Dear Christian friends:

When Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you a king?" He answered, "Yes, I am a King. That's why I was born and that's why I came here into the world." We who believe in Jesus have accepted Him for our King. We often sing "Beautiful Savior".

Beautiful Savior, King of creation,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I'd love Thee, truly I'd serve thee,
Light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown.

We know that Jesus wants to be our King, but sometimes He refuses to be our King as He did here with the people in our text.

"After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself." (John 6:14-15) Jesus refused to be their King. Why?


When you try to force Him to be your "King". People in our text tried to force Jesus to be their King and He refused. You can't force Jesus to be your King. What does that mean?

Many try to force Jesus to be their King. They get Baptized, confirmed, join a church, but their heart is not changed. They are not sorry about their sins and do not believe Jesus died for their sins. They don't try to stop sinning and don't love God or their neighbor. Jesus refuses to be King over people like that. Yes, He wants to be their King, but they must hear His Word and believe it.

Well, why do many people join the church if they don't want to change and serve Jesus? They want a "bread King." Jesus refuses to be our "bread king."

When the people found Jesus later on the other side of the lake they asked Him why He refused to be their king. Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled." (John 6:26)

They saw how Jesus healed their sick and fed 5,000 of them with five loaves of bread and two small fishes. So, they wanted Jesus as a king who could make life easy and comfortable and give them free bread and be their free doctor.

Many people are like them today. They join the church because they want praise and respect from people in the city. Here in America it is popular to be a church member. Many join the church for the same reasons they join civic clubs like the Kiwanis, Lions, and Optimists because they meet many more people that way and it helps their business. Deaf clubs too: Some make church a second club.

Others join because they think God will bless them more with good health and good jobs. They do not join because of Jesus and their salvation. True, it isn't wrong to want a comfortable life, good health etc., but these are not the chief things in life. The chief thing in life is to know Jesus, that He is the Son of God and our Savior, and to have peace with God because He forgives our sins and promises us eternal life in heaven. Love for God and love for our neighbor is most important. Better to be poor with love, than rich with greed and sin.

Jesus told the Jews, "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. (John 6:27) Jesus told them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:35) (Tell of the Bread of Life, Lutheran Church in Minneapolis)

Jesus said to Satan, "It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)

Jesus wants to be our King. He wants us to believe in Him, that He is God's Son who came here on earth to live and die for our sins. If we believe in Him, He will be our King and will raise us up to live forever when He comes on the Last Day. (John 6:40)

Amen.