Seven Signs in John's Gospel

John Ch6 The Storm at Sea and Jesus, the 'Bread of Life'

Theme: 'Trusting God for the Future'

Johns' Gospel is not a definitive narrative, but a revelation of who Jesus really was i.e. The Son of God.

Therefore the structure of John's Gospel has different emphasis.

Whereas the other gospels that cover the incident of the storm, mention Peter, John uses this incident to link the feeding of the five thousand, with Jesus' declaration that he is the 'Bread of Life,

Just a few verses give us this story, one of the 'seven signs' of who Jesus is.

vv11-14 We've seen Jesus feeding the five thousand

v15 Jesus sends the crowds away and takes Himself off to pray

v16 The disciples take a boat and set off for Capernaum (without Jesus) across the Lake of Galilee

v18 A strong storm blows up

V19 They fear for their lives, Jesus sees their predicament and goes to them walking on the water.

vv20-21He calms their fears and on entering the boat, the storm dies down and they reach their destination immediately

vv22-23Then the crowds following from Tiberias arrive and wonder, because they had not seen Jesus get into the boat with the disciples.

What are we to learn from this incident, in the light of the main theme of; 'Trusting God for the Future' ?

You need Jesus in your life for your journey (ex)
Jesus brings peace, security and calm into your life the world cannot give. ( John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
When Jesus comes into your life, you start to get places.

v21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

How often we labour so hard and yet make so little progress?

Then upon his disembarking from the boat in v26. He sees through their real reason for following Him. Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. People must have said to their neighbours "come and see this Jesus, miracle worker, entertainment and you get fed too!". Yet for us, so much of our relationship with Jesus is rooted in this world's materialism. "Lord; give me this , help me here !" v27 Jesus points to where their aspirations really should be." for food that endures to eternal life" v 28. The Jews claim they want to understand

Have you ever patiently explained the Gospel message to people who ask questions, but don't really want to accept the answers?

Jesus preaches to them, and shows them that he is the bread of life, and that those who reject him are without excuse, v35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (ex on bread being known as the 'staff of life' (ex on Dad Studd) v48 I am the bread of life. This is the first of the great 'I Am's' of Jesus. Just as bread is the source and sustainer of human life, so Jesus is the source and sustainer of spiritual life,

What does Jesus mean by this statement? Well the Jews didn't understand! They were looking for a miraculous sign They quote their history. "Our fatherss gave us bread in the wilderness." They may have quoted this, because many Jews believed that this would be one of the signs performed by the Messiah when he came. In fact Jesus corrects them and reminds them it was God who supplied the manna.

But this statement of Jesus also poses the question to us. 'What are we sustaining ourselves on?' You see when Jesus fed the five thousand in the beginning of Ch6 they ate their fill. Mt 14:20 They all ate and were satisfied, What are we eating? what sustains our spiritual life? and are we satisfied? People are looking for 'signs and wonders' rather than responding to the gospel message.

The Jews still did not understand. So they take umbrage and try to put Jesus down. v42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, `I came down from heaven'?" v52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

And again and again, Jesus patently explains his message in vv 43-59 But what does the message mean for us, today? 'unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.' It's the phrase that is echoed in the communion service, as we remember His body broken for us, His blood shed for us.

Jesus goes on, v 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." And in v54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Paul writes in 1 Cor 15: 50. "I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God , nor does the peris hable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all slee p, but we will all be changed-- 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."

But that will only happen if you have accepted Jesus into your heart and life as your Saviour and Lord!

The result of this clear teaching by Jesus to His disciples, while he was in the synagogue? Several of the disciples stumbled at his assertion, that unless they ate his flesh and drank his blood they could not have life, v60. On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" The doctrine of redemption through the cross is still a stumbling block today.

Jesus then shows them that his words are to be spiritually understood vv 61-65. Several of them withdraw from him, v66. He questions the twelve, whether they also want to forsake him, and Peter answers with that amazing statement of faith in v68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

So, if you've come to Jesus and believe on Him, don't be an uncertain Christian. In this passage, Jesus says you have eternal life. And you can take His word for it! 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

Are you still hungry?

Mike Read