From Transactional Faith to Transformative Relationship with God

 

Summary

In our journey of faith, we often find ourselves asking, "What do I get, and how do I get it?" This mindset can hinder our relationship with God, as it is impossible to have an authentic relationship with someone from whom you're always trying to get something. John, a follower of Jesus, reminds us that God gave us everything we needed by giving us Himself. This profound truth should move from our heads to our hearts, transforming our perspective and granting us peace that surpasses understanding.

The story of the feeding of the 5,000 illustrates this point. Jesus performed this miracle not just to feed the hungry but to reveal His identity as the Messiah. The crowd, however, was more interested in the miracle itself than in the One it pointed to. They missed the significance of the sign, focusing instead on their immediate needs. Jesus challenges us to seek the food that endures to eternal life, which He offers, rather than temporary satisfactions.

John's Gospel is written to help us see and hear what he did, so we might believe that Jesus is the Messiah and have life in His name. This life is not about what we can get from God but about recognizing who He is and surrendering to Him. When we do, we find that He gives us more than we could ever imagine—He gives us Himself.

As followers of Christ, we are invited to a life of significance, not as consumers but as participants in God's redemptive work. This is no small invitation. It is a call to love, forgive, and serve others as Christ has done for us. When we embrace this call, we join a legacy of believers who have changed the world through their faith and actions.

Key Takeaways:

1. Authentic Relationship with God: It is impossible to have a genuine relationship with God if our primary focus is on what we can get from Him. We must move beyond a transactional faith to one that seeks to know and follow Him for who He is. [02:22]

2. God Gave Us Himself: The most profound gift God has given us is Himself. When this truth moves from our head to our heart, it transforms our perspective and grants us peace that surpasses understanding. [03:27]

3. The Significance of Signs: The miracles of Jesus, like the feeding of the 5,000, are signs pointing to His identity as the Messiah. We must not miss the significance of these signs by focusing solely on our immediate needs. [10:23]

4. Life in His Name: Believing in Jesus as the Messiah offers us life in His name, a life that transcends our earthly concerns and invites us into a deeper relationship with God. [37:04]

5. Invitation to Follow: We are called to be followers of Christ, not mere consumers. This invitation is to participate in God's redemptive work, loving and serving others as Christ has done for us. [38:23]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Childhood Memories
- [01:13] - Early Faith Journey
- [02:35] - God Gave Us Himself
- [03:27] - Peace Beyond Understanding
- [04:02] - John's Agenda
- [05:02] - Signs as Evidence
- [06:35] - Feeding the 5,000
- [09:04] - Passover Context
- [10:23] - Missing the Point
- [17:06] - Recognition of the Prophet
- [19:49] - Jesus Withdraws
- [23:05] - Seeking Eternal Food
- [30:00] - Are We Just in It for the Food?
- [37:04] - Life in His Name
- [38:23] - Invitation to Follow

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 6:1-14 (Feeding of the 5,000)
2. John 6:35 (Jesus as the Bread of Life)
3. Philippians 4:7 (Peace that surpasses understanding)

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Observation Questions:

1. In the story of the feeding of the 5,000, what was the initial reaction of the disciples when Jesus asked them to feed the crowd? How did they respond to the situation? [11:01]

2. What was the crowd's reaction after witnessing the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000? How did they interpret the sign? [17:06]

3. According to the sermon, what was the primary reason people followed Jesus during His ministry? [07:54]

4. How does the sermon describe the difference between being a consumer and a follower of Christ? [38:23]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What does it mean for the truth that God gave us Himself to move from our heads to our hearts, and how might this transformation impact our daily lives? [03:27]

2. How does the story of the feeding of the 5,000 illustrate the concept of seeking eternal sustenance rather than temporary satisfaction? [23:05]

3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that recognizing Jesus as the Messiah can reframe our entire life perspective? [05:30]

4. How does the sermon challenge the idea of a transactional relationship with God, and what does it propose as an alternative? [02:22]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own faith journey. Have you ever approached your relationship with God with a "what do I get" mindset? How can you shift towards a more authentic relationship with Him? [01:13]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing Jesus' identity rather than just His miracles. How can you focus more on who Jesus is in your daily life rather than what He can do for you? [10:23]

3. Consider the idea of being a participant in God's redemptive work rather than a consumer. What specific actions can you take this week to love, forgive, and serve others as Christ has done for you? [38:23]

4. The sermon mentions the peace that surpasses understanding. Is there a situation in your life where you need this peace? How can you invite God into that situation to experience His peace? [03:27]

5. Think about the invitation to follow Christ. What does it mean for you personally to be a follower rather than a consumer? How can you live this out in your community? [30:20]

6. Reflect on the idea of surrendering to God. What areas of your life are you holding back from Him, and how can you begin to surrender those areas to His will? [35:23]

7. The sermon challenges us to not just be in it for the "food." What are some "foods" or temporary satisfactions you might be seeking, and how can you redirect your focus to eternal life in His name? [30:00]

Devotional

Day 1: Beyond Transactional Faith
In our journey of faith, it is crucial to move beyond a transactional mindset where we focus on what we can get from God. An authentic relationship with God requires us to seek Him for who He is, not just for what He can provide. This shift in perspective allows us to experience a deeper connection with God, where our faith is not based on transactions but on genuine love and devotion. When we approach God with a heart that desires to know Him, we open ourselves to a transformative relationship that goes beyond our immediate needs. [02:22]

Jeremiah 29:13-14 (ESV): "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself approaching God with a transactional mindset? How can you begin to seek Him for who He is today?


Day 2: The Gift of God Himself
The most profound gift God has given us is Himself. This truth, when it moves from our head to our heart, transforms our perspective and grants us peace that surpasses understanding. Recognizing that God has given us Himself means understanding that we have access to His presence, love, and guidance at all times. This realization should lead us to a place of gratitude and peace, knowing that we are never alone and that God is always with us, offering us more than we could ever imagine. [03:27]

Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV): "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Reflection: How can you remind yourself today that God has given you the gift of Himself? What practical steps can you take to experience His presence more fully?


Day 3: Recognizing the Significance of Signs
The miracles of Jesus, such as the feeding of the 5,000, are signs pointing to His identity as the Messiah. It is important not to miss the significance of these signs by focusing solely on our immediate needs. The miracles are meant to reveal who Jesus is and to invite us into a deeper understanding of His mission and purpose. By recognizing the significance of these signs, we can grow in our faith and understanding of Jesus as the Messiah, who offers us eternal life. [10:23]

John 20:30-31 (ESV): "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

Reflection: Think of a time when you focused more on what you wanted from God rather than what He was revealing about Himself. How can you shift your focus to recognize the significance of His work in your life?


Day 4: Life in His Name
Believing in Jesus as the Messiah offers us life in His name, a life that transcends our earthly concerns and invites us into a deeper relationship with God. This life is not about what we can get from God but about recognizing who He is and surrendering to Him. When we do, we find that He gives us more than we could ever imagine—He gives us Himself. This life in His name is marked by peace, joy, and a sense of purpose that goes beyond our circumstances. [37:04]

Colossians 3:3-4 (ESV): "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?


Day 5: Invitation to Participate in God's Work
We are called to be followers of Christ, not mere consumers. This invitation is to participate in God's redemptive work, loving and serving others as Christ has done for us. As followers of Christ, we are invited to a life of significance, where we join a legacy of believers who have changed the world through their faith and actions. This call to love, forgive, and serve others is no small invitation, but it is one that leads to a life of purpose and fulfillment. [38:23]

1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?

Quotes

God gave us everything we needed and everything he wanted to give us all at once, because he gave us himself. He showed up, and if that's still not overwhelming to you, then today's message is for you. And if that's not still overwhelming to me, this message is for me, because when the idea that God showed up on planet Earth because he cared so much about you and because he cared so much about us, when that goes from a theological category in our heads to our heart, it changes everything. [00:02:37]

It is impossible to have an authentic relationship with someone from whom you're always trying to get something. You can't do it, because there's an agenda, and since there's an agenda, you're measuring your words, you don't go for it directly, it's like, how's it going, chitchat, a little chitchat, a little hey, by the way, it just occurred to me, have you ever thought about, and you're kinda doing this dance. As long as you want something from someone or if you consistently want something from someone or you feel like you just gotta keep getting something from someone, you cannot have an intimate authentic relationship with them, it's just impossible. [00:02:00]

John followed Jesus because of what he saw and because of what he heard. In fact, what he saw and what he heard actually convinced him that Jesus was the Messiah, and once he was convinced Jesus was the Messiah, he actually placed his faith in him as his Messiah. He believed based on what he saw and what he heard, and he wants his audience to, in their mind's eye, see what he saw, and through their mind's ears, to hear what he heard so that we would arrive at the same conclusion about Jesus that he did. [00:04:15]

The miracles of Jesus, like the feeding of the 5,000, are signs pointing to His identity as the Messiah. We must not miss the significance of these signs by focusing solely on our immediate needs. They were evidence that Jesus was who Jesus claimed to be, that the reason Jesus did miracles wasn't simply because he cared about people. He was making a point about his own identity, and he wants future generations, John wanted future generations to know what he knew and to see, again, what he could see, but not, and this is so important, but not simply so we would know what Jesus did. [00:05:11]

The story of the feeding of the 5,000 illustrates this point. Jesus performed this miracle not just to feed the hungry but to reveal His identity as the Messiah. The crowd, however, was more interested in the miracle itself than in the One it pointed to. They missed the significance of the sign, focusing instead on their immediate needs. Jesus challenges us to seek the food that endures to eternal life, which He offers, rather than temporary satisfactions. [00:10:23]

When this goes from your head to your heart, you will be okay when things are not okay. When this goes from your head to your heart that God actually showed up and he gave you something, he gave you himself, you will know that there is a purpose even in the random seemingly meaningless pains and sorrows and disappointments in life. [00:03:27]

The question is not what do I get out of it? The question of first importance, the question that will change everything for you, no matter how long ago you prayed the prayer to become a Christian so you wouldn't go to hell, no matter how long ago you put a stick in the fire when you were a teenager and then you kinda drifted away, the question that changes everything, no matter how old you are and no matter how many prayers you've prayed, the question that changes everything is the question that Jesus was trying to get his audience to focus on. The question is this, who do you believe I am? [00:33:00]

We have been invited to follow, and I tell you this all the time, I'll tell you as long as you'll listen, his followers, by the way, his first century followers, by the way, ultimately shaped Western civilization. They shaped the world. Listen, it wasn't the consumers that changed anything. It wasn't the, wow, did you see that, people who changed anything. It was the people who finally got it. In other words, for us in the 21st century, this is, this is no small thing to which we have been invited. [00:38:23]

The question is what do I get out of this? What do I get out of this? What do I get out of this? That's the tension we're confronted with today as we continue our journey, because today we bump into the fourth sign in this series of sign that John builds his entire account around, and it's one of the most popular and one of the most famous and one of the most well-known stories in all of the Bible. It's the sign of the feeding of the 5,000 plus, and we'll talk about the plus in just a minute. [00:06:35]

Heavenly Father, not my will, thy will be done. Heavenly Father, my will comes with a grocery list. Let's forget that, not my will, thy will be done. In other words, let's just follow, and in light of Calvary, (chuckles) in light of the resurrection, we have every reason to and we have no excuse not to. God has already given you, think about it, God has already given you what's most important. You get to address him as your Heavenly Father. [00:36:04]

The cool thing and the amazing thing is John, who followed Jesus in the first century, said that God gave us everything we needed and everything he wanted to give us all at once, because he gave us himself. He showed up, and if that's still not overwhelming to you, then today's message is for you. And if that's not still overwhelming to me, this message is for me, because when the idea that God showed up on planet Earth because he cared so much about you and because he cared so much about us, when that goes from a theological category in our heads to our heart, it changes everything. [00:02:37]

The question is not what do I get out of it? The question of first importance, the question that will change everything for you, no matter how long ago you prayed the prayer to become a Christian so you wouldn't go to hell, no matter how long ago you put a stick in the fire when you were a teenager and then you kinda drifted away, the question that changes everything, no matter how old you are and no matter how many prayers you've prayed, the question that changes everything is the question that Jesus was trying to get his audience to focus on. The question is this, who do you believe I am? [00:33:00]

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Transcript
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