Sermon Central
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Jesus Wants To Satisfy Our Souls! Series
Contributed by Rick Crandall on Aug 12, 2019 (message contributor)
Summary: How does He do it? 1. He helps us pursue the right priorities (vs. 25-26). 2. He measures our motives (vs. 26). 3. He corrects our spiritual confusion (vs. 27-28). 4. He leads us to life (vs. 27-29).
Jesus Wants to Satisfy Our Souls!
The Gospel of John
Sermon by Rick Crandall
Grayson Baptist Church - October 12, 2016
(Revised August 12, 2019)
BACKGROUND:
*Please open your Bibles to John chapter 6, as we think about being satisfied by the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. Before we read, remember that in this chapter, Jesus worked one of His most amazing miracles. A great multitude had followed the Lord out to the countryside, because they knew that He was miraculously healing people.
*They were so desperate to get close to Jesus that only one person in that whole crowd had any food. It was a boy who had 5 barley loaves. We'd call them barley rolls or biscuits. The boy also had two small fish, and Jesus miraculously multiplied that little bit of food so that it was more than enough to feed the whole crowd! There were 5,000 men there, plus thousands more women and children! Everybody ate as much as they wanted. And in vs. 13, they filled twelve baskets with the leftovers.
*Matthew 14:22 tells us that after everybody ate, "immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away." While the Lord was sending the people away, John 6:15 says: "Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king." That's one reason why in vs. 15, Jesus "departed again to a mountain by Himself alone." Matthew 14:23 tells us that Jesus also went up on the "mountain by Himself to pray."
*Some of the men at the miraculous supper got the idea to make Jesus their king, but of course they didn't know anything about the cross. They may have been thinking, "If this man can do this miracle, He could crush our Roman enemies like bugs." Or they may have been thinking, "Let's make this man king, and we can get rich selling all the food He can make!"
*But they were certainly thinking, "Let's make this man king, and we'll never have to worry about another meal!" We know this, because in vs. 26, Jesus told them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled."
*Last week, we also saw two more amazing miracles. Starting in vs. 16:
16. And when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,
17. got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them.
18. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.
19. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.
20. But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid.''
21. Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.
*It would be pretty nice if we got on the plane in Monroe tomorrow morning. And just as soon as we fastened our seatbelts, the flight attendant said, "We are now arriving in Columbus, Ohio." That's what happened when Jesus got in the boat!
*With that background, let's read vs. 21-29 to see what happened the next day. And as we read, please think about being satisfied by our Savior Jesus Christ.
MESSAGE:
*Are you satisfied today? Have you found real satisfaction in your life?
*Daryl Grimes once said:
-"I am happy when I go hunting or fishing.
-I am happy when I go see a friend or loved one.
-I am happy when I go to church and experience a good service.
-I am happy when I have fun with my kids.
-But none of these things can satisfy my soul.
*Some people are happy when they are high.
-Some people are happy when they are skiing, or snowmobiling.
-Some people are happy when they are partying.
-Some people are happy when they are camping.
-And some people are happy when they are gambling.
-But none of these things can satisfy their souls..." (1)
*Church: There is only one ultimate, eternal source of satisfaction, and that is God Himself. Jesus Christ wants to satisfy our souls! He wants to give us eternal, abundant, godly satisfaction. How does he do it?
1. FIRST: HE HELPS US PURSUE THE RIGHT PRIORITIES.
*That's what Jesus tried to do when the people caught up to Him in Capernaum. Verses 25-26 tell us that:
25. . . when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?''
26. Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
