March 1 – A Call to Accountability

March 1

Lesson 1 (KJV)

A Call to Accountability

 

Devotional Reading: Psalm 97

Background Scripture: Amos 5

Amos 5:18–24

 

18. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.

 

19. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

 

20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

 

21. I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

 

22. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

 

23. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

 

24. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

 

 

 

Lesson Aims

 

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

 

1. Summarize the misconceptions concerning the day of the Lord.

 

2. Explain why the Lord detested the people’s worship rituals.

 

3. Recruit an accountability partner to implement one lifestyle change to improve his or her obedience to the imperative of the key verse.

 

 

 

HOW TO SAY IT

 

Amos

Ay-mus.

Habakkuk

Huh-back-kuk.

Jeroboam

Jair-uh-boe-um.

Uzziah

Uh-zye-uh.

 

Introduction

 

1. A Red-Letter Day?

 

A red-letter day is a day that is memorable in some way, usually because something positive occurred on that day. The term appears to be derived from the practice of marking holy days in red letters on church calendars. The Book of Common Prayer, issued in 1549, included a calendar with holy days marked in red ink. Some calendars mark Sundays in red.

In Old Testament times, many of God’s people in Israel viewed the coming day of the Lord as a red-letter day. They did not know exactly when it would occur, but they assumed it would be a happy, special day that they would always remember fondly.

 

1. Lesson Context

 

Today’s lesson begins a new quarter of studies on the topic “Justice and the Prophets.” The lessons in the first unit are drawn from the writings of Amos, Micah, Habakkuk, and Malachi. These four books make up one-third of the 12 Old Testament books that we call the Minor Prophets. The word minor has nothing to do with their degree of importance. The term highlights the length of these 12 books; all are much shorter than the majority of books described as major (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel). Lamentation’s inclusion in the major writings reflects the fact that the book was written by the major prophet Jeremiah.

The prophet Amos is unique among the writing prophets in two ways. First, he is a prophet who had another occupation to which he returned after delivering his prophecies (see Amos 1:1; 7:14, 15). Second, Amos was from the southern kingdom of Judah but was commanded by the Lord to speak His message in the northern kingdom of Israel (1:1). We do not need to imagine the reception that this outsider got when he prophesied against Israel (2:6–16; 7:10–17). Though he prophesied against several nations (1:3–2:5), Amos had the most to say about the sins of Israel.

Amos began his ministry around 760 BC. By then, God’s people had been divided for approximately 170 years. Amos 1:1 mentions the two kings who were in power at the time of his ministry: Uzziah of Judah (also called Azariah; 785–734 BC; 2 Kings 15:1–3; 2 Chronicles 26:1–5) and Jeroboam (II) of Israel (786–746 BC; 2 Kings 14:23, 24). In Israel, an apathy toward God’s laws had set in among the majority of the people. Life was good for them; the nation was prospering, and nations that often posed a threat to them (such as Assyria and Egypt) were weak and ineffective. What could this prophet possibly have to say to them? Why had he traveled from Judah to disturb their life of ease?

In the verses immediately preceding the start of our lesson text, Amos clearly revealed the cause of his ministry. At seemingly every turn, Israel chose evil over good (Amos 5:7–15). The prophet accused them of mistreating the poor (5:11). He then highlighted the people’s numerous other sins (5:12–15): they punished those who sought justice, they accepted bribes, and they discriminated against the poor in lawsuits. With these admonitions still ringing in the air, Amos delivered the word of the Lord found in today’s lesson text.

 

1. Dismal Day

(Amos 5:18–20)

 

1. Of Delusion (v. 18)

 

18a. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you?

 

Woe is common in prophetic language. It introduces messages of warning and judgment (Jeremiah 22:13; Ezekiel 13:3, 18; Amos 6:1; etc.). Ideally, God’s people should desire the day of the Lord, just as Christians desire the return of Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:14; 2 Peter 3:12). However, Amos’s audience desires the day of the Lord for twisted, selfish reasons. Though they do not prioritize faithfulness to their covenant with the Lord, they believe that the day of the Lord will be a day of blessing for them. They have forgotten that covenant blessings are contingent on covenant faithfulness, and faithlessness will be met by judgment (Deuteronomy 28; 29).

The day of the Lord is a common theme in the Old Testament prophets (Isaiah 2:12–21; Ezekiel 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 2; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7–18; etc.). The verse at hand implies that in Amos’s time the popular thinking surrounding the day of the Lord in Israel is gravely flawed. Israel believes that the Lord will arise on behalf of His people and defeat their enemies in a mighty display of His power on that day. Conveniently, God’s people consider themselves exempt from judgment on that day because of their status as His chosen, covenant people (compare Judah’s attitude in Jeremiah 7:2–11).

What prophets like Amos point out is that being the covenant people does not come without obligation. Elevated status before God also elevates the degree of accountability to Him (Amos 3:2; compare Luke 12:47, 48). True, God’s unique relationship with Israel provides them with special blessings and privileges, but it also comes with a solemn responsibility for faithful obedience to Him. The people in Amos’s day have come to expect the privileges, but they have abandoned the responsibility.

 

18b. The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.

 

Because of their false beliefs, the people will find themselves surprised that the day of the Lord will be darkness for them and not light (compare Isaiah 5:30; Jeremiah 13:16). They would have cheered the judgment that Amos proclaimed on their enemies (Amos 1:3–2:5). The darkness and judgment that the other nations will experience will also fall on Israel, for Israel is no different from those nations (contrast Exodus 19:6).

 

What Do You Think?

Which three modern thoughts and/or behaviors of what we might call “interim darkness” do you think God will condemn most harshly on the day of ultimate darkness? Why?

 

Digging Deeper

Which one of those three is most challenging to Christians generally? Why?

 

It Seemed Like a Good Idea

 

Well-meaning lawmakers sometimes find that their decrees end up doing more harm than good. This phenomenon is called the “law of unintended consequences.” When the U.S. Congress imposed a 10 percent luxury tax on yachts, some felt relief: the rich would finally pay their fair share of taxes! But within eight months after the law took effect, the largest U.S. yacht manufacturer had laid off more than 80 percent of its employees and closed one of its two manufacturing plants. In the first year, one-third of U.S. yacht-building companies stopped production. Ultimately, 25,000 workers in that industry lost their jobs, and 75,000 more jobs were lost in companies that supplied yacht parts and materials. Jobs shifted to companies in Europe and the Bahamas. The U.S. Treasury collected zero revenue from the sales driven overseas.

Amos warned that those who spoke of a victorious day of the Lord would face unintended consequences too. Counting on religious ritual to yield divine reward would result in God’s wrath.

—J. E.

 

1. Of Danger (v. 19)

 

19. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

 

Amos illustrates the plight of the people with two darkly humorous pictures. In both images, a man believes himself to be safe right before he meets his doom. He discovers that a bear is as deadly as a lion (compare Lamentations 3:10) and not even the man’s house can keep him safe from a serpent that has slithered inside (compare Deuteronomy 32:24; Ecclesiastes 10:8).

 

What Do You Think?

When you have one of those bad-to-worse kind of days, what encouragement from Scripture gets you back on track most quickly?

 

Digging Deeper

Under what circumstances would you not use that particular Scripture to help someone else through such a day? Why?

 

Two lessons should be drawn from these scenarios. First, like escaping a lion only to meet a bear, it is impossible to hide from judgment on the day of the Lord (compare Job 20:24; Isaiah 24:17, 18; Jeremiah 15:2, 3; 48:44). As the saying goes, “You can run, but you can’t hide.” In Amos’s illustration, even one’s own home, which might be considered a truly “safe place,” will provide no refuge from what the day of the Lord will bring. The apostle John pictures individuals from all walks of life crying for the rocks to hide them from the Lamb on “the great day of his wrath,” but such cries are futile (Revelation 6:15–17).

Second, the day of the Lord and its accompanying judgment arrive without warning. A person believes him- or herself to be safe from harm, when unanticipated danger strikes. Both Jesus and Paul use the illustration of the thief in the night to describe the sudden and unexpected nature of the day when Jesus returns (Matthew 24:42–44; 1 Thessalonians 5:1, 2). Paul adds that people will be claiming “peace and safety” when inescapable “sudden destruction” comes (5:3).

 

1. Of Darkness (v. 20)

 

20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

 

Amos reiterates his earlier point that the day of the Lord will be a time of darkness, and not light. The Hebrew word translated very dark comes from the same root word that describes the “thick darkness” that fell upon the land of Egypt for three days during the ninth of the 10 plagues (Exodus 10:22). The judgment delivered shortly after that day resulted in the Israelites’ being delivered from their enemy, from slavery to freedom. The day of the Lord, however, promises to be a reversal of both what Israel had experienced and what they expect to happen once more (see Ezekiel 7:7; Zephaniah 1:15).

 

What Do You Think?

What common but wrong assumptions do Christians have about Christ’s return that may end up leading to the darkness of Amos 5:20 rather than the light of Titus 2:13?

 

Digging Deeper

What guardrails will you erect to protect yourself against these wrong assumptions?

 

1. Disappointed God

(Amos 5:21–24)

 

1. Not Religious Ritual (vv. 21–23)

 

21. I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

 

Though Amos has been speaking for God up until now, the Lord himself steps in to express His extreme displeasure with Israel’s feast days (see Exodus 23:14–18; 34:22–25). These would include annual feasts like Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23). Though the Lord had ordained these feasts for His people, He now refers to them as your (the people’s) feast days. The Lord does not want to be associated with them in any way. God rejects mere observance of days.

The Lord voices His disdain especially for the people’s solemn assemblies (Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35; Deuteronomy 16:8). The Lord hates how the people have twisted religion to their own ends instead of honoring the assemblies as He intends (compare Leviticus 26:30, 31; Hosea 2:11). Israel scorns anyone who tries to correct the people’s wicked behavior and promote what is upright and good (Jeremiah 44:4, 5). Amos challenged the people to hate what is evil and love what is good (Amos 5:15, 20, 21; compare Isaiah 5:20).

The language of refusing to smell reflects the Old Testament sacrificial system. The Lord had stated that He took pleasure in the aroma of offerings presented to Him (examples: Genesis 8:21; Exodus 29:18; Numbers 29:2). In Amos’s day, however, the sweet savour has become a stench in the Lord’s nostrils. This is the first of three sensory reactions the Lord has to the worship of the unholy, faithless people.

 

22. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

 

The three offerings noted here are required by the Lord as part of the Old Testament sacrificial system. Burnt offerings are foundational. These are completely consumed by the sacrificial fire, except for the skin (Leviticus 1:6–9; 7:8). A burnt offering is to be offered every morning and evening for all Israel (Exodus 29:38–42).

Meat offerings are, counterintuitively, offerings of flour and oil (compare Leviticus 23:13). The word meat in this case signifies that the best part of the grain is to be given to the Lord through this offering (6:14, 15). This offering celebrates that the Lord is the provider of what the land produces.

Peace offerings are shared by the priest, the one who brought the sacrifice, and others (Leviticus 7:15, 16, 28–36). Thus the offering becomes part of a communal, or fellowship, meal. The term fat beasts refers to the best of the herd or flock that was used for the peace offering.

For God to refuse to accept these offerings that He has commanded indicates that something is terribly amiss with the people who are bringing them (Isaiah 1:11–15; Jeremiah 14:11, 12). It is especially ironic that the Lord has no regard for the peace offerings that are intended to establish a sense of fellowship between God and His people. The Hebrew suggests that God refuses to even see these offerings—the second of the three sensory reactions first mentioned in Amos 5:21.

 

23. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

 

The Lord’s strong disapproval also applies to the music presented by the people at their worship assemblies (compare Amos 6:1, 5). Whether the music is vocal, expressed through their songs, or instrumental, played by the viols (most likely an instrument resembling the harp), God wants no part of it. Just as the offerings are a stench in His nostrils, the melody makes Him want to cover His ears.

What is the reason for such harsh words directed against actions that the Lord has specifically commanded in His law given through Moses? The problem is that worship practices such as the sacrifices and the music have become an end in themselves. The people of God are merely going through the motions and words of worship, divorcing that worship from any real impact on their daily conduct. The words of Isaiah, which Jesus will apply to the Pharisees of His day, could be spoken by Amos to his audience: they are people who “draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me” (Isaiah 29:13; compare Matthew 15:7–9).

 

 

 

What Do You Think?

How would we recognize whether the Lord has grown to “hate” a particular practice of our church?

 

Digging Deeper

Would a good way to avoid the problem be to automatically cancel all programs every year so that discussion is required to reinstate them? Why, or why not?

 

Flood

 

It is not surprising that hurricanes cause the greatest amount of water damage to American homes. But the second-greatest culprit in that regard starts out small and often goes unnoticed until it is too late.

According to government sources, approximately 10,000 gallons of water a year slowly enter U.S. homes as small trickles. A crack in a pipe rarely stays small. A burst water pipe can turn a minor drip into a house-soaking flood. Plumbing leaks are more than a nuisance; left unchecked, they can lead to tremendous cost for the homeowner. For this reason, experts suggest that homeowners not let small leaks go unresolved.

The people of Israel became complacent. They overlooked seemingly minor “leaks” in their nation’s obedience to God. What seemed to be minor cracks in their obedience would result in a flood of God’s judgment. What spiritual leaks do you need to fix this week?

—J. E.

 

1. Meaningful Worship (v. 24)

 

24. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

 

While the people have become quite content with shallow gestures of worship, the Lord expects and deserves much more. Amos specifically highlights the issues of judgment and righteousness. Judgment concerns the fair, lawful practices of a society that honors the Lord. The idea is not so much judging what is right and wrong, though that plays a part. The larger concept requires a person to be actively concerned about not only knowing what is just but also choosing to do it. An individual who really cares about judgment becomes passionate about making sure that justice is carried out in his or her surroundings and in the lives of others (see Jeremiah 22:3; Micah 6:8).

That the northern kingdom does not uphold justice is clear from the indictments that Amos brings against the people (see Lesson Context). Such conduct makes their so-called acts of worship nothing but a sham. No wonder the northern kingdom is ripe for divine judgment. This is why the day of the Lord that the people so fervently desire will be a time of darkness rather than light (Amos 5:18, 20).

Righteousness is closely tied to judgment. To live righteously is to make certain that God’s standards of what is right guide one’s daily decisions. When judgment and righteousness are pursued habitually day after day, they flow like waters in a mighty stream (compare Isaiah 45:8). But how can this happen when the people have clogged the flow through their stubborn and rebellious hearts and their contempt for God’s righteous standards?

The call to exercise judgment and righteousness has echoed through the centuries to God’s people of every era. The laws set forth by Moses laid out what those qualities should look like in the promised land (for example, Deuteronomy 15:1–18; 24:14, 15, 17–22). Joshua affirmed these laws (Joshua 1:7–9; 24:14, 15). Isaiah will be bold in decrying the empty worship of his audience (Isaiah 1:10–17). Jeremiah will describe those who make the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem a “den of robbers” (Jeremiah 7:8–11), mouthing the words “the temple of the Lord” like a mantra that can save them (7:4), while treating the people in need around them with the utmost scorn.

 

Conclusion

 

1. The Misuse of Worship

 

Diet Eman was a young Christian girl growing up in Holland when Adolf Hitler invaded the country and began his horrible persecution of the Jews there. Eman, along with some fellow Christians, determined to do something about this injustice and became part of an underground movement to rescue the Jews in Holland.

But Eman also tells the story of a rail line that was used by the Nazis during World War II to transport boxcars jammed with Jews and others whom the Nazis considered “undesirables.” Many times the trains were sidetracked for hours while the people inside begged for food, water, and mercy. There were no bathroom facilities for the journey, which could last four days or longer. Along the train’s route was a small church located close enough to the rail line to hear the cries coming from within the boxcars. The church people attending services were deeply disturbed by these “distractions,” so they began singing more loudly so they would not have to hear them.

We are likely not in a setting where a train filled with suffering people is traveling by the place where we worship. However, our place of worship may well be in a community where many people are hurting and in need. It is certainly located in a community that needs righteousness to be practiced daily. We cannot allow ourselves to think that we have somehow fulfilled our Christian duty by simply attending worship services and then returning to our routines while ignoring the needs of those around us. Feast days and burnt offerings are not part of our worship observances, but do we offend the Lord today with our closed eyes and deaf ears to the hurts of those around us?

 

What Do You Think?

Where is the most pressing need for justice in the community in which your church is located? Why do you say that?

 

Digging Deeper

What guardrails can your church erect to ensure that its work for earthly justice does not eclipse the primary task of evangelism for eternal life? Or is that even a danger?

 

Christians should consider Jesus’ call to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13–16) as a call to practice the kind of lifestyle encouraged by the prophets. Righteousness cannot be practiced in isolation from other people; it requires contact with the world, a world that is often characterized by injustice and unrighteousness. To be salt and light is to have a noticeable impact on our surroundings, and that is what followers of Jesus have always been called to do. Without these practices, we too may see the day of the Lord not as a day of celebration but as a day of judgment to our great shame.

 

1. Prayer

 

Father, may judgment and righteousness be more than mere words to us; may they be part of our daily conduct. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

1. Thought to Remember

 

We worship God through the offerings of our daily lives.

 

 

KID’S CORNER

For What Do You Work?

Sunday, March 1, 2020

John 6:25-34

 

 

John 6:25-34

 (John 6:25) When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

 

When they found Jesus, they addressed Him as Rabbi, which means Teacher. They did not address Jesus as the Messiah, and by the next day it seems they no longer had an interest in making Him their king. John showed that the crowd knew Jesus had no boat available to Him on the shore the night before. He had not left with His disciples to go to Capernaum by boat. He had sent His disciples on ahead of Him. He could never have gotten to Capernaum by walking around the sea on the seashore. Other than by a miracle, they had no explanation for His appearing in Capernaum. They knew that it was highly improbable that He could have gotten there when He did other than by a miracle. Finding Jesus prompted their question.

 

(John 6:26) 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.

 

For various reasons, Jesus did not answer them directly by saying, “I walked on water, and met My disciples in the boat.”  They probably would not have believed Him, and Jesus would never have bragged like that. If He had told them the truth, they might have wanted Him to prove that He could walk on water by walking on the water in their presence. Jesus did not need to answer their question and Jesus would not tell a lie; so, He ignored it (a possible example for us at times) and told them only what they needed to hear. The crowd did not recognize His deeds as signs that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. They should have recognized His feeding the 5,000 and His healing their diseases as signs He was sent by God, but they did not. Rather, Jesus said they sought Him because they wanted free food. By beginning He reply with “Very, truly,” He indicated to them that He knew exactly what they were thinking and the reason for their thinking.

 

(John 6:27) “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.”

 

Too many people want something for nothing. Others work with a single-minded focus on acquiring more and more material possessions, money, and power. Jesus warned against a materialistic single-minded ambition. “The food that endures for eternal life” is spiritual and Jesus came to give people spiritual food. Jesus will eventually tell people that the spiritual food they need is He himself.  If we believe Jesus and believe in Jesus, Jesus will give us an eternal, joyful, peaceful, glorious relationship with Him, with God the Father, and with all children of God now and forevermore. Jesus’ signs proved that God the Father had set His “seal of endorsement” on Him and approved His works. The Jews should have known from their study of the Scriptures and the miracles of the prophets in the Old Testament that Jesus had indeed been sent by God and they should believe His teachings.

 

(John 6:28) Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”

 

Because they believed Jesus was rabbi, they questioned Him as though He were a traditional rabbi. They kept their focus on themselves in relation to God, as perhaps all of us did until we truly came to believe in Jesus. They asked, “What must we do” (perhaps they thought God would give them the things they wanted if they pleased God by doing God’s works and obeying all God’s laws). The Pharisees gave them laws to obey and works to do to please God, so they probably expected Jesus to give them His list too. They were looking for a set of rules by which to live or good works they could do that would make them right or keep them right with God so they could deserve His blessings. Jesus wanted them to turn their self-centered focus away from themselves and away from what works they should do to merit God’s favor. Instead, they needed to turn their focus on Jesus as the Son of God, the Gift of God, and the Messiah that God the Father had promised to send them. They needed to receive Him into their lives in order to receive the cleansing from sin and the forgiveness of sin that He came to give believers in Him. He wanted them to receive the gift of eternal life through faith in Him. Eventually, those who believe in Jesus will rejoice in the gracious opportunities He gives them and the gracious works that He will do through them, enabling them to do the real works of God in His strength and wisdom. Jesus wanted them to understand that receiving eternal life through faith in Him meant far more than their doing a few works in order to merit a few self-centered blessings from God—which no one can merit.

 

(John 6:29) Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

 

First and foremost, God the Father sent Jesus, and Jesus carefully told them that they needed to believe in Him in order to do the work of God. Notice “the work of God” is singular, not plural. Jesus spoke with humility, but He wanted them to seek the truth and discover the truth—the truth that the way of eternal life was to turn from selfishly focusing on themselves and turning their focus on Him, because He is the Son of God and the Messiah that God the Father sent to them. If they believed Him, they would come to believe in Him, follow Him, and do all He led them to do. Believers do not look at serving Jesus according to the Scriptures in the power of the Holy Spirit as performing “works” to merit salvation and earthly blessings.

 

(John 6:30) 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?

 

Jesus told them to “believe in” Him, the One God the Father had sent. The crowd would not recognize Jesus’ feeding more than 5,000 of them as the sign that God the Father sent Him, directed Him, and empowered His ministry as the Son of Man (a humble title, but also a title and claim with Messianic meaning that Jesus used for himself). They wanted Jesus to work miracles and then directly claim that His miracles proved they could believe what He taught about himself. But they really did not want to learn and follow what Jesus taught. They wanted to eat free food and be delivered from Roman oppression. They wanted Jesus to perform miracles on demand, like a magician, and do what Moses did or better than Moses did. When God sent Moses to Egypt to free His people from slavery, Moses worked miracles to prove to the Hebrews and to Pharaoh that God had sent Him; still, the people complained against Moses during his working of miracles in Egypt and in the wilderness. As the Messiah, these people expected Jesus to do greater miracles than Moses. Jesus was greater than Moses and He would be and do greater things than Moses, but Jesus never did miracles on demand. Jesus always expressed God’s love and care through the miracles He worked, which the crowds should have recognized as signs. Jesus came to teach the truth and be the Truth, but they had no interest in learning the truth or doing the truth (see Luke 20:21; John 14:6).

 

(John 6:31) “Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.’”

 

The crowd wanted free food daily that they did not need to earn or save for the next day. They knew Moses had led their ancestors out of Egypt. Moses had enriched their ancestors from the possessions the Egyptians gave them before they left Egypt. Moses gave them manna and quail six days a week. They only needed to save enough food on Friday for their Sabbath meals; so, they did not collect food on Saturday, but kept the Sabbath holy. They wanted Jesus to do more than Moses had done. They wanted free food every day from Jesus that they did not need to go out and collect as their ancestors had done. They wanted a materialistic Messiah to be their king and free them from the Romans who enslaved them physically, as Moses had freed the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. But Jesus had come to free them (and us) spiritually from their (and our) slavery to sin and Satan. Then, they (and we) could serve God out of loving and joyful hearts. They (and we) could do specific tasks God had for them (and us) that would vary from person to person according to God’s gifts. They (and we) could bless many because they (and we) love God and our neighbors. In these and other ways, God the Father through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit has given eternal life to His children and blessed millions of people.

 

(John 6:32) 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.

 

Jesus corrected their misunderstanding. Moses had not given their ancestors what they thought; rather, God the Father had given them all these blessings through Moses, a servant of God. Jesus, the Son of God, wanted them to keep their focus on God the Father, because He sent Jesus from heaven and Jesus is the true bread Who gives eternal life. The manna that God the Father gave them through Moses, His servant, would never last longer than two days (over the Sabbath) and the manna gave them physical life and sustenance only. Jesus is the true spiritual bread that a person can take into themselves spiritually through faith in Jesus; then, they can live forever with God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit in loving, joyful relationships with God and others forever. Believing the good news of Jesus Christ will turn us from self-centeredness to God-centeredness.

 

(John 6:33) “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”

 

Jesus insisted that as the Messiah He had not come just for the Jews or just to fulfill Jewish material and political aspirations. Jesus came down from heaven (from a higher realm spiritually than our earthly kingdoms) into the world. Jesus offers and gives life to the world. Anyone who comes to Him and believes in Him can have life, eternal life now and forever. The life that Jesus gives involves moral and spiritual transformation and growth; just as physical bread sustains physical life and promotes physical health. Following a political Jewish messiah or king will and would never give anyone what Jesus came into the world to give to all who believe in Him.

 

(John 6:34) Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

 

Continuing to misunderstand Jesus, the crowd wanted blessings, food, “things” from Jesus. The crowd focused on the material and physical (which Jesus also gives as the Word of God that created and creates all things). The crowd wanted Jesus to feed them, and so much the better if Jesus met all their needs now and also gave them a life that would never end. Jesus will go on to explain the meaning of “Bread of God” and how to receive the “Bread of God” always by believing His teachings and receiving Him as the Bread that came down from heaven.

 

 

 

For What Do You Work?

Sunday, March 1, 2020

John 6:25-34

 

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed (John 6:27—KJV). 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 (John 6:27—NASB). Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal (John 6:27—NRSV).

 

If we interpreted John 6:27 out of context, we could mistakenly argue that Jesus commanded people not to work for food; thus, giving people a divine excuse not to work at all. To avoid mistakes of this kind, we need to consider what the whole Bible teaches, and the Bible teaches, “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Because the Bible does not contain contradictions, we need to look for the deeper meaning of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus warned against trying to do the work of God for the purpose of acquiring the food that perishes. Even today, too many people go to church to please God in order to get more and more material possessions from God; Jesus warned against this motive as a reason for coming to God or to Him. Likewise, believers need to be careful not to encourage people to come to Jesus merely for the food or possessions that perish. Jesus taught, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29). Jesus kept the focus of the believer upon himself, because He came to give eternal life. Jesus said He was the true bread from heaven, and He was the bread of God. Jesus gives physical and spiritual life. He gives moral and spiritual transformation that recreates a believer and gives them joy in the presence of God forever. Knowing Jesus and learning more about Jesus means more to the believer than any material possessions He gives.

 

Thinking Further

For What Do You Work?

Sunday, March 1, 2020

John 6:25-34

Name _______________________

 

1. What are some things Jesus did (or refused to do) when showing and telling the truth about himself which showed He was not arrogant, egotistical, or self-centered?

 

 

2. Why did Jesus allow His disciples to see Him walk on water, but did not walk on water in front of a crowd for them to see Him walk on water?

 

 

 

3. How did Jesus give God the Father the glory and honor for feeding the crowd?

 

 

 

4. What did Jesus say that the crowd was seeking when they came to Him? What are some people seeking when they come to Jesus today?

 

 

 

5. Who does Jesus tell the crowd to believe in? Who does Jesus want people to believe in today? What are some of the results of believing in this person?

 

 

Discussion and Thinking Further

 

1. What are some things Jesus did (or refused to do) when showing and telling the truth about himself which showed He was not arrogant, egotistical, or self-centered? When talking to the crowds or His enemies, Jesus always referred directly to God the Father and only indirectly to himself as God the Son. He humbly called himself the Son of Man, which to the discerning ear was a true claim to be the promised (and long- expected by many) Messiah. Jesus could have performed many miracles whenever He wanted, just as God the Father commanded Moses, His servant, to do in Egypt and in the wilderness wandering. These miracles could have substantiated Jesus’ claims about himself without question, but Jesus wanted to teach the truth about God and himself and draw people to His Father and to himself on the basis of teaching the truth, not on the basis of compelling belief by performing extravagant miracles. In these and other ways, Jesus acted and taught in ways that were not arrogant, egotistical or self-centered. Those who were truly seeking God and the truth found Jesus and came to believe in Him because they learned Who Jesus was as the Holy Spirit helped them interpret His signs and understand His teachings. Jesus refused to say and do grandiose things; such as saying, “Look at Me everybody! Look at Me! Look at what I can do!” or fly through the air without wings (which He 2 could easily have done) or jump off the pinnacle of the temple (as the devil tempted Him to do). Jesus did not say and do things to compel people to believe in Him, Jesus said and did things that won the hearts and minds of people; then, they began to follow Him and obey God out of love and thanksgiving.

 

2. Why did Jesus allow His disciples to see Him walk on water, but did not walk on water in front of a crowd for them to see Him walk on water? Jesus had been gradually teaching His disciples more and more about himself and His purposes as the Messiah and Son of God. They believed what He taught up to the level of their understanding. His walking on water was another revelation to them about himself according to the Father’s perfect timing. Jesus’ walking on water expressed the love and care of God for them. Walking on water in front of a crowd in order to prove something to them about His power and Who He is would have interfered with their learning the truth about Jesus in the ways the Father and Jesus intended, through His teaching the truth.

 

3. How did Jesus give God the Father the glory and honor for feeding the crowd? Jesus thanked God the Father in prayer BEFORE He fed the crowd. His feeding the crowd was the Father’s answer to His prayer of thanksgiving. Jesus later told the crowd that the Father had fed their ancestors through Moses; it was not Moses who fed their ancestors. Likewise, the Father sent Jesus, the Bread of Life, to them to feed them spiritually. In all things, the Son glorified the Father and the Father glorified the Son. 4. What did Jesus say that the crowd was seeking when they came to Him? What are some people seeking when they come to Jesus today? Jesus said they came to Him seeking free food or material things. Today, some come to Jesus for the same reasons. Others come to Jesus to receive the gift of eternal life, to receive forgiveness for sins, to receive cleansing from sins, to receive the power to overcome temptations and sins, to thank Jesus for living, teaching, and dying on the cross for them, and for other spiritual reasons. Jesus will meet all the needs of those who come to Him on His terms, the needs of all those who believe in Him.

 

5. Who does Jesus tell the crowd to believe in? Who does Jesus want people to believe in today? What are some of the results of believing in this person? Jesus told the crowd to believe in Him. They must also believe in God the Father, for Jesus said that God the Father had sent Him. Jesus still wants people to believe in Him and in His Father, just as He told the Samaritan woman He talked to at the well. All of our real needs will be met by Jesus and His Father.

 

 

 

Word Search

For What Do You Work?

Sunday, March 1, 2020

John 6:25-34

Name _______________________________

 

Y N M T P B E L I E V E Z C L

K G L Q J U Q J O B Q I R N E

S O D B F R E H T A F H O Q U

N S L C Z L Y M U H D S R I D

G E D J G C S W J O X C L J M

I H E L E P L O A V E S X I S

S S V T B S W B N S N Q Y N C

G I M I E O U T H Z T A L E H

V R T F R R J S V L N J V Z V

C E O K S T N D O N R Z M Q B

L P S I D A F A A U A L A K I

I T A S O U E M L E M Y N T A

V H F E G V G U S I Q F B F Y

S J X A Y B I B B A R T O A B

D C S L J V J W T R U L Y V Z

 

Sea

Rabbi

Truly

Signs

Loaves

Perishes

Eternal

Son

Man

God

Father

Seal

Works

Believe

Manna

 

 

 

True and False Test

For What Do You Work?

Sunday, March 1, 2020

John 6:25-34

Name ________________________________

 

Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.

 

1. Those Jesus fed on the mountain followed Him across the sea for more bread. True or False

 

2. Those Jesus fed on the mountain did not follow Him because they saw signs in what He did. True or False

 

3. God the Father put a seal on Jesus that everyone who saw Him could see. True or False

 

4. The work of God is to believe in Jesus, whom God sent. True or False

 

5. The crowd said they did not need for Jesus to give them a sign, because Jesus had worked a miracle and had fed them on the fountain. True or False

 

6. The crowd believed whatever Jesus said because of the works He was performing. True or False

 

7. Jesus commended the crowd for believing in Moses after Moses gave them true bread from heaven to eat. True or False

 

8. Jesus said that His Father gives true bread from heaven. True or False

 

9. The bread of God gives life to the world and not just to the Jews.

          True or False

 

10. The crowd wanted Jesus to always give them bread to eat. True or False

 

 

True and False Test Answers

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. False
7. False
8. True
9. True
10. True

 

 

Prayer

Father may judgment and righteousness be more than mere words to us; may they be part of our daily conduct. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.