Do We Want What Christ Has to Offer When He Won’t Give Us What We Want?

by Cinthia Milner

The Book of John refers to Christ’s miracles as signs. The Greek word for sign is

sémeion (say-mi'-on) and it means miracles with a spiritual end or purpose. In the plural, miracles, which lead to something out of and beyond themselves; finger-prints of God, valuable not so much for what they are as for what they indicate of the grace and power of the Doer.

Where we see only the miracle, John sees a sign pointing us toward a greater spiritual truth in God.

Often when we read about the miracles Christ performed in the Gospels, we wonder why he doesn’t heal us or provide food for the starving multitudes now. Well, he does—sometimes through direct intervention and sometimes through each of us as we are able. And sometimes, he doesn’t.

John 6 tells the story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand when Jesus fed the multitudes with a small boy’s lunch. This morning as I packed my own “small boy’s lunch”, I thought about that story. Not much food, enough for my son. But the baskets the disciples passed around to the crowds never emptied. Each time someone put his hand into the basket there was still food, enough to satisfy every hungry stomach. It is easy to understand why the people then decided they were going to make Jesus a king (John 6:14–15). Talk about the proverbial chicken in every pot! Yet Jesus withdraws from them and sends his disciples across the lake to Capernaum to avoid them.

This did not stop the crowds and they went across the lake looking for him. When the crowds began to question Jesus, he spoke to them about why they wanted him. He knew their hearts and he knew what they really wanted—more food (vs. 26–27). It is here in the story that Jesus tries to draw their minds and hearts to more important things than physical food. He wants them to know the bread of heaven, bread that will not spoil but will provide eternal life—himself.

An interesting pattern emerges as the story continues. People begin to desert Jesus because he does not give them what they want, and they do not want what he has to offer. Let’s look at the two different groups of people—those who stay with Jesus, and those who leave him.

Those who stayed were the twelve disciples (vs. 67–69). Those who left were the multitudes. Both groups want something from Jesus. They want him to give them this bread “from now on” (vs. 32–34). Their minds are still on their stomachs. Jesus denies their request but offers them something more in verse 35—himself. He tells them that the person who comes to him will never go hungry or thirsty.

Upon hearing this, some of the people begin to grumble and fall back on their own reasoning (vs. 41–42). They take offense that Jesus speaks of himself as the one who came down from heaven. Don’t they know his parents? How can he call himself someone who came down from heaven?

The Twelve, however, do something different. They listen and they learn (vs. 45). Jesus has turned down the request to simply provide more bread, but he has offered them all something of far greater value—life in himself. The disciples likely wanted more bread, too, but when Jesus said “no” to the one, they listened to what he was saying “yes” to.

Jesus explains to the crowds that their forefathers ate manna in the desert, but still died. He could give them this bread, and in fact, he does give us our daily bread. But he desired to give them something more, the bread that leads to eternal life—himself. The crowds took offense at his words and rejected him, saying “This is a hard teaching, who can accept it?” (vs. 60–61, 66). But the Twelve stayed. Why? When asked by Jesus if they too would leave, Simon Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe you are the Holy One of God” (vs. 68–69). Did Peter come to that conclusion himself? No. The Father enabled the Twelve to believe (vs. 64). So let us each pray for ears to hear and learn and thus be drawn to Christ (vs. 45).

When Christ says "no" to a specific prayer, will you look for what he is saying "yes" to? Christ is not only the Giver, but he is the Gift, too.

(NLT) 2 Corinthians 1:19 "Because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, never wavers between “Yes” and “No”. He is the one whom Timothy, Silas, and I preached to you, and he is the divine Yes—God's affirmation."

Christ is God’s divine YES!

Look at the following chart. Which group do you want to be in? Pray that the Father will open your ears and hearts to learn from him and desire him first.


THOSE WHO LEFT

1. They made a request of him (John 6:34)

2. He rejected their request, but offered them something greater—Himself (vs. 35)

3. They grumbled against him for not giving them what they wanted (vs. 41)

4. They fell back on their own reasoning (vs. 42)

5. They took offense at His words (vs. 54, 60–61)

6. They rejected Him saying, "This is a hard teaching; who can accept it?" (vs. 60)


THOSE WHO STAYED

1. They made a request of him (John 6:34)

2. He rejected their request, but offered them something greater—Himself (vs. 35)

3. They listened to the Father (vs. 45)

4. They learned from the Father (vs. 45)

5. They took no offense at his words, but believed they were the words of eternal life (vs. 67–68)

6. They believed he was the Holy One of God (vs. 69)