Signs: The Restoration Has Come!



What if the king we want isn't the king we need?  That's a question this week's message will explore. 

John 6:1-15 tells the story of the Jesus' feeding of the five thousand.  God intended it to be a sign of one thing, but the crowd around Jesus saw it as a sign of another.  They were looking for a material Messiah, who would meet their material needs and wants.  But Jesus was a spiritual Messiah, who focused on spiritual needs.  The people wanted physical bread, so they would always have plenty of food.  Jesus offered them spiritual bread that would give them eternal life.

We're a lot the same way.  Joel Osteen is much more popular than Mother Theresa!  The American Dream is more powerful than the dream of God's kingdom. 

Jesus' sign of the feeding reminds us of what we need and how Jesus had provided it.  That sign points back to the exodus of Israel and looks forward to the Lord's Supper.  It showed that Jesus was a new Moses, who brought deliverance and salvation that were far greater than Moses what gave. 

As we celebrate the Lord's Supper, we remember the exodus and the feeding of the five thousand, and recognize that salvation is a gift we receive, not a reward we earn.  We also see that eternal life begins now, as we begin our life in God when we receive the gift of Jesus and take him into ourselves.

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