What's In It For Me? (John 6:24-35) Ordinary 18 Year B
Summary
TLDRIn this week's video talk, the speaker discusses John 6:24-35, where Jesus reveals the true motives of the crowd seeking him for material gain rather than spiritual enlightenment. He emphasizes that genuine belief in Jesus involves trusting in his teachings, recognizing his unique kingship through the cross, and embracing his sacrificial love. The speaker also reflects on the challenges of pleasing everyone in ministry and encourages trusting Jesus for eternal life, beyond physical needs.
Takeaways
- 📖 The script begins with a recap of the previous week's discussion on John chapter 6, where Jesus fed the 5,000 and the subsequent events.
- 🔍 The crowd's search for Jesus and their motives are questioned, with Jesus pointing out that they seek Him for the wrong reasons, not for the signs but for the loaves they ate.
- 🍞 Jesus introduces the concept of 'true bread from heaven', emphasizing the spiritual nourishment that comes from believing in Him over physical sustenance.
- 🙏 The work of God, according to Jesus, is to believe in the one He has sent, highlighting the importance of faith over seeking signs or miracles.
- 🤔 The crowd's desire for a sign like the manna in the wilderness is contrasted with Jesus' teaching on the spiritual bread that gives eternal life.
- 💧 The speaker takes a moment for a personal aside, mentioning a sabbatical and reflecting on the 'what's in it for me' attitude prevalent in society.
- 👑 Jesus' rejection of the crowd's desire to make Him king by force and His emphasis on spiritual leadership rather than temporal power is discussed.
- 🕊 The concept of discipleship is explored, with Jesus allowing those who do not truly believe to go, showing the importance of genuine faith over forced adherence.
- 🌐 The speaker challenges the modern church to consider its approach to pleasing people versus staying true to Jesus' teachings.
- ❤️ Believing in Jesus involves trusting in His teachings, which often challenge societal norms and require a radical shift in perspective.
- ✝️ Trusting in Jesus' kingship means recognizing His authority and the transformative power of His sacrifice on the cross.
- 💖 Trusting in Jesus' love involves embracing His teachings and His sacrifice, understanding that His actions are for our benefit and the world's transformation.
Q & A
What event in John chapter 6 is the speaker referring to at the beginning of the video?
-The speaker is referring to the event where Jesus fed the 5,000 and then escaped with his disciples across the Sea of Galilee to avoid being made king by force by the crowd.
Why did the crowd in John 6:24-35 go to Capernaum?
-The crowd went to Capernaum in search of Jesus after realizing that neither he nor his disciples were present where they initially were.
What does Jesus imply about the crowd's motives for seeking him in John 6:26?
-Jesus implies that the crowd is seeking him not because they recognized the signs he performed, but because they were satisfied by the loaves they ate and were looking for more physical benefits.
What is the 'true bread from heaven' according to Jesus in John 6?
-The 'true bread from heaven' is Jesus himself, who gives life to the world and offers eternal life to those who believe in him.
What is the work of God that Jesus mentions to the crowd?
-The work of God, according to Jesus, is to believe in the one he has sent, which is Jesus himself.
What does the speaker imply about the attitude of people seeking benefits from following Jesus?
-The speaker implies that people often seek Jesus for personal benefits rather than genuine faith, similar to the crowd in the scripture who were only geographically following Jesus.
What does the speaker compare the crowd's attitude to in terms of seeking from Jesus?
-The speaker compares the crowd's attitude to the 'what's in it for me' mentality often found in wider society, including politicians during elections.
What does the speaker suggest is the main difference between Jesus's kingship and the one the crowd imagined?
-The speaker suggests that Jesus's kingship is spiritual and heavenly, expressed through his sacrificial death on the cross, rather than a military or worldly power as the crowd imagined.
What are the three aspects of trusting in Jesus that the speaker identifies?
-The three aspects are trusting in Jesus's teachings, trusting in his kingship as seen at the cross, and trusting in his love for humanity.
What does the speaker suggest is the proper attitude for Christians during worship?
-The speaker suggests that the proper attitude for Christians during worship is one of giving rather than getting, focusing on the act of worship itself rather than personal benefits.
What does the speaker imply about the church's approach to pleasing people?
-The speaker implies that the church should not soften or redesign its message to please people but should maintain the integrity of its teachings, even if it means people may leave.
Outlines
📖 The Search for Jesus and the True Bread from Heaven
In this segment, the speaker revisits the biblical narrative of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and the subsequent pursuit of Jesus by the crowd who wanted to make him king. The focus then shifts to John 6:24-35, where Jesus addresses the crowd's motives for seeking him, highlighting that they were driven by the physical sustenance they received rather than the spiritual signs. Jesus introduces the concept of the 'bread of life' and emphasizes the eternal life that comes from believing in him, contrasting the temporal benefits sought by the crowd with the eternal significance of faith. The speaker also reflects on societal attitudes that mirror the crowd's 'what's in it for me' approach, drawing parallels with modern politics and societal expectations.
🔍 The Misunderstanding of Motives and the Essence of Belief
This paragraph delves into the crowd's misunderstanding of Jesus' teachings and their motives for following him. The speaker points out that while there are benefits to following Jesus, the crowd's primary motivation was self-centered, focusing on physical fulfillment rather than spiritual growth. The speaker contrasts this with genuine belief, which involves trusting in Jesus' teachings, his role as the Messiah, and the significance of his works. The narrative emphasizes that Jesus did not aim to please the crowd but to guide them towards a deeper understanding of faith. The speaker also touches on the challenges faced by church leaders in trying to satisfy congregations that may have similar self-serving attitudes.
🛐 Embracing Jesus' Teachings, Kingship, and Love
The speaker discusses the threefold nature of true belief in Jesus: trusting in his teachings, acknowledging his kingship, and recognizing his love. Jesus' teachings challenge societal norms, promoting selflessness, forgiveness, and service. His kingship, unlike worldly expectations, is demonstrated through his sacrifice on the cross, which is presented as a transformative event for believers and the world. The speaker suggests that trusting in Jesus' love involves embracing his teachings and understanding the significance of his crucifixion as the means by which he changes lives and the world. The paragraph concludes with the idea that it is through this trust that believers receive the blessings they seek, not through self-serving actions.
📅 Anticipating the Next Video and Reflecting on Trust in Jesus
In the final paragraph, the speaker informs the audience of a temporary hiatus from video production to spend time with family and announces the return date. The focus then returns to the theme of trust in Jesus, highlighting that it is through entrusting oneself to Jesus that one receives spiritual fulfillment and the 'bread of life' that satisfies beyond physical hunger. The speaker concludes by wishing the audience God's blessings and love, emphasizing their status as God's beloved children, and signs off with an invitation to return for the next video session.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡John Chapter 6
💡Disciples
💡Sea of Galilee
💡Bread of Life
💡Signs
💡Manna
💡Sabbatical
💡What's in it for me?
💡Belief
💡Kingship
💡Trust
Highlights
Jesus fed 5,000 people and then escaped with disciples across the Sea of Galilee when the crowd wanted to make him king by force.
The crowd's search for Jesus led them to Capernaum, where they questioned his arrival, to which Jesus replied about seeking him for the wrong reasons.
Jesus emphasizes the importance of seeking eternal life and the spiritual nourishment he provides, rather than physical sustenance.
The true work of God is to believe in Jesus, the one sent by God, as stated by Jesus himself.
Jesus challenges the crowd's desire for a sign, pointing out that it is not Moses but God who provides the true bread from heaven.
Jesus declares himself as the Bread of Life, offering eternal sustenance to those who believe in him.
The speaker reflects on the self-centered attitude often found in society, including within the church, contrasting it with Jesus' teachings.
Believing in Jesus involves more than acknowledging his existence; it requires trusting in his teachings and entrusting our lives to him.
The teachings of Jesus often contradict societal norms, requiring a radical trust in his guidance for a life of love and service.
Jesus' kingship is expressed through his sacrifice on the cross, which is central to believing in his transformative power.
Believing in Jesus involves trusting in his love, which is demonstrated through his life among the poor and his sacrificial death on the cross.
The speaker discusses the challenges of pleasing everyone in ministry and the importance of staying true to Jesus' message.
The speaker emphasizes that the blessings we seek come from trusting in Jesus, not from self-serving attitudes.
The video concludes with the speaker taking a sabbatical to spend time with family and returning in three weeks.
The speaker leaves the audience with a reminder of God's love and blessings, encouraging them until the next video.
Transcripts
uh
welcome to this week's uh video talk
last week we were in the beginning of
john chapter 6
where jesus fed the 5 000 and then when
the crowd wanted
to make him king by force he
and the disciples escaped
across the sea of galilee the disciples
initially in the boat
uh jesus joining them later in the boat
having walked on the water
and they tried to get away well we pick
it up slightly after that
uh this week at john 6 24
the crowd has been looking for jesus
and eventually they catch up with him
john
6 verses 24-35
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 of
the lake they asked him
rabbi when did you get here
jesus answered them 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
do not work for food that spoils but for
food that endures
to 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 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
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
so they said always give us this bread
then jesus declared i am the bread of
life
whoever comes to me will never go hungry
and whoever believes in me
will never be thirsty
but at this moment i am physically
thirsty so excuse me while i
glug some water
when it was announced in one of my
previous
appointments that i was due a sabbatical
the only reaction from my senior steward
at one of my churches was
what's he going to bring back for us
there was no concern that it might be
beneficial
for me or that i might need it
it was rather like the what's in it for
me
question that we often find in wider
society i mean politicians know how
significant
that question is don't they and so when
elections
come around their manifestos and their
media messages are all packed with what
they are going to do
for the voters much more
than their vision of what a better
society would be
and what's in it for me is very much
the attitude of the crowd that has
hunted down
jesus and his disciples after they tried
to escape across the water
when jesus knew that that crowd wanted
to make him king by force and
and so that's really what what jesus
tells them their motives
are your your motives are what's in it
for me
so in verse 26 jesus answered very truly
i tell you
you're looking for me not because you
saw the signs i performed
but because you ate your loaves and had
your fill
what's in it for me i'm not going to
deny
that there are many benefits that come
from
following jesus but the crowd were only
following jesus in a geographical sense
they weren't following him as their
teacher
let alone as their lord and savior
they were in it for themselves
and if we're honest sometimes our words
and
actions as christians betray
similar attitudes you ever heard someone
on sunday morning say
i didn't get much out of that service
completely missing the fact that an
act of worship is fundamentally an
act of giving not an act of getting
and jesus instead
puts this before the crowd about what
they're to do he says
the work of god is this to believe
in the one he has sent
but is that good enough for the crowd
well no
they want a sign like manna from heaven
despite what they've just witnessed with
the feeding of the five thousand
you know there's there's just no
pleasing some people is there
which i guess is the point jesus
hasn't come just to please people
um any more than ministers
other church leaders have you know
sometimes when some strangers discover
what my work is
they say to me it must be very difficult
for you
trying to please all the people all the
time
to which my usual response is to say
actually it isn't my job to please
everyone
you get the impression in the story that
no matter what jesus says
this crowd has very little intention
of becoming disciples in fact were you
to
skip to the end of the chapter
you'll find that apart from jesus's
inner circle nearly everyone
bails on him
and when they do jesus lets them go
he doesn't soften his message for them
he doesn't redesign his message
around their lived experiences
and that's something that today's church
would do well to ponder
so what does it mean to believe in the
one
whom god has sent
what does it mean therefore to feed on
jesus the bread of life
well if it's about believing him
let's eliminate one very basic very
minimal thing
believing in jesus is not simply about
believing he exists that crowd knew he
existed he was there in front of them
it can't be that it's
something more it's believing
in him in the sense of trusting him
and trusting him to the extent
that we entrust our very lives to him
so what does that involve well here are
three things that occurred to me i'm
sure you can fill it out with more
than just this list firstly
it's going to involve trusting in his
teaching
and that's quite a radical step to begin
with so much of jesus's teaching
cuts across the norms of his day
and it cuts across every bit as much if
not more
the norms of our culture loving god and
loving our neighbor ahead of ourselves
forgiving people that our society labels
unforgivable serving others instead of
lording it over them
oh sure
when we do see some other people living
selfish
selflessly we applaud
and we nominate them for an honor from
the queen
but to think that we should all do this
isn't that a bit
much we'll let these other
noble people do the good acts
vicariously for us
but you see if we believe in jesus
and his teaching we can't make excuses
like that to believe in him is going to
involve
an act of trust that embraces
his teaching not just in our heads
but in our hearts in our hands in our
feet
secondly it's going to involve
trusting in his kingship
and of course jesus's own kingship is
very different
from the one that the crowd imagined
you know for jesus no military ruler
killing his enemies here instead
when jesus spoke about his kingship i
mean you remember he said to pilate
that his kingdom was he didn't say not
of this world he said it was
not from this world because his kingship
came from heaven
but then that kingship was expressed
differently he talked about being lifted
up and of course
you know a king would be lifted up would
be exalted
he said when i am lifted up
from the earth i will draw all people
to myself
but the place where jesus was lifted up
from the earth was the cross
jesus was enthroned
at the cross that's where
he is seen as king of israel
and king of all creation
believing in jesus and his kingship
means trusting that his cross
is what changes the world the cross
is where notice is served on the powers
of evil the cross
is where the king pronounces our sins
forgiven
and we begin the journey of living
a new and ever
increasingly different life
so to believe in him means trusting in
his teaching it means trusting in his
kingship seen at the cross
thirdly it's going to involve
trusting in his love
because all that i've mentioned so far
about the teaching of jesus and of his
cross
indicate one upside down approach
to life that he brings does he have our
best
interests at heart when he calls us to
self-denial
how exactly can his death
serve as the turning point of history
i believe jesus knows
that what he asks of us is the opposite
of what the world broadcasts
but you know he invites us to look at
all he has done for us
and then answer the question
about whether he loves us and whether we
will trust him
in particular i think he reminds
us
of his love in these ways that in love
he was willing to give up the glory of
heaven
and live among the poor and in love
he was willing to give up his life on
the cross
to change us and change the world
all this is for us
to trust in his great love for us
and hence also
to trust in his teaching
and is his kingship enthroned at the
cross
and it's with that relationship of trust
that comes all the blessings we long for
they don't come from god by us
grabbing all we can for ourselves with
that
what's in it for me attitude
it's by trusting ourselves into
jesus's hands that we gain
more than physical bread
to fill our stomachs
we gain jesus himself
the bread of life and we will never
grow hungry again
i hope you find that helpful
normally at this point i
invite you to um look forward to next
week into the next video but
in fact the next video will be in three
weeks time because
i'm going to be taking a couple of weeks
off to
spend with my family over the middle of
august
so i will
see you again on this channel from
sunday the 22nd of august
in the meantime may you know that god
blesses you
and loves you as his dearly beloved
children
see you soon bye
you
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