Today's Reading: John 6: 1-15
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read John 6: 1-15
Bible Study
Jesus feeds the five thousand is a very familiar passage to so many people. Here, we understand the power of Jesus that He is our provider that we should not feel insecure of our physical need. Insecurity is a very heavy word and a word to show the reality that quite a number of people are being captured and prisoned.
With Jesus' miraculous power to feed the five thousand we should not worry any more of our unknown future of losing jobs, money or anything that might cause us in poverty and hunger. Just as Psalm 23 says, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want"!
N. T. Wright has an astonishing inspiration:
"This is the second time John has told us of something happening at Pasoaver time; the previous time was when Jesus was in Jerusalem, casting out the traders in the Temple (2: 13). there will be a third time, when Jesus arrives in Jerusalem for the last time, and then it is so important for John's understanding of what is about to happen that he mention it three times (11:55; 12:1; 13:1). This is no detective story; John is not trying to keep us guessing. He wants us to understand, as we go along, where it is all going.
So when he draws our attention to the fact that the extraordinary feeding of the crowds took place at Passover time, he is clearly hoping that we will connect it in our minds both with Passover itself - the imte when God liberated the children of Israel from Egypt, and led them through the wilderness to the promised land - and with the other Passover events in the gospel, that is, the 'cleaning of the Temple' on the one hand and Jesus' death and resurrection on the other."
Now, from what you have read in this passage and what N.T. Wright says, have you got any new insight in this important miracle?
Have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to God as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: Liberated from insecurity!
From most commentators, Jesus' three temptations after he was baptized is about the three most tempted areas of a human: money, sex and power. Here, what I heard from Jesus today is that from John's perspective God wants to use that three appearance in the Passover to tell us that we are being liberated from money, sex and power.
Money (Financial need)- Jesus casting out the traders in the Temple(2:13).
Sex (Physical need) - Jesus feeing the five thousands(6: 4)
Power (Control issue) - Jesus death and resurrection. (11:55; 12:1; 13:1)
Are you captured, prisoned and controlled by your own "insecurity" or have you been liberated by Jesus from money, sex and power!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Liberate us from the control of money, sex and power. Help us to know that you are the only Provider who can satisfy us we shall have no need but only you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Chinese praise song - 祢讓我生命改變 You Transform My Life
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