Seekers With Felt Needs

John 6:22-68

How did Jesus deal with "seekers" who had "felt needs?" Well, in this text, among many others, we see exactly how He responded to them. And for many an "evangelical," it's nothing like you would think.

We hear the term "seeker-sensitive" [a term that i believe is finally dying out], and for those who know the Scriptures, immediately we think of the One who seeks those who are NOT seeking Him [Luke 19:10]. We also think about how absurd the notion is that there are lost people who are actually seeking Christ [Why is that absurd? Read Romans 3:9-18]. They may be seeking A Christ, but they are not seeking THE Christ who is real, the One who will condemn them in His coming [Acts 17:31; Romans 2:16]. They are seeking a false Christ: one who will only love them and accept them [usually "as they are"], one who does not require them to be holy or righteous [or, dare i say "perfect" Matthew 5:48], and definitely not one who has any harsh word to say about them.

No, they do not want the Jesus of the Bible. They want an idea of Him, but not the real thing. They want a Jesus who will help them "self-improve" by telling them how to have a better marriage, business, children, relationships, or how to stay off drugs and alcohol. But they don't want the Jesus who is LORD and Master [Jude 4], and they search out those false teachers who will fashion a Jesus in their own image to suit their sinful desires. Yes, self-improvement is a sinful desire...God is the ONLY One who can improve you in any way [since He made you in the first place], and you must turn to Him for such a thing.

This is idolatry, plain and simple [Exodus 20:4; Acts 17:16-31]. And woe to those who preach a Jesus who is ANY different than the One handed down to us through the Scriptures [Galatians 1:8; 1 Timothy 6:3-5]. That includes preaching only half the message [i.e. - "Jesus loves you..." without mentioning that He is also here to change who and what you are, because who and what you are makes God hate you - Psalm 5:5-6].

So, how did Jesus deal with "seekers" with "felt needs?" Simply put, He rebuked them! [Keep in mind that a rebuke need not be shouted or spoken in anger.] Look at the text, John 6:22-68. This multitude were genuinely seeking to find Jesus. But which Jesus were they seeking? The text tells us, they wanted the Jesus who fills their stomach [v.26, Jesus' own words no less]. They didn't want the Jesus who was being attested to as the Son of God by miraculous signs [v.26]. Jesus then rebuked them for seeking Him in order to be filled [v.27].

Jesus confronted their ill-conceived notions about the works of God. They genuinely wanted to "work the works of God" but they knew not what those works are. Jesus corrected their thinking [i might add, not by having another meal with them, nor by being "friendly," but simply by preaching the TRUTH - v.28-29]. Even in this seeking to do the work of God, they wanted their needs met by asking Jesus to perform a sign, specifically relating to food [v.30-31]. Jesus did not accommodate them! He again corrected their thinking [v.32-40]. And, He even told them that they did not believe and told them why they didn't: God the Father had not given them to Christ [v.36-40].

Then, these "seekers" go on to grumble that they didn't get what they wanted out of this Jesus [v.41-42]. Jesus again rebuked their thinking with the truth about their unbelief [v.43-58]. What's more, He was telling them about God's sovereignty in coming to faith in Him in PUBLIC [v.59]! He was in the synagogue declaring the hard truth about "election" to those who were unbelievers!

Didn't Jesus know better than to teach doctrine to the un-churched [again, He's not addressing Pharisees, but simply "a crowd"]?! How dare He do such a thing?! - Oh what blasphemy can be produced in the mind of one who thinks his method of doing God's work matters not!

Again, back to the PUBLIC house of teaching where Jesus was confronting these "seekers." His own disciples found what Jesus was saying hard to accept [v.60]; almost to say, "Jesus, you can't be teaching those kinds of things to unbelievers, they will be offended by it and not want to believe in You." Jesus rebuked them as well [v.61-65]. He reminded them that their flesh is good for nothing, but that the word He was speaking was the Spirit and life and only by it will anyone have life [v.63; Romans 10:17; Galatians 3:2-5].

And now, verse 66:

"As a result of this, many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore."

Jesus turned people away! The words He spoke were too difficult for them to bear, so they walked away from Him [even those who were called "His disciples"]. And what did Jesus do about them? He let them go. And, He even asked the twelve if they wanted to leave Him as well [v.67]. Peter's reply is gold!

verse 68:

"Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life'."

Peter understood that Jesus' words were hard to bear [not hard to understand, but hard to accept], and yet there is no other to whom we can turn. THIS Jesus is the only One with life eternal in His words.

How dare we preach, present, or represent any other Jesus but He, the one of whom we have just read?

Will we turn people off? Yes.

Will we turn people away? Yes.

Will we preach another Jesus or declare another Gospel that will draw them back? Me Genoita! No, not ever!!!

Will we meet their physical needs in order to lead them to Christ? Scripture does not mandate this, nor exemplify it, and neither should we. Neither Christ nor the Apostles had to earn the right to be heard, they simply preached. The Gospel need not earn one's approval to be heard! If they are deaf to it, then they are deaf to God [Mark 4:9-12].

Christ came to preach the Gospel to man [Luke 4:43]. We should show compassion on the lost and love them indeed [Matthew 9:36], but not to seek to fulfill their wants and their needs as they see them. Their greatest need [as is ours!] are the words of eternal life that are preached in Jesus Christ alone.