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Guest (Male): I talk to people today, and I'm thinking you probably have talked with many who say you're a Christian. They go, "Well, I believe in God and I'm just searching. I'm just kind of trying to find some answers." Or they'll say, "Yeah, I'm sort of a Christian. I don't really know, but maybe, yeah." Some people say, "Well, that's cool. They're searching."

But they were searching for Jesus. Were they wanting him to forgive their sins? No, no. That is not even crossing their minds.

Bob Davis: Welcome to Apply Within, a verse-by-verse study of the Word of God with Pastor Bob Davis of North Country Chapel. We invite you to join with us as we, by the power of God's Holy Spirit, apply His Word within our own hearts as we study line upon line, precept upon precept, verse by verse through the Bible. A multitude of people seek Jesus as our study of John continues in chapter 6, verse 22. Here's Pastor Bob.

Jesus walked on water because the disciples were in trouble—in desperate trouble. Now, He could have done miraculously anything He wanted to do, stop the winds. He was up in the mountain praying. He was watching them struggle, watching them, and they believed they were dying. Just like some of you believe it right now—that He's forgotten you, that something's terribly off, and you think, "Oh no." But He's got His eyes on you, and He will do what He has planned to do. He will do it.

And He could have done it from that mountaintop, but look at Jesus. He walks out to them on the water. And He's sitting there. They're afraid. They think they're going down for sure. They think they're seeing a ghost. So in verse 20 of chapter 6, He saith unto them, "It is I; be not afraid." It's me, guys. Look at me. It's me. They're seeing Him, but they don't know who or what they're seeing. It's me. Look at me. It's I. You don't need to be afraid ever. Don't be afraid.

Yeah, but I'm scared, and this is hard, and it's completely impossible, and we're going to go down. You know what? They willingly, once they realized it was their Lord, they willingly let Him get in the boat. If there's anybody you want in your boat, it's Jesus because your boat cannot go down. The elements that you're afraid of—the winds and the waves that you're afraid of—He's they're under His feet. Get it?

You say, "You don't know the trouble I've seen." I know. I'll sing it with you. Of course, we don't know the trouble you've seen, but we know the trouble we've seen, and has He ever let us drown yet? Do this: No. Will He? Well, we've got to get out of here sooner or later. Drowning or flying away, either way, whatever. He's never let you down. He didn't bring you this far to leave us.

They were afraid, everybody. They were letting the circumstances control them. Remember, they were under the circumstances. Don't let the circumstances, we learned, control your heart. Let the Lord control yours. Do not let the circumstances. The doctors are going to give you news. That's what doctors do. You have to pay them for it, too. And the lawyers are going to give you news, and you always hope it's going to be good. But who really cares?

The circumstances are in the hands of my God, and the elements that they're afraid are going to kill them—the elements that they think are going to drown them—He's walking on them. They're under His feet. Everything is under His control. He gets in the boat, and now they are where they wanted to be. They were instantly where they were headed. Miraculously so.

We've got to take up from there, verse 22: "The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone."

"Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias near unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks. When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus." If you're a Bible underliner, they are seeking for Jesus. Is that a bad thing? That is a good thing. We should be seeking for Jesus.

And when they found Him on the other side of that Sea of Galilee, they said to Him, "Rabbi," teacher, "when did you get here? How did you get here?" In other words, how on earth did you get here from there? What a great question. Of all the things that you could ask Jesus the first time you see Him, "How'd you get here?"

The people went out to see Jesus again. He fed them—5,000 men, not including women and children, with those five loaves and two little fishes. Right? He fed the thousands upon thousands of people. And that was a miracle, and they were wowed. And that's where they last saw Him. They saw the disciples get into the boat and go off. Jesus didn't. He sent the people off. Then He went on up. They saw Him head on going further up the hill to the mountain to pray.

So they're baffled, puzzled, confused. There had been no other boats. You didn't go with the disciples. You weren't there where we left you yesterday. How did you get over here? Notice He never answers the question, but anyway. They couldn't figure it out. Where could He be? He's not here where we left Him yesterday. We saw Him go up the mountain. He's not here. Where could He be?

They headed toward Capernaum. They took shipping, and they headed toward Capernaum, which is where Jesus, remember, He had sort of a headquarters, a place where He would work out from, Capernaum there. So they thought, well, that's kind of where He's sort of based out of. Let's go look over there, see if He might be there.

They went seeking for Jesus. The word you and I could use today is they went searching for Jesus. How many times have you heard people say, "I'm searching for Jesus. I'm searching for God." Have you heard that? People use that term. "I'm just searching, trying to find God." He's not lost, everybody. I don't know how you can't find Him. He's right where He always was. But listen, searching for Jesus. They wanted to find Him.

And as soon as they did, because they knew, well, He's sort of in that area generally regularly, so let's check. And they did. And they ask Him this once they found Him right away: "How did you get here from way over there with no boat?" Now, we all know how. How did He get there? He walked, didn't He?

Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 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." In other words, you know that I belong to the Father and that I've come from the Father. He's been telling them.

We read that they were searching for Jesus. Were they wanting Him because they just loved Him and knew He was directly from the Father? No. He says so. No. Were they wanting to find Jesus just to surrender their hearts and lives to Him and say, "Listen, we're Yours. You've got some disciples there. I want to be one too. I'm going to go with You wherever You go from this moment on. I'm just going to follow You." Did they say that? No. That's not what they were after.

And guess who knew it? Jesus knows it. Jesus knows it and says it out loud. Sometimes you think that's rude, but it's probably the best thing that we could hear. Jesus knows their hearts. And everybody, Jesus knows mine, and He knows yours, and He knows everybody out there. We're not going to fool each other, but we cannot fool Him.

He knows why you're here. He knows why I'm here. He knows why they're there. They're not going to like just put on this beautiful face and wear the right clothes and just show up and everything is cool. He knows, everybody. He knew they wanted to see the miracles. That's why they came out the first time way out there. He knows they just wanted to, they saw Him do some miracles in Jerusalem, now a big crowd gathers up there over at the Sea of Galilee, remember, on the west over there, and He went up on the hills and He taught them and then He fed them. He knows why they're there. They're there to see miracles because that's what they saw down south.

He knew what they wanted. Now they're there right here on this side because they went, because they got fed yesterday. And that was a miracle, and that was cool to watch. Now they had come, they got dinner, they wanted breakfast. And they were shocked and stunned that He wasn't there. So they've got to find Him. And they think, well, I don't know how, it's impossible, there wasn't a boat, so I don't know what He did, but headquarters are over there. Let's just kind of check it out. And then they go.

They want more food. They had dinner, and now they're looking for breakfast. And Jesus now basically explains to them why He's here again, why He is with them right there right now near Capernaum. You're here because you ate dinner and you want breakfast. You don't care about me. You want something from me. He lovingly rebukes them and says this: "You're only concerned about the physical, the here and the now."

Everybody, we call that in the trade playing a game. You've got to play the church game. You go to this church, you go to that church, you go to whatever church. You're playing the game, looking for fellowship, looking for something instead of Jesus. That's what these people are doing. You're only concerned about the physical, the here and the now. It's a game. They pretend to be really interested in Jesus, but He knows they're only thinking of breakfast. They got a free dinner. They want a free breakfast.

You know, people come to this church quite often. Not only this church. They tell us. They go to every, they hit every church they can, little or big, they don't care size. They come for food and for gas for their cars and for money for their electric, gas bill, for their garbage bill. They just come and they'll tell you. They'll say these words out loud: "Well, you're Christians, you're a church, you have to help us." "Are you a Christian?" "No, and I don't pretend to be." Well, God bless you.

Should we help people with food? Of course we should. Should we help them if they need some clothes, if it's freezing outside and they don't have shoes, shouldn't we help them get some socks? Of course we should. That's not the point. You're missing the point. You're only here for the physical. You're only here to get your needs met. You don't care about the Lord. You don't care about Jesus Christ. You don't care about anything except for what you would like.

They don't care about Jesus. They want food. And people that come here, they want food, they want clothing, they want shelter, they want something. But they won't be honest enough to say this. I like it every once in a while you'll get someone who'll say it. It's rare to get the honesty out of them. I love it when someone says, "It is not my soul that I care about; it's my empty stomach. We're just hungry and we need food." I like a guy or a girl like that. I go, "Okay, at least we know what we're working with here." Garden-variety pervert. I like that. Not going to lie to you.

But weasels lie. Well, this and that, we love you guys but, and don't weasel. Don't weasel. You can't get weasel points in heaven. And a lot of Christians try to do these weasel points. Once their needs are met, you're never going to see them again. You know that, don't you? You know that.

They don't care about Jesus. They don't care about His sacrifice on the cross, His shed blood. They just don't care. They only care about their physical needs. Once that need is taken care of, at least for the moment, they don't give a thought about Jesus Christ. But they will come back when they're out of food.

So Jesus encourages them. He rebukes them lovingly, but listen to what He tells them. He loves these people. He's not kicking them out and saying, "You bother me. Go away." He's saying this: "Labour not for the meat which perisheth." Is He saying that they shouldn't worry about working for the food that they get? No, that's not what He just said. When He says don't labour for the food that's temporary, He's not saying don't work for a living.

And a lot of people, I mean a lot of people in our day don't work for a living. They just go from place to place, Salvation Army, any place they find that'll give them something free. They go, and they don't have to work. Now, are you going to let them starve to death? No. Are you going to let them starve to death? No.

Don't labour for the meat that perisheth. But yes, of course work. Earn a living. Yes, do that. Don't labour for the meat that perisheth, but labour for the meat which endureth to eternal, to everlasting life, which Jesus Christ says, "I'll give you." Jesus Christ Himself will give you.

Mr. Macdonald, Pastor Macdonald writes this: "Man should not live as if his body were all there is. He should not devote all his strength and talents to the feeding of his body, which is in a few short years will be eaten by worms. Rather, he should make sure that his soul is fed day by day with the Word of God." Of course you're going to work. Be honest, work, do what you can do, the best that you can do to provide. And if you have a family, to provide for your family. You know God's providing it, but you work, right?

But I love what he says: "You don't live as if the body, as if this right now is all there is." And that's the way the world lives right now. This right now is all there is. And that's what they're working for. But he says you should not devote all your strength and talents to feeding his body, which in a few short years will be eaten by worms. Rather, he or she should make sure that the soul is fed day by day with the Word of God.

When Jesus was hungry after 40 days of not eating, the devil tempted Him. Remember that? The devil tempted Him. You'll find it in Matthew 4. A couple of places, but Matthew 4. When the devil says, "If you are the Son of God, turn these stones to bread." And Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 3. He doesn't quote the whole verse, but let me read the whole verse to you. I think it helps to understand what Jesus is saying here in John chapter 6.

Deuteronomy 8:3: "And he humbled thee, the Lord humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live."

Jesus said to the devil, "Man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." That's what Jesus is saying here basically in chapter 6. "Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 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."

The Word of God. He was teaching them on that mountain, and then He fed them. He's teaching us through His Word in the power of His Holy Spirit. Are you reading your Bibles? I know you're eating, but are you reading your Bibles? We need to read our Bibles and then like hear what they say.

If a man is an able-bodied individual or woman and they refuse to work, they shouldn't eat. And Jesus then quotes to the devil the Word of God. That's how He defeats the devil each time. But He's making a point that He's making here. This life is important, yes, but this life is not all there is. Be healthy, be strong, eat right, eat everything perfect, but are you ready for what's coming next? Because it doesn't just end when it ends.

Are you ready? Jesus is saying that: "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat, that food, which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed." Okay, He loves them, but He needs to make sure they understand what's important. He loves you, He loves me, but He needs to make sure we understand what really matters.

I remember Jesus telling us right there in Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7, the Sermon on the Mount. I remember Him specifically saying to you and to me, all that want to live kingdom living, don't worry about what you're going to eat. Remember when He said that? And don't worry about what you're going to wear. Don't worry. Why? Your Father in heaven knows you need all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. You won't have to worry or fret about these things. But they become so important to the world.

So verse 28: "Then they said to him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?" He's just told them, you're here for the food, and you're working too hard for the wrong thing. You want to labour for the food which endures unto everlasting life. So they said to Him, "What shall we do? What do we do that we might work the works of God?" Now they've asked Him a great theological question, and everybody's got their own answers, but I like Jesus' answer.

He answered and said, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." Everybody, we have a fallen nature just like they did right here in John chapter 6. All human beings, because of our parents in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve. They sinned, and they instantly were separated from God for all eternity. They sinned. Sin came into the world. Before that, there was no death. Now sin is in and death happened.

What have you got to do? We have a fallen nature. Deep in our souls we know it. So fallen man is looking for a way to get back to God, and we're going to do it ourselves. The term, like I said, is called religion. We try to find a way to do something that will make God happy. Just something we try to do that would get God's attention or to make God happier with us.

Jesus said in verse 29, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." Take God at His Word. Faith. True? Take God at His Word. Do you read your Bible now and take Him at His Word? Are you reading it because that's what you do every day? So what do we do? Take God at His Word. How about that? That you put your trust in Him, in the one He has sent.

Tell me who God sent by God to this earth. Jesus Christ. Put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. All your faith, all your dreams, all your hope in the one that God has sent. How easy is that? It's harder than you think because to put your faith in Him, you have to believe that you're in trouble. You have to believe you really have issues that nothing else can fix. And a lot of people won't admit that. It's me that needs Jesus. It's me who is the sinner.

Thank you for listening to Apply Within with Pastor Bob Davis. Apply Within is the radio outreach ministry of North Country Chapel. Our Sunday morning Bible studies are 9:00 and 11:00 AM. We also have a Friday evening Bible study at 7:00 PM and a Monday evening Bible study at 7:00 PM. You can download today's message in its entirety at NorthCountryChapel.com/studies. That's NorthCountryChapel.com/studies.

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