What Jesus Did

That evening Jesus' disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn't come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, "Don't be afraid. I am here!"

—John 6:16-20 NLT

Key Thought


Jesus'...

 

Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because [Jesus] had said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." They said, "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

—John 6:41-42 NLT

Key Thought


"I came down from heaven!" That is the claim of Jesus' life and ministry in the Gospel of John. Either he is the Son of God, come from heaven — from God the Father — or he is not. Believing...

 

[Jesus said,] "For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day."

—John 6:40 NLT

Key Thought


So often, people picture God as a surly old man looking for people who mess up so he can punish them. God's will, however, is that all come to salvation. He doesn't want any person to perish. He wants all to know Jesus and find salvation in him. Jesus is the way to God. Jesus is the door...

 

[Jesus said to the crowd of people,] "But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day."

—John 6:36-39 NLT

Key Thought


Imagine being in a...

 

Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

—John 6:35 NLT

Key Thought


Hunger is a powerful motivator. When human beings get hungry enough, they will do almost anything to acquire food. What if we were that hungry for God? What if we were that hungry for God's bread, his Son Jesus? While we have learned to recognize our physical hunger, so many today cannot identify that empty...

 

[Jesus said,] "The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," [the people] said, "give us that bread every day."

—John 6:33-34 NLT

Key Thought


The people's request is a valid one. Jesus even taught us to pray for our "daily bread." The problem is that requests for physical blessings are sometimes substituted for requests for a relationship with Christ and for an intimate walk with God. "Daily...

 

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

—John 6:32-33 NLT

Key Thought


Bread is the "staff of life" in many countries. But physical bread can sustain only the physical body and for only a short time. Heavenly bread sustains long term. It gives genuine life. Why? Because it has come...

 

Jesus told [the people in the crowd], "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent." They answered, "Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, 'Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

—John 6:29-31 NLT

Key Thought


Come on, folks who lived in Jesus' day! How many times does he have to do something...

 

[The disciples] had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, "Don't be afraid. I am here!" Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!

—John 6:19-21 NLT

Key Thought


Sometimes we get so caught up in where we are going that we forget to take Jesus along with us. We try to do things ourselves rather than depending on...

 

[The people in the crowd] replied, "We want to perform God's works, too. What should we do?" Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."

—John 6:28-29 NLT

Key Thought


What does God want us to do? What is the work that endures to eternal life? What matters most in the scope of all other things? Believe that God sent Jesus to be our Savior.

Today's Prayer


Dear God, my Father, please stir me to live...