You Thought It Was Faith…But It Was Just Hype

John 6:14-21

We’ve been walking through the Gospel of John in this series called Jesus Did What?—unpacking the seven miraculous signs Jesus performed. But these signs weren’t written to impress you; they were written to invite you. Each sign in John is Jesus calling you to believe, but not just to believe… to ask: What kind of faith am I really living with? This week, we will explore the question: What if the faith you’ve been holding onto isn’t the kind of faith Jesus is actually calling you to?

  1. What stood out to you most from the sermon’s message about faith versus hype?
  2. Read John 6:14-15. The people weren’t trying to worship Jesus. They were trying to use Him. They didn’t approach Him with surrender—they came with an agenda. How did the crowd respond to Jesus’ miracle of feeding the 5,000? What was problematic about their reaction?
  3. Pastor James said, “They had faith to crown Him king… but not to follow Him as Lord.” What’s the difference between these two approaches to Jesus?
  4. Read John 6:16-21. The miracle wasn’t just in Jesus walking on water, but in the disciples’ willingness to trust Him and invite Him in—He revealed Himself and waited for their response. What does it mean for you personally to “invite Jesus into the boat” of your current situation?
  5. How might your fear or hesitation be holding you back from the breakthrough God wants to bring?
  6. What does Jesus mean when He says “It is I” or “I AM” in John 6:20? Why is this significant?
  7. The sermon suggests that we often try to shape Jesus into who we want Him to be, instead of accepting Him for who He is. Can you recall a time when you’ve done this in your own life?
  8. Pastor James stated, “Real faith is proven when He doesn’t meet your expectations—and you trust Him anyway.” How challenging do you find this concept, and why?
  9. Maybe you can relate to the disciples. You’re caught in a storm. You’ve been rowing hard, trying to keep it together. You thought that following Jesus would lead to smoother waters. Instead, you find yourself in the middle of the night, engulfed in chaos, wondering if He’s even near. But this sign is for you because what you need most isn’t a changed circumstance; it’s a clear vision of Jesus. Identify one area of your life where you’re experiencing “chaos” or difficulty. How can you practice trusting Jesus in that situation this week, even if He doesn’t immediately calm the storm?