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Seeking God For Wrong Reasons - John 6:28
Seeking God For Wrong Reasons - John 6:28
Jesus had become a “celebrity miracle worker”. If you were caught in a storm, he could calm the storm. If you were demon possessed, he could cast out the demon. If you were blind, he could give you your sight. If you were paralyzed, he could make you whole. He could even feed a multitude – without any cost to Him or them. So, what is there to not like? So, “they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king” (John 6:15).
When they again gathered to him, Jesus responded to them: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” (John 6:26-27).
The problem has been labeled by some as ‘hi-jacking Jesus’. People want to associate their cause with Jesus to give their cause more ‘authority’ or ‘validity’. This is seen here in the people’s cause of liberation from Roman rule over them and establishing their own kingdom. With Jesus as their king, they could not be stopped! His miraculous powers would secure the overthrow of Rome. Jesus however would have NONE OF IT. His kingdom is ‘not of this world’ (cp. John ). His kingship lay in the road of the cross – crucified, raised and THEN glorified as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Today, we see that Jesus has been similarly ‘hi-jacked’ for many causes: social justice, racial justice, elimination of poverty, social communal living, even environmental causes. These causes tend to be MOVEMENTS and organized reforms. If repentance is demanded, it is demanded only for the sin that affects that cause. By attaching Jesus’ name to the cause, it supposedly establishes validity and urgency to the cause.
As shown by Jesus’ response, such is NOT seeking Jesus at all. He is willing to accept, to forgive, and to help but it is on His terms and for His purposes. If people followed Jesus, it would solve the issues of social justice, racial justice, etc. BUT, and this is a big but, many refuse to follow Jesus. They are only hi-jacking Jesus according to their purpose and cause.
Let us follow Jesus. Let us become the people of character that is molded in the very image of Jesus. Let us serve HIS purposes. Are you following Him – or self?
Hugh DeLong
