John 6

6:1-13 - Feeding of the 5,000 Men
We often only see what we can see instead of simply asking God what He wants us to do and start doing it. I wonder how many miraculous workings of God He has to withhold, because we think we are under-resourced. We are children of the King. We have never been under-resourced, nor will we ever be. We need to remember that.

6:11 - Give thanks for what God HAS provided and it will be enough to satisfy and to have leftovers.

6:13 - 12 baskets would have been a powerful statement to the observant Jews that Jesus was the Bread of Life for the 12 tribes of Israel. This is great, because when Jesus goes into the Decapolis (10 cities) where the Jews said the 7 Gentile/Pagan Nations lived, Jesus fed 4,000 men and then they collected 7 baskets of leftovers, indicating that Jesus is the Bread of Life for the non-Jews as well.

6:20 - Don't be afraid. I am here! - In the Greek this can be translated, Don't be afraid. I AM is here.

6:27 - 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. - I like the way the NLT words this.

6:29 - (NASB) This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent. - So many people want to do so much for God, but the first and primary work He is looking for from us is for us to believe Him. Everything else gets in the way until we work that out on a daily basis.

6:35 - I am the bread of life.

6:40/47 - The word believing in this passage is a present participle. This indicates continuous, ongoing action. So, the verse is best understood to say when we believe and continue or persist in our belief.

6:63 - The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. - If we would learn that real effect and results come form the Spirit and not our effort we would be more effective, more satisfied and a whole lot more rested.

6:66 - (NASB) As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore. - What in the teachings of Jesus cause you to withdraw? Does it lead you to not walk with Him anymore? I see many people who once walked with Jesus who seem to have decided that something He taught didn't jive with how they thought or felt so they stopped walking with Him. God, grant us the wisdom to know that when we don't like what you have said it is our problem to work out, but we still need to walk with you and have Peter's heart.

6:68 - Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.

Michael