John Lesson 19

Introduction

Have you ever wondered why it is true that some who saw Jesus work the miracles that he worked and heard him teach the parables that he taught. Some were willing to believe in him and even to die for the testimony that he is the Christ, the Son of God. And yet there were others who saw some of the same miracles and heard some of the same parables. Yet they did not believe in him. What is the difference between the two? We’re studying from John chapter 6, and I believe we’ll get some insight into the answer to those questions. We invite you to open your Bible and study with us as we let the Bible speak. We’ve been in a verse by verse study of the Gospel of John, and a very rich and profitable study in the life of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of John approaches the doctrinal question: who is Jesus? Is he merely a man who was born a Jew nearly two thousand years ago? Or is he the Christ, the Messiah, the promised one, the seed of David who should come and lead the world even unto salvation, or give eternal life to those who believe in him. The Gospel of John approaches the life of Christ, not just from a chronological earthly point of view, but whether it begins that he is God, he is the Son of God. He possessed the nature of deity, and the signs that he worked and that are selected and recorded in this book testify that indeed he is that Christ. But it is quite true that some who saw those signs did not believe in him.

We’d like for you to participate with us in our program by having a Bible open and reading right along with us. And if you’d like to ask some question or make some comment, we’d be happy for you to call in the telephone number that is shown on the screen or write a letter at the address that is also given. And in fact, we’d also be glad to send you free of charge the Bible study notes that we’re using in our study on John, uh the Gospel of John. We’d be happy for you to unite with us in seeing what the Bible says, just studying it verse by verse. In John chapter 6, we’ve already observed how that Jesus had worked a miracle by feeding the five thousand men, plus women and children, with but five loaves and two fishes.

And he had taken such a small amount, had fed so many, and afterwards, even after they had eaten to the full, there were twelve baskets taken up of the fragments that remained. Indeed, that was a notable sign. He had power over quantity. Also in John 6 is recorded how that he walked on water in the middle of the night as his disciples had rode back toward or across the Sea of Galilee toward Capernaum, and Jesus had come to them in the middle of the night walking on the water. There are various signs that prove the power and the deity of Jesus Christ. These two recorded in John 6. The multitudes, many of those who no doubt had been fed by Jesus, came searching for him on the next day.

And when they found him at Capernaum, Jesus reproved them, saying, You you sought me, but not for the miracles that I did, not for what they testify, that is, not for the doctrinal reasons that he is the Christ the Son of God. But he said, You seek me for the loaves and the fishes. They sought him for the material benefits they could derive from him. There are some today who are practicing that kind of religion. They seek Jesus, they have a certain amount of religion, but only so long as there are some material benefits. And there are some churches that are practicing what we may call social gospalism. That is, that they, as long as they will provide things that will feed the belly and will satisfy their outward uh desires for entertainment, there are people who will come and be excited.

1. I Am the Bread of Life

But they fail to get a Bible open and to search the doctrinal questions, who is the Christ and what is the will of God? And they fail to really commit their lives to total service unto him as Lord and as Savior. Well, these Jews who came searching for the fishes and loaves, when Jesus began to teach them concerning that which is everlasting life and concerning the Son of God, they asked him in verse 30 of John 6, what sign do you show us? Now Jesus had already shown the sign, of course, by feeding the five thousand. He could work the powers of God. But they wanted some other sign. And in effect, they were saying, you know, Moses did eat, uh he Moses gave us manna to eat in the wilderness, and if you’re like Moses, then surely you could work some sign like that.

Jesus replied to them in John 6.35, I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you that ye also have seen me and believe not. When they had observed that Jesus was a prophet, John 6.14, it seemed to be more a reaction out of emotion at that point in time. They knew he had worked a sign. But when Jesus began to talk to them about everlasting life, they didn’t quite comprehend the spiritual truths. And so they began to search for something deeper, give us some sign. What sign? Jesus said, I am the bread of life. Moses is not really the one who gave you the manna, even in the wilderness.

And furthermore, the manna that Moses gave could not sustain life everlasting. Those who ate the manna later died. It only gave physical benefits. But he said, I am he that can give eternal life and sustain eternal life. I am the bread of life. And the man who comes unto me is never going to hunger. And the man who believeth on me is never going to thirst. There is sustaining power of life. But rather it was a sharp reproof to them when he said in verse 36, You’ve seen me, and you believe not. Why is it that these Jews who saw him, who saw the miracle he worked, yet did not believe in him? Well, earlier in John, the chapter before this one, in John chapter 5, Jesus had said in verse 43 of John 5, I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not.

If another shall come in his own name, him ye shall receive. There are people today who search for something unique, something unusual, even something mystical. You can give them something a little different, they’ll go for that. Some kind of cult or a cultish idea, they seem to go for that. But give them the plain, simple, clear teaching of Jesus the Christ, and get a Bible open and say, Here is the word of God simply spelled out, here’s what it says. There are people who close their Bible and reject that. It was true in the days of Jesus. Some years ago, I lived in Sydney, Australia, and had a man with whom I was studying, and he made the observation, you know, he said, I wish I could see Jesus really work a miracle.

2. The Reason Is Their Own Attitudes

If I could see him firsthand, perhaps I would believe. But having the evidence I do now, I just have a hard time believing. My response to him was that even had you lived in the first century with the kind of attitude that you have, you probably wouldn’t have believed then either. Well, there were Jews who saw him work the miracles firsthand, but they did not believe. Now the reason is their own attitudes. Do not blame God. Do not blame the scriptures as being hard to understand. Do not say that we just cannot understand the Bible alike. That’s not the reason for religious division, and that’s not the reason for unbelief today. The reason some do not believe is because of their own attitude being wrong. You see, Jesus worked signs.

They saw them, they just didn’t believe them. In fact, in John chapter 5, you may recall in an earlier lesson we went through how the there were four different testimonies he said to prove who he was. He said, I tell you who I am. Furthermore, he said, there’s John the Baptist who has testified, and he’s accepted as a prophet. And then he said, The works that God has given, the signs that I do by the power of God, they show who I am. And fourthly, he said the scriptures. You can take the words of Moses written by this inspired man, and they show who I am by fulfilled prophecy. There is testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. But even so, there were those who saw them and would not receive them.

The reason? Well, they had closed minds. As in Matthew 13, verses 13 through 15, Jesus said that there were some who had closed their eyes, their ears were dull of hearing. He said their hearts were wax gross. They were settled into their religious traditions. And it just did not matter what Jesus did nor what he said. It did not matter what prophecies were fulfilled. They were not going to accept Jesus as the Christ because he did not fit their ideas and did not follow their traditions and in religious practices. Their prejudice closed them from the truth. They saw him, but they believed not. And furthermore, in John chapter 5, he observed how that the reason they didn’t believe in him, he said, How can you believe which receive honor one of another and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?

That’s Matthew, uh John 5 44. There are those who seek the popular way. They’re seeking what most men believe. And they’re seeking the honor of men who appraise them and raise them up. But you take something that’s a little different and take the gospel of Christ and its plain and simple message, and if it’s not popular, some will not accept it. If it makes a change in their life that is unpopular with religious leaders, they will not have it. And that’s really what happened with some of these Jews, why they rejected Jesus. In fact, later in the Gospel of John chapter 12, verses 42 and 43, the passage there shows that some of the rulers of the synagogue believed on Jesus. That is, they had intellectual belief.

They saw the works and they knew he must be the Christ, but they did not believe with saving belief. For though it says they believed on him, John 42, many, because of the Pharisees, they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. They sought the popular way, not the way that is really true. They sought honor of men, not the honor of God. And there are some today who may hear the words of Jesus, but they are not willing to accept it because of prejudice or because it is not the popular way. And like the Jews who in the first century saw his signs, did not accept it.

3. I Seek to Do the Will of the Father

But look again at John chapter 6. Jesus talks about a different attitude. There are those who see these signs and who have heard the words of Jesus and who do believe. What is the difference? Has to do with their attitude, you see. I’m reading now, John chapter 6, and reading about verses 36 or 37, it is through verse 40. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life. And I will raise him up at the last day. What is the attitude that Jesus had? Verse 38 says, I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. A couple of truths need to be observed. There is a difference between Jesus and the Father. There’s some today who teacheth Jesus only doctrine, but very clearly that passage says there’s a difference. Jesus had his own will, and the Father had his own will. Jesus said, I seek not mine own, I seek to do the will of the Father. And that’s really what he said back in John 5 and verse 30 as well.

But a second truth is that Jesus submitted himself to the will of the Father. The passage in Hebrews 5, verses 8 and 9, though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the offer of eternal salvation to all them that obey him. Just as Jesus was willing to obey his Father, so we must be willing to obey Jesus Christ. And the difference in attitude between those who believe in him and those who do not believe in him is one is willing to submit to the will of God. In fact, when he says in verse 37, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.

4. God Chose the Plan, Not the Man

God is in sovereign control of this universe. But God does not force any of us to believe in Jesus Christ. But the principle that is taught here and is a wonderful message that if those who do come believing in Christ, God will promise everlasting life. He has given those to Jesus Christ. Now, the Calvinists today is taught a doctrine that says that God has elected certain individuals to be saved. And that the rest of the world, if not elected by God even before they’re born, that the rest of the world has no chance whatever to be saved. They teach a doctrine of election of God. And they teach a doctrine of God electing individuals to be saved, and all others are going to be lost. And really what they’d say is if you didn’t have the God’s election of you earlier on, even before you were born, then there’s just no chance for you to be saved.

The Bible nowhere teaches that doctrine. But John 6 here is a passage they like to refer to, and I admit that if on first reading of it, it sounds as though God gives certain ones, and while he does not specify how he gives them, I can see where some could take this passage and misuse it and twist it and make it come out sounding as though God has elected individuals. But that’s not really what this passage is saying. When you get the whole context, what Jesus is talking about is the attitude of those who are saved. They’re the ones who come to Jesus Christ. Individuals will not be forced to believe. Here’s the point of the Bible, and it corroborates with John 6. God, who is in sovereign control has elected the plan of salvation.

And God elected it to be in and through faith in Christ Jesus. In Christ. That’s the only way we can be saved. In Ephesians chapter 1, verses 3 to 11, the scripture says that he hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings and heavenly places in Christ. According as he hath chosen us in him. I want you to notice in that context of Ephesians 1, how that it’s in Christ, in him, before him, all the way through. What God elected was Christ Jesus. That’s the way of salvation. He hath predestinated us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ. That’s verse 5. Ephesians 1 and verse 6, he has made us accepted in the beloved. In verse 7, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.

In verse 10, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. In whom also we have redemption uh have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Throughout this, it teaches that it is in Christ, in him, before him. But in verse 13, he says, In whom also ye trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Christ is the way of salvation. No other way can one be saved.

Jesus said in John 14 and verse 6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me. God chose the way to be saved, and there’s just no other. As we quoted from Hebrews 5, verses 8 and 9 a while ago. He’s the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him. There’s just no other way except through Christ Jesus. But God did not choose the individual to be saved and others to be lost. God selected the plan. He selected that it is through Christ that we can be saved. God wants nobody to be lost. He wants all to be saved. In 1 Timothy chapter 2 and in verse 4, the scripture says he would have or who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

In verse 6, who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. God wants everyone saved. Christ gave himself for as a ransom for all.

But God gives you and me a choice. See, he wants all of us to be saved, but he forces none of us to be. The choice is ours. For as Romans 2 and verse 11 says, there is no respect of persons with God. God is not going to have respect and say, I like this man, but I don’t like that man. There is no respect of persons with God. As in Acts 10, verses 34 and 5, Peter set up a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. But in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him. The standard of saved versus lost is the man who will believe in the Christ, man who will come to him and work righteousness.

God is no respecter of persons. We are the one who chose the respect. Do we respect God or not respect God? Do we believe in the Christ or not believe in the Christ? The choice is ours to make. You see, God is not a respecter of persons. And in fact, we sometimes say it this way God chose the plan, not the man. He chose the plan of salvation to be through Christ. He did not choose the man, that is, each individual who’s going to be saved and cannot help himself but be saved. That’s not God’s choice. God chose the way of salvation through Christ, and you and I can come to him by believing in him. And if we reject it, it’s our choice. And salvation is ours to either be accepted or rejected.

5. They Shall Be All Taught of God

What have you done with the Christ? Are you like the Jews who keep asking for some other sign, wanting something unique and mystical? Or is there the open attitude and readiness of heart in your own mind to say, Lord, show me I’m ready to believe, I will accept. Well, reading on in John chapter 6, Jesus said in these few verses, that the man who accepts me, I’ll raise him up at the last day. Verse 39, at the last of it, he said he would raise up again at the last day. In verse 40, I will raise him up at the last day. But in verse 41, the Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?

How is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him. And I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall all be taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. When Jesus talked about being the bread of life, about sustaining life, and even being able to raise up one at the last day, the general resurrection of the body, they murmured. They began to use human logic. And their logic was, we know his mother and father. We know Joseph and Mary. How could he say that he came from heaven?

How could he be the bread of life from heaven? Now that seemed an impossibility to them. But Jesus said, Don’t murmur or strive among yourselves. The real truth is the man who comes to me has a different attitude from yours. You’re working by human logic. You’re basing your judgments solely on human wisdom and human standards. All you’re doing is what you can see. You’re judging because you think in terms of Joseph and Mary being my father and mother. But he said, Those who come to me are going to be drawn by the Father. Now again, the Calvinist who says that God has elected certain individuals to be saved, and all others will be lost, wants to use the terminology of John 6.37 as though God just comes in and in some irresistible form, takes man, overwhelms him with the Holy Spirit, and he becomes a believer, and he cannot help but be saved.

But Jesus here teaches a different process.

He said, No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me, draw him. And I’ll raise him up to the last day. Well, how does he has he drawn? In verse forty five, it is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Taught of God. That’s the process. Indeed, the scriptures in Romans chapter 1 and verse 16. Paul said, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith unto faith. Paul said, The gospel is God’s power to say. The gospel. And here in John 6, Jesus said, Those who are drawn to God will be taught of God.

You’re not going to be a child of God because your parents were Christians. You cannot inherit your salvation.

A Jew in the Old Testament tab under the law of Moses became a child of God physically, a member of that physical nation of Israel, because of a physical birth. But today the kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom. And if you’re going to be a citizen of his kingdom today, there must be a spiritual birth. John 3, verses 3 and 5. And to be involved in that spiritual birth, there must be the teaching of God’s word. The gospel of God’s power to say.

The gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be down. In Matthew’s account of that, Matthew 28 and verse 19, he said, Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and though I am with you all the way, even to the end of the world. Are you willing to be taught about the Christ? That’s what the apostles went out doing. That’s how they drew men to the Christ. It was man’s choice whether he would accept the testimony of heaven or not. In this same verse, though, he explains more when he says, Every man, therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

The man who hath heard. You see, faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God, Romans 10, and in verse 17. And so hearing is important. If you’re going to be taught of God, there has to be an attitude willing to hear. So the man who hath heard, and then the man who hath learned. As a man opens his heart, opens his Bible, and he learns the way of truth, even that man can come to salvation. The Bible teaches that God does call us. But there is nowhere that it says there’s some kind of overwhelming, mystical, miraculous call that in the night or in a dream or in some kind of emotional fashion, God speaks to us some quiet way. That’s what some people claim today.

But in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and in verse 14, the apostle said, Whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. The call of God is in an inspired book. We have a testimony. We have a testimony by reading the signs that Jesus worked, and men were willing to die for those signs. They were willing to die that it was so. Jesus worked them. He is the Son of God, He is the Christ. Had you seen Him in person, it would not have been any more powerful than they are in a written and inspired book like the Bible. How do you accept Him? Are you willing to believe the testimony? What Jesus claimed to be as the Son of God?

Conclusion

Are you willing to hear the testimony of a John the Baptist that the people observed and believed was a prophet? Are you willing to accept the testimony of God’s works through Christ? Are you willing to accept the testimony and fulfill prophecy? All these testify who Jesus Christ is. And if you’re willing to hear and learn of the Father, you can come to Jesus Christ. Don’t expect God to come in some overwhelming fashion and make you a believer because he won’t. He is not a respecter of persons. Whether or not you accept the Christ is up to you. Whether or not you will believe it and hear it and receive Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. Are you willing to accept even the invitation as the apostles extended it?

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16 and 16. We hope you’ll study with us again next time as we continue showing how that this the bread of life. One must eat of him and drink of his blood in order to be saved. John chapter 6, we shall continue, verses 46 through the end of the chapter in our next study. Thank you, and have a good day.