Misunderstandings
with God because we’re choosing to be Entertained
Going through The Gospel of John with
our STS team and it is EXCITING!! Also,
I’m realizing more and more about how much I DON’T Know about God- How much I
don’t really know Christ… therefore, I must keep pursuing Him and investigating
or else, I will choose to follow ‘MY IDEA of GOD’ vs actually truly following
Him.
So… Just as a crime scene investigation
team would look at the evidence, make observations, take pictures, samples,
test samples, canvas the neighborhoods to ask questions etc…. they are trying
to figure out what happened exactly.
Then… conclusion can be made that are MORE accurate- rather than just
assuming what happened.
I
would say many of us that are Christians today DON’T do the same thing as far
as pursuing Christ and following God. We
are perfectly comfortable going off of someone elses’ opinion on ‘what
happened’ rather than taking the time and energy to investigate what really
happened, what the Bible really says, what God has done, what Christ did, what
Christ said….
As
I’m finishing up study in John 6 with our STS team at Ft. Campbell, I saw
something interesting…
John 6:24- 33 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, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me,
not because you saw the signs I performed 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. For on him God the Father has
placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then
they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus
answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one
he has sent.” 30 So they
asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you?
What will you do? 31 Our
ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them
bread from heaven to eat.’”
32 Jesus
said to them, “Very truly I tell you, 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 the bread that comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.”
Observations:
·
The people searched
after Jesus and wanted to see ‘Fireworks’- IE another miracle… (vs 30)
·
Jesus tells the people
about God’s work- and then they immediately go to ‘We want to see a sign’-this
response says… “I’m not interested in what you’re talking about- I want
something else.”
·
If the people WERE
interested in what Jesus was attempting to communicate, they would have asked
further about God’s work and what our part is – but they did not…
·
Ultimately, the people
were seeking to be entertained…
So…
I wanted to share a thought with you from the rest of John 6…
Some
conclusions as Jesus continues attempting to challenge and teach the people…
The
People were seeking a ‘sign’, but really just looking to be entertained by
miracles…
Jesus
continues teaching and challenging, but the people entirely missed with Jesus
was trying to teach and communicate because they were caught up with being
entertained. So… here are some of the
points Jesus was trying to teach and challenge the people with…
·
Everyone who comes to Him, He will not drive
away
·
He has come to do the Father’s will- not His own
·
The will of the Father is NOT to lose any that
the Father has given Him
·
Everyone who looks to Christ will have eternal
life
Why
am I making this point? As I’m thinking
through this whole thing, I’m trying to connect these dots.Here’s
what I’m thinking…
IF
I am only seeking to be ‘entertained’ by God- then I will entirely MISS and
MISUNDERSTAND these points that Jesus was trying to communicate. IF
I am struggling through these points, have I been seeking God only to be
‘entertained’? I don’t know… I would love to hear your guys thoughts and
would love to discuss these things with you guys…
Throughout their ministries Jesus, the Apostles, Moses, and the prophets gave signs, at God's direction, to prove that it was God who sent them. In Judges 6, Gideon asks for and receives multiple signs (the dry and wet fleece) to validate that it was God who was giving him the command to lead Israel. When is a sign appropriate? What are some guide lines to determine when asking for a sign in-appropriate.
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