From Grace to Glory: Recognizing Jesus' True Identity
Summary
In the Gospel of John, we encounter a profound division between the Gospel of signs and the Gospel of glory. The first twelve chapters of John are filled with signs, miracles that Jesus performed to reveal His divine nature. These signs are not just demonstrations of power but are meant to point us to who Jesus truly is. However, as we reach chapter 6, a pivotal shift occurs. The miracles, such as the feeding of the 5,000, are not just about satisfying physical hunger but are meant to open our eyes to the glory of God. Yet, many who witnessed these miracles missed the deeper message. They tasted God's grace but failed to see His glory.
The feeding of the 5,000 is a powerful illustration of God's abundant grace. Jesus takes a small boy's lunch and multiplies it to feed thousands, demonstrating that inadequate resources are no match for His power. However, the crowd's response reveals a deeper issue. They are more interested in the bread than in the Bread of Life. They want Jesus to be their provider, not their Savior. This is a critical moment where we must ask ourselves: Are we seeking Jesus for what He can do for us, or are we seeking Him for who He is?
The disciples, too, face a test of faith. Jesus sends them into a familiar environment, the Sea of Galilee, where they are comfortable. Yet, even in their strength, they find themselves in a storm, unable to reach the other side. This illustrates that even in our areas of strength, we are still too weak without Jesus. It is in these moments of inadequacy that Jesus reveals His glory. When He walks on water and approaches the disciples, He declares, "It is I," echoing the divine name "I Am." This revelation of His identity is what truly opens our eyes to His glory.
The challenge for us is to move beyond merely tasting God's grace to truly seeing His glory. We must invite Jesus into our lives, not just as a provider but as our Savior and Lord. When we do, we are guaranteed to reach the other side, not by our strength but by His presence and power.
Key Takeaways:
- The miracles of Jesus are signs pointing to His divine identity. They are not just about what He can do but about who He is. We must look beyond the miracles to see the message they convey about Jesus' nature. [06:06]
- God's grace is abundant and available to all, but it is not enough to simply experience His grace. We must also seek His glory, which requires a deeper understanding and relationship with Him. [13:52]
- Even in our areas of strength, we are still too weak without Jesus. He often places us in familiar situations to reveal our need for Him and to show us that our strength alone is insufficient. [23:48]
- Jesus' declaration of "I Am" is a profound revelation of His divine identity. Recognizing Him as "I Am" transforms our understanding of who we are and what we are called to do. [33:00]
- Inviting Jesus into our lives is essential for experiencing His glory. It is not enough to taste His grace; we must also see His glory and allow Him to guide us to the other side. [39:06]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [06:06] - The Gospel of Signs and Glory
- [08:49] - The Feeding of the 5,000
- [11:35] - Overcoming Inadequacy
- [13:52] - Tasting Grace vs. Seeing Glory
- [17:47] - Misunderstanding the Signs
- [20:31] - Testing in Familiar Territory
- [23:48] - The Storm on the Sea
- [25:52] - The Limits of Human Strength
- [27:51] - The Need for God's Glory
- [29:40] - Theophany: God Revealed
- [31:11] - God's Presence in Our Lives
- [33:00] - The Revelation of "I Am"
- [35:27] - Inviting Jesus into the Boat
- [39:06] - The Assurance of Reaching the Other Side
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- John 6:1-21
- Exodus 3:14
- John 1:1-3
Observation Questions:
1. In John 6, what are the two miracles that Jesus performs, and how do they serve as signs of His divine nature? [08:49]
2. How does the crowd's reaction to the feeding of the 5,000 reveal their misunderstanding of Jesus' mission? [17:47]
3. What is the significance of Jesus walking on water and declaring "It is I" to the disciples during the storm? [33:00]
4. How does the sermon describe the difference between tasting God's grace and seeing His glory? [13:52]
Interpretation Questions:
1. Why does the sermon suggest that the miracles of Jesus are not just about what He can do, but about who He is? How does this understanding affect one's faith? [06:06]
2. What does the sermon imply about the dangers of seeking Jesus only for what He can provide rather than for who He is? [17:47]
3. How does the sermon interpret the disciples' experience on the Sea of Galilee as a test of faith, even in their areas of strength? [23:48]
4. What does Jesus' declaration of "I Am" reveal about His identity, and how should this impact a believer's understanding of their own identity? [33:00]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you sought Jesus primarily for what He could do for you. How can you shift your focus to seeking Him for who He is? [17:47]
2. In what areas of your life do you feel strong and self-sufficient? How can you invite Jesus into those areas to reveal His glory and your need for Him? [23:48]
3. How can you move from merely experiencing God's grace to truly seeing His glory in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to deepen your relationship with Him? [13:52]
4. Consider a situation where you felt overwhelmed by inadequacy. How can you trust in Jesus' power to provide abundantly, as demonstrated in the feeding of the 5,000? [11:35]
5. How does recognizing Jesus as "I Am" change your perspective on your current challenges? What specific actions can you take to align your life with this revelation? [33:00]
6. Think about a storm or difficult situation you are currently facing. How can you invite Jesus into your "boat" and trust Him to guide you to the other side? [39:06]
7. How can you ensure that you are not just tasting God's grace but also seeing His glory in your interactions with others this week? [13:52]
Devotional
Day 1: Signs Pointing to Divine Identity
The miracles of Jesus in the Gospel of John are not merely acts of power but are profound signs pointing to His divine identity. These signs are meant to reveal who Jesus truly is, inviting us to look beyond the miracles themselves to understand the deeper message they convey. In John 6, the feeding of the 5,000 is a pivotal moment where Jesus demonstrates His divine nature by multiplying a small boy's lunch to feed thousands. This miracle is not just about satisfying physical hunger but is a sign pointing to Jesus as the Bread of Life. The challenge is to see beyond the immediate provision and recognize the revelation of Jesus' true nature. [06:06]
John 2:11 (ESV): "This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him."
Reflection: In what ways have you focused more on what Jesus can do for you rather than who He is? How can you shift your focus to seek a deeper understanding of His divine identity today?
Day 2: From Grace to Glory
God's grace is abundant and available to all, as demonstrated in the miracles of Jesus. However, it is not enough to simply experience His grace; we must also seek His glory. This requires a deeper understanding and relationship with Him. The feeding of the 5,000 illustrates God's abundant grace, but many who witnessed it missed the deeper message of His glory. They were more interested in the bread than in the Bread of Life. To truly see God's glory, we must move beyond merely tasting His grace and invite Jesus into our lives as our Savior and Lord. [13:52]
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."
Reflection: How can you move beyond experiencing God's grace to truly seeking His glory in your daily life? What steps can you take to deepen your relationship with Him today?
Day 3: Strength in Weakness
Even in our areas of strength, we are still too weak without Jesus. The disciples, experienced fishermen, found themselves in a storm on the Sea of Galilee, unable to reach the other side. This illustrates that our strength alone is insufficient, and we need Jesus in every aspect of our lives. It is in moments of inadequacy that Jesus reveals His glory, as He did when He walked on water and declared, "It is I," echoing the divine name "I Am." Recognizing our need for Him transforms our understanding of who we are and what we are called to do. [23:48]
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel strong but have not fully relied on Jesus? How can you invite Him into that area to reveal His glory and strength?
Day 4: The Revelation of "I Am"
Jesus' declaration of "I Am" is a profound revelation of His divine identity. When He approached the disciples on the stormy sea and declared, "It is I," He was revealing Himself as the great "I Am," echoing God's self-revelation in the Old Testament. This revelation transforms our understanding of who Jesus is and what He calls us to do. Recognizing Him as "I Am" invites us to see His glory and understand our identity in light of His divine nature. It challenges us to trust in His presence and power in every situation. [33:00]
Exodus 3:14 (ESV): "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And he said, 'Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.'"
Reflection: How does recognizing Jesus as "I Am" change your understanding of who He is and who you are in Him? What difference does this make in how you live your life today?
Day 5: Inviting Jesus into Our Lives
Inviting Jesus into our lives is essential for experiencing His glory. It is not enough to taste His grace; we must also see His glory and allow Him to guide us to the other side. The disciples' experience on the Sea of Galilee illustrates the importance of inviting Jesus into our situations, even when we feel strong or capable. When we do, we are guaranteed to reach the other side, not by our strength but by His presence and power. This assurance comes from recognizing Jesus as our Savior and Lord, who is with us in every storm. [39:06]
Psalm 107:29-30 (ESV): "He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven."
Reflection: In what areas of your life have you been trying to navigate on your own? How can you invite Jesus into those areas today to experience His presence and guidance?
Quotes
You no longer just get to see what He's done and get away with not seeing who He is. The signs are indicators. They're supposed to point you to something. In other words, the miracle is the message that is contained within the miracle, not the actual miracle itself. [00:02:44] (19 seconds)
And it is not that God's grace is inadequate. It's that the process of salvation, grace leaves it incomplete. See, because every one of you, believer or not believer, you've tasted his grace. You have. Every day you wake up and you breathe that next breath, that's grace. [00:14:16] (19 seconds)
God will allow even people that hate him, don't know him, don't really care about anything more from him than a full belly to taste from his hands. He's that good. He's that kind of God. But there's got to be more to it. [00:15:45] (17 seconds)
And the difficulty for us as followers, certainly, and for those who are not followers, is the undeniable truth that you can taste his grace and still not yet have seen his glory. [00:18:24] (12 seconds)
In other words, they want Jesus to be what they want him to be, not who he actually is. I'm going to force you into a mold, Jesus. What I expect from you is you meet my needs. What I expect from you is to be my baker, not my maker. [00:19:31] (18 seconds)
And why would he test us on our strengths rather than our weaknesses? Because maybe he wants us to know that even in our strength, we're still too weak to get to the other side. That even in the areas we're most comfortable, comfort is never going to get you saved. [00:21:38] (16 seconds)
And this is what happens when we've tasted his grace and yet not seen his glory. He takes us to familiar situations and circumstances and shows us your greatest strength can get you to the middle. But it can't get you to the other side. [00:26:05] (20 seconds)
And Christ comes walking on the water. The best thing you could ever have happen is that you'd be frightened by Christ. That you realize he is a holy, righteous, living God. Take a look at him in Revelation and tell me if you recognize him. [00:28:58] (27 seconds)
And when you and I begin to know who I am is, we begin to finally realize who I am supposed to be. When we know who I am is, not what I am can do. When we know who I am is, I know where I am supposed to go. [00:33:40] (31 seconds)
And you'll know when you have seen I am because you'll do what they did. And you take him into your boat. They took him. And you step in. You want me in your boat? You want him in your boat? [00:36:51] (30 seconds)
And here's the cool thing. Immediately when you invite him into your life, you're guaranteed you're going to get to the other side. And you know what happened with the people who just tasted his grace? [00:39:09] (16 seconds)
And I'd be willing to bet there's probably a few of us in this room tonight that have tasted his grace, but you've not yet seen his glory until now. And now's the time for you to invite him into your boat. [00:40:34] (23 seconds)
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