The Fisherman's Story

A Study in the Gospel of John   by Samuel E. Ward   November 27, 2011     Part One:  "The Beginning of the Fisherman's Story," John 1:1-18 Part Two:  "The Telling of the Fisherman's Story," John 1:19-12:50   I.  The Story Is an Unveiling of  the Redemptive Promise of God (Jesus), 1:19-4:54. II.  The Story Is a Record of the Rising Controversy Over Jesus' Claims and Demonstration of His Divine Nature and Power, John 5:1-47. III.  The Story Is a Record of the Growing Conflict Between Jesus and the Jews Over His Identity Claims, John 6:1-71.    A.  The Miracle of the Feeding the Five Thousand, John 6:1-15.  Did you notice Jesus can supply all your needs?   1.  The crowd gathers, John 6:1-4   (John 6:1-4 NIV)  Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), {2} and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.  3} Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. {4} The Jewish Passover Feast was near.   2.  The disciples' faith in Jesus' power is tested, John6:5-9   (John 6:5-9 NIV)  When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" {6} He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. {7} Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"  {8} Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, {9} "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"   a.  How a teacher uses questions to teach:   1)  to find out what a student knows 2)  to find out what a student has learned so far. 3)  to get students involved in the lesson 4)  to get students to verbalize their reasoning 5)  to get students to produce ideas 6)  to build students' thinking and problem-solving skills 7)  to draw specific students into the discussion (perhaps they are reluctant to participate.)   b.  Jesus may have asked this question to accomplish all seven objectives.   By asking this question, Jesus was testing His disciples' knowledge, level of understanding on what has been taught so far, interacting with them in the lesson, giving them an opportunity to show how they thought, offer new ideas, solve problems, and to have Philip in particular become involved in the learning process for whatever reason.  What was determined from the question was, as far as the problem was concerned, the need was greater than their resources.  The disciples had concluded that the need would go unmet.  But, not so quick . . .   3.  Jesus' power is sufficient to meet incredible needs through miraculous means, if necessary, John 6:10-13.   (John 6:10-13 NIV)  Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. {11} Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.  {12} When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." {13} So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.   Remember always that when your resources are depleted,   (Eph 3:20-21 NIV)  [God] is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, {21} to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.   (Phil 4:19 NIV)  God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.   4.  The people's  perception of Jesus' person and power was mistaken, John 6:14-15.   (John 6:14-15 NIV)  After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." {15} Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.   He was more than the "Prophet" promised in Deuteronomy 18,  He was more than a political deliverer to rescue Israel from the iron rule of Rome, He was the Messiah!  He was their Savior-God who could take away their sin and give them eternal life.  But their hopes and dreams were too tied to this temporal world to hear the message of an offer to become citizens of an eternal heavenly kingdom. Jesus would not allow them to make Him what He was not sent to be.  One day He would be king.  But not today—not in this passing world.  Jesus would later tell Governor Pilate,   (John 18:36 NIV)  Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."   B.  The Miracle of Walking on Water, John 6:16-21.  Did you notice Jesus has power over your fears?   (John 6:16-21 NIV)  When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, {17} where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. {18} A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.  {19} When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. {20} But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." {21} Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.   Jesus has power over our worst fears.   1.  God will send the help you need, 2 Cor 7:5-6   (2 Cor 7:5-6 NIV)  For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within. {6} But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus.   2.  Jesus has conquered our worst fear already, Heb 2:14-15   (Heb 2:14-15 NIV)  Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- {15} and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.   3.  The answer to overcoming fear is to turn it over to God, Phil 4:6-7.   (Phil 4:6-7 NIV)  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. {7} And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.   C.  The Discussion in the Synagogue, John 6:22-59.       1.  The crowd was looking for the Lord for all the wrong reasons, John 6:22.   (John 6:22-27 NIV)  The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone.  {23} Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. {24} Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. {25} When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"  {26} Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. {27} Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."   People are inclined to seek Jesus to meet temporal needs and never find the answer to their greatest need—eternal life.  Jesus said quite plainly that even after you have received all you want in this life, it means nothing if you lose your soul   (Luke 9:24-26 NIV)  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. {25} What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? {26} If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.   2.  The crowd was not able to ask the right question.   These questioners were looking for a formula of works they could to in order to gain God's approval.  The answer was in front of them and yet they could not or would not see it.   (John 6:28 NIV)  Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"   3.  The answer Jesus gave required faith in Him and who He claimed to be, John 6:29.   (John 6:29 NIV)  Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."   4.  The miraculous sign they asked for indicates a failure to comprehend the message of the previous miracle they had witnessed.    They were seeking confirmation that Jesus was the Prophet like Moses rather that the Son of God, their Messiah, John 6:30-34.    (John 6:30-34 NIV)  So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? {31} Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"  {32} Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. {33} For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." {34} "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."   5.  The definitive declaration of what Jesus was ready to give them that was better than the bread and water Moses gave Israel in the wilderness.   a.  Jesus offered Himself as Bread and Water of Life brings eternal life, John 6:35.   (John 6:35 NIV)  Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.   b.  Jesus came to give Himself to those who responded to the Father's invitation to come to satisfy their spiritual hunger and thirst in Him and receive the irrevocable gift of eternal life in Him by faith, John 6:36-40.   (John 6:36-40 NIV)  But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. {37} All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.  {38} For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. {39} And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. {40} For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."   6.  The Jews prove that seeing is not always believing, John 6:41-   (John 6:41-42 NIV)  At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." {42} They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"   7.  Jesus explains that spiritual sensitivity tuned to listen to and obey  the call of God to  His word and will is a necessity to inheriting eternal life, John 6:43-51.   (John 6:43-51 NIV)  "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. {44} "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. {45} It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.  {46} No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. {47} I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. {48} I am the bread of life. {49} Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. {50} But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. {51} I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."   Hear this caution from the book of Hebrews to those who hear but do not exercise faith.   (Heb 4:1-2 NIV)  Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. {2} For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.   8.  Truth-seekers would have recognized that Jesus was not speaking literally, but spiritually.    (John 6:52 NIV)  Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"   The message was designed to separate the seekers from the curious even as parables were.  Jesus would often speak in parables or metaphors for this reason. Remember Nicodemus knew that Jesus in describing the need to be born again needed to have the concept explained further to him knowing that surely Jesus was not intending him to crawl back into his mother's womb.  Jesus Himself said,   (Mat 13:34-36 NIV)  [He] spoke . . . things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. {35} So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world." {36} Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."   9.  Jesus explains that He is the sustaining elements of eternal life.    As we need to continually partake of food and water to sustain our temporal physical life, we must come to Christ who sustains our spiritual and eternal life.   (John 6:53-59 NIV)  Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.  {54} Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. {55} For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. {56} Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. {57} Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.  {58} This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." {59} He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.   Though much has been written about this passage relative to the establishment of the Lord's Supper (or eucharist) as a sacrament in which one receives grace from God toward eternal life, this was not the view of the early church.  Consider the explanation of Justin Martyr who stated in c. 140 A. D.  "that no one was allowed to partake of it except (1) those who believed that the things Christians teach are true and (2) those who had already confessed their faith in baptism (Apology 1.66)."   --Merrill C. Tenney, The Expositor's Commentary on the New Testament:  "John" Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI.   This coincides with 1 Corinthians 7 presentation of the Lord's Supper as being commemorative rather than sacramental.  The experience of grace by belief and the public profession of faith by baptism was required before partaking of the elements and not the means of obtaining God's grace itself.   D.  The Division Which Separated Unbelievers from True Disciples, John 6:60-66      (John 6:60-66 NIV)  On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" {61} Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? {62} What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!  {63} The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. {64} Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. {65} He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." {66} From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.   1.  The characteristics of those in unbelief   a.  They are offended by certain aspects of the truth. b.  They keep demanding proofs from God though much has already been shown. c.  They would not believe it if they were to witness the Ascension of Christ to heaven. d.  They give up on seeking the deeper meanings of God's truth. e.  They often miss the obvious.   2.  The truth these Jews missed.   a.  Jesus was not speaking of physical food being able to give eternal life.  It was the spiritual food of a relationship with Him offered in the words He speaks. b.  Jesus was proving the point that one must be pre-disposed to hear God before they will accept His truth. c.  Jesus was teaching that merely associating with Jesus is not the same as following Him.  There was even a betrayer who was associating with Jesus but not following.   3.  The failure of some to come all the way to the Truth.   "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him."   4.  The key question, the key answer, and an unfortunate fact, John 6:67-71.   (John 6:67-71 NIV)  "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. {68} Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. {69} We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."  {70} Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" {71} (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)