When Jesus began His ministry, many followed Him. They were astonished by His ability to heal the sick and feed many people.

After “the conference” is over, after Jesus ministered with the word and feed thousands of people bread and fish, people began to talk like this (my imagination):

“You know what? We should stop going anywhere else from this day on. We found the man we need. If we get hungry, he feeds us. If we get sick, he heals us. He fulfills all our needs. We don’t even need to work! Think about it! What more do we need? So let’s meet tomorrow at Jesus’ feet!”

So the next day they came looking for Jesus. Guess what? He was not at the place they assumed He would be.

“When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” John 6:25-27 ESV

The signs Jesus was giving them, they’ve missed seeing them all.

What were the signs?

Everything that Jesus was doing! Those signs were the fulfillment of all the prophecies told about the coming Messiah. Healing people, feeding many and everything that was said about Him. Jesus was fulfilling all the prophecies.

Unfortunately the people were focusing on themselves, what they could get out of Him, how their lives would be “blessed” by Him, getting bread without working for it, getting healed from their sicknesses without spending many to medicines and all that.

So they’ve missed the signs which were unfolding before their very eyes, signs which were proclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah.

And these very people kept coming to Christ, not to see the signs and come to know their Savior, but to get “their fills.”

Jesus continued teaching, saying, “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” John 6:53 ESV

Wow! This is foundational doctrine of Christianity but they took offense by this very doctrine and they were like (my imagination), “You know what? This guy is planning to feed us his flesh and make us drink his blood tomorrow. So we may as well look for another person.” And they left.

“When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it? . . . After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” John 6:60, 66 ESV

How many people Jesus fed? More than five thousand!

And how many people left with Jesus out of those five thousand? Only 12!

Jesus said, “So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” John 6:67 ESV

Jesus Christ was not running a Facebook page. He had no worry of losing His “fans.” He actually challenged the remaining twelve to leave Him too.

What was their response?

“Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

John 6:68-69 ESV

Wow! Did you see that? Did you hear Peter?

Simon Peter recognized Jesus! He knew who Jesus was!

When you find the Messiah, my friend, you let go of the cares of this life, “food that perishes.” You let go of all for this One “eternal food.” You let go of everything, to behold this One!

Why?

Jesus is everything we need! He is the One who are searching for. He is the One we’re looking for. Until we find who He is, our soul does not rest.

Augustine said in this wonderful book, “Confessions,” – “You [LORD] have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

How true that is!

Today, many mega churches are full because the message the people hear from the pulpit is: “This is the year of prosperity! This is the year you will get healed from all your sicknesses! This is the year everything you do will prosper!”

In the name of who do these preachers preach? In the name of Jesus Christ!

So many innocent “Christ seekers” go to these churches thinking that what’s being preached to them from the pulpit is what they need to hear since they hear the name of Christ here and there.

Oh my friend, what we need to hear is about Christ, not about us, not about what it is going to happen to us tomorrow. Our future is Christ Himself! He is our inheritance! He is all we need!

This life is short and our needs in this world should not drive us away from “eternal food,” Christ but to point us to the life that is waiting for us in heaven with Christ.

It says, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4 NIV

If we have no tear that Jesus needs to wipe, what will be wiped from our face? Think about it!

Our pain and our tears are not preaching to us hopelessness but the hope that is waiting for us in heaven in Christ.

Say no to the kind of message that encourages you to work for “food that is perishing” but for the food “that endures for eternal life.” ///