JOHN 6:22-29 PODCAST
22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 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.” ~ John 6:22-29
The spotlight now turns from the disciples, learning through the storm, back to the crowd who had "benefitted" from the little boy's small meal. The Apostle uses an interesting word in v.23 that is key to the performing of the previous miracle of the feeding of the 5000 on the hillside north of the Sea of Tiberias. The word is "thanks" which illustrates a vert important principle of God.
The ways of God are most profoundly discovered in the insignificant and seemingly unimportant. This one little word, "thanks", is integral to the realization and the recognition of God's miracles. What is it about giving thanks for something that unleashes the activity and power of God? Whenever we give thanks to God, despite the most difficult of circumstances, the enemy loses. When we give thanks in the midst of difficulty, we bring, we invite God's involvement in the situation. When we do this, the enemy no longer has the ability to hold or manipulate us and our circumstances. Thanksgiving invites the power and presence of God in our lives, in a more profound way.
The large crowd, who had been fed by the five loaves and two fish of the little boy, boarded boats and traveled across the lake to Capernaum. Note: there was no storm. The disciples were being discipled through the storm. Interesting, trials are 1/2 of that which causes our faith in the Lord Jesus to grow. The other is hearing His spoken word (Romans 10:17). There, in Capernaum, the unfulfilled found Jesus and asked Him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
In His reply, the Lord Jesus asks why they came to seek Him. The Lord Jesus could read the motives of their hearts, and He tells them plainly, "you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill." Notice He says they were motivated by their emptiness ... "had your fill." Again, we see the emptiness of man. But, we do not know how to truly address our emptiness. It is very clear these people greatly misunderstood what the Lord Jesus was doing. And, I'd say, we most often miss Him and His ways, too.
In order to help these people understand, He says to them in v.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." Food is important. It is necessary for life, and we have to have it. But, we must not let food be the sole reason for our working. Rather, "Work for the food which endures to eternal life."
These people felt that the most important thing in life is to stay alive, to be healthy, strong and economically sufficient. That was what life was all about, they mistakenly thought.
In addition, these people were mistaken about the Lord Jesus. They thought He was just another prophet. They thought He was a man whom God would use to deliver the nation from the Romans, a man who would feed their bellies and keep them satisfied and happy and comfortable. But the Lord Jesus corrects that, saying, "Work 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.”
God's seal of approval is a reference to the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. Believers in Christ are "sealed by the Spirit," according to Ephesians The presence of His Holy Spirit was a mark of the Father on the Lord Jesus. There has never been anyone like Him, before or since, in all of history. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had the Spirit in His fullness. This is, in part, the means by which He fulfills His followers.
In v.29, we arrive upon the answer: “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” This means the gospel is more than merely going to heaven when we die. It means the Lord Jesus is alive, right now, and is available to us. "Believe in him" means to learn to look at our situation through His eyes, to see life as He sees it. That means we must listen to what He has to say; we must pay attention to His words and understand His point of view.
"Believe in Him" means we must get into the habit of expecting Him to be involved in all of our lives, the good and the bad. Our responses of faith in all of these circumstances in our lives, be they good or bad, is what the Lord Jesus refers to in v.29 as "the work of God."
