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This sermon was preached on Sunday 19/08/2001 Am, by Kevin Matthews.
We continue our studies in chapter six of the Gospel According to John this morning by asking this question, ‘are you searching for Jesus?’
Our day is marked by people searching for many things, for example, those things that will make their lives worth living. For some it is the quest for that illusive first million, over which they obsess and loose all sense of perspective - they must get this money, for then their lives will have meaning. For others it is about ‘finding themselves,’ and so they head off into the wilderness for a length of time to get in touch with their inner self. Still others pursue some sort of charity work, in order to give themselves an inner feeling of worth and value and of making a difference in the world. Yet all such exercises are the pursuit of mere temporal satisfactions, that still leave the yearning of eternity unanswered in their breasts, for God has ‘put eternity in their hearts (Ecc 3:11).’
For some their pursuit is to be found in the area of religion, and so there are a multitude of competing religious opportunities throughout the world, each vying for the ear of the masses. Some seek to find in this field, the opportunity to help those less fortunate then themselves, and thereby to feel good about themselves, realising some form of self-worth and respect along the way. For others it is the possibility of filling a great gap that they sense in their lives, and so they pursue religion in order to fill that yawning hole that they know is there, even though they are not sure just where it is and why it is and what it is. Yet even in these religious pursuits, all that is generally achieved are temporal satisfactions, the eternal being still unrealised.
Here this morning we have a small group of people who have come together in this place as part of an association known as the ‘Northlake’s Reformed Baptist Church.’ I do not know your minds, and I cannot see your inner motives in coming, but know this, there is One who does. For what reason have you come? Are you seeking the satisfaction of some temporal longing, or do you seek the satisfaction of an eternal longing? This morning I ask you the question, ‘are you searching for Jesus?’
I would expect that if asked that question aloud, every person would say yes. Everyone would be concerned to give the appearance of piety and of sincerity. Someone is perhaps searching for Jesus in order to be saved, another in order to worship and serve Him, and so on. They would be the sort of answers you would expect to hear from a gathering such as this.
However, I ask you to go deeper than the surface and the customary responses this morning, to a place beyond the mere superficial and traditional, as I ask, ‘are you searching for Jesus?’ What is the real reason for you being here today? Think upon that question as we continue to look at this passage today and over the next few weeks. ‘Why am I here really? Am I really searching for Jesus? What is the point of all my religion?’
Let’s turn to our passage then for this morning, John 6:22-27.
The passage tells us clearly that the event we are now considering occurred the day after the feeding of the 5000 plus, and the events that occurred with the crossing of the Sea of Galilee. Now what you need to remember here is what we have already seen in our previous consideration of John six. And what is it that we have already seen here?
There have been a number of ‘signs,’ yes, but especially the one witnessed by the crowd in the feeding of the 5000 plus. There has also been that great stirring of excitement that arose in the crowd, that was moving toward outright rebellion against the occupying power of Rome. ‘Jesus, He’s the Prophet who will fulfil all our needs, our food, and our deliverance from Rome.’ They saw in Him a mere temporal Messiah, an answer to a temporal longing deep within the Jewish psyche.
Now it is into this setting that we must view what occurs next in chapter six, and this John leads us by the hand to remember, with the first few verses of our passage this morning. A good number of the people that witnessed the feeding of the 5000 plus may have continued on their journey to Jerusalem in order to attend the Passover there, some may also have returned home, but there are still others who continued on in their mission to get Jesus to lead their cause. So they went back to the place where Jesus told His disciples to leave Him, searching for Jesus. Perhaps they brought others of like mind with them. Soon a crowd had again gathered, with boats arriving also from Tiberias.
Remembering that Jesus didn’t get into the boat with the disciples, and that there were no other boats, He must therefore be around here still somewhere - such was the thinking of the crowd. So they start searching for Jesus. Note that these people are in great earnestness as they search for Jesus. They really do want to find Him. They are very sincere in their searching. They must find Jesus. They are extremely passionate about their interest in Jesus - ‘When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone (6:15).’
However, He couldn’t be found in that place, so ‘When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus (6:24).’ Obviously someone had heard Jesus tell His disciples that He would meet them in Capernaum, so off they head in a flotilla of boats from neighbouring Tiberias in search of Jesus.
Now when they actually do find Jesus in Capernaum, possibly in the synagogue as verse 59 suggests, they were stunned that He was actually already there. They had probably thought that He was walking around the sea and that they would have beaten Him there, for they did not know about Him walking across the sea on foot. So stunned, they asked Him, ‘Rabbi, when camest thou hither (6:25)?’ This was just something they couldn’t figure out. ‘Had He travelled all night? How is it possible that He could have beaten us here?’
Now you see something very interesting in Jesus’ reply to the people at this point, for He doesn’t give them an answer to their question. He doesn’t bother to tell them about the storm and how he crossed over to the disciples by walking across the stormy sea. He doesn’t even begin to reason with them about that or even to begin answering their question. We could of course speculate reasons as to why He didn’t answer, but simply we don’t know, for the text does not give us any certain reason. Rather, Jesus goes straight for the need of the people who have come across in search of Him - their spiritual need, and not any temporal need.
Now this is something that I think you and I can learn from in our approach to evangelism. We must not get hooked up on all the side issues that the lost try to get us caught up on. Keep your focus on their greatest need, and do not be derailed by trivial questions and unnecessary side paths. Keep your aim straight and true, and do not let them escape their real need for Jesus. Now that that’s just an aside, something worthy of thinking about I think. But what did Jesus say?
‘Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled (6:26).’
Instead of answering the question, Jesus as I said, goes straight for the real issue that these Jewish people needed to face up to, and that is their primary motive in searching for Jesus. What does the verse suggest? Well, it implies that the real reason these people had sought Jesus out, was just for another free feed, while the rest of the chapter makes it abundantly clear that these people wanted Jesus for a temporal Messiah and for that reason alone.
They had enjoyed a good meal the day before, and now they wanted more of the same. So here is Jesus, the meal ticket for the people. Here is Jesus, the provider of all of the needs of Israel in the physical sense. Here is Jesus, the deliverer from Rome. That’s what they saw when they looked at Jesus - all He said went in one ear and out the other, they only saw their fantasy, they only saw a self-centred opportunity for domination throughout the Middle East.
What a tragedy, for these people had missed the whole point of the signs that Jesus did before them. These signs pointed to Jesus as God and as the God-appointed Deliverer of His people from their sins - the spiritual Messiah that the Old Testament Scriptures had spoke about. Of this physical deliverer, the Scriptures know nothing. Here was God providing that which was to get the peoples attention, so that they would recognize Jesus for who He really is - but they missed it, being too caught up in their own sin, being enslaved to the god of this world and unable to see because of the darkness of their own minds and hearts.
As verse 27 says, ‘for him hath God the Father sealed,’ referring of course to the witness of the Old Testament Scriptures, the Father’s Words at the baptism of Jesus, the man sent from God (John the Baptist), and through the very signs that He had given Jesus as an attestation of His Divinity and of His setting apart as the spiritual deliverer of Israel. Surely it is clear, Jesus is demonstrated to be the Chosen One to save His people from their sins, for God has proclaimed it so through all these signs, all these pointers that screamed at the people, ‘Jesus is the One.’
Have things really changed today? I don’t think so. What is it that the church is to provide in this world? Is not the chief purpose of the church the proclamation of the gospel, teaching all men to obey all things that Jesus has said? Then why is it that a multitude of churches preach a gospel of social concern? Why is it that the churches are so keen to provide child care, emotional support for single mothers, financial support for the poor and needy, and a host of other enterprises? Is it not because the world seeks a temporal deliverer and the church is all too keen to provide it with one! The church of today has followed in the footsteps of the world, for it too is caught up in the pursuit of temporal satisfactions. It looks for deliverance from unemployment, for deliverance from drugs, for deliverance from sexually transmitted diseases, and so on - all temporal maladies, while leaving the eternal.
What is it that you are seeking with Jesus this morning? Are you here simply for the sake of gaining some temporal appearance or some outward conformity to the teachings of Jesus regarding church going so that those around you don’t find you out? You may deceive us and your neighbours, but do you not know that ‘for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart (1 Sam 16:7).’ He knows your motive! He knows what you are about. Yes, you can escape the biting criticism of your neighbours, the rebukes of your elder and the discipline of the church, but you will not escape the condemnation of the Lord.
Perhaps you have an accusing conscience, so to placate that conscience you have come along to church, begun to do religious things associated with going to church and all this in order to drown out the noise of a conscience that cries out, ‘guilty is the man!’ You have begun to read the Bible every so often, perhaps to read a Christian article once in a while, and even to have a ‘Christian-like’ chat with someone every so often. You are trying to drown out the cries of your conscience with the noise of religious activity, but dear friend, that activity will only last as long as this life and when this life is over, so will be the thin veil of your hypocrisy, for it will be stripped away from you and you will be exposed before Him who will judge the living and the dead.
For you it may be the approach of eternity, and being racked with disease and illness you know that your time is nearly up. You are not truly sorry for your sin, not truly repentant from a life of wickedness, for you just wish to escape the rigours of an eternity without Christ and one of continuing terror in Hell. So you come searching for Jesus in order to get an out of Hell free ticket, with no real desire to be done with sin, with no longing after righteousness, and with no passion for holiness.
I am not Jesus; my domain is looking at the outward appearance, so I may not be able to discern the real story with you. I do not know the real reason why you come to church this morning, but I do know that all the false and shady and perverse and hypocritical and insincere motives that you may have within your hearts this morning, will not survive the last great day of the Lord - your sham will be exposed my friend. Is it not better to turn from it now then to wait for that day when your motives will be tested with divine fire? Surely you will not deceive yourself into thinking that you can beat even God with your scam?
Why do you search for Jesus today? Why are you here my friend? What longing has brought you to this church this morning? Oh hear the words of Jesus this morning, oh that these words would echo in your ears long after you leave this place today.
‘Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed (6:27).’
Dear ones without Christ this morning, whether the people know it or whether you keep your true state hidden from us, your pursuit of these temporal religious goals is hard work. You work at chasing the wind, at taking hold of that which will not satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart, thinking that you will gain something of the greatest importance, but it will only be a temporal satisfaction in the light of eternity.
‘Labour not for the meat which perisheth (6:27),’ for there is no lasting benefit with it. Such food will only satisfy the desires of earthly appetites and leave you destitute of spiritual nourishment until you finally die and find yourself in a state of spiritual starvation. You will have nothing that endures eternity, for it will all be of passing significance, passing away with this current world. Stop working at getting hold of such things - stop it, yes stop it! Don’t continue to pursue these things, stop now and take stock before it is too late.
No longer pursue good reputation among friends and neighbours as the be all and end all of your life, stop seeking to quench that desire of mere inner satisfaction, give up the pursuit of an easy believism get out of Hell ticket - for these things will perish. Those things will not make it through into the next life and they leave you stranded in the pit of Hell. Oh dear one, anything which falls short of the God given gift of salvation in Jesus Christ is something that will leave you wanting at the gates of eternity, and you will not therefore set foot in the heavenly kingdom. Such passing pleasures, such worldly pursuits, such earthly goals will not satisfy your greatest need, but they will confirm you in your lost estate.
You must cast off all those pursuits that cause you to neglect the greatest issue of the soul as worthless and vanity, ‘ for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor 4:18).’ ‘How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost (Heb 2:3,4).’ You must pursue that ‘ which endureth unto everlasting life (6:27),’ or you shall not escape the wrath that is to come.
There are so many who become so caught up with things that merely satisfy the longings of the temporal flesh, at the expense of eternity and salvation. Whatever that pursuit is, or pursuits are, be done with them, let them no longer hold the first place in your life. Cast off the obsession with money, the obsession of material goods, the obsession of whatever it is and pursue the satisfaction of salvation that answers the call of eternal satisfaction. Why do you neglect your souls in the pursuit of temporal things, of things that do not satisfy?
Rather you should labour for that which does satisfy. Yes, the text says to labour for it, to pursue it with all that you are and have with great earnestness. Do not cease in your pursuit until you have it. You must not laze about waiting for it to fall into your lap, you must pursue it, for your very soul’s eternity depends upon your possession of it. Will you labour for it? Will you search for it till you have it? Do you not realise that you perish for want of it, then seek for it with all your heart? Let no obstacle be found that you will not remove and no difficulty to great that you will endure in your pursuit of the soul’s eternal satisfaction.
What is it to labour for this eternal satisfying food you ask? It means that you must pursue it, and make every effort to get it in the way revealed in the Scriptures, for ‘from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force (Mt 11:12).’ They are not the words of someone sitting about waiting, but of they who are determined to take it with holy violence, doing all that is necessary that they might have it. They are not the words of someone pursuing the kingdom by works or earthly method, but someone pursuing it by God’s way, even by faith. You must not seek it in your own way, but God’s way.
Yes, you must use the means that God has provided. Hear the Word preached that you might know of the way of salvation. Do not forsake the assembling of the saints, for it is here that you will hear the way of salvation. Read the Bible and good books that you might understand the way to salvation in Jesus Christ. Pray unto God, casting yourself at the mercy of He who must save you, for you cannot save yourself.
Use all these means that the Bible declares to be right and proper, but don’t put your trust in them, for they will not satisfy you in the last day. Do not linger in your consideration of the means of grace, for the simple aquaintence with them will not save you, for it is Christ who does that. Flee to Him who will receive all who come to Him by faith, for in doing so you will not be put to shame, and your soul will find its eternal rest.
Hear the Scriptures again, ‘Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life (6:27),’ so pursue it you must, yet it is that ‘ which the Son of man shall give unto you (6:27).’
The message is clear to you today - you must use all the means that God has placed at your disposal, and you must follow the method that God has outlined to you in His Word, and then you will gain the everlasting meal that satisfies for all eternity - yes, even Jesus.
Do not give up if you think He will not receive you, if you think you have gone to Him and he has rejected you. Rather stay with Him, continually seeking Him and casting yourself upon His mercy. Recognize sinner that you are in no place to demand grace, for it is a gift ‘which the Son of Man shall give you (6:27)’ in His time. Recognize guilty one that you are in no position to make demands of God, or to set time limits on His mercy. Recognize sinner that you are the sinner, guilty before God and worthy of eternal damnation, and then plead with Him for salvation.
Sinner, has He still cast you off? Sinner, do you still not have peace with God? Then why do you not believe the Words that He continues to speak to you, for He will not cast off any who come to Him by faith, resting in His eternal work of satisfaction.
‘All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out (Jn 6:37).’
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