is truth. Only the Word of God (Jesus, the logos) gives eternal life.
Don’t settle for the words of this world—in the news, from your friends, from politicians—feast on the Bread of Life
Do you spend more time reading the news than reading your Bible?
Are you more stimulated by the latest political commentary than by commentaries on Scripture?
Immerse yourself in the Words of Life and live
Heed the warning of Judas, who was swayed by the words of the world.