So we start with A and work our way through. C always gives us problems, but Sesame Street has taught them that C makes two different sounds, so its not too big of a hiccup. D is easy, but they occasionally confuse the long E and the short I sounds. F goes off without a hitch, and I expected G to be easy too. Boy, was I wrong! "What starts with G?" I was expecting a quick answer from the honor student behind me, but she was quiet...as was her brother. I looked in the mirror and I could see her staring out the window frantically searching for a "G" word. Like any good parent, I offer suggestions, "What about g-g-goat? Or g-g-goose?" "Yes Daddy, those start with G!" What's funny was, the tone she used was pure, "Good job, Daddy!" So then I made my mistake, "What about giraffe?" This little girl cut her eyes at me in the mirror and used the teenage "your stupid" tone, "J-J-Jiraffe starts with J, Daddy!" I calmly instruct her that giraffe does indeed start with the letter G. This was like poking a hornet's nest. She fought me on this for at least five minutes before I convinced her that G can make two sounds just like C can. She was so sure of what she knew that she couldn't get passed it to the truth. We've taken a few weeks and studied how God describes himself, now I want to move to the seven "I AM" phrases Jesus uses to describe who He is and what His mission is.
Let's start in John 6:1-3 to set the stage.
1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14 After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them.
Verses 14 and 15 show the mindset of the people there that day. Here's a man that can heal our sick and provide mountains of food from a handful. He must be the Messiah God promised, so let's make Him our king. Their focus was completely on what they could get out of Jesus. If He were king, then they would never have to worry about being sick or hungry again. And if your never sick or hungry then what does that mean for your military? What does that mean for the government that is occupying your country against your will? Jesus himself lays their hearts bare the next day when they finally track him down on the other side of the lake.
26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."
To be perfectly honest, this is a trap that I have fallen into at times. You can see this trap in prayers like, "God, I know I didn't..., but can you please help me anyway?" or "If you give me...then I promise I'll...!" My focus is centered completely on getting my needs met. I'm not concerned with what God may want from me, or that the harder road may be the more rewarding, I just want my "belly" full. As we know now, Jesus came to give them something more than just a full belly or their nation back from the Romans. Let's read verse 27 backwards. Jesus tells them that He has God's approval, meaning that what He is doing is God's plan. Jesus has something that endures for eternity that He wants to give to you, so don't put all of your energy into something temporary. It seems like the people are finally starting to get it by there next question.
28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
"Alright Jesus, we're with you. What do we have to do to receive what you're promising?" Jesus loves straight forward, honest questions. Let this be a lesson to you, when we ask with an open mind and a sincere heart God is faithful to answer. Not that He will explain Himself, but when we try to come to Him he responds in kind.
Jesus' answer is simple; you must believe in the one God sent. When most people read hear this, they automatically get it wrong. Jesus is not saying, "You must believe that God sent me." He is saying, "You must believe in me." Here's the difference - Let's say I ask you if you believe that speed limits are there to help keep the roads safe. Just about all of us would say that yes they are there to keep us safe. You believe that the signs are official, that they were placed for a specific reason, and that if everybody followed them it would help keep roads safe. But that doesn't mean you obey them. The lady who was hit by a speeding car believes in speed limit signs and drives the speed limit to keep everyone safe. The guy whose car flipped on a curve believes in speed limit signs, following them so he doesn't die the next time. The person that believes in something is the one who recognizes the truth, accepts that truth as their own, and uses that truth as a guideline for their life. Here's a hard truth that we find in James 2:18-19
18 Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder.
They obviously didn't get it, because their response veers back off into Selfish Land again. "So Jesus, whatcha gonna give us?" Don't be fooled into thinking this is an honest question. Back up a few verses and remember that they saw Him heal the sick and feed 5,000 people. He has already proved that God has sent Him. But they decide to up the ante, "Hey Jesus, we were taught that God threw down bread from heaven. Why don't you feed us that way today. That would be great cause we're hungry again." Granted, I took a little creative license with that, but that really seems to be what they are saying. What's really ironic to me is the verse they are quoting, Psalm 78:24. If they had remembered the whole psalm, then they might have been a little more hesitant in their reply. I underlined a few verses to make my point.
17 But they continued to sin against him,
rebelling in the desert against the Most High.
18 They willfully put God to the test
by demanding the food they craved.
19 They spoke against God, saying,
"Can God spread a table in the desert?
20 When he struck the rock, water gushed out,
and streams flowed abundantly.
But can he also give us food?
Can he supply meat for his people?"
21 When the LORD heard them, he was very angry;
his fire broke out against Jacob,
and his wrath rose against Israel,
22 for they did not believe in God
or trust in his deliverance.
23 Yet he gave a command to the skies above
and opened the doors of the heavens;
24 he rained down manna for the people to eat,
he gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Men ate the bread of angels;
he sent them all the food they could eat.
26 He let loose the east wind from the heavens
and led forth the south wind by his power.
27 He rained meat down on them like dust,
flying birds like sand on the seashore.
28 He made them come down inside their camp,
all around their tents.
29 They ate till they had more than enough,
for he had given them what they craved.
30 But before they turned from the food they craved,
even while it was still in their mouths,
31 God's anger rose against them;
he put to death the sturdiest among them,
cutting down the young men of Israel.
32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;
in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.
33 So he ended their days in futility
and their years in terror.
At this point, I would have shut this all down, thankfully Jesus isn't like me. Let's go back to John 6.
32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, 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. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
Jesus is saying, "You're not getting it!" Forget what you learned as a child. Quit trying to put God in a little box or turn Him into a vending machine. God is doing something new. This is not saltines falling from the clouds. The bread of God is the one who came down from heaven. He will give life to the world.
34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
The youth at church make fun of me and my constant use of, "Seriously!?!" I'm pretty sure that Jesus didn't roll His eyes, but I know I would have. It doesn't get much plainer than the how Jesus just said it. The only thing he left out was the word "I". Their response is a classic example of expectations getting in the way. There's not even any confusion from the last sentence of verse 33 and the use of "he". It seems to me that they obviously aren't really listening, their just going through the motions waiting on the toaster to pop up. Jesus has to get simple and direct to circumvent their expectations.
35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 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 him up at the last day."
Not only does Jesus provide us with spiritual life, this Bread is Living Bread. It's not something that runs out or goes bad. Verse 37 says it is constantly available and always fresh. Verse 39 profoundly states that this Bread will never be taken away. It's not something you have to earn or continually prove yourself worthy of. If you accept the Bread of Life then God puts a check by your name with a marker more permanent than any Sharpie ever thought making. And that check mark guarantees your place in Heaven.
41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"
Can't you just hear that one guy way in the back, "So are we getting bread or not?" Expectations get in the way. Jesus finally has their attention, but they can't get passed what they think they know. Don't be too hard on these people. How many of us are adamant about things because of how we were raised or taught. Why do you vote the way you do? Why do you use that particular Bible translation? In big and small ways, we all get indoctrinated from an early age. Jesus is radically changing on them. Some of the group obviously know His family. He was Joseph and Mary's kid. In addition to that, they believe the Messiah to be a conquering King that will free them from the Romans. He was to be of the line of King David. They put two and two together and came up with four. But it's not two plus two. He didn't come to be a physical king. Thankfully, Jesus doesn't quit and give up on them.
43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
Jesus gives them a little bit more, but this is still pretty much the same as before. "Don't get hung up on what you think you know. God sent me. He draws you to me. If you come to me you will live forever." But throughout the explanation He gives them a smidgen more. He speaks a little bit plainer but it is still a combination of the literal and the metaphorical. Apparently this isn't enough for the crowd.
52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 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. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"
61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 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. 65 He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
To many, it would seem that Jesus is being deliberately vague. Even to us it sounds like He is talking about cannibalism. Jesus has to know that He is going to lose followers over this, so why isn't He explaining it better. He could use His divine power and write down everything that is going to happen: trial, crucifixion, resurrection, etc. Then He can explain to them why it has to happen this way, what it will accomplish, and what they need to do in response. Then, when everything happens, they will all believe and go to Heaven. There are few problems with this however. We've already looked at it in Psalm 78:32.
32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;
in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.
The nation of Israel had a burning cloud to lead them, were fed miraculously every day with manna that fell from the sky, saw God provide water from a rock but were not faithful to Him. It didn't change there belief in Him. The apostle Paul quotes God's own words in Romans 14:10-12
For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11 It is written:
"'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.'"
12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
At the end of time, we will find ourselves in front of the Judgement Seat. At that point we will all bow and confess to God. But that's not enough. Remember the verse in James; the demons know who Christ is. They know He is Lord...but He's not their Lord. They follow their own path. God knows this. He wants a relationship with us based on love...not fear. You can't make people believe, so Jesus doesn't try to. He gives them a nugget of truth and lets them decide for themselves. What is profound is how Jesus does it. By using metaphors and parables, He ensures that people will remember His lessons. Regardless of whether they believe right then, the story stays with them. In that day and age, there were "Messiahs" every few years. Someone would stage a revolt against the Romans and they would be the next big hope until Rome found them and killed them. By teaching this way, one of the things Christ did was make sure He didn't become just one more random pretender. He didn't become some guy, who said something neat that I can't remember. Let's finish the passage.
67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
I love Peter. While Jesus is here on earth, he spends most of the time with his foot in his mouth. But right here, he has the right answer at the right time. Yes this is a hard thing to swallow. Some of the men sitting there, who were specifically chosen by Jesus, are probably wondering themselves if they are going to have to drink His blood. Notice what Peter doesn't say. He doesn't say, "This all makes perfect sense to us!" or "It's obvious that you will sacrifice yourself on a cross and be raised..." I don't think the Twelve get it any better than the crowd did. But instead of quiting, they stop and think about all they have seen Jesus do and they decide to believe in Him. They saw the same sickness healed. They saw the same food multiply. Granted, they spent more time with Jesus, but everyone was welcome to follow too. These men chose to believe.
As I close, it is a prevalent idea in our society that to believe in God is a crutch. We aren't strong enough on our own, so we have to make up something to help us through hard times. Go back to the picture of the starving man. However, this man chooses not to take the food that is readily available. Instead he scrounges in the garbage, eating whatever he can find. When he happens upon someone who has a large plate of the free food, he taunts them and calls them weak. I've heard preachers say things like, "If God is a crutch then call me crippled." But the truth is far more profound than this. God sustains us. We don't find a better life in Him...we find the only life. This physical body will cease to exist, but the spiritual will live forever. If we don't feed our spirit with Jesus it won't grow. Things that don't grow are thrown away.
Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.
Thanks! Mom
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