The Bread of Life part 1

John 6:22-36
Length: 17:27

This is a message given on August 9, 2009 at the Bowdertown United Methodist Church.

The sermon on the bread of life is a unique sermon. What a wonderful message it is too. We see Jesus present Himself as the only source of eternal life. We also see the crowd turn from being interested in Jesus and His teachings to that of open hostility toward the things he has to say.

It is possible that this wasn’t just one quick hour-long message, but possibly a whole day’s worth of teaching. Over the next couple of weeks we will be looking at this message in greater detail to more fully understand what is happening.

Our text starts off, the next day. This would be the day after the feeding of the 5,000 that we looked at two weeks ago and mentioned briefly last week. The crowd woke up looked around and didn’t see Jesus. They knew the 12 disciples left on a boat, but Jesus didn’t go.

So where was He? What had happened to Him during the night?

While they were no doubt thinking these things and discussing among themselves a game plan. Some boats arrive from Tiberias. The crowd wanting to see Jesus decides to get on the boats and hitch a ride to Capernaum where they believe Jesus might be.

Finally, they find Jesus and ask Him, “When did you get here?” Now you are probably thinking, that is a dumb question. But isn’t it human nature. Think about the last trip to your family reunion. What do you say to them? Usually, what time did you get here? How was your trip? Much traffic along the way?

Chit chat as we would call it today. Notice Jesus’ response. He never addresses their question. Instead he gets to the heart of the matter. He essentially tells them, “You are not here because you want me to be your eternal security, you’re here just because of your fleshly desires.

He tells them to look beyond the flesh and not to work for food that spoils. The idea is being conveyed not to work just for food that nourishes you for a while, but to really work for food which brings you to eternal life.

The crowd has spent a couple of days seeking Jesus and there is nothing wrong with that. Seeking Jesus is a job we are all called to do. But the crowd was seeking Jesus for the wrong reason. They simply wanted to satisfy their earthly desire, rather than receive eternal life.

No doubt, many people in the crowd were familiar with the Old Testament prophecies and the testimony of John the Baptist. They saw Jesus’ miracles and healings. They probably even heard about Jesus’ baptism. But the crowd still didn’t get it.

The crowd thought Jesus was saying they must do some work for God to receive eternal life. So they asked Jesus, “What work must we do for God?” The question is pretty straight forward and it is still a question that many people ask today. “What must I do for God, so I can receive eternal life?”
Jesus gives a very simple and easily understandable answer. He says, “Your job, your work, is to believe in me.” The only “work” God desires of us is to have faith and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, the Messiah, the Son of God.

But your sitting there thinking faith without works is dead right? That’s in the bible, right? You are indeed right! Well how can this be? (James 2:17)

The answer is the fact that we don’t work FOR our salvation, but we work in response to it. There is no way to earn your salvation. No matter how “good” you are or how well you follow the laws and rules, it will not get you eternal life.

Faith is all your need. True faith in Jesus Christ gets you eternal life. Once you realize that, you will want to “do” things which demonstrate your faith. In fact, it will be almost impossible for you not to “do” good works.

It sounds simple. All I need is faith. And it is, until you realize the all encompassing attitude that it requires. Every part of your life will be rearranged in accordance with the will of God. You will use your time, talents, money, and energy, all that we have to serve Him.

After Jesus gives His answer, the crowd responds with another question. They essentially tell him to prove it. Prove that He is who he says He is. Perform a miracle for us and we will believe.

Jesus had already performed many miracles in their presence, there were healings, cleansings, feedings, calming of storms and so on. But the Jews want a sign from heaven, saying Moses fed our ancestors, the entire nation of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness.

“This manna they ate was from heaven, you just feed us earthly food. Give us a heavenly sign, a heavenly food and we will follow you” they say,

Jesus said 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. By rejecting Jesus, they are rejecting the very thing they are asking Jesus for, that is eternal life.

Jesus criticized the people for following Him for physical and temporary benefits rather than the spiritual life that will satisfy them eternally. Some people today come to the Church for physical comfort or other self-centered earthly motives.

A true Christian is a follower of Christ from their belief. We must believe on Him whom God has sent. Satisfying God does not come from what we do, but from whom we believe in.

Listen to some scripture about salvation.

Salvation belongs to the Lord (Psalm 3:8).

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31

“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Accept Jesus for who He is. Your spiritual life for eternity depends upon this. Declare and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God and grow in your lifelong journey of serving God. He is the bread of life, feed on Him.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly father, we thank you for feeding us not just with earthly food, but with the heavenly food, your word, the bread of life, Jesus Christ. Help us this week to be nourished by Him, so that we may live our lives for you in humble obedience to your word. AMEN.