John 6:16-21 NASB

16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,

17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

18 The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.

19 Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened.

20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

21 So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

COMMENT:

In chapter five we read how Jesus sets forth his mission and how he will demonstrate to the people the validity of his declaration. Since then we read how he fed the 5,000 men and now we read how he met his disciples on a story sea.

The disciples were 3-4 miles out from shore when they saw Jesus walking on the water. This scared them until Jesus identified himself. They were about to take him into the boat when they suddenly found themselves at their destination. Hmmm...never noticed that before. Amazing.

Jesus spent three years training twelve men, a diverse group of personalities, occupations to carry on his mission upon the completion of his. These men stayed with him, heard his sermons, teachings, observed his miracles and sent them on mission trips as well, empowering them to perform as he did. By the end of three years they knew Jesus very well.

As I consider the intimacy the disciples had with Jesus I am becoming more aware that this, too, is what Jesus wants from us moderns. And that it is possible via the indwelling of the Holy Spirit further enhanced by a serious study of the WORD.

(The LORD just loves it when we love his WORD and study it accordingly. There have been moments of exhilaration when doing so...Then the devil comes along and tells me I am so stupid for getting so excited...)

Is it not amazing that when we stay close to Jesus' side that the aggravations of life just do not seem to trouble one? And when we ask the LORD to guide us through this maze He will demonstrate his presence to us in many ways - some subtle and others more dramatic.

What a challenge!

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Sandra Miller

This scripture nags at me....Jesus talks about Moses ministry, told the people that had they believed Moses they would also have believed him.

I pondered this ever since reading it wondering what in Moses teachings is Jesus referring to? Then yesterday as I was studying for my SS class (teaching) my mind went to Deuteronomy 10...

Deuteronomy 10:12-21 NASB:

12“Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

13and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?

14“Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.

15“Yet on your fathers did the LORD set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.

16“So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer.

17“For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.

18“He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing.

19“So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

20“You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name.

21“He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen.

The command to love the LORD their God is woven throughout Deuteronomy. Jesus reiterates the principles given here in his preaching to the people: it is fundamental in knowing and loving God.

It is amazing that even at this point in time Moses warns the people against legalism. How many times do we people work to get approved by God by being good but fail to love him? Is it not easier to be good in our own eyes then it is to repent of the sins of the heart? When we love God we will do 'good' - this is the cart that is pulled by the horse - the cart never pulls the horse.

Now Jesus tells the people if they had listened to Moses they would listen to him. Perhaps if we understood the importance of the OT law we could more deeply appreciate Jesus' teachings as well?

How much do I love God? Jesus?

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Sandra Miller

John 6: 24-30 NASB

24So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus.

25When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

26Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.

27“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”

28Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”

29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

30So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform?

COMMENT:

Jesus had just feed the 5000+ people and now the people followed him, expecting more of the same. v26. Jesus knew their hearts and the reasons for their actions. They followed him because they wanted to have a front seat in observing the signs and get fed as well.

I see a tension here of filling a legitimate physical need with the danger of the recipients becoming dependent on the physical benefits of following a man.

To help counteract people's desire for free food, Jesus used the opportunity to preach to them. Jesus preached to heart issues that bedeviled them. In the end, v66 tells us "As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore."

I wonder about this...people expend so much resources to helping the poor without preaching that you are only developing within the recipients a entitlement mentality.

(A story: at CPC we gave out material goods. To counteract this mindset of promoting an entitlement mentality, they set up a store where recipients can get whatever they needed but these items can only be bought with 'money' earned by them. To earn this money they had to take classes taught at the center. But you know what happened? Very few took them up on it. They were very generous and the items were nice, new...)

I see how Jesus counteracted this mentality without being rude but still being helpful. What a powerful lesson for all of us...

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Sandra Miller

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Sandra Miller

John 6:26,30

26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.

30 So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform?

COMMENT:

As I study John 6 I sense Jesus being exasperated with the blindness and the refusal of the people to believe in him.

First off they were participants in the feeding of the 5000. Not only did they eat, they saw it with their own eyes the multiplying of the food and then the amount left over - 12 basketfulls. Now, they followed him to the other side of the sea because they had witnessed something sensational - a rarity in their otherwise mundane existence, I suppose.

By following Jesus they are admitting they saw a sign and a wonder, yet when Jesus started to preach to them, pinpointing their weakness, they hedged by asking for a sign...

Is this not the way human nature works when they work to ignore the obvious? They speak out of both sides of their mouths? They demand you prove God right but refuse to acknowledge the wonder that exists all around them? What they do see but do not give glory where it is due? Paul had something to say about this in Romans 1:19-23:

19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,

23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

As I deal with loved ones who spurn God, I used to think I sure wish God would give them a taste of hell to wake them up! Ever feel that way? No, do not want them to stay there, just let them get a feel for it... And you know what? I expect God would do that if that would work to bring about repentance. But what did Jesus say about this concept, or something similar? Consider Luke 16:27-31 KJV:

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Hardness of heart.... LORD, keep my heart soft and pliable...

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Sandra Miller

John 6:35 NASB: Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

Comment:

Jesus uses this comment as a springboard from which he works to teach the people how important He is. v26-58.

Bread: is a food that satisfies; it nourishes; it fills, satisfies hunger cravings. Now Jesus is using this as a metaphor to illustrate how He satisfies, how he nourishes - is conductive to growth and sustenance. It promotes life, gives life.

Jesus is making some radical claims about himself. No wonder people questioned his radical teachings. Or, is that because they were none of his?

Jesus' teachings is radical, they were instrumental in weeding out the goats from the sheep - weeding out the ones who were only interested in free food from those who were sincere in being fed.

As I think about the implications this teaching has on us moderns, I wonder: why am I interested in the LORD Jesus? For the natural benefits that result from living a disciplined lifestyle? or, is it because I love Jesus? Do I find His WORD satisfying? Do I crave it in order to feed my mind and soul? Do I love to study it, allowing it to fill my heart, mind and soul? Does it make a difference in my reactions to life? Am I allowing it to shape me, mold me into a vessel fit for Jesus' use? Or, am I running hither and yon chasing rainbows that promise much but whose fulfillment are ever elusive?

Personally, I find Jesus satisfying, his WORD ever challenging....man's philosophy is always so empty, evokes within a severe restlessness, a severe aggravation...

Ah...God is so good, is he not?

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Sandra Miller

John 6:37-40 NASB

37“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not 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“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

40“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

COMMENT:

Some awesome principles noted here:

1. All the Father gives Jesus will come to Him.

2. He will not throw anybody out that comes to Him.

3. Jesus is here to do the will of his father.

4. Jesus will lose nothing the Father has given him.

5. All those the Father gave his son will be resurrected on the last day.

6. What characterizes the people of God is one who sees Jesus and Believes in Him.

So profound...All that come to Him, all that believe on him will be accepted by Him...

'Believe' implies that it will be a life-changing event. And so it will because we are the sheep and he is the shepherd, we are no longer a goat.

I sense in this discourse an intense love Jesus has for humanity. It is indeed like a hen who gathers her chicks under her wings....ever see that? This is so wonderfully cute. You may have a chick peek out from under that wing but it sure will stay there! So sweet, cute and cuddly! and we are to be like those chicks - the hen calls for them and they come a-running and gather under that wing.

You know what? I get the feeling that we have problems comprehending the intense love Jesus has for humanity. He wants to gather, protect and reward them with eternal LIFE. This is a promise. How can we understand it to the point where it will impact all of our life? Our decisions...?

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Sandra Miller

John 6:60-61,66,67 NASB

60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?”

61 But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?

66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.

67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?

COMMENT:

Jesus preached some hard, difficult concepts to the people. They did not make sense to them which resulted in them abandoning their attraction to Jesus, notwithstanding their participation in a miracle.

As I look at this I am wondering how many people today justify their disbelief in Jesus' words simply because they do not understand a doctrinal precept? We hear this all the time do we not? Some turn away from Jesus simply because they find his teachings inconsistent with their logical theories.

How many times do we do likewise?

When we are tempted to do so, can we not simply trust him to reveal to us understanding in due time?

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Sandra Miller

John 6:67-69 NASB

67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?”

68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.

69“We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”

COMMENT:

I am inspired by Peter's response to Jesus' question, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”

Peter did not at this point in time understand everything that Jesus taught - we understand this by carefully studying his reactions to Jesus' teachings later. He understood the wealth of life that Jesus' words imparted to Believers. His decisions were made in faith, based on what he saw and knew in his heart to be true.

A person who loves his superior is teachable, just like Peter was. When we submit to the Lordship of Jesus, we will learn the answers to our questions - in time, in His time.

I find it unnerving to hear people reject the Gospel because of some Biblical teaching they cannot or will not understand because it makes no sense. To reject Christ for these reasons is inconsistent with life. All of us embrace things that we do not fully understand and go with it. We rarely back off because we do not fully understand. We know it works and that is all that matters. For example, how many of us fully understand how a car works or how an airplane flies? Some may, but many don't. This is not keeping people from using these vehicles. We do what is essential to make them go and think nothing of it. In time we may learn more about the mechanics of this vehicle, but it is not stopping us from using them. Since we live and work thus, it stands to reason that man is not logical at all. Blind, yes; but logical? no.

Peter's confession of faith is no less profound, "that You are the Holy One of God.” Do I understand this in my heart to be true? If so, how does it impact me?

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Sandra Miller

John 7:1-9 NASB

1 After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.

2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near.

3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing.

4 “For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”

5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him.

6 So Jesus said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune.

7 “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.

8 “Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.”

9 Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.

COMMENT:

As I look at Jesus' brothers urging Him to go up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of booths, I sense an attitude of mockery, of arrogance: "if you are who you say you are, go, tell the public, broadcast it!" In essence Jesus was urged to promote the sin of 'pride of life': be someone! Get with it! If you are what you think you are you have to publicize it and not stay quiet about it!

Jesus response is telling, profound.

Jesus tells his brothers they can go to the feast anytime they want to. However, "I can't because my time is not here
'...meaning his teachings will evoke hostility because he will expose sin and the time was not here yet for him to deal with that - it would hasten his death which He well knew was coming. Instead, he had a lot of teaching to do before he is taken out of circulation.

I see some practical lessons here for us today. The public is hostile to the Gospel message. Since this is the case a Christian must choose his/her battles wisely, all being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Being loud with the Gospel message may evoke hostility that is not conducive to the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the listeners.

Therefore, one must be discrete in ministering to the ungodly. One must not seek the limelight; more can be done discretely, in quiet then when the flood lights of publicity is shined upon you.

I suspect we will be seeing more of this in the days to come. (And this has been the norm for those who live in restricted countries where faith in God evokes persecution.)

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Sandra Miller