Yeah, amen. Please join me in your copy of God's Word in John chapter 6.
Amen.
Verse 17.
Note that it begins with a crossing of the sea and it ends with the crossing of the sea.
What's that called?
Chiasm. Thank you for asking.
This sea, the Sea of Galilee, the region in which it is located, or the Sea of Tiberias, a city on its southwestern shore,
is a long way from Jerusalem where we found Jesus teaching in chapter 5.
The after this of verse 1, therefore, could read at some point after this.
So it's chronological, but it's not immediately chronological.
A journey has happened between these places.
I bring this to your attention to highlight that John, under the Spirit of Christ's inspiration,
is doing something clever, as I have said and will continue to say with the literary structure of this gospel account.
It is chiastic in nature.
You are likely familiar with the story before us today.
It has made the pages of every children's storybook Bible,
and it runs in the ethos of our cultural understanding of Jesus.
If you ask somebody who knows the name of Jesus, and you ask them a miracle he has performed,
they would likely point you to one such as this.
But there is so much more happening here that we may have read right past,
and I'm really eager to set aside the varied troubles of this week,
as it has been a troubled week, for just a few moments with you,
and see what John means to show us of Jesus Christ in these 17 and a half verses.
It's good for the church to be together this morning and to fix our gaze on Jesus.
So before I read it, let me pray for our following time together.
Father God, we would ask this morning that you would help us as we take up this text together.
We recognize humbly that it was inspired by you.
It's breathed out by you.
And so it's inerrant, and it's authoritative,
and we should want to listen to it and rightly understand it.
We know that we need your help to do this.
Help us believe its promises and obey its commands
and have affection for you, its author.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
John 6, beginning in verse 1.
After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee,
which is the Sea of Tiberias.
And a large crowd was following him
because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.
Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
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?
He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
Philip answered him,
Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,
There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish,
but what are they for so many?
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.
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.
And when they had eaten their fill, he told the disciples,
Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.
So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said,
This is indeed the prophet who has come into the world.
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.
When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,
got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum.
Now John sets the stage for the totality of chapter 6
with a sign or a miracle that is made necessary because of other signs.
Notice verse 2,
A large crowd is following him.
Why?
Why is it that this large crowd has followed him?
to a rather desolate place on the eastern coast of the sea.
It's because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.
He's performing many miracles,
relieving the temporary trouble of the world that he was in.
Signs anywhere that they are observed in gospel accounts
are always meant to point us not toward the sign itself,
but toward the Savior.
The one performing the sign.
They're affirming actions that Jesus is doing.
People miss this.
Again and again in the scripture,
people concern themselves with the signs.
Look at what this man can do for us,
they say.
And they fail to look at who this man is.
Hear him.
Understand who he is.
Signs point to the Savior.
And that's what I want to help us do this morning.
Don't focus on the miracle.
It is miraculous.
Focus on the miracle worker.
And so we'll do that with a three-point outline.
The first point will be Jesus, the bread of life.
The second, Jesus, the new and better Moses.
And the third, Jesus, the now and forever king.
First, Jesus, the bread of life.
We see this across the text.
This is the primary thing happening here
in the setting up of chapter 6.
So verses 3 through 9 and then 11 through 13.
Jesus is merciful.
He is concerned with the temporal suffering of people.
He does not neglect in this text
or in our day today
that we are embodied souls who live in a cursed world.
He cares more deeply than we can comprehend
about our present condition.
Whatever it is that you may suffer,
Jesus knows more than even you do
how hard that is.
He knows the tragedy of our suffering keenly.
Notice in our text that he is performing miracles
on the sick in verse 2.
And then the miracle on display
serves this crowd's temporal need for food.
They followed him out to a desolate place
and they don't have a way to eat.
He cares about the body.
But, but,
he cares ultimately about the soul.
He serves temporal needs
so that people
will come to him
to have their spiritual needs
met.
So Jesus in verse 3
goes up on
the mountain
and you could read this differently
because my mind went,
what mountain are we talking about?
Some significant things happen on
mountains.
But more,
more readily you could read
the mountains
to a region
out there that's east
of that sea.
So up to the mountains.
Not a particular spot,
but a region.
A place where
he could go off
with the
disciples.
And the Passover
is at hand.
A time when the
Jews took time
to consider
the mercy of
God
to them.
And we find them
coming
to Jesus
because of these miracles
that are being
performed.
And he says
to Philip,
as a test
to Philip,
where are we to buy bread
so these people
may eat.
But he already knew
what he was going
to do.
This phrase is significant.
He himself knew
what he
would do.
The whole
stage is being set up
for all that Jesus
is going to teach
in chapter
6.
Philip answers him,
200 denarii,
200 days
wages
worth of bread
would barely be enough
for these people
to eat.
And then
Andrew offers
that there's a young
boy with
five barley loaves
and two
fish.
How could that
possibly feed
this crowd?
Now I want to be
clear,
the point of this text
is to not be like
this boy and offer
what you have to Jesus.
Although,
you might want to
derive some lesson
from this little boy
willing to give up
his lunch.
But it is not
the focus of this
narrative
at all.
There is a
legitimate need
for food
for these people.
Jesus is not
unsympathetic
toward that
need.
However,
we will just
miss the point
if we reduce
this text
to him
meeting
this
need.
This text
does not
call us
to a particular
social agenda.
This text
is not about
feeding the poor.
We can go
other places
to find
teaching
about that.
We should
not reduce
it to
just
that.
He does
meet the need.
And he meets
the need
miraculously.
And he meets
the need
abundantly
to be sure.
Verse 11,
we see that he
takes these
loaves
and he gives
thanks
and he distributes
to those
who were seated.
And notice
that the emphasis
is on the
bread.
He takes
the loaves
and he distributes
and John
adds for us
so also
the fish.
He did it
with the fish
too
and they had
as much
as they
wanted.
Everybody
was fully
satisfied.
Verse 12
says,
when they
had eaten
their
fill.
They are
no longer
hungry
anymore.
He has
them
go
and
gather
up
all
of
the
leftovers.
There's
12
baskets
with
fragments
of
the
loaves
gathered
up.
Notice,
not the fish.
The loaves
are gathered.
Many make this
passage
an apologetic
for
abundant
temporal
living.
Take passages
like this
and make
Jesus
a miracle
worker
who's
going
to
meet
all
of
your
temporal
needs
beyond
your
wildest
imagination.
The point
of the text
is that
he's
going
to
give
you
stuff
in
high
order.
This
is a
great
error.
A
massive
error.
And
there's
so much
teaching
in this
regard.
We
often
call it
the
prosperity
gospel.
And
I
think
all
of
us
see
the
prosperity
gospel
in
its
greatest
forms
and
know
that
it's
error.
We
get
that
the
private
jet
is
not
the
point
of
the
gospel.
But
I
wonder
if
sometimes
we
get
confused
down
on a
lower
level.
Why
do I
not
have
the
things
that
I
perceive
I
need?
I
am
being
faithful
to
Jesus.
Why
am I
not
being
blessed
the way
I
think
I
should
be
blessed?
Haven't
I
done
such
and
such?
Don't
I
faithfully
read the
word and
pray and
go to
church and
etc.
We make
such an
error when
we make
the gospel
about the
things we
get here
and now.
Does Jesus
provide for
our temporal
needs?
He most
certainly
does.
but
we must
read on
what's
being
taught
to us
here.
John's
narrative
means
for us
to read
on
to go
beyond
this
story
and set
it in
its
context.
Beyond
this
miracle
we will
see
Jesus
walk
on
water
and
then
beginning
in
verse
26
Jesus
presents
himself
as the
bread
of
life
and
he
does
so
to the
end
of the
chapter.
That's
the major
thing
going on
in chapter
6.
Jesus
presents
himself
as the
bread
of life.
That
thing
necessary
for
sustenance.
We
have to
spend
more time
on this
than we
have
this
morning.
We're
going to
unpack
chapter 6
over
quite a
few
weeks.
All
that it
means
for
Jesus
to
be
the
bread
of
life.
But
notice
the
way
that
he
begins
that
discourse
in
verse
26.
He
says
there,
truly,
I
say
to
you,
you
are
seeking
me
not
because
you
saw
signs,
but
because
you
ate
your
fill
of
the
loaves.
The
temporal
bread.
Your
tummies
were
full,
and that's
why
you're
coming
to
find
me.
You're
coming
to
me,
he says,
in essence,
because of
what I
gave you,
not because
you want
me.
I'm the
bread of
life,
he'll go
on to
say.
He'll
spend the
rest of
the chapter
making
this very
point.
Humanity's
greatest
need is
not to
have their
stomachs
satisfied,
but to
have
their
souls
satisfied.
It's
perhaps
one of
the
greatest
trials
to
have
no
trials
at
all.
We
are
such
a
comfortable,
comfortable
people.
I don't
want to
make light
of the
things that
trouble
you,
or the
things that
trouble
us,
but
relatively
speaking,
very few
of us
feared for
our lives
in this
past
week.
As a
simple
example,
very few
of us
really
suffer the
way so
many
suffer in
the world
today.
And so we
get a
little
uncomfortable,
and our
world seems
to be
falling apart,
and just
perhaps God
in his
great loving
kindness to
us is
reminding us
that the
point is not
to have our
comfort
satisfied,
but to
have our
souls
satisfied.
Jesus'
primary
concern is
not our
temporal
affairs,
but our
eternal
destiny.
This life,
although it
doesn't always
feel this
way,
is fleeting,
passing,
like a
vapor in
the wind.
Jesus loves
us enough
to have the
rest of it
beyond in
mind,
to serve
us to
that great
end.
Let me
make this
point just a
bit further
from the
text,
although I'm
going to
have to
venture
just a
bit outside
of it.
What do
you suppose
the significance
of verse
13 is?
So those
left by
those who
had eaten.
Why does
John record
that fact
for us?
Abundant
provision,
of course.
They had
all that
they needed,
their stomachs
were full
and beyond,
but why
12
baskets?
Well,
there were
12 disciples,
12 men
who were
told to
go gather
the fragments,
so they
each
had a
basket.
They each
held in
their arms
a collection
of bread
miraculously
produced
by Christ.
So if you
can hold
that image
in your
mind,
pretend that
you were
holding a
basket
containing
within it
bread
that was
miraculously
produced
by Jesus.
And then,
hold that
image,
and then
note with
me
verses 16
through 21.
Now,
next week,
Colson's
going to
preach
next week's
sermon.
What does
this story
have to
do with
the rest
of chapter
6?
Have you
noted it
already?
Are you
scanning
across it?
Boy,
I hope you
have a
Bible with
you today.
We've got
Jesus feeding
the 5,000.
This big
emphasis on
bread is
going on,
and then
he's going
to spend
the chapter
from verse
26 on.
The rest
of the chapter
he's talking
about him
being the
bread of
life,
and dropped
in the middle
of that
is a story
about Jesus
walking
on water.
Why?
Why is it
there?
Is John
just being
chronologically
consistent?
Is that all
that's going
on here?
I say
no.
We are
meant to
derive
something
from
this.
Okay,
so again,
you've got
a basket
full of
bread
in your
arms.
Look at
verse 16.
When evening
came,
this is part
of our
text for
today,
his disciples
went down
to the
sea,
got into
a boat,
and started
across the
sea to
Capernaum.
It was
now dark,
and Jesus
had not
yet come
to them.
He's gone
away.
He's in
a desolate
place,
removing
himself.
Verse 18.
The sea
became rough
because a
strong
wind
was blowing,
so a
great storm
has arisen.
When they
had rode
about three
or four
miles,
they saw
Jesus
walking
on the
sea
and coming
near
the boat,
and they
were
frightened.
But he
said to
them,
it is
I,
or you
could read
I am,
do not
be
afraid.
Then they
were glad
to take
him into
the boat,
and immediately
the boat
was at the
land to
which they
were going.
I hope
your brain
is firing
off right
now,
just in
case.
Let me
show you
what's
going on.
In a
boat,
in the
sea,
in a
storm,
the sea
is always
a place
of danger
and judgment
all throughout
the scriptures.
And he
just walks
to them
out on
the water
and he
says,
I am,
do not
be afraid.
And then
what do
they do?
They
welcome
the bread
of life.
He's going
to go on
to talk
about that.
The bread
of life
into the
basket.
They
welcome
him
into the
boat.
And
immediately
the boat
was at the
land to
which they
were going.
The point
is that
Jesus is
the bread
of life
and his
great care
and concern
for these
disciples.
He's going
to go
on to
talk about
eating of
his flesh
and drinking
of his
blood
and people
are going
to leave
him in
the droves
and yet
the disciples
stay on.
He's teaching
them a lesson
when he gives
them baskets
and says,
go collect
the leftovers.
He wants
them to get
that he
is the one
that can
satisfy
their souls.
Deliver
them through
judgment.
So,
that's number
one.
Jesus,
the bread
of life.
Secondly,
Jesus,
the new
and better
Moses.
It is at
this point
that we
find the
center of
the chiastic
structure
of our
text.
If you
have been
with us
in our
study of
John,
I hope
you have
been wondering
where to
find it.
Show us
where it
is.
Which
verse
is it?
If you
have not
been with
us,
keep coming
and I
hope to
show you
more of
this
brilliant
literary
device,
I'll
spare you
the
explanation
this
morning.
Here it
is.
It's
verse
10.
It's
meant to
draw our
attention.
It's
meant to
help us
understand
something
about
this
particular
pericope.
Jesus
said,
have
the
people
sit
down.
And
then
John
adds,
now there
was much
grass in
the place,
so the
men sat
down,
which was a
normal way
of counting
in those
days.
Matthew
adds for
us that
there are
also women
and children,
about 5,000
in number.
The Greek
word used
here for
sit down,
he says,
have the
people sit
down,
is different
from the
one used
in verse
3.
Notice in
verse 3
that he
sits down
with the
disciples.
Here,
it's a different
word,
it would be
better translated
recline,
lie down,
which was the
manner that
meals were
taken.
In low
tables,
they reclined
at table.
It was a
restful
posture.
It's not a
ready-for-action
kind of posture,
to recline
at a
table.
They were
to lay
down
in a
field.
John
adds to
the
narrative,
there was
much
grass
in the
place.
I don't
know if
you do
this,
but I
read past
details like
this all
the time
until I'm
forced to
sit with
it and
really go,
why?
Why that
sentence?
Why is
that
inspired?
Why is
it
significant?
What is
going on
here at
the center
of the
text?
Again,
hold something
for me.
Hold that
question in
your mind.
We're going
to come
back to
it and
look at
verse 14.
Verse 10 is
the center
of the
chiasm.
Look at
verse 14.
When the
people saw
the sign
that he
had done,
this miraculous
feeding,
they said,
this is
indeed the
prophet who
has come
into the
world.
Your
translation
likely
capitalizes
prophet.
The
prophet.
This
reference to
the prophet
is from
Deuteronomy
chapter 18
and verse
15,
where Moses
says,
the Lord
your God
will raise
up for
you a
prophet like
me from
among you
from your
brothers.
It is to
him you
shall listen.
This is
the prophet
that they're
talking about
here in
verse 14.
There was a
diversity of
opinion in
Jesus'
day about
who the
prophet of
Deuteronomy
18.
15 would
be.
But some
held a
messianic
interpretation.
They understood,
which was the
right interpretation,
that the
prophet,
like Moses,
would be the
Messiah.
Why would
they consider
Jesus to be
the prophet of
Deuteronomy
18.
15?
Well,
just as
Moses led
God's people
out of
captivity,
into a
wilderness
place,
and provided
bread from
heaven,
it was
understood that
the Messiah
would do
the very
same.
Moses
shepherded
God's
people,
and here
we see
Jesus doing
the very
same.
Our
minds,
if they're
steeped in
the biblical
narrative,
ought to
see this.
It ought to
leap from
the pages.
And I'll
admit to
you that
it doesn't
always do
that for
me.
But
Jesus
is telling
his disciples
to command
the people
to lay
down in
a grassy
field.
So back
to that
question I
asked you
to hold
in your
mind.
What's
going on
at the
center of
the text?
Jesus is
presenting
himself,
and Jesus
is being
presented by
John as
the new
and better
Moses,
the good
shepherd,
the prophet.
If you
are with
me on
the literary
structure of
John,
guess what
chapter
corresponds
to chapter
6?
Chapters 1
through 11
are a
chiasm as
well.
Guess
which one?
Chapter
10.
Chapter
10 corresponds
to chapter
6.
And in
chapter 10,
Jesus'
good shepherd
discourse
takes place.
It's cool
stuff.
Verse 10,
Jesus said,
have the
people sit
down.
Now there
was much
grass in
the place.
Perhaps
your mind
goes to a
place like
Psalm 23.
This kind
of imagery
is presented
to you.
Psalmist
says there,
the Lord
is my
shepherd.
I shall
not want.
I should
be satisfied.
He makes
me
lie down
in green
pastures.
He leads
me beside
still waters.
He restores
my soul.
He leads
me in
paths of
righteousness
for his
name's sake.
So we see
Jesus in
this text
as the
new and
better
Moses,
the one
who will
lead his
people out
of captivity
from sin,
shepherd
them in
the wilderness,
and finally
deliver them
to the
promised
land.
third,
we see
Jesus as
the now
and forever
king.
Verse 15
says,
perceiving
then that
they were
about to
come and
take him
by force
to make
him king,
Jesus withdrew
again to
the mountain
or the
mountains
by himself.
As you
study the
gospels,
you will
note over
and over
the
misconceptions
of who
the
Messiah
was to
be.
We have
mentioned it
already many
times in
our study
of John.
The most
common
misconception
was that
the Messiah
would come
to liberate
Israel from
its Roman
oppression,
reestablish
its former
temporal
glory.
This is what
most of them
were looking
to.
That's who
the Christ
would be.
Many Jews
today,
in the very
same way,
they're looking
for the
Messiah,
for temporal
relief.
life.
This is the
issue at
hand in
verse 15.
Did Jesus
possess the
power to
gather an
army and
overthrow
Rome?
Of course
he did.
With a
single word
he could
call down
legions from
heaven and
wipe the
Romans off
the map.
Jesus is
God.
But he
came not
to establish
the kingdom
of our
choosing,
but of
his
fathers.
Recall
chapter 5
verse 19.
Jesus said
to them,
truly,
truly I
say to
you,
the son
can do
nothing of
his own
accord,
but only
what he
sees the
father doing.
For
whatever the
father does,
that the
son does
likewise.
He knows
that it's
not his
purpose to
be made
a king,
to lead
an army,
to overthrow
Rome.
He has a
higher
purpose,
right?
A better
fulfillment,
a way
that he's
going to
bring about
an eternal
kingdom that
God the
father ordained,
God the
son,
and God
the spirit
accomplished.
They establish
it.
Do you
remember the
title that
Jesus most
regularly gives
to himself?
He calls
himself the
son of
man.
Do you
recall where
that title
comes from?
It's Daniel
chapter 7
verse 13
and 14.
Daniel sees
in a vision,
in a dream,
and says,
and behold,
with the
clouds of
heaven there
came one
like a
son of
man.
And he
came to
the ancient
of days and
was presented
before him.
And to
him was
given dominion
and glory
and a
kingdom that
all people's
nations and
languages should
serve him.
His
dominion is
an everlasting
dominion which
shall not pass
away, and
his kingdom
one that
shall not be
destroyed.
Jesus is not
uninterested in
the temporal
affairs of
man.
He is.
He's not
indifferent to
the tragedies
of this past
week.
He cares.
But we do
well to note
as we grapple
with the
state of our
state that
Jesus is
firstly,
primarily
concerned with
the eternal
kingdom.
How all of
this plays
into that,
I don't
know.
I'm not
sure how
it's all
going to
come to
pass,
but what
we can
be sure
is that
it will
come to
pass.
And the
question for
us in the
meantime is
how do we
be faithful?
God
is
establishing a
kingdom and
it's a
kingdom that
will come
and will
not be
destroyed.
That means
that Jesus
is the
forever king,
but he is
also the
now king.
Jesus
upholds the
universe by
the word of
his power,
Hebrews chapter
1 and
verse 3.
And that
includes the
minutia of
things happening
in our
country,
things happening
in your home,
things happening
in your very
own heart.
Jesus is not
relinquishing his
control to
anyone.
I heard a
question this
week from
somebody close
to me how it
just didn't make
sense why God
would allow this
assassination to
take place,
because they
saw a greater
good in him
remaining here.
We ought to
be people who
trust in God's
absolute sovereignty
over all things.
It doesn't
diminish the
tragedy of it,
but God's
people ought to
be the most
confident,
unmoved
people at
times like
this.
We're going
to be okay.
You know
why?
Because Jesus
reigns.
If God is
for us,
who can be
against us?
So some
quick application.
I've already
jumped into it
a little bit
ahead.
Number one,
go to Jesus
for Jesus.
If you're not
found in Christ,
don't come to
Christ for what
he can offer
you.
Many blessings,
many blessings,
infinite blessings
are found in
Jesus,
but he
himself is
the greatest
of all of
those blessings.
If that idea
is just
foreign to
you,
oh,
please come
talk to
me.
I'd love
to talk
to you
about the
riches found
in Christ
himself.
He is
precious.
And if you
are in
Christ,
don't forget
that truth.
You're so
quick to,
yeah,
Jesus,
and want to
move on
from him
and see
what it
is that
he can
accomplish
on our
behalf.
Secondly,
find rest
for your
souls
in Christ.
He's the
new and
better
Moses.
He's the
good shepherd
and he invites
us to lie
down in
green pastures
to be
satisfied
in him.
It doesn't
diminish our
responsibilities.
We have
much to
do on
the earth,
many things
to think
through,
but our
souls should
remain at
rest even
as we
work to
live his
will,
bring about
his good
in the
places that
we live.
And finally,
just trust.
Trust in
the reign
of the
king.
He gives
to his
people
tasks.
He reigns
through the
life of his
church in
the world
in which we
live,
but beloved,
we have
to start
with trust.
We have
to begin
with that
disposition.
Our
God
reigns.
He is not
firstly
concerned about
the temporal
affairs of
this world.
He is
firstly,
and praise
God,
he is
firstly
concerned
about the
building of
his church,
the second
coming of
his son,
the establishment
of a new
heaven and
a new
earth where
we will
enjoy his
reign forever.
Let's be
a people
that declare
that,
say it out
loud,
and experience
it to be
true in
our own
hearts.
Let's pray
together to
that end.
as