John 6:15-21

09.14.11
Wrong Motives
The crowds wanted to make Christ King.
What is wrong with this? Sounds like a good thing right?
Similar Scene: Acts 1:6
Political Ruler vs. Spiritual Victory
Christ’s Kingdom: John 18:36
Matthew Henry: “Religion is often prostituted to a secular interest...”
Augustine: “ Jesus is usually sought after for something else, not for his own sake”
What’s your motive in everyday life?
Are you using Christ for your own glory?
Keep the Goal in Sight
Christ could have been crowned king, but he kept His Father’s goal in mind and did what
was necessary to protect that goal.
John 12:44-50
Protect the Goal
Acted with intention and responded in a way that removed himself from the situation.
Christ Watches
v.18 Stormy water, high seas, darkness, slow progress.
We are guaranteed trials: 1 Peter 4:12-19
Despite the trials Christ is watching,
Entrust your soul to a faithful creator while doing good!
Christ Assists
Christ saw the disciples need for assistance in their time of need
The disciples payed attention to what was going on around them
They were not complacent. They saw and understood God’s active hand in their situation.
We don’t often find our selves on boats in Montana, What might a time of need look like
for us?
We have the Holy Spirit: John 16:4-8
Because of Christ’s work on the cross, the Holy Spirit convict’s us when we are
in sin.
Christ is Security
They arrived immediately at the shore.
Christ watched them embark, he assisted in their time of need, and was the source of
the immediate security that they found.
Christ is our harbor, our rest.
Psalm 46

Car Question:

Are you paying attention to what God is doing in your life?
Why do we (as a family) follow Jesus?

John 6:1-15

Intro:
The feeding of the 5,000 is a well known story for most Christians. Some have said that is should be entitled the feeding of the 15,000 and some the 20 - 25,000. They use the fact that the Greek word that is used for “men” is the specific word that distinguishes men from women and children. We can assume from scripture that there were women and children there, especially given that one of the “boys” was the one willing to share his lunch with at least 5,000 other people. I don’t know how many exactly were there and the number shouldn’t be important at all. If Jesus fed 20 people with a ritz cracker and then had an extra basket of crackers left over that is still a miracle that neither you nor I have ever accomplished, to embellish the numbers would be pointless so for the sake of staying within bounds of scripture we will use 5,000.
There is not a ton of super deep theological principles to dig out here. This is very practical, the main over arching message that I want to leave you with is “go and do likewise.”

1. No people no problem vs More people no problem
According to Mark 6:35-36, the disciple’s solution was simply to send the people away. This would get rid of the problem but it wouldn’t be in the peoples best interests.
Jesus reacts differently:

Mark 6:37
What does Jesus ask Philip? John 6:5
What’s Philip’s response?
One of the things people discover in our world is that money often isn’t the answer to all things.

2. Know your role
Who are the main characters in this story?
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
At certain times in our life we may take on the roll of any one of these characters.
Who is the main focus of this passage?

What are the other people doing?

Who gets the glory? Are you ok with that?
He is the One who multiplied the food and they had the privilege of passing it out.
3. Expect God to blow your mind
-Give unto God and see what he will do.
Now, this is a very important picture here because we see that in contrast to the ‘little’, in verse 7, the Lord gives it with abundance.
example:
4. Waste not want not
There is more than enough to satisfy the people, but it is interesting that it is still precious, so they gather it up and do not waste it.
5. Be Thankful
Two times, by the way, John mentions that Jesus gave thanks, here is verse 11 and again in verse 23. Remembering God in all things.The act of thanksgiving or being thankful is a discipline.
6. King or KING OF KINGS
THE PROPHET Deut. 18:18
KING of kings

MOVIE ON THE WALL!!

Youth Group 08-31-2011

All Docs Edit Evangelism in the Gospel of John

John 1-5 Applied Review of the first 5 chapters of John; It’s all about the Gospel.

1. Contact people socially:

a. Be where the people are.

b. Sharing the gospel involves more than just a “holy huddle”

c. Where in the first 5 chapters of John do we see Jesus interact in a social situation?

d. With whom?

2. Establish common interests:

a. What does Jesus have in common with:

i. John the baptizer

ii. His disciples

iii. Woman at the well

iv. Nicodemus

v. Paralyzed guy

3. Be spiritually minded:

b. Was Jesus spiritually minded during His interactions with people?

i. where do we see this?

ii. give examples of this

4. Guide the conversation:

c. Jesus doesn’t talk about the weather!

d. The goal through out your conversation and throughout every conversation should be the Gospel.

e. How does Jesus guide conversation with the Samaritan woman?

i. Nicodemus

ii. Paralyzed guy

f. How does John the Baptizer Guide the conversation in John 3:23-36

i. Is John spiritually minded? How?

5. Confront truthfully but not unnecessarily:

g. Don’t be a jerk!

h. Tell the truth no matter how hard it may seem

i. Tell the truth in love (Ephesians 4:11-16 mainly verse 15)

6. See people through the eyes of God:

a. Not through your eyes

i. paralyzed guy,Samaritan woman

b. See the need for the “good news” for a Savior

c. Check your heart

7. Closing: a. "Do not say, 'There are yet four months and then comes the harvest'? Look i tell you, lift up your eyes and see that the fields are white for harvest!"

Car Question: What opportunities do I have in my life to share Christ with those around me?

Do I have a particular friend that I can be doing a better job of sharing Christ with? Who?