John Pt. 30 | John 6:16-21

John 6:22-27 and the Reality of False Disciples

All right, you will at this time take your copy of the scriptures. We're going to continue in the Gospel of John chapter 6. And we'll consider verses 22 27. The Gospel of John chapter 6 22 through 27.

Oh God in Jesus name And by the power of Your spirit for we as a people call upon you Yahweh to at this time minister to us Through your word. And Lord we pray that you would use your word to grow us To the image of your beloved son our Savior through your spirit.

Amen, so this is our 31st message in this gospel. And I'm going to begin by reading the text Gospel of John chapter 6 verses 22 through 27 which reads. On the next day the crowd which stood On the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boats there except one.

And that Jesus had not entered With his disciples into that boat. Into the boat, but then his disciples had gone away alone. Other small boats came from Tiberias near the place where They ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

So 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. And when they found him on the other side of the sea they said to him rabbi When did you come here.

Jesus answered and said to them truly truly I say to you you seek me not because you saw.

Signs.

But because you ate of the loaves and were filled.

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 set his seal. Our theme for this Lord's Day is the reality of false disciples part 2.

The reality. The false disciples part 2. And I mentioned that this is going to be the overarching theme of this chapter. So what. We will have varying propositions and today my proposition of this.

Those.

That work for the food that perishes will.

Likewise.

Perish. If you are working for food that perishes you will likewise Perish and that's what we're seeing take place in the text. The question is this why is Jesus speaking to the crowd in terms of bread?

But that's that but that's the question that we ask but to answer that question I want to remind you of chapter 4 Where Jesus is speaking to a woman from Samaria? Right. She was half Jew and half Samaritan.

The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans if you can remember. Especially men did not speak to women and I as I was breaking down that portion of text I pointed out that a Jewish man would not be seen in public speaking to his own wife.

Nor his own daughter much less a woman Of Samaria. Jesus speaks to the woman of Samaria and speaks to her. If you can remember not in the same way. The only thing different was he spoke to her about water and not bread.

He spoke to her about the living water. Which we concluded was the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the living water. Jesus made a statement. Whomever he gives this living water to will never thirst. So in chapter 4 he speaks concerning water.

Now here in chapter 6 he is speaking Concerned. Now we're going to see Jesus expose the heart of false disciples and he'll do so in three ways. We'll show the reason why they follow. The wage the wages of which they earn and the wages of which we have none.

So point number one the reason why they follow. Point number two the ways it the wages of which they earn. And point number three the wages of which we have not earned and if you can recall Last week's message where Jesus walked on the sea.

I mentioned that. That this event was not just sandwiched in between these two major red. The meat like I'll do that there, right the meat. Concerning Jesus walking on water, which is found in between these two bread events is to show us What true disciple true followers of Jesus Christ look like?

So if you want to know what true disciples and true followers of Jesus looks like look no further. Than when the story of Jesus walking on the water I mentioned one incident where Jesus. Well, excuse me where the twelve were in a boat in the middle of the sea in the middle of a storm and they had Jesus with them.

Jesus was asleep in the boat and his disciples came and woke him up and said to him. Do you care that we are perishing? Right if they actually at this time knew who it was that was in the boat with them.

They would have known that they're in the most safest place in the storm. They have right there in the boat with them though. He's napping the Messiah, right? The Messiah is not going to go down in the boats, right?

He's predetermined to be crucified. He will not. Right, I see this quite often when it comes to my own death if God has predetermined me to die by fire I am not going to drown. They are with the Messiah and they go and they wake him up because the storm is overtaking him and they say do you care that.

We are perishing.

Jesus wakes up speaks to the storm be still the wind and the waves.

Become calm.

After seeing this his disciples marveled and said these words. What kind of man is this? Then even the winds and the seed of faith. And I pointed you to Psalm 107 Beginning in verse 28 and 29 which says.

And they cried out to Yahweh in their trouble Thank do you care that we are perishing? That they cried out to Yahweh in their trouble and he brought them to their he brought them out of their distress.

He caused the storm to stand still So that the wind so that the waves in the wind were touched.

He said to the storm.

Be still. If they were able to recall this portion of Scripture. They would have understand that this man Jesus the Nazarene was and is.

Yah.

Jesus is Yah, only Yahweh can command.

The storms the wind and the sea. Now back to John chapter 6 this time they were in a boat in the middle of the sea in the middle of the storm. But they were without Jesus. They were without the one who commands the obedience of the wind and the sea.

And they knew that their only hope was Jesus Christ. Do you see the difference?

Thank you. Speak to the storm in the storm for me.

That's the difference. That's the difference between true disciples true followers versus false disciples.

False followers of Jesus.

True disciples know that they need Jesus nothing else.

Jesus.

Reminded of that song all I have is Christ so that song I hear when I think of I hear Vince Gill's voice With me says give me Jesus. Give me Jesus. You can have all the world Give me Jesus. That's what his disciples Wanted and that's the difference.

Now in John chapter 6 verses 22 to 24. These verses are giving us the context of the story. So in verse 22 where it says on the next day It is speaking of the day after the feeding of the 5 ,000. This is the day after.

It's still a part of that day. So it was evening first mid-morning. So As that day started in the evening, so The story of Jesus walking on water when you read it in Mark and Matthew it speaks that it was in the fourth watch the night, which would have been about 3 3 a .m.

Since 6 a .m. So so this is right after Jesus had walked on water. Let's read that real quick again.

Before we explain.

So first is 22 through 24 on the next day. The crowd stood on the other side of the sea on the other side of the sea and saw That there was no other small boat there Except one and that Jesus had not entered with his disciples into the boat.

But that the disciples had gone away alone. Other small boats came to Tiberias near the place where Jesus. Near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So 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.

Now if you remember Jesus and his disciples did not win at Capernaum. They winned at Gezeret, I think that's how you say it. It's one of those troublesome names. Yes, good Nazareth, it's something good yes or good Nazareth pick one.

I'm fine with both. So they were headed towards.

What they were going to Capernaum.

Where they were. You had to head towards Bethsaida because of the storm they landed in.

Gezeret.

Whatever I said.

To two streets for that name. So that means Jesus in this prior time as they had landed with the boat early in the morning. They had to. I would say. After Jesus had done some miracle works there would have to walk over to Capernaum.

We know from the other Gospels they did not win in Capernaum. It doesn't tell us how they got to Capernaum. I imagine they just walked over because it was right beside Capernaum. Now let us remember why this group of Jews are following after.

They're following after Jesus because after Jesus gave thanks over the five loaves of bread and the two fish. He was able to feed upwards to twenty to twenty-five thousand people. The text tells us it was five thousand men plus women and children upwards to twenty to twenty-five thousand people out of a sack lunch.

I Believe this crowd of Jews remember the prophecy given to them by Moses about the Prophet and that the Prophet that was to come would be like Moses. I believe this group of Jews saw the shadow of the Prophet being fulfilled in Jesus Christ and because they weren't in because they wanted to take him by force and make him King and I mentioned last week and I believe the.

Maybe the week before. But I know I did last week that the twelve disciples would have went right along. With this the twelve disciples would have would have helped the crowd sees Jesus to make him King.

Which is why Jesus? Makes them get into the boat and he drives away the crowd the next day the crowd begins to look for Jesus. So they travel to the front. So let's get to point number one the reason why.

They follow you see this in verses 25 and 26. Verse 25. And when they follow him on the other side of the sea they said to him rabbi. When did you come here? Jesus answered and said to them truly truly I say to you you seek me not because you saw signs.

But because you ate of the loaves and were healed. The reason why they followed was because they ate of the loaves Jesus to them. I mentioned this last week was nothing more than a fish and bread dispenser.

Right, you imagine you've ever seen those pez dispensers. You open them get you a piece of candy. That's what Christ was to them. He was someone who can provide for them. God through Moses said the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness.

This group of Jews are probably thinking that since Jesus is the Prophet like Moses. The one that Moses spoke about he would probably do the same as Moses or them. They were looking to him as a cash cow.

Not a savior.

Not the one who is going to redeem them but someone who was going to feed them. They were looking to Jesus as their cash cow hoping not to have to strive after bread. Bread at this time was a high commodity and not everyone could afford it.

If you recall the curse one of the curses placed on Adam for his disobedience Had to do with bread we see this in Genesis chapter 3 verse 19, which says by the sweat of your face You will eat bread. John chapter 20 verse 30 and 31 Certainly tell us that these signs performed by Jesus and the signs that are written Are for a purpose for all the signs performed by Jesus and the signs that are written in the gospel Which were seven different signs or for a purpose?

Let's read that real quick. John 20 Verses 30 to 31. Therefore Many other signs Jesus also dear and the presence of his disciples Which are not written in this book. I Mentioned earlier just a few seconds ago.

Only seven signs are given to us in this gospel Read Matthew Mark Luke. They have other signs that Jesus done. John is declaring That it's even more than what's written.

Jesus performed so many more miracles and.

That these miracles that he's performed is for a purpose. Look at verse 31, but these things speaking of these seven signs have been written so that you may Believe that Jesus is the Christ The Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Notice. He said that these things have been written. That's why the theme of this book is Evangelistic right. The book of John the gospel of John is Evangelistic. It has been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ.

But if you were there at this time and saw the signs and believe. It didn't hold the same purpose. You say what are you saying? Well? It's it's clear Over and over when someone would believe because they saw the signs that Jesus was doing.

They were rejected by Jesus. If you go back to chapter 2.

So John.

Gospel John chapter 2. Look at verse 23. Now when he was that when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, so this is dealing with the first Passover. We'll see three Passovers in John.

During the feast.

Many believe in his name see that many believe in his name When they saw the signs which he was doing. But Jesus on his part was not entrusting himself to them for he knew all men and Because he had no need for anyone to bear witness concerning man for he himself knew what was in man.

So these guys believe in they believe in Jesus because they saw the signs. Look at chapter 3 verse 1. Now when a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews This man came to Jesus by night and said to him rabbi watch this.

We know that you come from God as a teacher for no one can do these signs That you do unless God is with him. Now listen to what Jesus says verse 3. Jesus said to him truly truly I say to you Unless one is born again. You cannot see the kingdom of God.

His response was You cannot see the kingdom of God unless you're first born again. Seeing the signs and truly believing Hinges on the new birth. So just because someone sees the sign and believes Doesn't mean they believe.

That.

Salvific belief has to do with the new birth their belief displays. But the excuse me the belief displayed by the Jews was merely a misinterpretation of the signs. They were chasing them because of the signs.

So why were they following Jesus? Answered. Because they ate of the loaves. They were a part of the sign. They saw it and they also partook in the sign and They wanted to continue.

To eat.

From the loaves. They wanted to continue to have Jesus to provide for them.

The Futility of Working for Perishable Food

Point number two.

The wages of which they earn. You see this in verse 27 a. Verse 27 a. Chapter 6. Verse 27 a. Jesus says do not work for the food which.

Perishes.

This should go without saying. Bread perishes, right. Bread doesn't last. Whether you eat of it or it goes bad it perishes. Take a loaf of bread. Set it up. Don't touch it and watch what happens. Watch it begins to move.

Watch it begin to perish. Bread perishes. Now before I tell you what I think is being communicated. Let me First tell you what I know is not.

Jesus.

Is not telling them not to work and earn a living to provide for their families. He's not telling them not to work and by the swear their brow. Eat by the swear their face to eat bread. If that's what he is saying He's going against scripture.

So we have to conclude that Jesus is not telling them not to work. Like a job to provide for their families. 2nd Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 10 says this if anyone is not willing to work. Neither let him eat first.

Timothy chapter 5 verse 8 says this. But if anyone does not provide for his own. And especially of those of his household. He has denied the faith and he's worse than an unbeliever. Clearly Jesus is not communicating for them not to work, right?

So when our text says do not work for food that perishes. For the second he is not telling him not to get a job to earn food. However, what is he communicating. I Believe he is speaking about them following him.

Is speaking about them false disciples following him. It's work for a false disciple to follow Jesus. Why? Because they haven't been given the grace to follow Jesus. They have not been given the grace.

So they're they're actively following him is of their own doing and it is considered work. It took a lot of effort for this large group of Jews thank 20 to 25 thousand people to cross over the sea.

Looking for Jesus I.

Can't even imagine taking my small family and cross over the sea to do something. Imagine how it wore out to give her back camping. I know Pastor Cal has PTSD stories from him. But man camping is hard work.

It's hard work. You try to have a family camping trip and you come back to like you work the month and no days off.

And yet I believe it was yesterday.

My family were talking about the church having a camping trip. I probably just talked this out of it. But but but most of You know whether it's with your family or a large group of people. It's hard work.

You have 20 to 25 thousand people traveling over the sea to follow Jesus. This effort of following after Jesus was not an easy thing to do. And that's what stated earlier. They were doing so with wrong motives.

It was they didn't have like motives for following him. They haven't been given the grace. Remember I said earlier that Jesus to them was nothing more than a bread-and-fish Dispenser. He was their meal ticket their cash pound.

They were working for the food which parish. They didn't cross over there for Jesus. They crossed over there for bread. Jesus can take a sack lunch and feed all of us 20 to 25 thousand people. Let's not let this get away and they want it.

So let me read this again. They were working for the food that parishes and. What they have earned by doing so listen is what all of us have earned and that is there. Following after Jesus for the wrong reason is simple.

The wages of sin is death, right? The soul that sins shall die. Every one of us who have sinned we will die. This work does nothing positive for them in the eyes of God. No good work done in the body can merit favor with God.

You outside of Christ alone with your works will perish. Our works cannot.

Save us.

And when we try to add anything to the finished work of Christ, we only condemn ourselves therefore turning our good works. And it's a simple behavior. Name the greatest deed that can ever be done. And put in front of me.

I'm doing this to earn favor with God that great. The Bible tells us the wages of sin is When you die, that's your paycheck, this is what you earn. Yeah, the Old Testament shows us How God has promised to destroy death while the New Testament shows us how God.

Destroys death.

The Bread of Life and the Seal of God

Point number three.

The wages of which we have not earned we're going to read all of verse 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 set his seal.

Clearly.

Listen clearly verse 27 is teaching us that not. Excuse me. Clearly verse 27 is teaching us that we are not to follow Jesus. For the benefits he may offer. We're not to follow Jesus for the benefits that he may offer in the case of our text.

It's bread. They're following him for bread. If Jesus is a dispenser of any kind of benefit you're following him for the wrong purpose however. We are to follow him the benefits of him of having him. We're to follow Jesus for the benefits of having Jesus not for having bread not for having good health.

Name it. If it's not him then it's it's no benefit to us. We are to follow Jesus for the benefit of having him. When our text says for the food which endures to eternal life It's speaking about Jesus.

Look at verses 33 through 35. John chapter 6 33 3 35. Jesus speaking for the bread of God. Is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world? Then they said to him Lord Always give us this bread.

He said always give us this bread. They're still thinking physical bread that perishes.

Jesus said to them.

There's where he gets in trouble with him. I am the bread. He who comes to me Will never hunger. And he who believes in me. Think back to chapter 4. Will never thirst. We believe in Jesus. What do you get?

Jesus is the bread of life. Jesus is the one who came down from heaven in the incarnation.

Isaiah.

Psalm 14. Psalm 53 tells us that God sits on his throne and he looks down and he sees that no one Seeks for him. No one seeks for him. What is he doing? He steps down. He enters into creation. He lived the life speaking in his incarnation.

Look back at verse 27 again at the words. For the food which endures we turn white. The great word here for endures is me know. Me know which means to remain. To remain means. Listen not to perish for the food don't work for the food that perishes.

But for the food that endures we turn a lot. The food that remains Jesus is the bread. He is the one who remains. He does.

Perish.

We cannot consume it all right. We try right we we try to eat up as much as we can. I'm reading the scriptures trying to learn. They won't never get there. 10 ,000 years. And not the consumers. It does not go bad, right.

He is efficacious for all. What Christ has done is powerful enough for all people. We spoke about this Friday night at the man's hangout. Following Jesus for the sake of Jesus endures remains for eternal life.

Because Jesus has procured eternal life for us. Jesus has not procured eternal life. Then it perishes it does not remain. And as a matter of fact on chasing after him while working for the spread is simple.

You in life right now in your Your sanctification following Jesus.

It's not simple.

It's not 25 ,000 people trying to cross the sea. We have been given the grace of God and our sanctification following Jesus and it's not simple. We're not doing it again, if you're not doing it for the reasons of trying to Get something benefit whether it's love whether it's food whether just name it.

Again, the name is plain health wealth prosperity gospel if you're seeking Jesus for that purpose health wealth and prosperity. It's simple and it's going to perish. So follow Jesus for the sake of Jesus endures remains for eternal life because Jesus has procured eternal life for us this being the life that he lived as a substitute and the death that he died as a substitute.

And listen. That's how he is destroying the dead. That's how he is destroying death. If you are here for our Easter Sunday we mentioned his resurrection Is an already and not yet fulfillment of what takes place in 1st Corinthians chapter 15.

And that old saying goes death. Where's your sting? Oh death. Where is your day?

There's going to come a day.

When you and I when we die when Christ comes back and the dead in Christ are raised when that will be fully.

Fully.

Here.

Where is your. Jesus will once and for all destroy death right now. He is destroying One day. That same section says the last enemy to be destroyed is death. No more will die. Jesus tells Martha who's speaking on the resurrection.

He says he who believes in me, even though they die. Yet shall we live. Death is being destroyed. And it's through the life. That Jesus lived as a substitute in my place and the death that Jesus died as a substitute.

This which he freely gives to us. For on him on Jesus God the Father has set his seal. At this time in the text if you were given the seal of the king. You spoke for the king. So it Signet ring if the king gives you his signet ring to go out.

He made that seal on you you spoke for the king. Whatever you said it is as if it's coming for the mouth of the king. The seal of God is the Holy Spirit and at the baptism of Jesus We see that the Holy Spirit came and rested on Jesus and according to Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1 God has spoken through his son Jesus in these last days Jesus by that sign appearing upon him at his baptism.

It's the same. This is my signet. He asked my. He's the one you are to listen to and now by faith in Jesus following after Jesus. Singing Jesus for Jesus We have been given the seal of God. Ephesians chapter 1 if you will turn there look at verse 13.

Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13 in him speaking of Jesus you also.

After.

Listening to the word of truth the gospel of your salvation having also believed were sealed In him with the Holy Spirit of promise Jesus taking that ring and sealing us. Turn over to chapter 4 of Ephesians look at verse 30.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

By whom.

You were sealed.

For the day.

Redemption. If you have the seal of God, you will not fall away. That's the difference right between a false disciple. And a true disciple. False disciples fall away. True disciples endure to eternal life Because they have been given the bread of life Jesus Christ.

You will if you have the seal of God you will not fall away. Will not lose the seal of God. And you will not fall away not because you're doing the right things like the opposite. You will not fall away because Jesus is.

What he said.

Those who.

Hadn't memorized. I don't know. I haven't memorized but it slipped my mind. Do not work for the thing which perishes right here, but for the food which endures. If you have Christ meaning you are in Christ listen to this.

You cannot be. If you have Christ that means you are in Christ. You cannot be in Christ. Giving you the Holy Spirit you are in. You're in here with you sitting in the heavenly places, you know already and not yet.

Yeah, which is why We will see that these disciples that are following Jesus after the bread it perishes are not true disciples. They are not true followers. They are not Christians they are not in Christ.

They are not Christians and they are not Christian because their faith was not in Jesus.

What was their faith? What was their faith?

Besides the bread the faith was in the bread. It was in the gift and not the giver. It was in the gift and not the giver. Now, I don't know what this feels like a hundred percent.

But I know.

20 All of us we have kids and we give them gifts and sometimes we See our kids and they're playing them. Yeah, and they're more Enamored by the gift than they are to give. Right when I see my kids.

Whatever it is, let's pick on Trinity. She's she's on her electronics I walk in. She's focused on the gear and not the giver. That's what's taking place here. They're focused on the gear and not the giver.

They're focused on the gear and not the giver. The difference between true followers of Jesus Christ and false followers of Jesus Christ. Don't let this look at mine. You don't remember anything. I was one of this is the object of which our faith is.

Is your faith in the signs is your faith in what you can get from Jesus or is your faith in Christ? If your faith and hope are immaterial blessings of being a follower of Christ.

Or.

Is your faith in Christ one more time. Is your faith in hope in the material blessings of being a follower of Christ or is your faith in hope in Christ alone and I'll leave you to answer that question.

I'm available to anyone who wants to talk pastor Cal Josh as well.

Yeah.

The Lord moving the heart. If you have anything that you want to talk about Please come and see one of us. That's right Father. Lord, we love you. We thank you for your word. God, I know that I can be distracted in life and I'm sure that everyone in here can echo what I'm saying.

I Can be so distracted in life That it can seem as if I'm looking at everything going on Without focusing on or please forgive me. Grant to me repentance. Help me to not be.

A.

Disciple and follower who focuses on the gift and not the giver. Father everything that I have has been given to me by you. My wife my kids my wife this church. My church family. Lord help me. Please as I give thanks for these things that you've given me.

To never take my eyes off of Christ. To never think look what I have been. But to give Thanksgiving to you for providing what you have provided for us. Lord you have given us something great. Which is the supper.

The supper which reminds us of what you have done for us in your death. The body that was broken for us and the blood that was shed for us. Please in this moment that we partake in this supper Lord. We ask that you grant grace forgiveness and grace.

And that you will use it just as I pray you did today with the preaching of your word. Grow us in the image of your son. Pray this in Christ's name.