Life of Christ # 33 I Am the Bread of Life

John 6:22–36 KJV 1900

22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. 25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 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. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 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. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

I. Answer I: Know that man has great hunger, a great need.

Luke 11:9–10 KJV 1900

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV 1900

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

A. The people were miraculously fed.

B. The people acknowledged their need.

C. The people noticed Jesus’ absence.

D. The people sought Jesus.

E. The people questioned Jesus’ absence.

II. Answer 2: Acknowledge that man’s motive is corrupt.

James 4:2–4 KJV 1900

2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 Corinthians 6:13 KJV 1900

13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

Job 15:23 KJV 1900

23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

Isaiah 44:20 KJV 1900

20 He feedeth on ashes: A deceived heart hath turned him aside, That he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

A. Sought the Messiah for what they could get out of Him.

B. Sought food that perished — misplaced labor.

III. Answer 3: Labor for food that endures — that gives eternal life.

John 7:37 KJV 1900

37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

John 6:33–35 KJV 1900

33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 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.

A. Source: Son of Man.

B. God guaranteed.

IV. Answer 4: Do the work of God — believe.

John 2:23 KJV 1900

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV 1900

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Galatians 2:16 KJV 1900

16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

V. The people demanded proof.

A. Jesus’ great claim. vs. 27-29

B. The specific proof they demanded.

VI. Christ is the true bread.

A. Man cannot provide true bread: satisfaction.

B. God alone provides true bread: true satisfaction.

John 6:50–51 KJV 1900

50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

John 6:53–54 KJV 1900

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

VII.Christ is the Bread of God.

John 3:31 KJV 1900

31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

1 Corinthians 15:47 KJV 1900

47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

John 16:30 KJV 1900

30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

A. He came from Heaven.

B. He gives life.

John 1:4 KJV 1900

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 10:10 KJV 1900

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 17:2–3 KJV 1900

2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

VIII. Christ is the Bread of Life.

Matthew 5:6 KJV 1900

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

John 4:14 KJV 1900

14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 7:37 KJV 1900

37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

A. The request for the Bread of God.

B. The phenomenal claim.

C. If man comes to Jesus, he will never hunger.

D. If a man believes, he will never thirst.

IX. Christ was seen, but rejected.

John 1:11 KJV 1900

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

John 3:36 KJV 1900

36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 8:24 KJV 1900

24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

John 12:48 KJV 1900

48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.