The Work of God According to Jesus

I'd like to speak to you this morning, as we continue our series from the Gospel of John, on the work of God according to Jesus. The work of God according to Jesus. Let me ask a few questions here in the introduction.

Have you ever asked yourself what you are doing with your own life? Have you ever asked that? What are you doing with your own life? Do you ever wonder why you live the way you're living? Whatever course that you're on.

Do you think about what you're trying to accomplish in this life? What is your purpose? As one preacher put it, you must know where you came from, why you're here and where you're going. Do you know what you have to gain for whatever pursuit you're pursuing?

And have you not heard that he who gains the whole world and loses his own soul has no profit? As Jesus says in Matthew 16, 26. Some very sobering questions there. And we must answer these questions. Darcy Sproul gives us the right perspective from the Word of God concerning these questions.

I found this quote from his commentary on John. As he spoke and wrote actually, he was speaking and preaching from the Gospel of John and they literally wrote it in commentary. Thank God for that, for his works where he's with the Lord now and he's worshiping and so many of his works is left behind for us to enjoy and benefit from to point us to Jesus Christ.

But he says this about those questions I just mentioned. Quote, he says, I've often had the opportunity to speak with people who are dissatisfied about the direction of their lives. When I speak with such a person and we discuss his or her job, I usually ask, is that your vocation?

Is that your vocation? Is that what you want to do in life? Many times the person says, well, no, I'm just trying to put food on the table. How empty life can seem when our labor is done simply so that we can put food on the table.

And he goes on to say this, don't get me wrong, sometimes it is necessary to do that because we have the responsibility to feed our families and if we can't get work anywhere else, we need to take on work that may not be a part of our vocations to make sure we get food on the table.

He goes on to say this, but that is frustrating because that food that perishes, we set the table one night and eat dinner, but the next day we have to set the table again and we have to get more food because every helping that we enjoy perishes.

And Jesus says, don't spend your life pursuing that sort of one thing. Don't spend your life pursuing that which has no ultimate significance, end quote. I like that from R .C. So in a nutshell, what actually is being said at that point is given to us in John chapter 6 and that's actually what it's all about.

Especially in verse 27 when Jesus our Lord says, do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life which the Son of Man will give you because God the Father has set His seal on Him.

So what does that mean? What does that really mean? Well, open your Bibles with me please to John chapter 6 and we'll see what it means. I'd like to begin with verse 22. We've already looked at a lot of these verses and I'm going to, God willing, we're going to go press into this direction.

I'm going to try my best to, by God's help, we'll cover, I'd just like to cover just a recap somewhat of verse 22, a few verses in the introduction and then take it to verse 33 and we're going to look at these closing verses here, specifically verse 28 to 33.

So, beginning with verse 22 of chapter 6 in John's Gospel. Hear the word of the living God. The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there and that Jesus had not entered it with His disciples, but that they had gone away alone.

Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

When they found Him on the other side on the lake, they asked Him, Rabbi, when did you get here? And Jesus answered, Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me not because you saw the signs I performed, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.

Do not work for the food that spoils, but for the food that endures the eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval. Then they asked Him, What must we do to do the works of God, the works God requires?

Jesus answered, The work of God is this, to believe in the one He has sent. So they asked Him, What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness as it is written.

He gave them bread from heaven to eat. And Jesus said to them, Very truly I tell you, 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.

For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

Amen.

May God bless the reading of this word from our ears to our hearts this morning. Please bow with me in a moment of prayer as we seek our Lord to bless us within this hour of worship as we hear His word.

Oh Father in heaven, our prayer is Lord, in your goodness and mercy, in which we are not deserving of, we pray Lord, open our eyes that we may see the wonderful things from your law. And most of all, as it's already been said,.

To behold, to gaze, to look,.

To behold the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, the Lord, Savior, Messiah, your beloved Son and who takes away the sin of the world. Father as David prayed, may these words by my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight.

Oh Lord, my rock, my redeemer. We ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

The Crowd Searches for Jesus After the Feeding

In John chapter 6, verse 22 to 24, let's give you a quick overview on this particular section. The crowd wondered where Jesus could have gone and they knew that the disciples had departed without Him and that He had gone up to the mountain.

But they didn't know that Jesus went to the mountaintop to pray. That was His purpose, was to pray. And during that period of time, as we looked at, during the dark wee hours of the night, I should say up until the morning time, Jesus sent His disciples away on the other side and as you well know, they encountered a fierce storm.

Jesus comes walking to them on the water at the fourth watch of the night. It was a test. It was a test. And that's the way it is with us many times. He sends us right into the storm, doesn't He? And it's usually not into the darkest, the fourth watch of the night, Jesus comes walking on the water right on time.

And that's exactly what He did with His disciples. And He does this to test them because He loves them. He desires to strengthen their faith. And that's what trials do. They strengthen our faith in Christ.

That we would not depend on anything else in this world, but only God alone. And afterwards, a small fleet of boats arrived from Tiberias. They began their search at Capernaum. Tiberias was a large city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.

It's interesting also to note that John the Apostle places a discourse here of the teaching before or after each of the miracles he writes about. Have you noticed that? There is a teaching, places a discourse of teaching before or after each of the miracles that the Apostle writes about.

I find that interesting. And this particular discourse here that we're reading is found here in John 6, verse 22. It flows all the way to verse 71, to the very end of the chapter. So after the feeding of the multitudes, I say the multitudes because there's more than 5 ,000 there.

There was 5 ,000 men as we've seen. There are also probably more than 5 ,000 women and does not include the children. So it's the multitudes. And you could probably estimate most of the entire city was there, which would estimate, we don't know exactly how many, but around 20 ,000 people.

Significant amount of people, isn't it? And Jesus is at the end of His Galilean ministry. And having fed the multitudes, He and His disciples are along the shores of the Sea of Galilee near Jesus' hometown.

Those who have been fed and healed have found their way to the other side of the lake marveling at Jesus, that Jesus is there too. Knowing that He had not set out in the boat with the disciples the evening before.

So they're really astonished and marveling that He's there. Keep in mind also at this point that I think this is very important always as we go through these discourses and we see this, that the point and the main point of the Apostle John as he writes the gospel is the purpose of proving that Jesus Christ is the Son, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God and that we might believe, that we might believe and in believing that we might have life through His name.

John 20 verse 31. That is really the primary purpose of the Apostle as he writes this. Now, that's the Apostle's purpose in writing this awesome testimony, this book about the works and person of Jesus Christ which is wholly inspired by the Spirit of the Living God.

Both of the feeding of the multitudes in John 6, 16 to verse 21 we see that God is the provider. He's a provider and He does this graciously, doesn't He? He cares for the people. He provides food and also not only food, He provides safety for the people.

He cares. He's compassionate. He's good.

And He's kind.

Jesus proclaims in the synagogue these things too in Capernaum as you see in verse 59. These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. And the main theme that He teaches is, and we're going to see this all the way through the end of the chapter, that He is the Bread of Life.

Now, that's underscored theme of this entire chapter that Jesus is the Bread of Life. Verse 35, Jesus said to them, I am the Bread of Life. And notice what He says, He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

So you never shall hunger again, you shall never thirst again, and those who come to Him will never hunger, and those who believe in Him shall never thirst. It's twofold. Jesus exclusively states His self-existence and His nature while at the same time declaring that He is the sufficient food Himself for their souls for all eternity.

Amen?

Praise God.

He's all we need. I'll take that soul food anytime. That's the best.

Jesus is the best.

Now from verse 25 to verse 33, Jesus our Lord introduces great truth that here that He is the Bread of Life. It's going to take a little time I think for us to go through this, but God willing, I really believe that all the way through this chapter, I believe it will be a wonderful study for us at Redeeming Grace Church as the Lord wills to approach the Christmas season as we embark on the study of the Deity of Christ as the incarnate Bread, the Bread from Heaven, as we approach within this season as we focus on the Lord Jesus Christ that He is the incarnate Son of...

He is...

I like what Robert G. Lee said and I quoted it yesterday while we were moving. Sister Linda helping her out. I love this wonderful quote from old Robert G. Lee. Not Robert E. Lee now, but Robert G. Lee.

He was actually the pastor of the church in Tennessee before Adrian Rogers pastored. And he said this, the Son of God became the Son of Man so that the sons of men might become the sons of God. And that's exactly why Jesus came to bring us into the kingdom.

And He does it by His works, right? It's not by our works. And that's why He tells them the work of God is this, that you believe in the one.

He has sent.

To believe. So we must have the believing down, right? And it's only by the Spirit of God that can help us and through the Word of God that never contradicts each other. Now again, from verse 25 to verse 29, the theme of the Passover and Exodus imagery, the manna from heaven, the grumbling, the complaining, it continues, doesn't it?

It continues. And how patient our Savior is. He's patient toward us, isn't He? When we grumble and complain.

But it also shows.

That this is very displeasing to the Lord. Because the Lord punished those that grumbled and complained in the wilderness. And in 40 years, it should be a great lesson for us to remember this, that we should always give thanks in everything.

In everything. It doesn't say necessarily for everything, does it? But in everything, in it. No matter what our circumstances are, we are to give thanks. And notice Jesus gave thanks as He broke the bread.

And yet, here are these people, they're grumbling and complaining and still say, show us a sign. Even after He multiplied the fish and the loaves from a little boy's lunch and they still continue not to be satisfied, they were discontent.

How often do we fall in that category? Well, the discussion actually moves forward by questions. The questions and the statements from the crowd. And they continue. So why are there so many questions to our Lord and Savior right after Jesus showed right before their eyes and fed them by a supernatural act?

They continue. They had hardness of heart. They had unbelief. Jesus knew they sought Him. He knew their desires.

He knew their motives.

He knew that they sought Him because of the feeding of the loaves and the fish. The miracle. After all, He being God in flesh, He knows the motives of every man's heart, doesn't He? Scripture actually says this in John chapter 2, verse 24 and 25.

Let me quote it again because I quote it quite often, but I think it's very significant. But Jesus would not entrust Himself to them for He knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind.

For He knew.

What was in each man. He knows what's in man. What is in man?

Depraved,.

Stony,.

Hard,.

Wicked, heart.

Of unbelief. A heart that's bent to do our own thing. To do our own will.

Therefore,.

John chapter 6, verse 25 to verse 29, Jesus warned them not to be so concerned about working for the physical food even though that is needful as R .C. Sproul so wonderfully put, but but that they failed to receive eternal life.

The crowd could pick up on the word work. They did pick up on that. Isn't it interesting? That word labor, that word work stood out to them. The one work God requires is to believe in the one who He has sent.

Jesus Christ. To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. I like what Warren Worsby says here in his commentary. As Jesus pointed out,.

He says this,.

Jesus pointed out that there are two kinds of food. Food for the body, which is necessary, but but not the most important. There's food for the inner man. The spirit, which is essential. What the people needed was not food, but life.

And life is a gift from God. Food only sustains life. But Jesus gives.

Eternal life. End quote.

I had to squeeze that in. I said that is something to chew on there. Praise God. As God is the giver of life, but the food that's for our body only sustains us, but the food that is in Jesus and Him for our inner man gives eternal life.

That's why when we have communion and the time to remember our Lord Jesus Christ and His sufferings and His death, we focus on His broken body. The bread from heaven.

True food.

To remember.

Him.

Also the words of Isaiah come to mind. Why do you spend money for what is not.

Bread?

And your wages for what does not.

Satisfy?

Isaiah 55 2.

We need.

To remember that. Well, we'll look briefly at this section here. Verse 26 to verse 33. We basically see the confusion of unbelief. The confusion of unbelief. And we're going to look at unbelief, the confusion of unbelief, and we'll look at the purpose of belief.

Verse.

26.

Jesus.

Answers their question indirectly. What is the question that He's answering? Notice verse 25. When they found Him on the other side of the lake, they asked Him, Rabbi, when did you get here?

Very truly.

I tell you, you're looking for me not because you saw the signs I performed, but because you ate the loaves and had your.

Fill.

In other words, they were following Jesus for the wrong reasons. They were seeking Jesus for the wrong reasons. How many people within the churches are actually doing this today? And also, as David would say, Lord, try my heart and see if there'd be any wicked way in me.

Am I truly following the Lord.

For the right reason?

He says, I performed those miracles, but because you ate the loaves and had fill, do not work for the food that perishes, spoils, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.

He's a giving God, isn't He? For on Him, God the Father, has placed His seal of approval on Jesus Christ.

Excuse me.

And Jesus answers their question indirectly. Basically, the crowd followed Jesus out of the wrong motive, for the wrong reason and wrong purpose, and they were motivated by a superficial desire.

For food,.

Rather than an understanding of the true spiritual significance of the majestic, glorious person that's in Jesus Christ. They did not see Him for who He really was, and for His mission. So in question, they began to grumble, they began to complain, arguing, sum up the confusion of unbelief.

Each time the Gospel of John describes this unbelief, the discontentment builds against Christ's offered words.

Of truth,.

That's given here in the text.

And Jesus rebukes them.

He rebukes them lovingly, but graciously. Because He knows that they're following Him.

For the wrong motives.

And He rebukes them. So actually, this particular section from verse 26 to verse 33 is a rebuke. As they're looking for a bread to fill their stomachs and not the bread to satisfy, which is in Christ to satisfy their souls.

And what does that tell us? They're focused on the material. They're focused on what is passing away. Their focus is not.

Heavenward.

Their focus is not on the eternal.

May God spare us.

Again, there's reasons for the material and the purpose, but all the material and the purpose and the general. Here is the point as to the revelation of God.

To see Him.

The people began questioning Him sincerely. They were misguided. They were blind. And they're, I would like to say, religious unbelief. Because they were very religious. They really thought they had it together, but they didn't.

So this crowd follows Jesus for the wrong reason, wanting to make Him a bread king and have their basic needs.

Met.

In other words,.

They were following Christ for their own personal needs.

That was their.

Motive. Now, we all have needs, right? And do you think our Lord cares about those needs? Well, absolutely. You saw this in the miracle.

He.

Provided the miracle and He provided the multiplying of the fish and the loaves. He shows that He cares. But they began to follow Him just for that. For the wrong reasons.

For the wrong motives.

And may we check our own hearts in this. That, Lord,.

I'm following You because I love You. For who You.

Are. You are majestic. You are glorious. You are my Savior. You died for me.

You.

Was buried for me. You rose again for me. You're coming back for me. And oh, how He loves you so. But you don't have to worry about these other things as Jesus said in Matthew in the great sermon on the mountain which we're studying in Sunday school.

Jesus says in Matthew 6 33, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these other things will be added unto you such as what? Food and clothing. The essential things. He can take care of us.

We don't have to.

Worry about that. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. And because our heart changes, our affections change, become holy and wrapped up in loving Him, He will take care of His own.

He's the good shepherd. He's the great shepherd. He's the chief shepherd and He never abandons His own sheep. Praise His name. So, seek at Him for the wrong reason, only for their stomachs, which is their God.

Verse 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 you. That's a promise. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.

Praise His name.

Since they have failed to see Jesus as Lord and Messiah, He directs the crowd's eyes and hearts heavenward.

To.

Seek the bread from heaven to properly identify Christ as the one on whom God the Father has set.

His seal on.

The one who has been commissioned as Scripture says,.

With all authority.

Think of that. Not some authority, but all authority who has forgiven us.

Of our sins.

You and I can rest in that and know that He's granted eternal life in Him. And Christ has reconciled us back to Himself, back to the Father.

Folks, this is the work of God. Jesus has did this.

To the poor, blind, religious people here that were seeking Jesus for wrong reasons.

And they.

Kept thinking, what must.

I do to work the.

Works of God? That reminds me of that jailer that Paul spoke to when he was about really to commit suicide. And Paul says, stops him and I believe he cried out, what must I do? What must I do to be saved?

Paul says, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He didn't go into.

This long theological discussion. No, sir. He says, you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice,.

Man is always trying in himself, but never trusting God. He's always trying, but never trusting. He seems to be doing something. And we were there once, right? For such as us. We were there. And seems to be there's something I must do to inherit eternal life like the rich young ruler that comes to Christ.

Sounds so sanctimonious, sounds great. What must I do? I must have some part.

He likes to feel.

That there's something he could do to merit his salvation. If he can somehow contribute to the saving of his own soul, then he can find a ground.

For boasting.

That's the reason why there's pride. The pride within us that must be nailed to the cross and mortified and put to death. There's something within man that says I must have something to do to inherit this eternal life.

And God says I've done it all.

All you to do,.

Jesus says, is believe on the one whom God the Father sent. That's all.

You believe, and believing.

Is God's way.

God's way is the best way. There's no other way. Reminds me of what John 14, 6 in response to Thomas asking Jesus, Lord, we do not know where you're going.

How can we know.

The way?

How can we know the way?

Don't you love how Jesus said this?

That revelation the Son of God, the Son of man himself says, without bat of an eye.

Jesus said, I.

Am the way. The truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except.

Through me.

And of him alone. What does it say in Ephesians chapter 2? You're real familiar with it. Aren't you glad? Look at verse 4.

But.

God.

Who is rich in mercy. He loved us with his great love, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. Notice what he says. It is by grace you have been saved.

Grace.

Unmerited favor. Cannot earn it. Cannot work for it. By God's grace alone it is the gift of God. And listen to this. It goes on to say that. It is the gift of God and has raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in heavenly realms in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace.

Expressed.

In his kindness.

That's another way of goodness. That's another word for goodness. Expressed in his kindness, his compassion to us in Christ Jesus. Then he says, for it is by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not from yourselves it is the gift of God.

And what does he say?

Not of works. Not of works.

So.

That no one can boast. Aren't you glad. When we all get to heaven folks and bow before the feet of Jesus and kiss his feet we can say Jesus paid it all and all to him I owe for all eternity. No one will boast.

Paul says if I boast it's in the Lord. If I boast it's in Christ. If I magnify him it's through the cross. And no one can boast for we are God's handiwork. We are God's workmanship.

For what purpose?

Created in Christ Jesus for good works. Unto good works. To do good works. So good works is not excluded. It's the result that's the obedience that follows which God prepared in advance for us.

To do. Actually that is.

The confession part. Brother Keith was talking about this earlier. There's the believing part from the heart. Then the confession. But because of the confession it shows what has happened in the heart.

Because Jesus said out of the heart man speaks right? We know what's coming out of that heart. You hear people speak. It's coming from there. Most of the time it's a cesspool isn't it? But from God for God's people it's praises and glory to him.

But see and then we confess Christ. But if there's no confession of Christ to the people and that confession is not a one time confession right? At an altar call. No. This confession is forever. Oh I say forever yes.

But it's here on this earth after we've been born again. The heart's transformed and the confession comes forth. And why I say that? Because if you notice in the scriptures.

People spoke.

Boldly the word of God after they were saved.

So if.

The child of God's not a missionary speaking boldly the word of God and the works of God like the Samaritan woman and the man that was healed from being possessed of demons. They spoke the word of God.

They got out there saying something's wrong. So both is required. But it starts in the heart first doesn't it? Because the heart needs to be transformed. Notice the poor lost souls out there today that don't know Jesus Christ.

What are they talking about? They talk about everything but Jesus. And folks that's where you and I come in. The salt of the earth. The light of the world to say I'm gonna tell.

You about the greatest.

Person that ever lived that loves you more than you love yourself.

And that.

Is Jesus Christ. Let me tell you about my redeemer. Amen? We must tell the world.

Jesus.

Tells these people here to believe. John 6 29. And they only continue to question, question, question. Unbelief, unbelief, unbelief.

They ask.

Him to repeat to repeat the miracle. Could you imagine the audacity.

Of that?

He just.

Gave them a miracle.

From heaven.

And if they knew who they.

Like Jesus told the woman at the well if you knew who was speaking to you.

You would think otherwise. And Jesus told.

Her at the woman at the well. That Samaritan woman if you knew the gift of God and who it was speaking to you oh everything would turn around. And it did turn around for her.

Amen?

Praise his name. They wanted another miracle from heaven eaten by God's.

People.

Like what happened in the wilderness years ago. They read about it of course. And even here they are falling in the same footsteps. I say same footsteps because their heart was just like they were that generation.

Was.

They had a hard heart of unbelief.

So.

They said Jesus prove it to us. Sad. Jesus would not be.

Used.

He knew what was in their heart. So we see this and the conversation goes like this. So they ask him what sign. Notice Paul said this about Jews. They seek a sign. Always seeking signs. And not by faith.

Jesus said.