Looking for Jesus for personal gain
Albert Bogle
August 06, 2021
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John 6: 24-35 (NRSVA)
24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ 26 Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ 28 Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ 29 Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ 30 So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’ 32 Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave 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 that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ 34 They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’
35 Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
This is an interesting chapter. However we only look at part of the story this week. It’s about people looking to put Jesus in their story for the wrong reasons. Jesus had fed a hungry crowd with the small boy’s loaves and two fishes. It’s the next day and the crowd are still looking to see what they can get from Jesus.
Things haven’t changed much. Two thousand years later people are still trying to put Jesus into their life stories in order to be prosperous and powerful. The rise of the ‘prosperity gospel’ teaching lingers in the background of so many churches that appear to be orthodox in their teaching. It’s the subtle innocently implied teaching that says, do all the right things, give generously to the church and material blessings will come your way. This of course is manifestly untrue.
The truth is the food Jesus promises and gives is not to make you materially wealthy but to sustain you in times of temptation and struggle. Today’s reading draws us to think more deeply about the meaning of the Communion service and what it truly means to eat and drink the body and blood of Jesus in the power of the Spirit. It is surely to live in Christ and allow Christ’s life to live in you.
To reflect more upon this check out my blog post: Location, presence and worship in a God shaped space.
Looking For The Father
Lord Jesus,
Search my heart today
Help me weed out wrong motives
Give me the courage to serve
Without looking for any kind of reward
And when blessings come
Teach me to understand
They are your gifts freely given
Never rewards for services rendered
Father God,
Draw me closer to yourself
That I might know you more
Spirit of God,
Revealer of the Son
Open the eyes of my heart
That I might see the Father’s glory
In bread and wine
Broken for my redemption
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