One of Jesus’ most astounding miracles was when he multiplied loaves and fish and fed 5,000 people (John 6:10-14). When the people saw this happen, they were amazed. Their tummies were full with the best bread and fish they had ever eaten, and it was all created out of thin air. Not surprisingly, they wanted to follow Jesus.
That night, Jesus walked across a lake. The next day, the eager crowd piled into boats and chased after him. They found Jesus and ran to him.
But Jesus said this crowd had a problem. They were chasing him not because they saw a powerful miracle from God, but because they had gotten loaves and fish. They were chasing after food rather than chasing after God. Jesus told them they should not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life (John 6:26-27).
It’s possible to chase after God for what can give us, rather than pursue God for himself.
When the crowd ran up to Jesus, he didn’t give them more food. He said they needed HIM. He told them that he is the bread of life (John 6:35). They needed his word and his Spirit. They needed to obey God. They needed spiritual food that would endure to eternity.
The people didn’t understand what Jesus was saying. They were hungry and wanted more food. But Jesus said they needed him, not more food.
They asked for another miracle (John 6:30). Even though they had just seen an astounding miracle, it wasn’t enough. They wanted to see more miracles before they would believe.
But Jesus probably knew another miracle wouldn’t help them. They had eaten miraculous bread and fish, but that didn’t help. They needed God, not more miracles.
Jesus kept pointing them to himself. They needed him. They needed God. Nothing else would truly satisfy them.
The crowd, seeing Jesus didn’t do what they wanted, got mad.
First they started murmuring (John 6:41-43).
Then they started fighting (John 6:52).
Jesus didn’t back down. He doubled down on the truth. Jesus said they had to eat his flesh and drink his blood. They needed to be part of him, and he needed to be part of them. They needed God!
But they didn’t really want God. They wanted stuff, and they wanted their own lives preserved, and they wanted things on their own terms.
The crowd became offended at Jesus (John 6:61).
Finally, they left him (John 6:66).
People sometimes just pursue God in order to get more stuff. They’re excited with a miracle or two, and then they want more. They come to God with a list, asking God to give them all the things they want, and then when he doesn’t give them what they want, they get mad.
Jesus said we should seek first his kingdom, and all these other things will be added to us (Matthew 6:33). When God is king of our lives, we bow down to him and his will. We come to him on his terms, not ours. As we obey God, he will take care of us. We don’t need to live for stuff or for ourselves. We need to live for God.
We should not be motivated by fear or greed, we should be motivated by God.
Fear says we will not have enough, and we have to chase money and material things. But God says we have not received a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). We don’t need to be afraid. Jesus delivered us from the fear of death. There is no need for fear, because God is our Father, and he will take care of us as we work hard to seek his kingdom.
Greed says we need more and more to keep up with society, impress others, or chase our dreams. Forget that. God commanded us to not covet, but to be content (Hebrews 13:5).
If we let Jesus be Lord of our lives, then we will leave everything to him and let him do with us as he pleases.
We need to seek God for who he is, not for what he can give us. We don’t chase after him because he gives us things like loaves and fish, but we chase after him because he is awesome, powerful, glorious, majestic, and worthy. God is the all-satisfying one who alone can quench the genuine desires of our hearts. If we have God, we have all we need, and he will take care of the rest.
Lincoln House Churches 