RSS Feed |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Sunday School Lesson
It is important for individuals to recognize the need for personal divine provision. For those who declare that they are "self-made men or women," this admission of need seems to be an admission of "personal weakness." Nothing could be farther from the truth. Each person on this earth is dependent upon some kind of interaction with other individuals. Those who see themselves as being able to "survive in the wild" had to learn their "survival skills" from some other person. Thus, the "need for help" is woven into the fabric of our being. Jesus Christ of Nazareth performed miracles that touched the lives of many people of that day. On one particular occasion, "a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased." John 6:2. This fact led to the "feeding of the five thousand." John 6:5- 13. This act greatly impressed the people. John 6:14. "When Jesus therefore perceived (recognized) that they would come and take him by force, to make him king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone." John 6:15. The master sent away the 12 who "entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum." John 6:17a. During the storm, "they see Jesus, walking on the sea, and drawing nigh (near) unto the ship: and they were afraid." John 6:19b. Even under these unusual conditions, Jesus had words of comfort for these men. John 6:20. The crowd "found him (Jesus) on the other side of the sea." John 6:25a. When the master began to use the fact of the miracle as a basis for teaching a spiritual lesson, the spokesmen turned to their national history, and the fact of the "manna in the desert." John 6:31a. Jesus attempted to turn their thoughts to the lesson that he desired for them to learn. He declared, "I (pronoun of emphasis) am (to exist as) the (definite article; one and only) bread (loaf) of life (life on the highest plane)..." John 6:35a. One of the "staples of life" is bread. The master turned the attention of these people to the necessity of "food and water" to sustain life. As there is a physical hunger and a physical thirst, so there is in the spiritual life. The son of God declared, "he that cometh to me shall never (in no wise) hunger (indicates a strong desire or craving); and he that believeth on me shall never (in no wise) thirst (have an ardent desire or longing)." John 6:35b, c. To those who were following him for "what they could get," our Lord declared, "But I said unto you, that ye also have seen me, and believe not (absolute negative)." John 6:36. The master delivered a divine promise. "All that the father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise (in no way) cast (to expel) out (from his presence)." John 6:37. These words are reassuring, even in our day. Jesus Christ of Nazareth made his statement of complete dependence on the heavenly father - the creator of the universe. "For I came down from heaven not (absolute negative) to do (exercise) mine own will (desire; design; wish), but the will of him that sent (to dispatch; to commission to go) me." John 6:38. The savior of the world described the "will of the father." "And this is the father's will (desire) which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose (fail to save) nothing (nothing out of it), but should raise it up again (refers to the resurrection) at (in) the last day." John 6:39. The "will of the father" is, again, described. "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which (1) seeth the son, and (2) believeth on him, (the result) may have (possess) everlasting (eternal: can refer to quality, not just duration) life: and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:40. The idea of the "last day" was well established in the religious thought-life of all of these Jewish people. They were familiar with the writings of the prophets, and their references to "the day of vengeance of our God" (Isaiah 61:2c) and the "terrible day of the Lord" (Joel 2:31c). Thus, the statements made by the son of God were no "mystery" to these hearers. We do well to remember that "whatsoever things were written aforetime (before) were written for our learning, that we through patience (endu- rance) and comfort (the calling to one's side; encouragement) of the scriptures (sacred writings) might have (possess) hope favorable and confident expectation)." Romans 15:4. The son of God continued to "reason" with these hearers concerning the real meaning of the miracle that had directly touched their lives. "I am the living bread which came down form heaven: if any man eat (consume) of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world (order; system)." John 6:51. Following this teaching session we are told that "From that time many of his disciples (learners) went back , and walked no more with him." John 6:66. He turned to the 12,"Will ye also go away?" John 6:67b. Simon Peter answered for the group. "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast (possess) the words (the actual utterances) of eternal life. And we believe and are sure (to know: indicates a relation between the person knowing and that which is known) that thou art the Christ (Anointed), and the son of the living God." John 6:68, 69. John shifts the scene to the temple area at the time of the "feast of tabernacles." John 7:1. There was much discussion among the religious leaders concerning the "religious nuisance." His presence was made known to the leaders. "The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and chief priests sent officers to take him." John 7:32. John described the actions of Jesus, while he was in the temple. "In the last (final) day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried (to call out) saying, If (conditional; in case that; provided) any man (one) thirst (desire or need to drink), let him come unto me and drink (to take or receive avidly)." John 7:37. This word picture was well known to all the hearers. They knew of the call of the prophet, Isaiah. Isaiah 55:1.
The savior continued his divine call. "He that believeth (to have complete trust) on (the point reached) me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly (the innermost part of the person) shall flow (to move speedily and freely) rivers (a flood or torrent) of living water." John 7:38. The Holy Spirit would come. John 7:39; Acts 2:1-4. Are you a partaker and source of this divine provision? See Luke 11:13. Your spiritual hunger and thirst can be satisfied.
|
for larger version       |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
)
