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Two of the most important questions facing people of Jesus’ day and today are, “Who is Jesus?” and “What does He want me to do?” John records seven “I am” statements used by Jesus to reveal who He is.

John 6 records a sign (the feeding of the 5,000), a sermon (in which He states, “I am the bread of life”), and then shows how this teaching was a stumbling stone to many of Jesus’ followers. The many parallels between the feeding of the 5,000 and the manna in the wilderness seem intended to show that Jesus is the source of abundant life in the wilderness of this earthly life.

Jesus calls us to feed on Him by coming to Him in faith, believing that He is able to satisfy our hunger and emptiness. A community of believers who are living by Jesus’ words of life can be a place of abundance even as all of creation longs for the promised land of the new heaven and new earth.

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Approved workers understand that they need to be living out a therefore response to the Gospel (vv 8-10).

Approved workers recognize that the way to life is through union in Christ – a union that dies, lives, and endures with Him (vv 11-13).

Approved workers avoid the teaching, influence, and behavior of unapproved workers like Hymenaeus and Philetus (vv 14-21).

Approved workers have learned the core competencies of flight, pursuit, and joint effort (vs 22).

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