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John 6:1-17a · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Yeah, amen. Please join me in your copy of God's Word in John chapter 6.
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Amen.
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Verse 17.
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Note that it begins with a crossing of the sea and it ends with the crossing of the sea.
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What's that called?
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Chiasm. Thank you for asking.
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This sea, the Sea of Galilee, the region in which it is located, or the Sea of Tiberias, a city on its southwestern shore,
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is a long way from Jerusalem where we found Jesus teaching in chapter 5.
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The after this of verse 1, therefore, could read at some point after this.
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So it's chronological, but it's not immediately chronological.
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A journey has happened between these places.
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I bring this to your attention to highlight that John, under the Spirit of Christ's inspiration,
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is doing something clever, as I have said and will continue to say with the literary structure of this gospel account.
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It is chiastic in nature.
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You are likely familiar with the story before us today.
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It has made the pages of every children's storybook Bible,
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and it runs in the ethos of our cultural understanding of Jesus.
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If you ask somebody who knows the name of Jesus, and you ask them a miracle he has performed,
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they would likely point you to one such as this.
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But there is so much more happening here that we may have read right past,
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and I'm really eager to set aside the varied troubles of this week,
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as it has been a troubled week, for just a few moments with you,
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and see what John means to show us of Jesus Christ in these 17 and a half verses.
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It's good for the church to be together this morning and to fix our gaze on Jesus.
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So before I read it, let me pray for our following time together.
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Father God, we would ask this morning that you would help us as we take up this text together.
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We recognize humbly that it was inspired by you.
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It's breathed out by you.
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And so it's inerrant, and it's authoritative,
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and we should want to listen to it and rightly understand it.
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We know that we need your help to do this.
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Help us believe its promises and obey its commands
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and have affection for you, its author.
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We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
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John 6, beginning in verse 1.
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After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee,
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which is the Sea of Tiberias.
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And a large crowd was following him
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because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.
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Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.
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Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
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Lifting up his eyes then and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him,
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Jesus said to Philip,
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Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?
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He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
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Philip answered him,
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Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.
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One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,
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There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish,
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but what are they for so many?
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Jesus said,
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Have the people sit down.
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Now there was much grass in the place.
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So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.
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Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks,
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he distributed them to those who were seated,
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so also the fish, as much as they wanted.
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And when they had eaten their fill, he told the disciples,
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Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.
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So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments
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from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
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When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said,
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This is indeed the prophet who has come into the world.
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Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king,
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Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
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When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,
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got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum.
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Now John sets the stage for the totality of chapter 6
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with a sign or a miracle that is made necessary because of other signs.
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Notice verse 2,
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A large crowd is following him.
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Why?
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Why is it that this large crowd has followed him?
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to a rather desolate place on the eastern coast of the sea.
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It's because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.
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He's performing many miracles,
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relieving the temporary trouble of the world that he was in.
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Signs anywhere that they are observed in gospel accounts
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are always meant to point us not toward the sign itself,
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but toward the Savior.
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The one performing the sign.
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They're affirming actions that Jesus is doing.
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People miss this.
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Again and again in the scripture,
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people concern themselves with the signs.
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Look at what this man can do for us,
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they say.
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And they fail to look at who this man is.
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Hear him.
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Understand who he is.
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Signs point to the Savior.
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And that's what I want to help us do this morning.
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Don't focus on the miracle.
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It is miraculous.
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Focus on the miracle worker.
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And so we'll do that with a three-point outline.
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The first point will be Jesus, the bread of life.
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The second, Jesus, the new and better Moses.
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And the third, Jesus, the now and forever king.
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First, Jesus, the bread of life.
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We see this across the text.
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This is the primary thing happening here
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in the setting up of chapter 6.
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So verses 3 through 9 and then 11 through 13.
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Jesus is merciful.
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He is concerned with the temporal suffering of people.
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He does not neglect in this text
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or in our day today
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that we are embodied souls who live in a cursed world.
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He cares more deeply than we can comprehend
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about our present condition.
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Whatever it is that you may suffer,
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Jesus knows more than even you do
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how hard that is.
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He knows the tragedy of our suffering keenly.
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Notice in our text that he is performing miracles
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on the sick in verse 2.
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And then the miracle on display
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serves this crowd's temporal need for food.
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They followed him out to a desolate place
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and they don't have a way to eat.
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He cares about the body.
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But, but,
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he cares ultimately about the soul.
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He serves temporal needs
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so that people
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will come to him
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to have their spiritual needs
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met.
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So Jesus in verse 3
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goes up on
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the mountain
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and you could read this differently
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because my mind went,
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what mountain are we talking about?
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Some significant things happen on
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mountains.
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But more,
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more readily you could read
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the mountains
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to a region
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out there that's east
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of that sea.
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So up to the mountains.
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Not a particular spot,
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but a region.
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A place where
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he could go off
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with the
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disciples.
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And the Passover
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is at hand.
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A time when the
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Jews took time
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to consider
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the mercy of
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God
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to them.
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And we find them
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coming
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to Jesus
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because of these miracles
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that are being
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performed.
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And he says
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to Philip,
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as a test
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to Philip,
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where are we to buy bread
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so these people
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may eat.
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But he already knew
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what he was going
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to do.
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This phrase is significant.
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He himself knew
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what he
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would do.
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The whole
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stage is being set up
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for all that Jesus
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is going to teach
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in chapter
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6.
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Philip answers him,
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200 denarii,
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200 days
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wages
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worth of bread
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would barely be enough
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for these people
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to eat.
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And then
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Andrew offers
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that there's a young
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boy with
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five barley loaves
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and two
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fish.
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How could that
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possibly feed
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this crowd?
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Now I want to be
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clear,
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the point of this text
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is to not be like
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this boy and offer
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what you have to Jesus.
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Although,
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you might want to
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derive some lesson
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from this little boy
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willing to give up
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his lunch.
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But it is not
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the focus of this
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narrative
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at all.
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There is a
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legitimate need
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for food
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for these people.
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Jesus is not
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unsympathetic
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toward that
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need.
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However,
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we will just
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miss the point
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if we reduce
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this text
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to him
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meeting
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this
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need.
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This text
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does not
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call us
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to a particular
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social agenda.
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This text
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is not about
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feeding the poor.
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We can go
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other places
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to find
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teaching
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about that.
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We should
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not reduce
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it to
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just
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that.
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He does
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meet the need.
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And he meets
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the need
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miraculously.
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And he meets
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the need
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abundantly
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to be sure.
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Verse 11,
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we see that he
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takes these
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loaves
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and he gives
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thanks
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and he distributes
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to those
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who were seated.
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And notice
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that the emphasis
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is on the
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bread.
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He takes
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the loaves
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and he distributes
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and John
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adds for us
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so also
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the fish.
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He did it
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with the fish
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too
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and they had
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as much
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as they
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wanted.
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Everybody
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was fully
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satisfied.
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Verse 12
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says,
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when they
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had eaten
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their
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fill.
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They are
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no longer
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hungry
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anymore.
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He has
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them
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go
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and
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gather
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up
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all
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of
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the
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leftovers.
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There's
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12
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baskets
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with
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fragments
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of
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the
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loaves
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gathered
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up.
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Notice,
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not the fish.
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The loaves
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are gathered.
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Many make this
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passage
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an apologetic
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for
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abundant
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temporal
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living.
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Take passages
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like this
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and make
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Jesus
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a miracle
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worker
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who's
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going
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to
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meet
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all
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of
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your
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temporal
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needs
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beyond
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your
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wildest
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imagination.
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The point
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of the text
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is that
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he's
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going
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to
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give
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you
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stuff
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in
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high
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order.
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This
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is a
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great
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error.
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A
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massive
12:39
error.
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And
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there's
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so much
12:41
teaching
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in this
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regard.
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We
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often
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call it
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the
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prosperity
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gospel.
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And
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I
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think
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all
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of
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us
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see
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the
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prosperity
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gospel
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in
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its
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greatest
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forms
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and
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know
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that
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it's
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error.
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We
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get
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that
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the
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private
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jet
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is
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not
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the
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point
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of
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the
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gospel.
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But
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I
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wonder
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if
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sometimes
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we
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get
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confused
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down
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on a
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lower
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level.
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Why
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do I
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not
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have
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the
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things
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that
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I
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perceive
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I
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need?
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I
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am
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being
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faithful
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to
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Jesus.
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Why
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am I
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not
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being
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blessed
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the way
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I
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think
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I
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should
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be
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blessed?
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Haven't
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I
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done
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such
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and
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such?
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Don't
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I
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faithfully
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read the
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word and
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pray and
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go to
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church and
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etc.
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etc.
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etc.
13:30
etc.
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We make
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such an
13:32
error when
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we make
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the gospel
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about the
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things we
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get here
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and now.
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Does Jesus
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provide for
13:40
our temporal
13:41
needs?
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He most
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certainly
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does.
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but
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we must
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read on
13:46
what's
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being
13:47
taught
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to us
13:48
here.
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John's
13:51
narrative
13:51
means
13:52
for us
13:52
to read
13:53
on
13:54
to go
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beyond
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this
13:56
story
13:56
and set
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it in
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its
13:57
context.
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Beyond
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this
14:00
miracle
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we will
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see
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Jesus
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walk
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on
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water
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and
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then
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beginning
14:05
in
14:06
verse
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26
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Jesus
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presents
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himself
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as the
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bread
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of
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life
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and
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he
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does
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so
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to the
14:14
end
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of the
14:15
chapter.
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That's
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the major
14:17
thing
14:18
going on
14:18
in chapter
14:19
6.
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Jesus
14:21
presents
14:21
himself
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as the
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bread
14:24
of life.
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That
14:25
thing
14:26
necessary
14:27
for
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sustenance.
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We
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have to
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spend
14:34
more time
14:34
on this
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than we
14:35
have
14:35
this
14:35
morning.
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We're
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going to
14:36
unpack
14:37
chapter 6
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over
14:38
quite a
14:39
few
14:39
weeks.
14:40
All
14:41
that it
14:41
means
14:41
for
14:41
Jesus
14:42
to
14:42
be
14:42
the
14:42
bread
14:43
of
14:43
life.
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But
14:44
notice
14:45
the
14:45
way
14:45
that
14:45
he
14:46
begins
14:46
that
14:46
discourse
14:47
in
14:47
verse
14:48
26.
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He
14:49
says
14:50
there,
14:50
truly,
14:51
truly,
14:51
I
14:52
say
14:52
to
14:52
you,
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you
14:53
are
14:54
seeking
14:54
me
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not
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because
14:56
you
14:56
saw
14:57
signs,
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but
14:57
because
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you
14:58
ate
14:59
your
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fill
15:00
of
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the
15:02
loaves.
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The
15:04
temporal
15:04
bread.
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Your
15:06
tummies
15:07
were
15:07
full,
15:07
and that's
15:08
why
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you're
15:09
coming
15:09
to
15:10
find
15:10
me.
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You're
15:12
coming
15:12
to
15:12
me,
15:12
he says,
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in essence,
15:14
because of
15:15
what I
15:15
gave you,
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not because
15:18
you want
15:19
me.
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I'm the
15:21
bread of
15:22
life,
15:22
he'll go
15:22
on to
15:23
say.
15:24
He'll
15:24
spend the
15:25
rest of
15:25
the chapter
15:26
making
15:26
this very
15:28
point.
15:30
Humanity's
15:31
greatest
15:31
need is
15:33
not to
15:33
have their
15:34
stomachs
15:35
satisfied,
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satisfied,
15:36
but to
15:37
have
15:37
their
15:37
souls
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satisfied.
15:41
It's
15:41
perhaps
15:42
one of
15:42
the
15:42
greatest
15:43
trials
15:43
to
15:44
have
15:44
no
15:45
trials
15:46
at
15:47
all.
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We
15:48
are
15:48
such
15:49
a
15:49
comfortable,
15:50
comfortable
15:51
people.
15:52
I don't
15:53
want to
15:53
make light
15:53
of the
15:54
things that
15:54
trouble
15:54
you,
15:56
or the
15:56
things that
15:56
trouble
15:57
us,
15:58
but
15:59
relatively
15:59
speaking,
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very few
16:01
of us
16:02
feared for
16:03
our lives
16:04
in this
16:04
past
16:05
week.
16:06
As a
16:06
simple
16:07
example,
16:09
very few
16:09
of us
16:10
really
16:11
suffer the
16:12
way so
16:13
many
16:14
suffer in
16:15
the world
16:16
today.
16:17
And so we
16:18
get a
16:19
little
16:19
uncomfortable,
16:20
and our
16:21
world seems
16:22
to be
16:22
falling apart,
16:24
and just
16:24
perhaps God
16:26
in his
16:26
great loving
16:27
kindness to
16:28
us is
16:28
reminding us
16:29
that the
16:30
point is not
16:31
to have our
16:32
comfort
16:33
satisfied,
16:34
but to
16:35
have our
16:35
souls
16:36
satisfied.
16:40
Jesus'
16:41
primary
16:41
concern is
16:42
not our
16:43
temporal
16:43
affairs,
16:45
but our
16:45
eternal
16:46
destiny.
16:48
This life,
16:50
although it
16:50
doesn't always
16:50
feel this
16:51
way,
16:52
is fleeting,
16:53
passing,
16:54
like a
16:54
vapor in
16:55
the wind.
16:57
Jesus loves
16:58
us enough
16:58
to have the
16:59
rest of it
17:00
beyond in
17:01
mind,
17:02
to serve
17:03
us to
17:03
that great
17:04
end.
17:07
Let me
17:07
make this
17:08
point just a
17:08
bit further
17:09
from the
17:10
text,
17:10
although I'm
17:10
going to
17:10
have to
17:11
venture
17:11
just a
17:12
bit outside
17:14
of it.
17:15
What do
17:16
you suppose
17:16
the significance
17:17
of verse
17:18
13 is?
17:21
So those
17:21
left by
17:23
those who
17:24
had eaten.
17:25
Why does
17:26
John record
17:27
that fact
17:28
for us?
17:30
Abundant
17:30
provision,
17:32
of course.
17:33
They had
17:34
all that
17:34
they needed,
17:35
their stomachs
17:36
were full
17:37
and beyond,
17:39
but why
17:39
12
17:41
baskets?
17:44
Well,
17:45
there were
17:45
12 disciples,
17:48
12 men
17:48
who were
17:49
told to
17:50
go gather
17:50
the fragments,
17:51
so they
17:51
each
17:52
had a
17:53
basket.
17:54
They each
17:54
held in
17:55
their arms
17:56
a collection
17:57
of bread
17:58
miraculously
18:00
produced
18:00
by Christ.
18:02
So if you
18:03
can hold
18:03
that image
18:04
in your
18:04
mind,
18:06
pretend that
18:07
you were
18:07
holding a
18:08
basket
18:09
containing
18:10
within it
18:11
bread
18:12
that was
18:13
miraculously
18:13
produced
18:14
by Jesus.
18:16
And then,
18:17
hold that
18:18
image,
18:18
and then
18:18
note with
18:19
me
18:19
verses 16
18:21
through 21.
18:24
Now,
18:24
next week,
18:25
Colson's
18:26
going to
18:26
preach
18:26
next week's
18:27
sermon.
18:30
What does
18:30
this story
18:31
have to
18:32
do with
18:33
the rest
18:34
of chapter
18:35
6?
18:36
Have you
18:37
noted it
18:37
already?
18:38
Are you
18:38
scanning
18:38
across it?
18:39
Boy,
18:39
I hope you
18:40
have a
18:40
Bible with
18:40
you today.
18:42
We've got
18:42
Jesus feeding
18:43
the 5,000.
18:44
This big
18:45
emphasis on
18:46
bread is
18:47
going on,
18:47
and then
18:48
he's going
18:48
to spend
18:48
the chapter
18:49
from verse
18:50
26 on.
18:51
The rest
18:51
of the chapter
18:52
he's talking
18:52
about him
18:53
being the
18:53
bread of
18:54
life,
18:56
and dropped
18:56
in the middle
18:57
of that
18:57
is a story
18:58
about Jesus
18:59
walking
19:00
on water.
19:03
Why?
19:05
Why is it
19:06
there?
19:06
Is John
19:06
just being
19:07
chronologically
19:08
consistent?
19:09
Is that all
19:10
that's going
19:10
on here?
19:11
I say
19:12
no.
19:13
We are
19:14
meant to
19:14
derive
19:15
something
19:15
from
19:16
this.
19:17
Okay,
19:18
so again,
19:19
you've got
19:19
a basket
19:20
full of
19:21
bread
19:21
in your
19:22
arms.
19:24
Look at
19:24
verse 16.
19:25
When evening
19:25
came,
19:26
this is part
19:26
of our
19:26
text for
19:27
today,
19:27
his disciples
19:27
went down
19:28
to the
19:28
sea,
19:28
got into
19:29
a boat,
19:29
and started
19:30
across the
19:31
sea to
19:32
Capernaum.
19:32
It was
19:34
now dark,
19:35
and Jesus
19:35
had not
19:36
yet come
19:37
to them.
19:38
He's gone
19:38
away.
19:39
He's in
19:40
a desolate
19:41
place,
19:42
removing
19:42
himself.
19:43
Verse 18.
19:44
The sea
19:45
became rough
19:46
because a
19:46
strong
19:47
wind
19:48
was blowing,
19:49
so a
19:50
great storm
19:51
has arisen.
19:52
When they
19:52
had rode
19:52
about three
19:53
or four
19:53
miles,
19:54
they saw
19:54
Jesus
19:55
walking
19:55
on the
19:56
sea
19:56
and coming
19:57
near
19:58
the boat,
19:59
and they
19:59
were
20:00
frightened.
20:02
But he
20:02
said to
20:03
them,
20:04
it is
20:05
I,
20:06
or you
20:06
could read
20:06
I am,
20:08
do not
20:09
be
20:09
afraid.
20:12
Then they
20:13
were glad
20:14
to take
20:15
him into
20:15
the boat,
20:16
and immediately
20:17
the boat
20:18
was at the
20:18
land to
20:19
which they
20:21
were going.
20:22
I hope
20:22
your brain
20:23
is firing
20:24
off right
20:25
now,
20:26
just in
20:26
case.
20:27
Let me
20:27
show you
20:28
what's
20:28
going on.
20:29
In a
20:30
boat,
20:31
in the
20:31
sea,
20:32
in a
20:32
storm,
20:33
the sea
20:33
is always
20:33
a place
20:34
of danger
20:35
and judgment
20:35
all throughout
20:36
the scriptures.
20:37
And he
20:37
just walks
20:38
to them
20:38
out on
20:39
the water
20:40
and he
20:40
says,
20:41
I am,
20:42
do not
20:42
be afraid.
20:43
And then
20:43
what do
20:44
they do?
20:45
They
20:45
welcome
20:46
the bread
20:47
of life.
20:48
He's going
20:48
to go on
20:49
to talk
20:49
about that.
20:50
The bread
20:50
of life
20:52
into the
20:53
basket.
20:54
They
20:54
welcome
20:55
him
20:55
into the
20:56
boat.
20:57
And
20:57
immediately
20:58
the boat
20:58
was at the
20:58
land to
20:59
which they
20:59
were going.
21:01
The point
21:02
is that
21:03
Jesus is
21:04
the bread
21:05
of life
21:06
and his
21:07
great care
21:08
and concern
21:08
for these
21:09
disciples.
21:10
He's going
21:10
to go
21:11
on to
21:11
talk about
21:12
eating of
21:13
his flesh
21:13
and drinking
21:14
of his
21:14
blood
21:14
and people
21:15
are going
21:15
to leave
21:16
him in
21:16
the droves
21:17
and yet
21:18
the disciples
21:19
stay on.
21:22
He's teaching
21:22
them a lesson
21:23
when he gives
21:24
them baskets
21:25
and says,
21:25
go collect
21:26
the leftovers.
21:28
He wants
21:28
them to get
21:29
that he
21:29
is the one
21:31
that can
21:31
satisfy
21:32
their souls.
21:34
Deliver
21:34
them through
21:35
judgment.
21:38
So,
21:38
that's number
21:39
one.
21:40
Jesus,
21:40
the bread
21:41
of life.
21:43
Secondly,
21:44
Jesus,
21:45
the new
21:46
and better
21:47
Moses.
21:50
It is at
21:50
this point
21:51
that we
21:51
find the
21:52
center of
21:53
the chiastic
21:53
structure
21:54
of our
21:55
text.
21:56
If you
21:56
have been
21:57
with us
21:57
in our
21:57
study of
21:58
John,
21:58
I hope
21:59
you have
21:59
been wondering
22:00
where to
22:00
find it.
22:01
Show us
22:01
where it
22:02
is.
22:02
Which
22:02
verse
22:03
is it?
22:04
If you
22:05
have not
22:05
been with
22:05
us,
22:06
keep coming
22:06
and I
22:06
hope to
22:07
show you
22:07
more of
22:08
this
22:08
brilliant
22:08
literary
22:09
device,
22:10
I'll
22:10
spare you
22:10
the
22:11
explanation
22:11
this
22:12
morning.
22:13
Here it
22:13
is.
22:14
It's
22:14
verse
22:14
10.
22:16
It's
22:17
meant to
22:17
draw our
22:17
attention.
22:18
It's
22:18
meant to
22:19
help us
22:19
understand
22:20
something
22:20
about
22:21
this
22:21
particular
22:22
pericope.
22:23
Jesus
22:24
said,
22:25
have
22:25
the
22:26
people
22:26
sit
22:27
down.
22:29
And
22:29
then
22:29
John
22:30
adds,
22:31
now there
22:31
was much
22:31
grass in
22:32
the place,
22:33
so the
22:34
men sat
22:34
down,
22:35
which was a
22:35
normal way
22:36
of counting
22:36
in those
22:37
days.
22:37
Matthew
22:38
adds for
22:38
us that
22:39
there are
22:39
also women
22:40
and children,
22:41
about 5,000
22:43
in number.
22:46
The Greek
22:47
word used
22:48
here for
22:48
sit down,
22:49
he says,
22:50
have the
22:50
people sit
22:51
down,
22:52
is different
22:53
from the
22:54
one used
22:55
in verse
22:55
3.
22:56
Notice in
22:56
verse 3
22:57
that he
22:57
sits down
22:58
with the
22:59
disciples.
23:00
Here,
23:01
it's a different
23:02
word,
23:03
it would be
23:03
better translated
23:04
recline,
23:06
recline,
23:08
lie down,
23:09
which was the
23:10
manner that
23:10
meals were
23:11
taken.
23:12
In low
23:12
tables,
23:13
they reclined
23:15
at table.
23:17
It was a
23:18
restful
23:19
posture.
23:21
It's not a
23:22
ready-for-action
23:22
kind of posture,
23:23
to recline
23:24
at a
23:25
table.
23:26
They were
23:26
to lay
23:28
down
23:29
in a
23:30
field.
23:32
John
23:33
adds to
23:33
the
23:35
narrative,
23:36
there was
23:35
much
23:36
grass
23:36
in the
23:38
place.
23:39
I don't
23:39
know if
23:40
you do
23:40
this,
23:40
but I
23:41
read past
23:41
details like
23:42
this all
23:42
the time
23:43
until I'm
23:43
forced to
23:44
sit with
23:44
it and
23:44
really go,
23:45
why?
23:46
Why that
23:46
sentence?
23:47
Why is
23:48
that
23:48
inspired?
23:49
Why is
23:50
it
23:50
significant?
23:52
What is
23:52
going on
23:53
here at
23:53
the center
23:54
of the
23:56
text?
23:58
Again,
23:59
hold something
23:59
for me.
24:00
Hold that
24:00
question in
24:01
your mind.
24:02
We're going
24:02
to come
24:03
back to
24:03
it and
24:05
look at
24:05
verse 14.
24:08
Verse 10 is
24:09
the center
24:09
of the
24:09
chiasm.
24:10
Look at
24:10
verse 14.
24:11
When the
24:12
people saw
24:12
the sign
24:13
that he
24:14
had done,
24:14
this miraculous
24:15
feeding,
24:16
they said,
24:17
this is
24:17
indeed the
24:19
prophet who
24:20
has come
24:20
into the
24:22
world.
24:23
Your
24:23
translation
24:24
likely
24:25
capitalizes
24:26
prophet.
24:28
The
24:28
prophet.
24:30
prophet.
24:30
This
24:31
reference to
24:31
the prophet
24:32
is from
24:33
Deuteronomy
24:34
chapter 18
24:35
and verse
24:36
15,
24:37
where Moses
24:38
says,
24:40
the Lord
24:40
your God
24:40
will raise
24:41
up for
24:41
you a
24:42
prophet like
24:43
me from
24:44
among you
24:45
from your
24:46
brothers.
24:46
It is to
24:47
him you
24:49
shall listen.
24:50
This is
24:51
the prophet
24:52
that they're
24:52
talking about
24:53
here in
24:54
verse 14.
24:56
There was a
24:57
diversity of
24:57
opinion in
24:58
Jesus'
24:58
day about
24:59
who the
25:00
prophet of
25:01
Deuteronomy
25:01
18.
25:01
15 would
25:03
be.
25:04
But some
25:04
held a
25:06
messianic
25:06
interpretation.
25:08
They understood,
25:08
which was the
25:09
right interpretation,
25:10
that the
25:11
prophet,
25:12
like Moses,
25:13
would be the
25:14
Messiah.
25:16
Why would
25:17
they consider
25:18
Jesus to be
25:18
the prophet of
25:19
Deuteronomy
25:20
18.
25:21
15?
25:23
Well,
25:23
just as
25:24
Moses led
25:25
God's people
25:26
out of
25:26
captivity,
25:26
into a
25:28
wilderness
25:28
place,
25:29
and provided
25:29
bread from
25:30
heaven,
25:31
it was
25:31
understood that
25:32
the Messiah
25:33
would do
25:33
the very
25:34
same.
25:36
Moses
25:37
shepherded
25:38
God's
25:39
people,
25:39
and here
25:40
we see
25:41
Jesus doing
25:42
the very
25:43
same.
25:45
Our
25:46
minds,
25:47
if they're
25:47
steeped in
25:48
the biblical
25:49
narrative,
25:50
ought to
25:51
see this.
25:52
It ought to
25:52
leap from
25:53
the pages.
25:53
And I'll
25:53
admit to
25:54
you that
25:54
it doesn't
25:54
always do
25:55
that for
25:55
me.
25:56
But
25:57
Jesus
25:57
is telling
25:59
his disciples
25:59
to command
26:00
the people
26:02
to lay
26:03
down in
26:04
a grassy
26:05
field.
26:06
So back
26:07
to that
26:07
question I
26:08
asked you
26:08
to hold
26:09
in your
26:09
mind.
26:09
What's
26:10
going on
26:11
at the
26:11
center of
26:12
the text?
26:14
Jesus is
26:15
presenting
26:15
himself,
26:16
and Jesus
26:17
is being
26:17
presented by
26:18
John as
26:19
the new
26:20
and better
26:21
Moses,
26:23
the good
26:24
shepherd,
26:26
the prophet.
26:28
If you
26:29
are with
26:29
me on
26:30
the literary
26:30
structure of
26:31
John,
26:32
guess what
26:32
chapter
26:33
corresponds
26:34
to chapter
26:35
6?
26:36
Chapters 1
26:37
through 11
26:38
are a
26:39
chiasm as
26:40
well.
26:41
Guess
26:41
which one?
26:42
Chapter
26:42
10.
26:43
Chapter
26:43
10 corresponds
26:44
to chapter
26:44
6.
26:45
And in
26:46
chapter 10,
26:47
Jesus'
26:47
good shepherd
26:48
discourse
26:49
takes place.
26:52
It's cool
26:52
stuff.
26:54
Verse 10,
26:54
Jesus said,
26:55
have the
26:56
people sit
26:57
down.
26:58
Now there
26:59
was much
26:59
grass in
27:02
the place.
27:03
Perhaps
27:04
your mind
27:04
goes to a
27:05
place like
27:05
Psalm 23.
27:08
This kind
27:09
of imagery
27:09
is presented
27:10
to you.
27:12
Psalmist
27:12
says there,
27:12
the Lord
27:13
is my
27:13
shepherd.
27:14
I shall
27:15
not want.
27:16
I should
27:16
be satisfied.
27:18
He makes
27:18
me
27:19
lie down
27:20
in green
27:20
pastures.
27:22
He leads
27:22
me beside
27:23
still waters.
27:24
He restores
27:25
my soul.
27:27
He leads
27:27
me in
27:28
paths of
27:29
righteousness
27:29
for his
27:31
name's sake.
27:32
So we see
27:32
Jesus in
27:33
this text
27:33
as the
27:34
new and
27:35
better
27:36
Moses,
27:37
the one
27:37
who will
27:37
lead his
27:38
people out
27:40
of captivity
27:40
from sin,
27:42
shepherd
27:42
them in
27:43
the wilderness,
27:44
and finally
27:44
deliver them
27:45
to the
27:46
promised
27:46
land.
27:47
third,
27:49
we see
27:49
Jesus as
27:50
the now
27:51
and forever
27:52
king.
27:54
Verse 15
27:55
says,
27:56
perceiving
27:56
then that
27:57
they were
27:57
about to
27:57
come and
27:58
take him
27:58
by force
27:59
to make
28:00
him king,
28:01
Jesus withdrew
28:02
again to
28:03
the mountain
28:04
or the
28:04
mountains
28:04
by himself.
28:07
As you
28:08
study the
28:08
gospels,
28:09
you will
28:09
note over
28:10
and over
28:10
the
28:11
misconceptions
28:11
of who
28:13
the
28:13
Messiah
28:14
was to
28:15
be.
28:16
We have
28:16
mentioned it
28:17
already many
28:18
times in
28:18
our study
28:19
of John.
28:20
The most
28:20
common
28:21
misconception
28:21
was that
28:22
the Messiah
28:23
would come
28:23
to liberate
28:24
Israel from
28:25
its Roman
28:26
oppression,
28:28
reestablish
28:28
its former
28:29
temporal
28:30
glory.
28:32
This is what
28:32
most of them
28:33
were looking
28:34
to.
28:34
That's who
28:35
the Christ
28:35
would be.
28:36
Many Jews
28:36
today,
28:37
in the very
28:37
same way,
28:38
they're looking
28:39
for the
28:40
Messiah,
28:41
for temporal
28:41
relief.
28:43
life.
28:43
This is the
28:44
issue at
28:44
hand in
28:45
verse 15.
28:48
Did Jesus
28:48
possess the
28:49
power to
28:50
gather an
28:50
army and
28:51
overthrow
28:52
Rome?
28:53
Of course
28:54
he did.
28:55
With a
28:56
single word
28:56
he could
28:56
call down
28:57
legions from
28:58
heaven and
28:58
wipe the
28:59
Romans off
29:00
the map.
29:01
Jesus is
29:03
God.
29:04
But he
29:05
came not
29:06
to establish
29:07
the kingdom
29:08
of our
29:09
choosing,
29:11
but of
29:11
his
29:12
fathers.
29:14
Recall
29:15
chapter 5
29:15
verse 19.
29:17
Jesus said
29:17
to them,
29:17
truly,
29:18
truly I
29:18
say to
29:18
you,
29:19
the son
29:19
can do
29:20
nothing of
29:20
his own
29:21
accord,
29:21
but only
29:21
what he
29:22
sees the
29:22
father doing.
29:23
For
29:23
whatever the
29:24
father does,
29:25
that the
29:25
son does
29:27
likewise.
29:29
He knows
29:30
that it's
29:30
not his
29:31
purpose to
29:31
be made
29:32
a king,
29:33
to lead
29:33
an army,
29:34
to overthrow
29:35
Rome.
29:36
He has a
29:36
higher
29:37
purpose,
29:38
right?
29:39
A better
29:40
fulfillment,
29:41
a way
29:41
that he's
29:42
going to
29:42
bring about
29:43
an eternal
29:43
kingdom that
29:45
God the
29:45
father ordained,
29:47
God the
29:47
son,
29:48
and God
29:49
the spirit
29:49
accomplished.
29:51
They establish
29:51
it.
29:53
Do you
29:54
remember the
29:54
title that
29:55
Jesus most
29:55
regularly gives
29:56
to himself?
29:58
He calls
29:59
himself the
30:00
son of
30:00
man.
30:02
Do you
30:02
recall where
30:03
that title
30:03
comes from?
30:05
It's Daniel
30:06
chapter 7
30:07
verse 13
30:08
and 14.
30:09
Daniel sees
30:10
in a vision,
30:11
in a dream,
30:12
and says,
30:13
and behold,
30:14
with the
30:14
clouds of
30:15
heaven there
30:15
came one
30:16
like a
30:17
son of
30:18
man.
30:19
And he
30:19
came to
30:20
the ancient
30:20
of days and
30:21
was presented
30:21
before him.
30:23
And to
30:23
him was
30:24
given dominion
30:25
and glory
30:26
and a
30:27
kingdom that
30:27
all people's
30:28
nations and
30:29
languages should
30:29
serve him.
30:31
His
30:31
dominion is
30:32
an everlasting
30:32
dominion which
30:33
shall not pass
30:34
away, and
30:35
his kingdom
30:35
one that
30:36
shall not be
30:37
destroyed.
30:41
Jesus is not
30:41
uninterested in
30:43
the temporal
30:44
affairs of
30:45
man.
30:46
He is.
30:48
He's not
30:48
indifferent to
30:49
the tragedies
30:50
of this past
30:52
week.
30:53
He cares.
30:54
But we do
30:55
well to note
30:56
as we grapple
30:58
with the
30:59
state of our
31:01
state that
31:02
Jesus is
31:03
firstly,
31:04
primarily
31:05
concerned with
31:07
the eternal
31:07
kingdom.
31:09
How all of
31:10
this plays
31:11
into that,
31:11
I don't
31:12
know.
31:13
I'm not
31:14
sure how
31:14
it's all
31:15
going to
31:15
come to
31:15
pass,
31:16
but what
31:16
we can
31:17
be sure
31:17
is that
31:18
it will
31:18
come to
31:20
pass.
31:21
And the
31:21
question for
31:22
us in the
31:22
meantime is
31:23
how do we
31:24
be faithful?
31:24
God
31:26
is
31:27
establishing a
31:28
kingdom and
31:29
it's a
31:29
kingdom that
31:30
will come
31:31
and will
31:31
not be
31:33
destroyed.
31:36
That means
31:37
that Jesus
31:37
is the
31:40
forever king,
31:41
but he is
31:42
also the
31:44
now king.
31:47
Jesus
31:47
upholds the
31:48
universe by
31:49
the word of
31:50
his power,
31:52
Hebrews chapter
31:53
1 and
31:54
verse 3.
31:55
And that
31:56
includes the
31:58
minutia of
32:00
things happening
32:01
in our
32:01
country,
32:02
things happening
32:03
in your home,
32:04
things happening
32:05
in your very
32:06
own heart.
32:08
Jesus is not
32:09
relinquishing his
32:11
control to
32:12
anyone.
32:13
I heard a
32:14
question this
32:15
week from
32:15
somebody close
32:17
to me how it
32:18
just didn't make
32:19
sense why God
32:21
would allow this
32:22
assassination to
32:23
take place,
32:25
because they
32:25
saw a greater
32:26
good in him
32:28
remaining here.
32:31
We ought to
32:32
be people who
32:33
trust in God's
32:34
absolute sovereignty
32:36
over all things.
32:38
It doesn't
32:38
diminish the
32:39
tragedy of it,
32:41
but God's
32:41
people ought to
32:42
be the most
32:43
confident,
32:44
unmoved
32:46
people at
32:47
times like
32:48
this.
32:48
We're going
32:50
to be okay.
32:51
You know
32:51
why?
32:51
Because Jesus
32:52
reigns.
32:54
If God is
32:55
for us,
32:56
who can be
32:56
against us?
33:00
So some
33:01
quick application.
33:03
I've already
33:03
jumped into it
33:04
a little bit
33:04
ahead.
33:06
Number one,
33:07
go to Jesus
33:08
for Jesus.
33:09
If you're not
33:10
found in Christ,
33:11
don't come to
33:12
Christ for what
33:12
he can offer
33:13
you.
33:14
Many blessings,
33:15
many blessings,
33:16
infinite blessings
33:16
are found in
33:18
Jesus,
33:18
but he
33:19
himself is
33:20
the greatest
33:21
of all of
33:22
those blessings.
33:24
If that idea
33:24
is just
33:25
foreign to
33:25
you,
33:26
oh,
33:26
please come
33:27
talk to
33:27
me.
33:27
I'd love
33:28
to talk
33:29
to you
33:29
about the
33:29
riches found
33:30
in Christ
33:31
himself.
33:33
He is
33:33
precious.
33:35
And if you
33:36
are in
33:36
Christ,
33:37
don't forget
33:38
that truth.
33:39
You're so
33:40
quick to,
33:42
yeah,
33:42
yeah,
33:42
Jesus,
33:43
and want to
33:43
move on
33:44
from him
33:44
and see
33:45
what it
33:45
is that
33:45
he can
33:46
accomplish
33:46
on our
33:47
behalf.
33:50
Secondly,
33:50
find rest
33:52
for your
33:52
souls
33:53
in Christ.
33:55
He's the
33:56
new and
33:56
better
33:56
Moses.
33:57
He's the
33:57
good shepherd
33:59
and he invites
34:00
us to lie
34:01
down in
34:02
green pastures
34:03
to be
34:04
satisfied
34:05
in him.
34:07
It doesn't
34:08
diminish our
34:08
responsibilities.
34:09
We have
34:10
much to
34:11
do on
34:12
the earth,
34:12
many things
34:13
to think
34:14
through,
34:15
but our
34:15
souls should
34:16
remain at
34:17
rest even
34:18
as we
34:19
work to
34:20
live his
34:20
will,
34:21
bring about
34:21
his good
34:22
in the
34:22
places that
34:24
we live.
34:26
And finally,
34:27
just trust.
34:28
Trust in
34:29
the reign
34:30
of the
34:31
king.
34:32
He gives
34:33
to his
34:33
people
34:33
tasks.
34:34
He reigns
34:35
through the
34:36
life of his
34:37
church in
34:37
the world
34:38
in which we
34:38
live,
34:39
but beloved,
34:39
we have
34:40
to start
34:41
with trust.
34:43
We have
34:43
to begin
34:44
with that
34:45
disposition.
34:46
Our
34:46
God
34:47
reigns.
34:49
He is not
34:50
firstly
34:50
concerned about
34:51
the temporal
34:52
affairs of
34:53
this world.
34:53
He is
34:54
firstly,
34:55
and praise
34:55
God,
34:56
he is
34:56
firstly
34:56
concerned
34:57
about the
34:58
building of
34:59
his church,
35:00
the second
35:01
coming of
35:01
his son,
35:03
the establishment
35:04
of a new
35:05
heaven and
35:06
a new
35:06
earth where
35:07
we will
35:08
enjoy his
35:09
reign forever.
35:11
Let's be
35:11
a people
35:12
that declare
35:13
that,
35:14
say it out
35:15
loud,
35:15
and experience
35:16
it to be
35:16
true in
35:17
our own
35:17
hearts.
35:19
Let's pray
35:19
together to
35:20
that end.
35:20
as