- ...hurry through Scripture, missing necessary elements of context and word usage - thereby causing misinterpretation of the text.
- ...go to the text with our own agenda and read truth into the text, rather than taking truth out of the text - thereby again causing misinterpretation of the text.
Just as we can so easily misinterpret Scripture, we see in today's text that the people misinterpret a sign provided by the miracle of Christ. Let's read again, John 6:1-15.
Again, John writes:
1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (John 6:1-15, ESV, emphasis mine)
The Lord had just performed a miraculous wonder among the people - feeding the multitudes with a measly amount of bread and fish. In awe, the people refer to it as a sign - as should we. But a sign for what? Or better, a sign pointing to whom?
As evidenced in Scripture, a sign is an important event of supernatural effect that gives awareness to the reality of God as well as granting a sign of God-given authority to the one performing the miracle. Often times, instead of seeking the heart of God in prayer and His Word, people solely search for signs to receive a "confirmation" of God's decreed will for their lives, as in the case of Gideon's fleece in the book of Judges. I am in conversation often with individuals who love God and live for Him daily, yet their main tool for measuring what the secret will of God is for their future or present decisions is reading into signs; unfortunately, we often wind up doing just that. We read into signs - making them say what we want them to say. What's interesting about the sign here in John 6 performed by Jesus, is that Jesus wanted the sign to not be read into, but merely read. The recipients of the miraculous meal read into the sign to mean that Jesus "is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world" (v.14). Which prophet? These would be referring to the one Moses would have foretold (Deuteronomy 18:15)...and therefore they read into that meaning they were to take Jesus and immediately MAKE Him king.
My exhortation to you, believer, is that we are to be careful about how we read things in our daily lives. Definitely, God is able to use people, conversations, events, circumstances, and an array of other things as a sign to lead and direct us. However, do not let your faith be led by circumstances, but let your choices be led by faith. In Scripture, signs were used to point people TO Christ...to see the God-man and His authority placed on His people He used to authenticate the Gospel being spread. As declared of the Lord by Peter in Acts 2:22, "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst..." The signs asserted that Jesus was in fact the Son of God come to be Savior for His people. Therefore, when things are happening that seem to offer guidance, or you are praying for a confirmation and it seems to have arrived, please make sure not to miss the Giver of the sign. He is to be worshipped and adored for Who He is, not just what He is doing.
Perceiving that the people had misread the sign and were ready to act upon their mistaken interpretation, Jesus secluded Himself from the people, withdrawing to the mountain alone (v.15). Like our secluded Savior, may we escape the temptation to be directed by the misinterpretations of our world, and instead, run to meet with God alone to determine and distinguish what His desires are for us in our daily obedience to His Word and His answers to our prayers.
So, as we seek to see the answers in the signs the Lord affords us, make sure we seek and keep on seeking the Savior from whom all blessings flow and to whom all praise is to be given!
#4hisfame.
1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (John 6:1-15, ESV, emphasis mine)
The Lord had just performed a miraculous wonder among the people - feeding the multitudes with a measly amount of bread and fish. In awe, the people refer to it as a sign - as should we. But a sign for what? Or better, a sign pointing to whom?
As evidenced in Scripture, a sign is an important event of supernatural effect that gives awareness to the reality of God as well as granting a sign of God-given authority to the one performing the miracle. Often times, instead of seeking the heart of God in prayer and His Word, people solely search for signs to receive a "confirmation" of God's decreed will for their lives, as in the case of Gideon's fleece in the book of Judges. I am in conversation often with individuals who love God and live for Him daily, yet their main tool for measuring what the secret will of God is for their future or present decisions is reading into signs; unfortunately, we often wind up doing just that. We read into signs - making them say what we want them to say. What's interesting about the sign here in John 6 performed by Jesus, is that Jesus wanted the sign to not be read into, but merely read. The recipients of the miraculous meal read into the sign to mean that Jesus "is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world" (v.14). Which prophet? These would be referring to the one Moses would have foretold (Deuteronomy 18:15)...and therefore they read into that meaning they were to take Jesus and immediately MAKE Him king.
My exhortation to you, believer, is that we are to be careful about how we read things in our daily lives. Definitely, God is able to use people, conversations, events, circumstances, and an array of other things as a sign to lead and direct us. However, do not let your faith be led by circumstances, but let your choices be led by faith. In Scripture, signs were used to point people TO Christ...to see the God-man and His authority placed on His people He used to authenticate the Gospel being spread. As declared of the Lord by Peter in Acts 2:22, "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst..." The signs asserted that Jesus was in fact the Son of God come to be Savior for His people. Therefore, when things are happening that seem to offer guidance, or you are praying for a confirmation and it seems to have arrived, please make sure not to miss the Giver of the sign. He is to be worshipped and adored for Who He is, not just what He is doing.
Perceiving that the people had misread the sign and were ready to act upon their mistaken interpretation, Jesus secluded Himself from the people, withdrawing to the mountain alone (v.15). Like our secluded Savior, may we escape the temptation to be directed by the misinterpretations of our world, and instead, run to meet with God alone to determine and distinguish what His desires are for us in our daily obedience to His Word and His answers to our prayers.
So, as we seek to see the answers in the signs the Lord affords us, make sure we seek and keep on seeking the Savior from whom all blessings flow and to whom all praise is to be given!
#4hisfame.
2 comments:
I needed this reminder. I'm so thankful God gave you this word. It's easy to get caught in circumstances and moments and signs... Get secluded with God and ask him to confirm
Thank you for this, Pastor. A great message and reminder! :)
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