Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:28-35

This group of Jews is just not getting it! They want another sign? You mean to say feeding over 5,000 people, healing the blind, causing the lame to walk, and raising the dead is not enough!?!

Jesus has repeatedly showed them that He is the Messiah, and that they should follow Him. But they just keep focusing on the wrong thing – themselves.

In this exchange, we can clearly see that this group of people did not recognize the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 (of which they were part!) was another sign showing Who Jesus was. Jesus says as much in John, Chapter 5.

But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

John 5:36

No matter what Jesus says or does, there are some people who want to be in control and have it their own way. They want to know what they can do to inherit eternal life, or get to heaven. In such cases, there is really no help for them. People that do not want to learn, change, and repent will make excuses and ask for more and more “proof” before they will respond.

Their improper focus comes through again when Jesus tells them He is the bread of life. They do not make the connection that Jesus is God now just like He was in the wilderness with their fathers. Rather than recognizing Jesus as the Messiah and thanking Him for the blessings to their fathers, they ask for bread for themselves.

Selfish worship will never fully glorify God.

The born-again child of God needs nothing more from God in order to respond and follow. God already chose him in Christ before the foundation of the world. God already sent His Son to die for their sins on the cross. God already declared them just when He raised Jesus from the dead. God already caused them to be born-again by His irresistible grace in the power of the Holy Spirit. God already gave them faith through regeneration.

God has done everything that a person dead in sins cannot do. He has made them alive in Christ. A person that still refuses to follow without God moving first just doesn’t get it.