Election or Freewill – Part One. (John 6:1-24)
Complete Transcript.
According to the 2021 Census data, only 9.1% go in the UK more than once a month. It rises to around 15% if you ask who goes more than once a year.
This decline in church membership has been evident over the years, with today approx. 5, million people identifying as actual members of Christian church (around 10% of the adult population) and a further decrease predicted are by 2025.
Of course, only a percentage of those who go to church would describe them selves as evangelicals. Estimates are hard to find but they vary between 25% and 50% of those church goers would describe themselves as evangelicals.
Northern European and Scandinavian would declare an even lower figure than that in the UK.
This morning, I want to tackle a question that has long puzzled believers: and to some extent divides further even those Christians who would define themselves as Evangelicals.
Which is will also help us understand why some people choose to believe in Jesus Christ while others do not?
There are two potential answers to this question.
One is that some people believe because they choose to believe, and the other is that some believe because they are chosen to believe. So, which of these answers is correct? Which one is biblical?
I’m not asking you to consider which answer seems logical or which you like the best, or which denomination you belong to. The real question is: what does the Word of God say about what is called election and free will?
Well, the bible has much to say on this topic, and today, we will try to do today understand this complex issue by examining Jesus’ teaches us in John chapter 6.
Welcome to TBPDP….
Before we dive deep into this passage, I want to acknowledge that this is an emotionally charged topic, and people have strong opinions about it. I hope everyone listening can approach this discussion with an open heart and a willingness to remain friends, regardless of our differing views.
Let’s allow each other the privilege of holding our respective opinions while exploring this challenging subject together.
In John 6, we see Jesus addresses the issue of why some people choose not to believe in Him.
Remember in John’s Gospel John presents Jesus as the Son of God, starting with his prologue in chapter 1 and then moving through the call and confirmation of the disciples in the first part of chapter 2.
From there, Jesus’ ministry life is seen to unfold before us through various scenes where people generally accept Him as the Son of God.
However, in chapters 5 and 6, we see an overt rejection of Jesus for the first time. However, not only do these chapters document what happened, but they also provide insights into why some people chose not to believe in Jesus.
Chapter 5 was set in Jerusalem, while chapter 6 now shifts abruptly to Galilee. This geographical shift is significant because the synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—focus heavily on Jesus’ Galilean ministry. John’s Gospel, on the other hand, largely bypasses this period, except for here in chapter 6.
Here, John quickly recounts two miracles performed in Galilee but follows them with a lengthy discourse.
Now we have previously studied the miracles contained within this chapter when the have appeared in the other Gospel accounts that we worked through together and we will begin briefly by examining the two miracles again.
They are the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus walking on water. But this time we will look at them whilst acknowledging that these miracles actually are recorded to also set the stage for Jesus’ subsequent teachings, which He directs first to the crowds gathered, then to the Jewish leaders, then to His disciples, and finally just to the twelve apostles.
In John 6:1-15, Jesus performs the miracle of feeding the 5,000. This miracle demonstrates His power and compassion, providing for the physical needs of the multitude with only five loaves and two fish.
After this, Jesus walks on water, and this miracle shows His authority over nature and reassures His disciples of His divine presence.
Following these miracles, Jesus engages in a series of discourses.
He begins by addressing the multitude. He challenges them to seek not just physical bread, but the spiritual nourishment that leads to eternal life. Do not work for food that spoils, he says, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you."
Next, Jesus speaks to the Jewish leaders, emphasizing that belief in Him is a work of God. He says, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one God has sent." He further explains that He is the bread of life, sent from heaven to give life to the world.
Jesus then turns to His disciples, explaining that no one can come to Him unless the Father draws them (verse 44). He will elaborate on this, saying, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them."
All these statements highlight the interplay between divine election and human response.
Finally, Jesus addresses his inner circle, the twelve apostles, affirming their faith while acknowledging that one of them, Judas, would betray Him. This interaction underscores the reality of both belief and unbelief among those closest to Jesus.
Now the teaching today and tomorrow is based upon a lengthy 90-minute talk I gave in around 2009 but I have adapted it and will try and distil it into a single 60 minute presentation , but I am going to break at whatever point I am at around 30 minutes and finish it off in tomorrow’s episode.
I believe this time we spend together in chapter six will provides reflective insights into why some believe, and others do not.
It reveals my position that belief in Jesus actually involves both human choice and divine enablement. As we grapple with this mystery, let us remain open to the Word of God, seeking to understand and embrace its truths, and leave what we don’t exactly understand with Him.
Ultimately, our response to Jesus is a matter of the heart, and if we choose to trust in Him, we will receive eternal life.
John 6: 1-15 tells us.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand.
1 Sometime after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing those who were ill. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming towards him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Then Philip answered him, ‘It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!’ 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’ 10 Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, ‘Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.’ 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
(John 6: 1-15)
The setting of this story is quite straightforward. Jesus moves up into Galilee and begins performing miracles. As a result, a large crowd gathers around Him because of the miracles He’s performing, particularly healing the sick.
The day progresses, and it gets to be a mealtime. John’s Gospel presents this incident as Jesus turning to Philip and asking how they would feed this massive crowd.
Philip responds and says, “.‘It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to eat!’.” Philip, a statistical pessimist, points out that even what he calculated as roughly 200 days’ wages they still wouldn’t have enough to give everyone even a small piece of bread.
Philip’s analysis is fascinating because he was certain of what couldn’t be done but had no vision for what could be done. This is true of many people today. In any class, committee meeting, or even church meeting, there’s always someone who’s sure about how things can’t be done, without a clue as to what can be done.
Then we meet Andrew in verse 8. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, says, “There is a boy here who has with him five barley loaves and two small fishes, but what use are they when there are so many people?” Barley bread was the food of the poor, akin to a small pancake. The two fish were likely like what we would call today sardines. Andrew brings this small offering but also expresses doubt about its adequacy for such a huge problem as a crowd of hungry people.
It’s interesting to compare Andrew to Philip at this point. Philip saw the great difficulty, while Andrew saw the small resources at their disposal. Neither recognized fully who was in their midst, and what he was capable of, just in different ways.
At this point, Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the people. Jesus prays a simple prayer that reminds us of the importance of thanking God for our food.
After praying, the food is distributed, and then a miracle occurs. There was enough to feed the whole 5,000 people, more-so it also tells us that that when they were filled, he asks his disciples to gather up the fragments that remain.
Why was Jesus concerned about the leftovers. I believe those who suggest that this was extra instruction was just meant to be a lesson for Philip and Andrew and the disciples.
Because we find out they gather up 12 baskets full of fragments. The Greek word for “basket” here refers to a wicker basket, similar to a picnic hamper today. They started with five loaves and two fish and ended up with 12 baskets full of leftovers after feeding 5,000 people.
This miracle not only provided for their physical needs but also demonstrated Jesus’ divine power and compassion to everyone, especially His disciples.
This story of the feeding of the 5,000 is a powerful reminder of Jesus’ ability to provide abundantly, even when resources seem insufficient. It also challenges us to trust in His provision and to recognize His presence in our midst, especially when faced with seemingly impossible situations.
Now, let me ask: what do you make of this miracle? What's the point?
Over the years, I have heard this passage been preached upon may times in my life with a wide variety of interpretations, some of which were less compelling than others.
One preacher I heard suggested that the point of this story is the value of little things. They argued that just as an acorn becomes a great oak tree, the five loaves and two fishes grew into something great. Therefore, they preached on this passage and an illustration of the value of small beginnings.
Another interpretation focused on the value of giving, highlighting how the little boy gave what he had, which was then multiplied many times over. The message was that little is much when God is in it, so we should give what we have to the Lord. (Nothing wrong with that)
Yet another interpretation suggested that the lesson here is one of conservation, noting how Jesus was concerned about not wasting the leftovers.
While these interpretations might indeed offer valuable lessons, I doubt that’s primarily why John included this story in his Gospel.
We actually know why John wrote this story because he tells us in John chapter 20. He says, “All these miracles were written down by him so that anyone reading about them might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him, you might have life through His name”.
This miracle, like all the other in this gospel account are meant to demonstrates His divine nature and power.
The first miracle, turning water into wine, was a miracle of quality; this second one is a miracle of quantity.
In both, Jesus shows His ability to create something out of nothing (Ex-Nihlo), affirming that He is indeed God….
However, the people didn’t grasp the true significance of the miracle because it says, some saw the miracle but misinterpreted its purpose. They saw it as a sign that Jesus was a prophet and they wanted to make Him king by force. They missed the deeper point that the miracle was meant to demonstrate His deity, not some cheap political stunt.
It’s evident that some did believe, but it's equally clear that some did not. The real question we’re asking this morning is why didn’t they all believe?
This is what the Lord will explain in just a few minutes. But before He does, John inserts another miracle. Beginning at verse 16 and continuing through verse 21, and in this next section John tells us about Jesus’ walking on water.
In verse 15 we're told that Jesus walks on the water.
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing, and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, ‘It is I; don’t be afraid.’ 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realised that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 Once the crowd realised that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
(John 6: 16-24)
The synoptic Gospels when describing these events all tell us that Jesus went to pray, which is why He went out alone. Meanwhile, the disciples returned to the shore of the Sea of Galilee, got into their boat, and started heading toward Capernaum—essentially, they were going home. They waited for the Lord late into the night, but when He didn't show up, they rowed out into the middle of the lake on their way home.
These verses go on to describe how, in the middle of the night, a strong wind arose. The Sea of Galilee, due to its geographical setting, is particularly prone to sudden storms and violent winds. The sea of Galilee itself is below sea level and surrounded by hills, creating a bowl-like environment. Winds rush through the passes, often stirring up the water, frequently resulting in a sudden and violent storm. This is precisely what happened here.
The other gospel accounts tell us it this happened at what we would recognise today as between 3:00 and 6:00 in the morning. The disciples were in the boat when a storm began to toss them to and fro.
The passage also tells us they were about thirty furlongs away from the shore, approximately 3 miles. Given that the Sea of Galilee is about 6 miles wide, they were right in the middle of the sea and in a great deal of trouble. The boat was being tossed around, and they were literally scared for their lives.
At that moment, the passage tells us they see Jesus’ walking on the water, and he gets into the boat, and it says immediately they reached their destination.
Here, again, we have a miracle. The purpose of this miracle, like the feeding of the 5,000, is to demonstrate the God-ness of Jesus.
We've seen man walk on the moon, which demonstrates our technological advancement. I am aware today that magicians have created an illusion that makes it look that they can walk on water. But no one has walked on water without technological aid. If someone did, it would demonstrate something supernatural about them. This probably why several illusionist have chosen this type of illusion as a way of tapping into that great feeling of wonder in those who might be watching.
But this is exactly what Jesus did—He walked on water without any physical aid, performing a supernatural miracle. The disciples we are told as a result of seeing this, believed again.
In fact, by the end of this chapter they will declare to Him that, "We believe and are sure that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
While they had believed this all along, this miracle further solidified their faith, adding another layer of certainty that Jesus Christ was God.
A confirmation of their faith like a talked about a few days ago when we looked at the first miracle, turning water into wine..
So, we have two miracles now: one public, which the public didn't understand, and one private, which the disciples did understand.
This sets up a template that is still relevant today—some people believe, and some do not. But the question remains: why didn’t they believe?
The rest of the chapter will address this question. From verse 22 to the end of the chapter, there are going to be four discourses. First, the Lord speaks to the multitude (verses 22-40). Then, He speaks to the Jews, specifically the Jewish leaders (verses 41-59). Next, He speaks directly to the disciples (verses 60-66). Finally, in verses 67-71, He speaks to the twelve apostles.
All four of these discourses will highlight for us the relationship between divine election and human free will.
And it is those four discourses, that we will look at next time.
