John 6

Click Here to Read John 6

John 6:1-71

Observations

• While there is a chapter break in our Bible for 5 and 6 they flow into one another. 
• The miracles that Jesus had thus performed were drawing the attention of the people.
• Jesus' disciples were His closest companions, He desired specific time set aside with them, just as we do with our closest of friends
• Immediately upon seeing the crowd of people Jesus is concerned with them and their well being. 
• Jesus feeds thousands of people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.
• Jesus has performed another miracle. The food more than feed the people, not only feed them but satisfied them. 
• Knowing what was to come, Jesus desired time set aside to spend in the presence of God the Father
• Jesus meets them in the midst of rough waters, walking on water. 
• The people pondered in Jesus' arrival as they knew that only the disciples left in the boat and only one boat arrived to shore.
• Jesus questions the desires of the hearts. The people sought Him out but why? It would seem based on Jesus' comments that it was to obtain physical food, not spiritual food. While they understood there was something different about Him, they didn't understand fully.
• Again Jesus meets the people were they are and delivers the gospel in a way they understand. Not changing the gospel or changing the truths of the gospel but meeting the needs of the people where they are. 
• The people still do not understand. It is all about God. Not Moses or others, but all the work they did in the OT is to reflect towards God or is the working of God through that person. 
• Verse 44 would seem to elude to predestination "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him"
• Jesus is the Bread of Life.
• Jesus knows your heart, he knew the unbelief of those closest to Him that would lead to betrayal. 
• The disciples turned back, discontinuing to walk with Jesus
• Judas will betray Jesus, one of His own disciples, one of His chosen ones. 

Questions
I. Did He feed 5,000 people or 5,000 men plus the women and children?

II. When I know a trial is coming or a tough is ahead do I first seek specific time with God?

III. Scripture says the disciples started across and that Jesus had not yet come to them. How did they expect Him to come? Did they anticipate Him walking on water? Why did they leave without Him? Did they not know where He had went?

IV. How would I have responded to seeing only one boat and Jesus? Knowing that the disciples are the only ones who left in the boat.

V. Is my faith the faith that sees because I believe or do I need to see to believe?

VI. What implications does it have in Jesus saying He is the bread of life?

VII. Why did Jesus choose Judas if He knew he would not believe? What purpose should be sought out of the involvement of Judas?

Applicational Thoughts
God uses the unbelief of some to bring belief in others. We have seen very clearly that Jesus knows the hearts of all men. We know He chose His own disciples. We also know that Judas will betray Jesus. Obviously the ultimate unbelief of Judas lead to the belief of others as well as the ministry of Jesus. My last question listed (VII) has me pondering more to this and really pondering the use of Judas in Jesus' ministry while on earth.

Resources
The Message of John; John Stott
John: St Helen's

John 5

Click Here to Read John 5

John 5:1-47

Observations

• After this is referring back to chapter four; when Jesus healed the sick boy. 
• Blind, lame, and paralyzed are called invalids
• Jesus spoke to an invalid man that was unable to walk. Jesus knew the desires of this man's heart yet He asked anyway, "do you want to be healed?"
• The Jewish people are very set in their ways of tradition. They do not rejoice in this man's healing but are critical because it is on the Sabbath.
• Jesus specifically seeks this man out later at the temple. 
• The Jews thought Jesus to be blasmpheming; as He claimed to be the Son of God. 
• Jesus is equal to God, yet it is through God that Jesus is able to minister on earth.
• It is Jesus who is the Judge. God gave that over to Him. 
• To honor the Son is to honor the Father.
• Upon the second coming of Christ those that know Him will join Him, those that do not know Him will be separated forever
• John has been sent to bear witness of Christ
• Although it is worth rejoicing over John's ministry it is more so to rejoice over Christ and His ministry
• They read the Word that bears witness of Jesus, yet they do not know Jesus to be the long awaited for Messiah
• Jesus came by way of the Son in flesh not God the Father.
• It would seem that if one comes in their own name they would receive them. ie. if God had come as God the Father not as God the Son in flesh they may have believed....
• Moses wrote of the Messiah, Jesus

Questions
I. What are specific ways that God is further glorified by Jesus asking of people opposed to responding based off of what He already know. Example Jesus could have told this man to rise and walk, instead He first asked if would like to be healed, already knowing the desires of this mans heart. How was God further glorified because Jesus asked?

II. What is the specific purpose in seeking this man out later?

III. What would my response have been to Jesus' statement He is the Son of God?

IV. If God has chosen to come to earth Himself to bear witness about Himself would people have been more likely or not to believe than they are with Jesus?


Applicational Thoughts
Jesus not only submitted to God's will but He sought God's will.

It is all God. "If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true"

One day the Son of God will return!

Resources
The Message of John

John 2

Click here to read John 2

John 2:1-25

I find it interesting that John refers to Mary as the mother of Jesus. It makes Mary seem less personal to the situation, or maybe it was a traditional term of language then?

Every time I read verse four where Jesus says "Woman" it takes me aback. In our time saying responding this way is seen as very derogatory. Was it the same for Jesus' time? Is that how they would have address women of that time with no offense taken? Obviously Jesus is perfect, so His use of Woman was not done in a sinful manner, the manner in which I think. However that verse stands out strongly to me every time I read through.

Jesus' first miracle in John water to wine. Mary knew that there was something very special about Jesus for obvious reasons; she was visited by an angel, Gabriel, to reveal His conception. But didn't she truly understand who Jesus was? Did she fully understand the implications of Jesus? I wonder because if you knew Jesus had come to save the world would have have asked Him to make wine? So that leads to Mary, knowing Jesus is someone very special but not having the revealed truth that Jesus is the Messiah. At first it is easy to be critical of Mary for not knowing, first it is in God's timing that this is revealed and acknowledged by each of us as He chooses us. But second what would we think if we had known Jesus then?

I think back to Exodus and the ten plagues (Exodus 7-12) when the passover was initiated.

Jesus' anger is seen fully displayed, what a beautiful example of what holy anger is. Jesus never sinned yet he was angry how is that? Was is not that the people in the temple where sinning against God, the sin is what drove Jesus' anger. Is my anger ever sinless? Am I ever angry because of righteous things or only of selfish ambition?

Jesus give us the first glimpse in John that He will die a physical death but be raised within three days. The Jews do not understand, they thought He was talking about the physical temple in front of them.

Jesus knows all people. He knows us. That is exciting and fear inspiring all the same. Who am I that Jesus knows me and wants to know me. But Jesus knows my sin.

Application Point:
The application of these verse that impacted me the most is Jesus' sinless anger. Anger is something that I struggle with, how can I change and grow to only know a sinless anger not a selfish anger.