From the desk of Pastor Ben

A Fickle Crowd Seeks Jesus

“After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with His disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.”             (John 6:1-4)

Except for Jesus’ resurrection, the feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle recorded in John’s gospel that also appears in each of the other Gospels (Matthew 14:13-20; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17). That underscores the miracle’s significance since most of John’s gospel simply supplements the other gospels with additional material. John’s account of this miracle also sets the stage for his record of the bread of life discourse (John 2:22).
Today’s passage indicates that Jesus and His apostles sought a place of seclusion, likely because they had been engaged in a period of busy ministry and now needed a time of rest and refreshing (Mark 6:7-13, 30-32; Matthew 11:1). But it was soon apparent to them that they would not find the peace and quiet they wanted. The crowds that awaited them near the mountain was not motivated by genuine spiritual concerns. Instead, most of the people were there merely “because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.” Those thrill seekers failed to understand the real meaning of Jesus’ miracles (John 6:26), which unquestionably pointed to Him as God’s Son and the Messiah. The people were eager to have the benefits of the Lord’s power in their physical lives, but they did not seek the faith, repentance, and love for Him they really needed.

Ask Yourself:
If one of our favorite celebrities or public figures gave us a brief moment of their time, we would be talking about it for years. How can we train ourselves to treasure the value of God’s Word, His presence, and His listening ear —  and let His simple nearness thrill us?