From the sermon series on the gospel of John: The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ
There are times in our lives where we don't fully understand the BIG picture. Understanding is sometimes elusive to us as we try to put the pieces of the puzzle of life together. When it comes to understanding things Jesus taught, its not uncommon people may find themselves in the dark.
In John 6:22-59 we can see evidence of misunderstanding from those who were following Jesus after the miraculous feat of feeding more than 5,000 people with only to small fish and 5 loaves of bread.
The Chase: (John 6:22-40) When people follow someone there is often a motive which draws one's attention. In this case many Jews thought they'd obviously found Jesus to be a profound teacher and miracle worker - someone comparable to a legendary patriarch like Moses. The people even attempted to inaugurate Jesus as their king immediately following the miraculous feeding. Their chase eventually gave way to a series of questions - all of which Jesus attempted to clarify their misunderstandings of the purpose of his ministry. Unfortunately, despite his many attempts to enlighten them, the people remained stubborn and confused.
Like a child who goes to a parent to get what they want, the Jews don't recognize their desires are bent around limited understanding. Jesus offers the world what it needs spiritually, not necessarily what it wants (physically).
The Catch: (John 6:41-59) Eventually the Jews become frustrated with Jesus by misunderstanding his metaphoric/spiritual language. The Jews find Jesus' reference that "unless they eat the flesh of the Son of Man & drink his blood" they cannot have eternal life. He explains to them unless they can accept these words, as they are full of the Spirit and full of the life they seek, they will never inherit the life they hope for. John 6:66 reveals a telling truth (being this is the number of man (Rev 13:18), that the Jews are unwilling to accept the catch to inherit eternal life.
Not so different from trying to understand a foreign language, it can become a taxing process to fully interpret the full meaning of a language one may be unfamiliar with. Likewise, Jesus' is speaking to them in Spiritual terms which are the singular catch to their ability to understand and receive the gift which God offers them. The catch is simply that unless they hear the truth of Jesus' message by through the power of the Holy Spirit they will remain unable to receive the life they need from him.
The Choice: (John 6:60-69) Ultimately everything comes down to a choice. For many of the Jews who pursued Jesus across the sea of Galilee, they determined Jesus' teachings were something that didn't fit their expectations of him or their own agenda. Its at this point we see a transition in Jesus' ministry where many desert him and even become part of the conspiracy to kill him. However, there remain those who recognize Jesus for who he truly is; those who understand Jesus' language as the words of eternal (Spiritual) life. For them, they understand there is no one else who can offer them this priceless treasure.
One might compare the difference between Judas and Peter in their testing of faith to Christ. Where Judas' misunderstanding of Jesus resulted in death, Peter's misunderstanding was repaired by his willingness to receive the grace Jesus offered him later on. The choice is simply a matter of accepting or rejecting the proof of who Jesus to the world and what he has to offer.
In conclusion: When it comes to following Jesus, we must consider the motives behind our chasing after Him. We must come to a place of understanding the catch when it comes to putting our faith in Jesus. Are we willing to be like Peter and "step out of the boat" so-to-speak? Finally, we must determine what we do with the course of following Jesus. Do we follow him for what we want out of him? or do we understand the reality of who Jesus is - the spiritual Bread of Life whom God sent to satisfy the hunger of our Souls? Eternal Life must be Spiritually discerned, only the Holy Spirit can reveal to us the BIG picture of life and answer the questions we have of eternity.
Time is precious... Chase after Jesus, accept the Catch and Choose to believe in the One whom God sent to save you from spiritual death! Do it today, do it now.
