Eternal Life is Much Better

Introduction

In our practice of faithful Bible reading and study, we often know to think of the context first and faithfully pay respect to the original audience and their experiences in order to better understand what applications may exist for us today. However, this is a more difficult task than what one may admit. Nevertheless, I want us to give it one more try. I want you to take a journey with me to the first century, and I want to truly consider what it must have been like to live during the times of Jesus.

I want you to abandon your 21st century ways of life and consider for the next 30 minutes what it must have been like to live without a cell phone or an automobile. Put aside your exclusive views of a Christian nation, and consider what it may have been like to live in one of the most pluralistic societies that has ever existed.

Consider life lived outside of democracy and liberty…life lived under the rulership of a single figure or family of leaders who are quickly taking over the world. Think about the fact women were some of the world’s greatest producers of goods, yet still remained at the bottom of the social community. Imagine your quality of life being determined by the family you are born into or the amount of wealth you are able to obtain. (And keep in mind, obtaining wealth was not an easy thing to do.)

There were three main socioeconomic groups in Israel: 1) the wealthy, 2) the upper-class, and 3) the poor. Poverty was high; overpopulation was a serious problem, high taxes destroyed the poor, natural disasters were frequent, and an imbalance in the society diminished any opportunity for the poor to excel.

In the middle of this intense world were the religious parties of the Jewish community. There were Sadducees who served as a sort of political party, known for compromising and collaborating with the Roman government. Imagine your religious leaders being in cahoots with the government for their own selfish gain. Imagine you being sick and unable to get the proper care; poor and unable to access nutritious food; oppressed and not able to find a court of justice.

If you were able to avoid the rule of the Sadducees, you may have been guided by the rule of the Pharisees—who were extremely conservative and legalistic/ traditional. And though they avoided partnering with the Roman government, they simply elected to do nothing to lighten the oppression caused by the policies of imperial rule. Think about life lived in a devout religious community that represented a highly religious tradition that somehow forgot about the concerns of those in need. Think about a world where you are sure you will inherit a kingdom, but you are not sure you will have a way to get the help you need until that kingdom comes.

I want you to see just how deflated the world would have been during the times of Jesus. Things were ugly and people were hopeless. There were many miracle-workers during the days of Jesus. However, there were very little revolutionaries that could usher in a new way that would change the very lives of individuals who were courageous enough to believe in the possibility of a brighter day. And it is this world we find in John 6.

The Miracle of a Feast

The miracle of a feast in John 6 was not simply about food. It was about a man who could solve problems. Isn’t that what we all want in life? Don’t we just want someone who can come along and solve the problems in our lives? For the 5,000+ people in John 6, the issue was food. However, food was not the only problem in the world:

In John 2:1-12 the problem was a wine-seller and new couple’s need for more wine at a wedding reception.

In John 3:1-21 it was the inquisitiveness of a Jewish leader who was on a quest for truth.

In John 4:1-38 it was the struggles of a woman who had several failed marriages and a thirst for everlasting water.

In John 5:1-15 it was the lame man who was overlooked by his community and in need of just a little compassion.

And for some reason, all of the individuals that saw what Jesus was doing in the lives of these individuals could relate, because though their problem was not the same as the others, they all had problems!

Does anyone have any problems today? Maybe your problem is not like my problem, but I believe there’s somebody today that can admit they have an issue in their life that they need a problem-solver for!

John 6:2 says the crowds followed Jesus, because they saw the miracles. Yet, what’s more important about this text is that Jesus saw them (John 6:5), and His response was not like which we might give today. In fact, Philip’s response in John 6:6 resembles what we might say when encountering a problem. Philip measured his ability to help by what was in his pocket. He measured his ability to help by the resources he had available to him.

According to historians, it would take 8 months of wages to serve the population of people present. Yet, they only had two fish and five loaves of bread. Jesus, knowing their condition, commanded the disciples to seat everyone as if they are about to enjoy a fine meal.

There are two miracles in this chapter: 1) They fed over 5,000 people, and 2) the original supply was multiplied. The part I love in this text is John 6:12-13 where everyone got full and there was more left over. This is what caused 5,000 people to meet Jesus in the middle of nowhere. However, the word spread further and citizens from Tiberias traveled to find Jesus. When they could not find Jesus at the site where He fed 5,000 people, they traveled to Capernaum.

From Tiberias to Capernaum was about 8-12 miles. There were boats that would hold approximately 15 people and 5 crew members. So, imagine all these boats heading down the Sea of Galilee to find Jesus. The only reason they looked for Jesus was be cause they had a problem, and Jesus was a problem-solver. Yet, they were met with an unexpected response once they found Jesus.

The Real Problem Within Our Lives

When this group came to Jesus, He never stopped being the problem-solver. Yet, He addressed a problem in their lives no one was asking to get solved. We all have this problem. We have a problem that is greater than the money we don’t have in our pocket or the social oppression we face; it’s bigger than our health situation or some other issue we will face in this earth. The problem we face is a lack of belief and reception of Jesus Christ.

Jesus makes the following conclusions:

Eternal life is better than temporary perishable things (John 6:26-27).

Belief is better than works (John 6:28-29).

Jesus is the better than miracles (John 6:40).

**Theme of Eternal Life** John 6:47-59

Jesus’s teachings were intended to pose one questions to the gathering choir: Do you want me or the stuff I give?

When you have a need, do you want me?

When you are sick, do you want me?

When you are broke, do you want me?

When you are oppressed, do you want me?

When things are not going your way, do you want me?

Our declaration: I can’t leave Jesus, because nothing Is better than eternal life.