That’s what one writer called the “issue” in John 6:25-31. (We have a 30 minute video Bible Class available on this Text on our YouTube channel.) He called the spiritual disease the Jews (not all Jews, primarily their leaders) had in John 6 … “more-ism!” (Actually he did not hyphenate the word, “moreism.”)

Specifically John 6:26 lays the foundation for our discussion … “Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.”

They were not searching simply for Jesus’ Sake! Just because He is the Son of God! Because He is the Saviour, the Only One Who forgives sin! Not because of God’s Glory, either!

They were searching for their own sake. They wanted more “food” to eat! More “free” benefits! More days “off” work! They wanted a divine ‘hand-out!”

They wanted MORE than just Jesus! They desired Him not for Who He is, but for what He could do! What He could do for them!

Hence the term “moreism!”

Question this morning …

Is Jesus enough for you?

By the way, “moreism” is the basis for the modern day “Prosperity Gospel.” Also now called the “Health and Wealth Gospel.”

“Get saved, the blessings are phenomenal, tons of benefits, always healthy bodies, swelling bank accounts, and much more!” So they promise, preach, emphasize.

What about the countries (a growing number) in the world where getting saved means jail time? Maybe even death, martyrdom?

I see no “moresim” there!

I just see love for Jesus!

Obedience to His Word!

Again I ask you … is Jesus enough!

After all, He is God’s ALL-SUFFICIENT Son!

Just Him!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Jesus was such a supreme Student of Scripture that practically everything He did was based on some Old Testament precedent, some Type or Symbol in the Jewish Scriptures.

To me the following Paragraph from Psalm 107 almost predicts what Jesus did when He saw those 5,000 hungry men and their families, in John chapter 6.

Psalm 107:4-5 … “They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. HUNGRY and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.”

So look what Jesus did!

Psalm 107:9 … “For he satisfieth the longing soul, and FILLETH THE HUNGRY soul with goodness.”

Yes, He fed them!

Then later that same evening, actually in the middle of the next night (the 4th watch) … Jesus saw the Disciples aboard ship!

Psalm 107:23, another Paragraph … “They that go down to the SEA in SHIPS, that do business in great waters.”

Then the storm of John 6 …

Psalm 107:25-27 … “For he (the Lord) commandeth, and raiseth the STORMY WIND, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their WITS’ END.”

What fear!

But Psalm 107:28-30 … “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a CALM, so that the waves thereof are still.”

Exactly what happened!

Then John 6 adds that “immediately” the ship was at the land!

Psalm 107:30 continues … “Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he BRINGETH them unto their DESIRED HAVEN.”

I may be “stretching” things, but Jesus is that amazing! Jesus and His Bible, what an example He has left us.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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A thought I did not have time to include in our online video Bible Class entitled “John 6:14-21 … Jesus Walking on the Sea!”

The Lord, in John 6:20, uses the great Phrase … “I AM!” It’s true that in English those two words are translated “It is I.” But the Greek Text our King James translators followed reads … “EGO EIMI.” No doubt meaning … “I AM.” (Please note … this is in no way a criticism of the beautiful King James Bible!)

John uses these Words of our Lord again and again in His Gospel. Reporting Jesus’ Speech verbatim. “I AM,” claims our Lord! “I AM” is our Lord! (Our King James Bible included … John 6:35 and 8:12 and 10:7 and 10:14 and 11:25 and 14:6 and 15:1, for starters!)

But in John 6 here Jesus adds another Clause … “It is I; be not afraid.”

Since Jesus was (still is) so seeped in the Word of God, the Old Testament included … I thought a search for that “coupling” would be profitable. “I AM” … along with … “FEAR NOT!”

I was amazed at the results of that endeavor …

Here they are … the “I AM” and “FEAR NOT” Couplets of Scripture …

Genesis 26:24 … And the LORD appeared unto him (Isaac) the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.

Genesis 46:3 … And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee (Jacob) a great nation …

Jeremiah 1:8 … Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee (the Prophet Jeremiah) to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 1:17-19 … Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee (Jeremiah again) before them. 18 For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. 19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.

Jeremiah 42:11 … Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.

Jeremiah 46:28 … Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.

The very practical point being … if the “I AM” is with you … the “FEAR NOT” is automatic!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

With the help of some good commentaries and concordances!

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This is another example (in the Gospel of John) of Jesus working a miracle, then following that great deed with a sermon! Some commentators call this great message “Jesus’ Bread Sermon.”

There are two Old Testament Texts serving as background for Jesus feeding the 5,000 men. First, the Exodus 16 account of the miracle of the “manna.” (Jesus IS that Bread from Heaven.) Second, the feeding of Elisha feeding a hundred men with very little food, 2 Kings 4:42-44. (However, Jesus’ miracle far supersedes Elisha’s miracle. A greater than Elisha is here!)

Look … in John chapter 4 we were told that Jesus is Living Water! Now in John 6 we are told that Jesus is also Living Bread! The two necessities of life!

Here in John 6 Jesus “creates” food! (From five little loaves and two fishes!) Back in John chapter 2 Jesus “created” wine (from water)! His only two “creation” miracles … wine and bread … symbolic of His Blood and His Body! (Think of the Lord’s Supper here!)

Yes, occasionally in our video Bible Studies I forget (or lack the time) to share further little bits of Truth. One more thought today …

Jesus starts John 6 with lots of “followers.” By chapter’s end, not so many! The crowds could not handle the Truth about our Lord. Look at the chapter’s final conclusion, Peter’s words … “We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” Verse 69, to which I add AMEN!

Folks, keep studying the Word with us!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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In John chapter 5 Jesus enacts a Miracle (healing the man at the Pool of Bethesda) then preaches a Sermon, a lengthy One too! The Message here is clearly detailing Jesus’ Relationship with His Father! Thus … a study of our Lord’s Essence in Its deepest Sense, as One with the Father! As I earlier said, “Christology!”

But … and this is fundamental to the Chapter, actually to the entire New Testament …. Christology leads to Theology!  (Which is to say that Learning of Jesus demands also learning of His Father!)

In Verse 17, defending His Action in healing the impotent man of the sabbath day, our Lord proclaims … “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”

See already the intertwining of the two Disciplines, the two Studies? Christology and Theology! (The first being the study of Christ, the second of the Father, God, the noun “theos” in Greek. Hence “theology.”)

Jesus again in Verse 19 … “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”

Verse 20 … “For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.”

Verse 21 … “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.”

Here’s a Mammoth Truth … “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.” John 5:22-23, which I call amazing!

Look on down to Verse 26 … “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.”

Verse 30 nearly repeats, emphasizing the gravity of the Point … “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”

See the Relationship, the Intimacy, the Reciprocity? Father and Son! Son and Father!

Verse 37 … “The Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me.” (As in “This is My Beloved Son!”)

Verse 43 … “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not.” Pretty bold indeed, yet Truthful to the Core!

Surely by now my thought has been proved.

The study of Jesus Life (Christology) invariably leads to a study of God (Theology) … because Jesus is God, God the Son!

Amen!

I just failed to emphasize this in our last “Evening Meditation.” But I have now! Thank you for watching … YouTube, every other night.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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