The 5,000
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Jeff Mattesich
- John 6:1-15
- Signs The Book of John
- 52 mins 43 secs
- Views: 668
Questions for Reflection
John 6:1-15
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What ordinary thing was offered by the boy (see vs. 8-9)? What was Andrew’s expectation? Is there an ordinary thing you could offer for the sake of ministry that you might have discounted in the past? Consider your time, money, possessions, networks, and talents.
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What made this miracle supersized (see vs 10, 11, and 13)? What other words would you use to describe what Jesus did? Do you expect God to act that way in your own life? Can you think of a time when God already has?
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How do these adjectives that describe the miracle in John 6 also describe our salvation in Jesus?
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Jesus gave thanks for what was about to happen, but how does what happened in verse 12 help the disciples continue to give thanks for what did happened? “Let nothing be wasted” by taking count and giving thanks for what God has provided just this past week.
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Read John 6:26-40. How does the miracle point to an even bigger reality? Instead of being an earthly king (vs. 15), how is Jesus’ true purpose described?
Study Notes
“Fish and Loaves”. I will admit to you I say this often. I say this to others when their planning calculations seem to be off and there is some level of anxiety that there will not be enough or if it will all turn out as planned.
I say “Fish and Loaves” to myself… I love to cook and host people in our home. I spend time calculating and planning for what the need might be, what people’s appetites might be. I enjoy shopping for the supplies and I enjoy when people finally come and enter our home – and many times my calculations are off…when there doesn’t seem like there will be enough, I say “Fish and Loaves”
I enjoy when young adults or former students come over unannounced and have not eaten… and in these moments when I wonder if there will be enough… I remember the story we have read today about Jesus feeding thousands with 5 loaves of bread a 2 fish and when I speak “Fish and Loaves”, it is a declaration to the Jesus of abundance.
And while you might not share my experiences and use the expression as I do, if you have been around the story of Jesus you know this story. From our early years, for those of us who grew up in Sunday School, this is a story we hear and hear about often. Maybe that is because it is the only miracle recorded in all 4 gospels. Maybe it is because of the large-scale nature of the miracle… and maybe it is because it just such a compelling and well recorded story. The characters are set up well, the tension is clear and felt and the solution points to a living and powerful God.
This is all true. It is true that this story is about Jesus who sees a physical need of people and takes care of them beyond their needs, but in abundance. It is true that Jesus can use anything to bring about blessing and provision, even a young boys sack lunch. It is true that Jesus cannot be contained within human calculations and moves and works in supernatural ways. All of this is true… and all of this is found in the text…
BUT…
What if there is more to this story? As I have been in study and prayer this week, my eyes have been opened to some aspects of this story that I had not seen as loudly as I see them now. As I mentioned this is the only miracle recorded in all 4 Gospels. This should be a large blinking light to all of us – as we ask why this story? What is going on in this story that God would have it show up 4 times?
With such a familiar narrative to many of us, it can be harder to come to this text with fresh eyes. So, keep your Bible close and mark these 15 verses and mark them up. As we look at this 5th sign in the book of John, may we have eyes to see what and who this sign points us too.
Just like any compelling story or narrative, context is everything. I’ll admit to you all that I am not the biggest Star Wars fan, but having children who are I find myself around Star Wars more and more. What I appreciate about the Star Wars films are in the notorious manner they begin. The iconic music and the words scrolling upwards… those words are the context. They remind us where the story has been and sets the stage for where we will pick up the story in scenes that will follow.
The Jewish Context
To be clear, I am not equating the fictional story of Star Wars to the factual events of the Bible, far from it – I am only illustrating that to fully enter some narratives we need some context. We do not have enough time to give all the context available for the feeding of the 5000, there is some specific context that we ought to focus on. These 15 verses are loaded with Jewish references, imagery, and culture – and we need to admit that we are not. The culture, the images, and the references can go unnoticed in our reading of the text. I have 4 points of Jewish context that will help us with these verses. These “4” are not comprehensive – but they are helpful in the way we will come to see the text today.
- The Jewish Passover Festival (v.4)
This detail is in here to both mark time in the life and ministry of Jesus in the book of John, but this detail is also important for the larger context of the crowd, bread, and culture.
The Passover:
- Religious and Cultural Holiday – with both extremes being celebrated. Might be best to liken it to the 4th of July culturally for the Jewish people. A time of Jewish ethnic pride.
- Often Passover seen as the Liberation from Pharaoh in Egypt, this context focuses very specifically in one moment in the overall exodus, when the Israelites were in the wilderness and hungry and God provided Manna from heaven – Exodus 16.
The people are in a time of holiday and remembering a time of provision – a “better” time in the past (better is interesting when you read Ex. 16 and the grumbling and disobedience that marks them in the time of the manna).
- The Blessing (v. 11)
It was cultural and customary for the host of the meal to offer the blessing. This detail in verse 11 is not minor – it is Jesus using the religious tradition and culture and putting himself as the host and head of the meal and miracle. If you have shared a meal with those in the Jewish faith on Shabbat, most likely Jesus prayer was like the prayer offered to begin and end Shabbat…
“Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth”
We will see that throughout this story, and throughout each sign of Jesus in John – Jesus is pointing to his Lordship, to his Messiahship. While people want to see Jesus as merely a religious figure, Jesus is more and his blessing this meal was to pointed what will follow in the miracle to himself.
- 12 baskets (v. 13)
The number 12 is not accidental or random. In Jewish context, there are 12 tribes of Israel. There are now 12 disciples …the leftovers of the miracle places in 12 baskets communicates the abundant provision of Jesus – and the abundant provision is rooted in history of the 12 – and will continue on through the new 12 with the same abundance.
- “the Prophet…” (v. 14)
This is probably a little more familiar to us, but this refrain from the people calling Jesus a prophet is rooted in Old Testament Messianic expectations and former promises of more who will come. While they recognize Jesus as from or connected to God, they are not seeing him as God yet. There excitement is about a human who has come to them to help them… to heal them, give them food… their excitement about Jesus had more focus on their own earthy existence than the eternal existence that Jesus is ushering in.
With some context in place, we will look at this story through the different characters in the story. We are most likely familiar with the story through the plot, so the attempt to look at the text through the different characters might serve us well as try to hear a familiar story anew.
Story Through the Characters
The Disciples, Philip, and Andrew
The Disciples:
- They have been with Jesus awhile now, the Passover reference in verse 4 marks time
- They have seen 4 prior signs and been around Jesus teaching
- We get a glimpse of their relationship with Jesus
- They sat down with him away from the crowd
- He interacts with them
- He instructs them
- He questions/tests them
- There are not simply travel mates – they are being poured into
- Some would say this interaction of Jesus and the disciples is an underemphasized aspect of this text
Philip:
- The math man! The engineer! He is able to see the people, see the need – and do some quick calculations. He brings his conclusion to Jesus, that based on the data and “best practices” there is not much they can do.
- Remember, Philip has already seen Jesus do miracles… and yet, he still defaults to math and stats…
- Jesus will soon show, that he is not limited and cannot be contained in equations and calculations!
Andrew:
- Some give Andrew the award here, that he was the one to see the potential of the bread and fish…
- But, I do not agree. Andrew, saw the need and had a way of analyzing that also rendered his opinion of the situation impossible.
- Verse 9: “How far will they go among so many?”
- Same to Andrew, saw the need and used different data – but ultimately also underestimated Jesus ability and authority.
The Boy
- God uses the unlikely…
- God uses what seems too small to make any difference
- God uses this boy and his meager meal very intentionally…
- If this boy was on the ballot this week for the Search Team, he would get no votes…
- The boy is in juxtaposition to Philip and Andrew – he simply gave what he had and watched Jesus multiply it.
- LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO ME AND DO NOT HINDER THEM – Mark 10:14
The Crowd
- This is the height of Jesus popularity; the crowds are growing and they are coming because verse. 2, they saw what Jesus was doing in healing the sick.
- They were intrigued for what Jesus could do for them, in this life. Their sickness, their families, their needs…
- Did not yet see him as God, in fact as Jesus becomes louder about that later in chapter 6, they start leaving him… they want a miracle worker superstar – they aren’t so sure about a Savior.
- They receive the miracle even though they do not have true faith in Jesus.
- The response to the miracle is MORE! They want more… they want Rome to fall down, they want this man in power, they want him to the be their new king… early king and not heavenly king.
Jesus
- Intentional with his disciples
- Growing his disciples by testing…
- Testing here is not: trap or temp, it is: examine, prove
- Meets the physical needs of the crowd
- Uses their physical needs to point to eternal needs later in John
- Clearly communicating his Messiahship – his Godship
- Rejects the response of the crowd after the miracle:
“Jesus resists the temptation to glory in the people’s enthusiasm, he retreats…”
Marianne Maye Thompson
There is too much in this text! So… before I land on what our applications are from this text today, I have to give you a save the date on the other applications! These are just some of the things I would love to come back to form this text that are critical and important…
Applications for Later
The Leftovers
- What is the significance of the leftovers in the story? Abundance? Yes, but also, Jesus blesses us beyond ourselves. We can have our fill and still have plenty to give to others. Practically, when Jesus says nothing go to waste, what is in that? There are Jewish roots here too about stewarding the earth and consumption and waste… there is some ecology in this theology.
The Boy
- Not random here… the affirmation of children. The need to be proximate and to listen to children. The need to let them show us what faithfulness looks like. The reality that when we take Jesus teaching seriously, serving and providing for children isn’t about spiritual gifts or passion – it is about faithfulness…
The “testing” of Philip
- What does our discipleship look like? Do we sit with Jesus and get quizzed? Where are we calculating and forgetting that Jesus sits outside of our human attempts at rational explanation? Where is our faith with Jesus growing, expanding, and how do we let Jesus and Jesus’ people challenge our paradigms?
We can’t get into any of these things now, but they are worth thinking about… and I offer them you as a “Save the Date” – details TBD.
But for us today…. There are applications. I want to offer 4 of them. They come from time in prayer for you and for me as people of God’s local church at 393 North Lake Avenue.
Applications for Today
- Jesus see’s and provides for practical needs
This is who Jesus is. Our needs matter. He is a God who sees us and comes to us in those needs. No one could imagine that day what Jesus would do with 5 pieces of bread and 2 fish – and there is no way to know what Jesus will do to meet your needs… but know that Jesus is a about seeing and meeting your practical needs.
Community Outreach, Neighborhood Center, John Bowlin, Care deacons – all exist at LAC because practical needs matter to Jesus.
- Jesus is more abundant than we can imagine
Jesus cannot be contained within our calculations, our planning, our assessment. When we see limitations, Jesus doesn’t. We live in a scarcity mindset… and Jesus is a God of Abundance. When the calculations don’t seem to make human sense, do we have eyes dependent and looking to Jesus?
Today we take an offering for scholarships for Family Min. Today we are several hundred dollars behind our general fund projections. This week I worked on a budget for next year that is based on 500,000 dollars of “adjustments” for next year. The calculations do not seem to be adding up – conventional wisdom would say, not the year to do a scholarship offering…. But brothers and sisters…
Jesus is more abundant that we can imagine. I have zero fear that by getting kids to camp that somehow, we are not going to be okay at LAC.
You may look out, do the math, see the resources a certain way – and I am here to proclaim to you! Jesus is more abundant that we can imagine and he calls us to trust him and bring our meager lunches to him and watch him multiply it all!
- Jesus came to set up a Kingdom and not run a government
Some of you are starting to get worried. Here we go, why does this have to get political? Be assured, I am not a political scientist and not even a political hobbyist… but let me assure you that in my study this week from John Piper to Jim Wallis – all agree that this text is Jesus rejecting the desire of the crowd for him to their political leader. He is rejecting their desire that a kingship with Jesus as king means they get a better life.
He has not come to run the government, he hasn’t come to take over Rome, he has come to set up a new way of living… and it is not limited to country, political systems, political parties, or anything else of the like.
When the people want this from him in John 6, he retreats. He pulls away.
Brothers and Sisters, the noise is loud. The news is harsh. I am not minimizing that our broken world has broken systems and broken human beings in leadership, that there are hurting people with very real needs to be met (remember Jesus sees and provides for practical needs) … all very true. BUT – do not think that the answer to these issues is somehow to focus on the government… the empire. If we just elect _____ then we are closer to Jesus… We are tempted just like the crowds… and Jesus came to not run the political world order but to set up a Kingdom not of this world… John 18.
- Jesus wants to change our appetites and cravings
Later on, in John, we will see Jesus build on this miracle when Jesus proclaims I am the bread of life. Without me you will still hunger…
The crowds wanted more
The crowds wanted a political leader
The crowds wanted the miracle worker super man
Jesus came to not simply give us what we want… but to transform the things we actually want. To not just hunger for early things but to hunger and thirst for righteous (Matthew 5)
This week: “a Lamborghini” a former student told him is how he would know he is successful. I tested him… and asked him to consider if Jesu might be trying to change his craving to something more eternal.
May it be with us too, may Jesus not simply be our miracle worker who meets what we just what we want – but may we learn to give what we have to him – and watch him use it is ways we cannot imagine. And may we learn to let Jesus transform us into citizens of the Kingdom of God whose cravings and desires are those of the Kingdom and not of the earth.
Chinese Study Notes
我常常会说“五饼二鱼”，特别是当人计划快落空时会产生某种焦虑，担心自己不能完全执行或无法执行计划---这时候，我就会和他说：“五饼二鱼”。
我也对自己说“五饼二鱼”。我喜欢在家做饭招待客人，我花时间在计划上，考虑客人的口味；我喜欢购物准备食材，很享受有人来到家里---但我的计划常常落空，特别是当看起来准备不足的时候，我就会说：“五饼二鱼”。
我喜欢年轻人或学生不请自来我家，但这种时候又常常担心东西是否够吃……当我说“五饼二鱼”的时候，我想到今天的经文，耶稣用五饼二鱼喂饱五千人，见证了耶稣的丰足。
如果你熟悉耶稣的这个故事，你也许会和我有同样的经历和表达方式。对于我们中间从小在主日学长大的人，这个故事是耳熟能详的----也许因为它是唯一在四福音都记载的，也许因为这是一个大神迹，也许因为这个故事写得很赞，人物丰满，情节紧张，结局圆满，指向了大能永活的神。
这都对！没错，耶稣看见众人饥肠辘辘，就以及其丰盛的方式满足了他们的需要；没错，耶稣可以使用任何方法带来祝福和供应，甚至可以使用一个小孩子的午餐点心；没错，耶稣不受人计划的限制，会以超自然的方式行事----所有这些都对，所有这些都在经文里记着……
但是……
这故事是否有更多的含义？这一周我一直在学习和祷告，我的眼睛被打开，看见了这故事中一些从未看见的东西。我说过，这是唯一在四本福音书都记载的故事，那必然有大光亮要显示给我们----既然如此，神要显示四次的什么呢？
因为这故事对我们太熟悉了，我们的眼很难看到更多东西。让我们标出这15节，集中看这第5个神迹，愿我们的眼可以看见它指向什么人、什么事。
正如所有的叙事、故事，上下文就是一切。我承认自己不是星球大战的热心影迷，但是因为孩子的缘故，我也越来越多地看这个电影系列。我喜欢每次电影开始时的片头，那激动人心的音乐和滚动的字幕，告诉我们上下文，即故事是从哪里开始的，接下来我们要看到画面有何背景。
犹太背景
我要说的不是把星球大战这样一个科幻片与圣经比较，我只是说我们需要一些背景才能完全了解一个故事。我们没有时间对喂饱五千人的故事给出足够的说明，但我们可以集中在几方面。这15节经文含有犹太的背景、风物、文化，与我们的不一样，这些也是读经时很难注意到的。我在此给出4方面背景知识，将有助于了解今天的经文。
- 犹太逾越节（4节）
这一细节在这里既标记出约翰福音中耶稣的生活和事工的时间，又显明了大背景下的众人，饼和文化的重要性。
逾越节：
- 宗教文化节日，一个极致庆典。非常像美国人的国庆，是犹太人的民族骄傲。
- 逾越节通常被视为出离埃及法老统治的解放日。今天的经文有一个背景，就是出埃及后，上帝为在旷野中饥饿的百姓从天降吗哪的事件—出16章。
人们在节日中记念神的供应—过去“好“时光（说好时光也是挺有意思的，当你读出16章时发现他们的吗哪时光其实充满了抱怨和悖逆）。
- 祝福（11节）
主人在席间祝福是文化习俗。11节的细节并非小事—耶稣借用宗教的传统和文化将自己置于食物和神迹之主的地位。如果你参加过犹太人安息日正餐的话，你会发现耶稣的祷告很像他们安息日正餐开始和结束的祷告：“仁慈的主上帝，宇宙的君王，请赐日用的食粮……”
我们会看到整个故事，即通过约翰福音所记载的耶稣故事的每一情节—耶稣都指向他的主权和弥赛亚身份。人们认为耶稣仅是一个宗教人物，但他的祝餐却显明他是远在宗教人物之上，而且接下来的神迹是指向他自己。
- 十二篮子（13节）
数字12并非偶然。犹太人有12支派，现在又有12门徒……装满12篮子的零碎显明耶稣供应的丰富—这是基于历史中12的意义，并将持续数字12所见证的丰盛。
- “先知”（14节）
对这一节，我们可能比较熟悉，人们之所以没有称呼耶稣为先知，是因为旧约对弥赛亚的应许和对所应许的弥赛亚到来的期待。当人们认为耶稣可能是从上帝而来或与上帝有关时，他们并没有把他当神看待。他们的兴奋点是一个人来到他们中间帮助他们……医治他们，给他们食物……众人对耶稣的兴奋更多出于对今世的关注；至于永恒的意义，却是耶稣要带给众人的。
我们来看看这个故事中的几个不同人物。我们可能对这故事的梗概有相当了解，从人物入手或许使我们对这个老故事有新理解。
从人物看故事：门徒，腓利，安德烈
门徒:
- 已跟从耶稣多时，从4节中注明的时间可以看出
- 在耶稣教导时他们已见证了4个神迹
- 可以看出他们与耶稣的关系
o 他们离开众人和耶稣一起坐着
o 他指示他们做事
o 他故意问他们
o 不是单纯出游同伴—而是被召来同行
o 有人认为耶稣与门徒的这段对话在这段经文中未得到足够强调
腓利:
- 有数学头脑！工程师！他既看到人，又看到需要—并迅速做出计算，将基于数字的计算结果报告给耶稣，并说明目前情况下已经没什么可做的了。
- 要知道，腓利已经见过耶稣行神迹了……然而他还是惯性地用数学和统计……
- 耶稣马上就显示出自己是不受方程式和计算研究的限制的!
安德烈:
- 有些人认为安德烈应该获赞，因为他看到了饼和鱼的可能性……
- 然而，我并不以为然。安德烈所看到的需要和做出的分析同样表明他也认为情况是不可能做什么的。
- 9节“只是分给这许多人还算什么呢？”
- 安德烈同样看到需要，使用了不同的计算方式—最终也低估了耶稣的能力和权柄。
小男孩
- 上帝使用看来不可能的……
- 上帝使用微不足道，不成事的 ……
- 上帝特地使用小男孩和他微不足道的便当……
- 如果这个小男孩今天参加选秀, 肯定得不到一张投票……
- 小男孩与腓利和安德烈并列—他只是给出所有的，然后就看到耶稣的神迹
- 让小孩子们到我这里来，不要禁止他们--可10：14
众人
- 这是耶稣最受瞩目的时候；众人聚集跟从耶稣，因为2节他们看到了耶稣医治疾病的神迹。
- 耶稣所作所为激起他们对今世奇迹的好奇，疾病，家庭，需要。。。
- 并未将耶稣视为上帝。事实上，在第六章耶稣更有名望时，他们反而离开了他……他们需要的是一位行神迹的明星—并不太想要一位救主。
- 他们对耶稣没有真信心却接受他的神迹
- 对神迹的胃口更大了！他们想要更多……想要罗马倒台，他们想要他执政，要他当王……地上的王不是天上的王。
耶稣
- 有意与门徒在一起
- 通过试探训练门徒成长……
o 试验在这里不是设陷阱或陷害，而是查验，证明
- 满足众人身体所需
- 通过身体需要导向之后约翰提到的永恒需要
- 清晰表明他的弥赛亚身份—他的神性
- 神迹之后拒绝众人的回应:
耶稣既知道众人要来强逼他作王，就独自又退到山上去了……
这段经文的信息实在太丰富了！所以在我们看今天经文的应用之前，我要先卖个关子！在既关键又重要的应用之前, 我想先跟大家看点其他有意思的。。。
以后的应用
余剩食物
- 故事中的余剩食物有何意义？丰盛？是的，但也是耶稣的祝福超过我们的所求，使我们不仅自己足够，还有余给他人。还有，耶稣说不要浪费是什么意思？原来，这里有犹太人的根深蒂固的理念：对于管理地球，消费，浪费和环保…
男孩
- 也不是偶然的……是对孩子的肯定。我们需要亲近和聆听孩子，让他们告诉我们什么是忠心。当我们认真按耶稣的教导照顾和养育孩子时，就不只是关于感情和恩赐的事，而是忠心与否的问题。
对腓利的“试验”
- 我们的门训是什么样的？是不是坐在耶稣的课堂做测验？我们是否忘记耶稣超越人的想法和理性思辨？我们在基督里的成长、进步在哪里？我们应该让耶稣和神的子民如何检验我们的固有模式？
我们现在不能一一详述，但值得我们思考，请你们记下来改天探讨。但今天的应用有4点，这在是为你、为我、为我们教会祷告的时候领受的：
今天的应用
- 耶稣看见并满足了实际需要
这就是耶稣，我们最需要的。他是神，看见了我们的需要，并来满足我们的需要。那一天，无人知道耶稣要用五饼二鱼做什么，也不知道耶稣如何满足人的需要。但是我们知道，耶稣看见了并要满足我们的实际的需要。
我们教会现有的，如社区外展，邻舍中心，执事关怀等，这些都因为耶稣要我们来满足人们的实际需要。
- 耶稣比我们想象的更加丰盛
耶稣不会被我们的算计、计划和评估所左右，我们是有限的，但耶稣不是；我们有匮乏，但耶稣是丰足的神。人的算计常常有误，我们是否转眼望耶稣了？
今天，我们要为Min的家庭收取奖学金奉献，尽管我们在一般性支出上还差几百块。这周我在为明年做预算，可能要有50万上下的“调整”。按计算来说不应该再增加什么项目了，即如果聪明点不应该再提供奖学金，但弟兄姊妹们……
耶稣比我们想象得更加丰盛，我一点不担心孩子们去营会的事，否则我们教会就有问题了。你可以比较、计算，用你的方式看资源，但我在这里宣告的是：耶稣比我们想象的更加丰盛。他呼召我们信靠他；把我们有限的午餐给他，看他如何将其翻成无数倍！
- 耶稣来是建立一个国度而非政府
你们有人开始担心了：为什么要讲到政治呢？放心，我不是政治学家，也不是政治迷，我这周学习了John Piper 和Jim Wallis的文章，他们都认为在这一段叙事中，耶稣拒绝了众人拥戴他作政治领袖，拒绝了他们要他为王以获得好生活的欲望。
他来不是要设立政府，不是要推翻罗马帝国，他来是要带来一个新生活方式---超越国界、超越政治系统，政党或其它的类似机制。当约翰福音6章里人们如此期望他时，他拒绝了，退去了。
弟兄姊妹们，噪音太大了，新闻太刺耳了！我并非小看我们破碎的体制与破碎的人扮演领导角色，但确实有受伤的人，他们的需要没有被满足（要记得耶稣看见并满足了人的实际需要）。解决这些问题不是要集中在某个政府、推举某个权势，如果我们走近耶稣是为了政治选举，那我们就与那些人无异……耶稣来不是实现一个政治统治，而是要建立一个不属于这个世界的国度（参见约翰福音18章）。
- 耶稣要挑战我们的欲望和渴求
在约翰福音的后面，我们将看到，耶稣在这神迹的基础上宣告：我就是生命的粮，若没有我，你们还会饥饿……
众人要得更多
众人要政治领袖
众人要神人、超人
耶稣来不只是给我们想要的，而是要给我们真实需要的；就是不在世界的事上饥饿，而是要饥渴慕义（马太福音5章）
这周有一个学生谈到，他是用“兰博基尼”来评估成功的；我挑战他是否让耶稣改变他的属世欲望，更多关注永恒的事。
愿我们也被耶稣改变！耶稣不是来作一个行神迹者给我们想要的东西---愿我们学会把我们的所有交给他，看他如何以我们不能想象的方式使用它们；愿我们让耶稣改变自己，好称为神国度的子民；让我们的愿望和渴望不是属世的，而是属他国度的。