John 6:22–34 - 22 The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. 23 There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?” 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” 30 So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31 “Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”
What does today’s passage say?
In today's passage, the crowd that Jesus had fed with five loaves searched for Him, finally locating Him across the Sea of Galilee. They were confused about how He had gotten there since they had not seen Him leave with His disciples (vv. 22-24). When they found Jesus, He pointed out their true motivation - they only wanted more free food, not because they understood the miracle's significance (vv. 25-26). Jesus told them to focus on gaining eternal life instead of temporary food. When they asked what they should do to please God, Jesus said they only needed to believe in Him, the One God sent (vv. 27-29). The people then demanded another miraculous sign like the manna Moses provided. Jesus explained that His Father gives the true bread from heaven that brings life to the world. The crowd eagerly asked for this bread (vv. 30-34).
How can I apply John 6:22-34 to my life?
Free food draws quite a crowd! Just ask any college student about pizza night or check out the sample stations at your local warehouse store. The people in today's passage tracked Jesus down after He had fed thousands with just five loaves and two fish. They wanted seconds - another miraculous meal to fill their stomachs. But Jesus saw straight through their motives. These people weren't interested in who He was or the eternal life He offered. They just wanted more bread. People pack into churches and religious events today for all kinds of reasons. A desperate parent hopes for help with a troubled teenager. Someone else needs money for mounting bills. Others show up because it makes them feel better about themselves. The reasons pile up like items in a shopping cart - good things, maybe, but not the main thing. Jesus offers something far bigger than quick fixes for our daily problems. He gives eternal life to everyone who believes in Him. The crowd missed this amazing gift because they focused on temporary satisfaction instead of eternal truth. Their story reveals a lot about why we seek Jesus and what we expect from Him. Here are some basic principles from this passage that we should apply to our lives:
1. Stop Following Jesus Just for Earthly Benefits (vv. 22-26): The crowds pursued Jesus across the Sea of Galilee because He had provided free food, not because they recognized His divine identity. Many of us make the same mistake today. We want Jesus to fix our broken relationships, pad our bank accounts, or smooth out life's rough spots. But this misses everything! Some people drift from church to church, preacher to preacher, looking for the next spiritual high or divine handout. God is not a cosmic vending machine - insert prayer, receive blessing. Our view of Jesus needs a complete overhaul. When we chase after Him just to get something, we are no different from that crowd who wanted another free lunch. Sure, God absolutely cares about our daily needs, but He offers something far greater than temporary solutions to earthly problems. Following Jesus only for what He can give us is like going to a five-star restaurant and only eating the mints by the door. We need to stop treating Jesus like our personal assistant and start approaching Him as our Lord and Savior. Think about it - the Creator of the universe offers us eternal life and a relationship with Him, yet we often reduce Him to a solution for our latest crisis. True faith looks past the immediate and temporary to grab hold of what really matters. When we finally get our motivations right, everything changes. A genuine relationship with Jesus brings joy and peace that no earthly benefit can match (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 3:7-8; Colossians 3:1-2).
Food for Thought: What is your main reason for following Jesus right now? How has your motivation for following Jesus changed since you first believed in Him?
2. Do the Work that Produces Eternal Benefits - Believe in Jesus (vv. 27-29): Jesus directed the crowd away from their focus on physical bread to the spiritual food that gives eternal life. The human heart has an incredible capacity for making simple things complicated - especially when it comes to salvation. Walk into any bookstore, and you will find shelves packed with self-help guides promising spiritual fulfillment. Yet here was Jesus, cutting through all that complexity with a straightforward truth: believe in Him. The crowd wanted Jesus to give them a spiritual to-do list, much like people today who frantically check off religious boxes hoping to earn God's favor. Some folks wake up at dawn for prayer. Others never miss a church service. A few give away most of their money or spend every free moment helping others. These are beautiful acts of devotion - but they cannot save anyone. It is like trying to swim across the ocean when God has already provided a ship. The only "work" that brings eternal life is trusting what Jesus did on the cross. This truth hits hard against our pride. We want to earn it. We want to deserve it. We want to point to our accomplishments and say, "See? I did my part!" But God's gift of salvation works nothing like our merit-based world. Our good deeds should flow from hearts that have already been transformed by faith in Jesus, not from desperate attempts to win His approval. When this reality sinks in, it revolutionizes how we serve God (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:4-5; Titus 3:4-7).
Food for Thought: What religious activities or good works are you counting on to make you right with God? How does knowing that salvation comes through faith in Jesus, not works, change your approach to serving God?
3. Seek After the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ (vv. 30-34): The crowd demanded another miracle before they would believe in Jesus, even though they had just witnessed Him feed thousands. Most of us want a clear sign from heaven before we trust God with our lives. "Show me, and I will believe," we say, missing the incredible reality standing right in front of us. We bargain with God, setting up elaborate tests and conditions. If He heals this illness, gets us that job, or fixes that relationship - then we will surrender our lives to Him. But Jesus did not come to be our personal miracle worker. He came to be our life. Nothing drives this point home quite like watching someone chase after the next spiritual experience or supernatural event. They bounce from conference to conference, prophet to prophet, desperate for a touch from God. Meanwhile, Jesus stands ready to give them everything they need. Our souls get hungry for all sorts of things - success, love, purpose, meaning. We stuff ourselves with entertainment, social media, career achievements, and relationships. Yet that gnawing emptiness persists. It is like eating cotton candy for dinner - sweet for a moment but leaving us hungry an hour later. Only Jesus provides the spiritual nourishment that truly satisfies. When we stop demanding signs and start feasting on His presence through prayer and Scripture, something amazing happens. That restless spiritual hunger begins to fade. His truth fills our minds, His peace guards our hearts, and His power transforms our lives. The more we know Him, the less we need miraculous proof of His reality. He becomes as real to us as the air we breathe - invisible yet absolutely essential for life (John 4:13-14; Psalms 63:1-5; Matthew 5:6).
Food for Thought: What signs or proofs are you demanding from God before you will fully trust Him? How can you start looking to Jesus Himself, rather than to supernatural experiences, to satisfy your spiritual hunger?
The difference between seeking Jesus for temporary satisfaction and pursuing Him for eternal life changes everything. When the crowd chased after Jesus demanding more bread, they revealed a tragic misunderstanding that still trips people up today. Like a starving person staring at a feast while munching on crumbs, they missed the real treasure standing right in front of them. Following Jesus just for earthly benefits, trying to earn salvation through good works, or demanding miraculous signs - these approaches all fall short. Jesus did not come to be our cosmic problem-solver or spiritual vending machine. He came to give us eternal life through faith in Him. This gift requires no complicated religious system or endless chain of miracles. It comes through simple belief in Jesus as God's Son. The more we learn about Jesus, the clearer this becomes. His presence satisfies our deepest spiritual hunger. His truth nourishes our souls. His salvation frees us from the exhausting attempt to earn God's favor. When we finally grasp who Jesus really is - the Bread of Life sent from heaven - our whole approach to following Him transforms. Earthly benefits fade in importance compared to knowing Him and receiving His gift of eternal life.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that You would help me to follow after Jesus with pure motives and sincere faith. Help me to recognize when I am seeking Christ only for temporary earthly benefits like the crowd in this passage - desiring solutions and blessings more than the Savior Himself. I pray that You would show me where I am treating Jesus as my servant rather than my Savior and Lord.
I pray that You would help me to remove any selfishness, greed, or pride from my heart that diminishes who Christ is or what He offers. You have already given the ultimate evidence of Your love and power through the cross.
I pray that You would help me to seek after the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. Feed me on His presence daily through prayer and Scripture as He satisfies my deepest needs and becomes as real to me as the air I breathe.
I pray these things in the most precious name of Jesus, Amen.
John 6:29 - Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”
With His Blessings,
Pastor Corby
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