John 6; Jesus Fed 5000 People Miraculously

John 6 Is About Provision and how God provides for those seeking him. Jesus Starts The Chapter Feeding 5000 People And At The End, He Declares Himself The Bread Of Life.

Why did Jesus yell out that he was the bread of life? How did he expect people to react when he said they needed to eat his flesh and drink his blood?

John 6 contains pivotal stories in the New Testament. It shows that not all followers of Christ are following Christ, and not everybody sees what he’s teaching.

It also shows us that regular people can see God for who he is, and choose to follow him.

This is what I see whenever I read John 6.

John 6: Jesus Feeds Five Thousand People With 5 Loaves And 2 Fish

6 After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. ² A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick.³ Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. ⁴ (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) 

⁵ Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” ⁶ He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

⁷ Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”

⁸ Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. ⁹ “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

¹⁰ “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) ¹¹ Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.

¹² After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” ¹³ So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.

¹⁴ When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” ¹⁵ When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.

John 6: 1-15

John 6; Jesus Provides For Our Physical Needs

At the moment I’m writing this and it’s January 2021. Currently, we have a lot of the population out of work, and there’s no foreseeable change to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The United States Government has been gridlocked and has not offered help. Instead, I’ve seen a lot of hindrances.

But if you’re a follower of Jesus, you need to remember. There will be days of darkness and days of light. We need to trust in Jesus. I think this is the message we can receive from John 6.

Even when things look bleak, God can make something appear out of nothing.

Keep in mind you might receive what you need. Not what you want. God made the entire world, and he created you. He knows what you need, and understands your plight better than you do. What if somebody in that crowd was gluten-free? Or a Vegan?

In reality, you probably don’t know what you need.

How many times have you tried to go your own way? But God has directed you onto another path.

Trust him, and your earthly needs will be met.

When You Trust Him; The Abundance Will Feed Others

Trusting in God will not only fill your own needs. It can fill the needs of others. Think of how the story ends in John 6. There were 12 baskets left over and everyone was filled.

That’s some supernatural multiplication going on.

They ended with more than they began and were probably able to give more away as they trekked through the countryside. Or it gave them sustenance for the next few days.

Either way, the providence of Jesus kept them going and many people were blessed.

John; 6 Jesus Walks on Water

¹⁶ That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him.¹⁷ But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. ¹⁸ Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. 

¹⁹ They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, ²⁰ but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” ²¹ Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!

John 6: 16-21

I like this short paragraph in John 6 because it shows that followers of Christ won’t always have things easy.

Just because you follow Jesus doesn’t mean your life will go easy. Most times it’ll be the opposite. Jesus didn’t remove their hunger in John 6, instead, he helped them through it.

So why follow him?

The last part of that paragraph is the reason why. He came to rescue them, and he brought them to safety. He did this because he loved them, and was traveling with them.

Troubles are going to come, that’s life. But if you try to walk on without Jesus, you face those troubles alone. It’s not that he won’t help you, it’s that you won’t let him.

He’s waiting, hoping you’ll let him in, and he’s always near.

John 6: Jesus Is the Bread of Life

²² The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. ²³ Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. 

²⁴ So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. ²⁵ They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

²⁶ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. ²⁷ But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God, the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

John 6: 22-27

John 6; We Have A Distorted Image Of God:

I’m going back in time, way before John 6 on this statement, however, I’ll connect it pretty quickly here.

Something happened to us in the Garden of Eden, and it goes deeper than our sinning. We neglect to think deeply about our disconnection from God.

He wanted to be like God.

The irony…is that we were like God.

Satan deceived us into thinking we could be like God and made us forget we were created in his image.

When we took our eyes off him we tarnished ourselves.

Essentially we are dirty mirrors, and we can’t clean ourselves. Before we sinned, we shined in the image of God, and only the blood of Jesus can wash us clean. Once we are clean we can show them the creator, revealing the image of God.

I hope I’m explaining this properly, because these things are deeper than we realize, and I know I’m only scratching the surface.

John 6: There are 3 major things I believe, and everything else is pointless banter:

1. God loves every person who’s ever lived and will live.
2. Jesus came because he loved us. He is the way, and our only option to be saved.
3. The Holy Spirit was sent to guide us into all truth.

All of these things happened because God loved us. It is what burns within me every day.

John 6: Jesus Talks About Spiritual Food

²⁸ They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

²⁹ Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

³⁰ They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? ³¹ After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

³² Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. ³³ The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

John 6:28-34

When People Meet Jesus, They Become Hungry For This “Bread From Heaven”

It’s funny how people will hear something that sounds amazing, yet they don’t count the cost. The spiritual food Jesus spoke about had a cost, and we’ll get to that in a minute.

However, the hunger these people had for something from heaven, is matched today by people. No matter who or where you are. There’s a longing for something more.

I’m a follower of Christ and I feel this longing every day, it doesn’t get better it gets worse.

My hunger is for a world unlike our own. It’s a world where children aren’t sold into slavery. Women aren’t trafficked, and men aren’t abusive.

We all can sense there’s something wrong, but we can’t put our fingers on it.

This desire, even when we can’t place it, is a desire for heaven or paradise (depending on what you want to call it).

We were once part of Paradise until we screwed it all up.

Jesus is the way back. We must choose to follow him.

John 6 The From Jesus Response Is Not What They Expected:

³⁵ Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶ But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. ³⁷ However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 

³⁸ For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. ³⁹ And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.⁴⁰ For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

⁴¹ Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

John 6: 35-42

John 6 Many People Failed To See The Spiritual World As the Real World.

As humans it’s hard to see the spiritual world, we live in the physical realms and all of our senses are rooted here.

Because of this, we tend to focus only on the things we need here and now.

Think of the last few times you’ve prayed. What have you asked God?

Maybe it was:

• A Prayer for Healing
• Or Asking For That Promotion
• Deliverance From A Habit
• Just Asking Why Something Happened

While the physical world is great, we were created from the spiritual world. This world is just a fading image of the real one. God rules both worlds, but this one is fading because of our sins. That is why Jesus feeding the 5000 is so important. He brought a spiritual solution to fixing a physical problem.

John 6 is about the Kingdom of Heaven invading the physical realm.

Our focus should always be on the kingdom of heaven. During the summer of 2020, I had an issue. I started focusing on politics and like many Christians during this time. We began to see certain members of our government as heroes.

I forgot they were fallible men and women. Men can let you down, but God will never let you down. Giving your devotion to something other than God is idolatry, and I had to repent of it.

John 6; Jesus’s Response To Complaining

⁴³ But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. ⁴⁴ For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day, I will raise them. ⁴⁵ As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.)

⁴⁷ “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸ Yes, I am the bread of life! ⁴⁹ Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. ⁵⁰ Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

John 6: Jesus Is The Bread Of Heaven:

When we focus on the kingdom of heaven and forget about ourselves. We are eating the flesh of Christ and drinking his blood. Not mind you, I can’t express that enough.

But figuratively when we are giving to the poor, helping a widow, or giving orphans food, we are showing the world who Jesus is.

Jesus was here on earth to change lives, whether it was one life lying in the gutter, or many lives he was here for people.

That goes through the centuries to today and beyond. He came and died for you, and there might be things he said that offended you. But you should ask yourself why.

I’m inclined to believe we take offense because our focus is wrong. We have naivety and ignorance that stops us from understanding his plan.

And just like the people in John 6 who leave him. They miss out on a great adventure.

John 6; The People Argue, Get Offended, And Leave Jesus.

⁵² Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.

⁵³ So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.⁵⁴ But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. ⁵⁶ Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 

⁵⁷ I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”

⁵⁹ He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

John 6: 52-59

John 6; Many Disciples Desert Jesus And It Hurts Him.

⁶⁰ Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”

⁶¹ Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶² Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? ⁶³ The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 

⁶⁴ But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.)⁶⁵ Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

⁶⁶ At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. ⁶⁷ Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

⁶⁸ Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. ⁶⁹ We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

⁷⁰ Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” ⁷¹ He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.

John 6: 60-71

John 6; My Final Thoughts

I don’t write these for clicks, money, or recognition. My goal in writing these is to point out the glory of God, and show people who he is, and how he feels about them. John 6 is a perfect example of who God is.

Jesus loves you, whether you read another blog post of mine or not. He seriously loves you.

This world is broken, we can all agree on that. We’ve been trying to fix it ourselves, but maybe it’s time we surrender and let the creator fix it.

I hope you enjoyed my latest post. I know it’s very text-heavy, but I like to put my thoughts/feelings next to what God tells me in scripture.

If I’m wrong theologically I don’t care. I do care that you know who Jesus is and that you understand that he loves you. Jesus wants to forgive you and save you from hell. Let him in. I hope this pointed you in his direction.

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