John #14

“The Bread of Life”
John 6:25 -59
Pastor Ben Fleming
October 11, 2009

Turn in your bible to John chapter 6. Our last time together in John we looked at 5 pictures of who Jesus Christ really is. Today, in the beginning of chapter 6 – Jesus feeds the 5,000 with 5 barley loaves of bread and two small fish – John called it a miraculous sign –“not a miracle” – the people said, “surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world and they wanted to make him King by force and Jesus leaves them and escapes to the mountainside to be alone with His Father. His disciples went down to the lake and set off in a boat to go to Capernaum. Matthew tells us that Jesus insisted that his disciples get in the boat and go to the other side of the lake and then he went up on the hillside to pray. Did you notice – for some reason the disciples obeyed him – and then after being with people and giving out to people Jesus saw a need to pray privately with his Father. Lots we can learn from Jesus here in the account. The disciples are in the middle of the lake and a storm comes up – Jesus sees them in the storm and comes to them walking on the water. John records for us a public ministry of Jesus with the feeding of the 5,000 and then a private teaching time with his disciples. Remember: Judas the one who betrayed Jesus is in this boat when Jesus comes to it walking on the water – and yet Judas does not come to Jesus and believe. Jesus was not alone with his men long when the people found him again on the other side of the lake.
Again Jesus begins to preach to the people. Bible theologians have given this message the name The Bread of Life Discourse. Stand with me as we read starting in 6:25 – 58… READ

PASS OUT ROLLS. Most of us like bread. Some of us like white bread like these rolls. You like them because of their smell and taste and texture– some of us would not even eat white bread. Most like brown bread because they say it is healthier, which it is. Bread is the staple food of many third world nations. An African man would be fully content to have a loaf of bread and cup of tea for lunch. We are getting picky about our bread are we not? Some of the best bread in this region is made at Shatts bakery in Bishop and the Shatts that is suppose to open in the mall is not the same people. Cheryl and I discovered that City Bakery makes a good German Rye bread and every one knows Dorothy makes great bread. We are going to talk about bread today – but specifically we are going to see that Jesus is the bread of life.

Introduction: The people found Jesus on the other side of the lake and wanted to know when he got there – Jesus did not answer their question but says to them “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.” The people wanted Jesus for what Jesus could do for them. People do not change throughout the years. Jesus gave them the food the day before – now they wanted to see what else they could get out of him. They were so intent on getting what they wanted they were blind to the one who was giving. They could not see Jesus – they could only see what this man could give them. Is it not amazing that the people and the disciples had witnessed miraculous signs and they had not gained any insight – their hearts were hardened – even the disciples did not realize that God was among them until he walked on water.

Everybody wants more – do we not? We have this belief that we will be happy and content when we just have more. I find it interesting that even the word money has a slang term --- bread. Jewish people knew all about bread – they all knew about the bread that was given to the Israelites as they wandered in the dessert for 40 years in the book of Exodus. Jesus had to remind them that it was not Moses who gave the bread but it was God who gave the bread. In our text – Jesus preaches to the people about the bread of life. Look with me at what Jesus teaches……….

1. The bread of life leads to eternal life. (vs. 27) “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” Jesus tells them in verse 26 – “you are looking for me because you saw miraculous signs and you got your stomachs fed” and then in 27 he commands them – “do not work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give to you.”

Do you consider the life that you are leading right now eternal life? Most believers do not think that way. We humans have a hard time looking at the future unless we can see and do something about it. You are studying to finish school - you are saving money to buy something or to pay something off --- in our American mindset --- we want Jesus for what Jesus will do for us right now. By nature we do not have an eternal perspective. We are just like these people. We want to be awed by something but when we are we want something bigger. I’ve been to Victoria Falls on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe – to the top of Heavenly and now to the Grand Canyon – and I have been awed by the divine miracle of my grand daughter but each time I was awed I look for something more to awe me – something bigger --- something that makes my mouth open in wonder of God. Jesus says --- stop looking for something earthly and work for the food that endures to eternal life.

In verse 29 --- Jesus says what that work is: “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” He is talking about coming to Jesus and He is talking about following Jesus – and that is a work. That is man’s responsibility. God chooses, but man believes or follows. And then the people hit him again and say okay – “what miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? I believe that this really shows us that seeing does not bring about believing. They had already seen him feed the 5,000 and other miracles and they still did not believe. Jesus is preaching to them to stop looking for miracles but to believe that He is the bread of life and that he leads to eternal life.
If there is eternal life then there is also eternal death. You cannot have one and not have the other. John the Baptist had previously said in (3:36) “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” Sadly, many people all over our country are sitting in church today without eternal life ---God’s wrath remains on them. They have not believed. They do not have saving faith. Some of you – God’s wrath remains on you – you have not believed Jesus the bread of life. You are not walking in eternal life – you possess eternal death.

2. The bread of life is only found in Jesus. (vs.33) “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” The people could not figure what Jesus was saying – the eyes to their hearts were blocked. They thought they could work for eternal life. Time and time again people think eternal life is obtained by doing something or being good enough. The rich young ruler said in Matthew 19:16 “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” and in Luke 10:25 “a lawyer stood up and put Jesus to the test, saying, “teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life”. These people did not understand. The bread of life can never be earned – it can never be purchased – you can never be worthy enough to deserve it and you can not find the bread of life in someone else or in some spiritual idea dreamed up. The bread of life can only be found in Jesus.

The Jews were not satisfied that Jesus had turned earthly bread into more bread – they wanted Jesus to do what they thought Moses did – bring bread down from heaven every day. Jesus reminds them that Moses did not do it – God did it. Jesus is saying, “Manna was not the real bread from God nor was the bread I multiplied for you from the few loaves” --- “I am the bread.” Think about how weary and frustrated these people must of have been searching and searching and searching – people are just like that today. The great philosopher and scientist Pascal put it this way:

“It is good to be weary and frustrated with the fruitless search for the good, so that one can reach out one’s arms instead to the Redeemer.” --- Pascal. ----- THE BREAD OF LIFE IS ONLY FOUND IN JESUS

3. The bread of life satisfies. (vs. 35) “…I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” Notice verse 34 – Sir – from now on give us this bread” – they still were so blind they asked again for bread – but Jesus says – “I am the bread of life” He who comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. Jesus is total satisfaction. Jesus never leaves a person empty. He never leaves a person aching and feeling incomplete. If you come to Him and if you follow Him --- He will satisfy. We looked last time about God choosing man – but if you look here what Jesus says is man’s responsibility – to come and to believe. He who comes and he who believes will be satisfied.

What does it mean to come to Jesus? What does it mean to believe in Jesus? God is the one who chooses His children but his children have a responsibility. Look with me at your outline:

To come = to forsake the old life of sin and rebellion and submit to Him as Your Lord. Repentance is involved in coming to Jesus. A person can come to church all they want --- pray a prayer – get baptized and still not come to Jesus when forsaking sin – rebellion and submission is not a part of their life…in some way.

To believe = to completely trust Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God and to say that salvation comes only through faith in Him.

David wrote in Psalm 27:4 “One thing I have asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” When we say that the bread of life satisfies and Jesus says he who comes and he who believes is never thirsty or hungry – I think about that….. Look what David writes in Ps 27 and what we said to come and to believe means. Ask yourself. What is your one thing? Most of you are believers in Christ. If the Lord is not your one thing, then the thing that is your one thing is your functional Lord. In every situation in your life and my life – there is a one thing war being fought for the turf of your heart. We are really never satisfied unless the Lord really is the one thing that controls our heart and actions.
There are many things that compete with Jesus as the one thing that your heart craves. Where are you looking for meaning and worth? What is the one thing that you wish you had in your life? What is your one thing? Is Jesus your one thing? Do you really experience Him satisfying you?

Put it this way….. Do you encourage yourself to run to God even when you do not understand what he is doing? Or do you give yourself permission to back away from him when you are confused by the seeming distance between what he has promised and what you are experiencing? Are you your best defense lawyer, laying out arguments for your innocence in places where you were actually guilty? When others talk to you, is your internal conversation so loud that it is hard to concentrate on what they are saying?

I have had a chance these past two years to really examine that in my own life. When I am worried – do I come to Christ – do I open His Word faithfully? Do I work at entering worship? When I am afraid – do I come to Christ and trust Him each day one day at a time – (Charity) when I am confused do I come to Christ – when I am happy – do I come to Christ – when I am content – do I come to Christ or do I forget him? As I look at my past – he has always satisfied my soul in any and every situation in every day. But it is work --- perhaps this is part of what working out our salvation with fear and trembling. The bread of life satisfies…………

4. The bread of life causes rebellion (vs. 41) “At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, I am the bread that came down from heaven.” People rebel at the claims of Jesus. Apathy is rebellion. The Jews were rebelling at Jesus claim that he was the source of eternal life and they rebelled at his claim that he came down out of heaven. Their unbelief was demonstrated in rebellion. They refused to come and they refused to believe. Rebellion is not always outright and easy to identify. The word translated grumble here is a word that sounds like muttered complaints and whispers of displeasure. Grumbling is a kind word for rebellion.

Have you uttered muttered complaints and been someone who whispered displeasure – especially when it comes to spiritual things? These spiritual people were continually finding something about Jesus to pick apart and criticize. They refused to come and they refused to believe. Sadly, those who continue in unbelief and reject the truth may find that God may harden their hearts. This is one reason why Jesus spoke at times in parables.

If we listen very carefully to people we will hear people admiring Jesus while refusing to submit to him. Some say he was a great teacher but they do not believe he is God. Some people were let down in their past by a pastor or another Christian and many people have been abused. Some of you have. Some grew up under parents who spoke a certain way about Jesus but in their own lives they lived a different life that the kids saw and had to live with.
Pain creates very real obstacles. Never deny pain in your own life or the life of someone else but pain should never be used to keep a person from Jesus. You have to ask – is my pain a reason to run from Jesus or a reason to run to Him? Grumbling is even found with God’s people who have already come and believed. I think we by nature are grumblers – but grumbling is sin – it is rebellion against God.

We live in a state where a lot of people cherish their independence. Think about it: The drive for independence never ends in independence. It always ends in slavery. Why is that so? Because you were designed by the Creator to live in a dependant, obedient, and worship relationship with him and in humble interdependent relationships with other human beings called the church. Independence is not just spiritual rebellion – it is a denial of your humanity. In our text, Jesus cared so much for these religious people that he said back to them – “Do not grumble among yourselves”. He had said enough – He had given them the truth and they were either going to be open and wiling or they were going to harden their hearts……………… Jesus is the bread of life --- but the bread of life causes rebellion.

5. The bread of life is sufficient for all men. (vs. 51) “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” There is a lot packed in this verse. It tells you that Jesus – who is the bread of life gave his flesh for the life of the world. He was more than sufficient for all mankind. There is a tension many find when we talk of God choosing some to be his and choosing some to not be His – tension is good but look at the heart and the attitude of God here. John 3:16 “For God so love the world, that He gave his only Son, Luke 22:20 “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” Ephesians 5:25 “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her and John 10:15 “I lay down my life for the sheep.” And the one I like which tells me so much about God and His heart
2 Peter 3:9 “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Jesus is the bread of life and the bread was his flesh and the giving of his flesh was sufficient payment for the sins of the whole world. You can argue over whether his flesh paid for only the sins of his chosen children or his flesh paid for the sins of all mankind – that is not the point here --- the point is that Jesus the bread of life is sufficient for all men. He is not lacking in anyway --- He was the perfect substitute for man. Go back to this verse and lets apply it to our lives. Since it is almost lunch time lets talk about eating.
* Just as food is useless unless it is eaten, so also spiritual truth does no good unless it is internalized. Merely knowing spiritual truth, without acting on it, profits you nothing. COMMENT

* Eating is prompted by hunger, those who are full are not interested in food. Sinners who are satisfied with their sin have no hunger for spiritual things. COMMENT

* Food people eat becomes part of them through digestion. People may admire Jesus but not until they receive him by faith do they become one with Him. This is what causes someone to want more spiritual truth. 4th

* Eating involves trust. No one knowingly will eat tainted or spoiled food. The words in the bible “eating the bread of life” does not mean canabalism but it implies believing or trusting in Jesus.

* Eating is personal. No one can eat a meal for someone else. There is no salvation by proxy.
Story Close: David was 31 years old and he wrote these words, “ I used to climb a tree by our house and look around to see if dad was coming. It was while I was sitting in that tree one day that I realized that my dad was never coming home. It felt as though something had actually broken inside of my chest. I have always been afraid of being abandoned since then. It’s hard to believe or understand God and all his promises – I do not mean that I don’t believe at all, but its hard to understand the love of God when you have missed out on the love of your dad. Throughout the years I have continued to pursue God. I struggle but I find satisfaction in Jesus. He has never abandoned me even when I struggle. I have found that he is sufficient for all my pain – all the past and all the loss. I can truly say that Jesus Christ now is the bread of life for me.” LET US PRAY