The Search For Satisfaction

INTRODUCTION

• Have you ever wanted something but you just could not quite put your finger on it?

• Many times it happens when we go out to eat. There are so many places to eat in Springfield that the choices can be overwhelming at times.

• I do not know how many times Robyn and I would be looking for a place to eat and I would ask the dreaded question, “Where do you want to eat tonight?”

• What is the usual answer? I do not care. Then she would ask me and I would say, “I do not care.” Then we would drive around a bit and we would list off the places. Do you want to go here? No, what about here? No. What about here? No. Finally we would settle on some place (usually Chinese) that does not really hit the spot for us.

• How many times have you dug through the pantry or refrigerator at home looking for something, but nothing looked good because you wanted something but you just did not know what you wanted? Finally you settle for something that just does not satisfy.

• How many times have you been looking for something more out of life and you could not quite put a finger on what it was? You know something is missing out of your life; you just are not quite sure what it is.

• I believe the pursuit of satisfaction can be either one of the most frustrating pursuits of our livers or one of the most rewarding depending on what we find.

• The pursuit of satisfaction can be frustrating if you spend your whole life looking for something and you do not know what you are looking for.

• When you know what you are looking for, the pursuit can be so rewarding when you find it.

• All of us have a hunger within us. What are we going to pursue in order to fill the hunger? I wonder how many people reach the end of their lives and feel a sense of emptiness because they tried to fill their hunger with the things of the world?

• People are not happy. They are discontent. I believe a lot of those feeling spring from looking in the wrong places for satisfaction.

• Today we are going to look at “Search For Satisfaction.”

• John 6:22-71 takes place after the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus walking on the water. This sermon takes place the next morning. The disciples had left in the boat to go to Capernaum. The people knew that Jesus did not go over in the boat with the disciples so they were looking around for Jesus.

• What were they looking for? Did they want to learn more from Jesus? Did they want to let Jesus satisfy their hunger within or were they there just to see more miracles and be physically fed?

• What are you looking for in life? Will what you are pursuing satisfy you, or will it lead to wanting something else? Can you fill the hole in your heart with just anything?

• Let us look at the keys to being able to satisfy the search for satisfaction.

SERMON

The first key in the search for satisfaction is to:

I. KNOW YOU ARE HUNGRY (22-25)

• Read verses 22-25

• The people had witnessed a wonderful miracle in the feeding of the 5,000. The day after this happened; the people were looking for Jesus. I am sure that word had spread about what had happened the day before.

• Many of the people who were there for the miracle had to find shelter for the night since they were most likely far from home. When the crowd started to gather they looked for Jesus. They knew that He had not gotten into the one boat that was there so they expected to find Him in about the same area in which He performed the miracle.

• When they did not find Him they decided to go across the sea (lake) to Capernaum to seek Jesus. Why were they looking for Him?

• The people had been miraculously fed. It was a common belief that the Messiah would give manna from heaven even as Moses had done; in fact, it was thought that the Messiah would give more than Moses had given. The people were convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, so they wanted to lay hold of Him and make Him king (John 6:1-15) (Preachers Outline Study Bible)

• The people wanted to see more of Him. They had a need, but they thought their need could be taken care of by making Jesus the earthly king of Israel.

• The people had a deeper hunger that at this time they were not will to acknowledge, their spiritual hunger.