Choking on the Bread of Life

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Text: John 6: 22-29

John 6:22–29 NLT

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

John 6:35 NLT

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 6:64–66 NLT

But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.” At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.

The Gospel of John has been a rich source of profound teachings,

that has offered invaluable “Lessons” that resonate deeply with our lives.

Throughout our journey in this Gospel, we've gleaned “lessons” from each of the signs that Jesus performed to this point.

We have learned a LESSON IN THE LOVES, demonstrating his power to abundantly provide for our needs.

We have learned a Lesson in the LIGHT, where Jesus can illuminate our spiritual paths and leading us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

We have learned a lesson in about the well,

Where we gained understanding of Jesus' bountiful grace and his ability to satisfy our deepest spiritual thirst.

and we heard from the paralytic himself, where we were reminded of Jesus’ power over sickness and how we are examples of his grace,

no matter what our expectations, exasperations, exhaustion, or excuses were.

We are now in John 6 , the latter verses,

where we find Jesus seeking solitude with his disciples after withdrawing from the crowds.

This marks a significant shift in his ministry,

moving from miracles to imparting spiritual wisdom.

It is in this text where we see where Jesus feeds the multitudes with just five loaves and two fish.

and Following this miraculous event,

Jesus retreats to the mountainside,

and his disciples go to the stormy Sea of Galilee.

There, Jesus amazes them by walking on the waves, reinforcing his divine nature.

Yet, as the text goes on, Jesus begins to unveil deeper truths about himself as the Bread of Life. Some disciples struggle to grasp his message.

and The revelation of his true identity challenges their understanding and faith.

Jesus is now engaging them in a dialogue,

and urging them to deepen their faith and comprehension.

and it is at this moment, in revealing himself as the bread of life,

they could not swallow it whole, leading them to begin to spiritually choke.

and it is here that I want to raise the questions,

What about the bread of life, make them spiritually Choke?

if you’re taking notes,

They choked on the bread of life because of their 1. Disappointment

It’s at the setting of this text where Jesus’ popularity has grown because of the miracles and signs, that he’d been doing.

Think about the excitement that spread like wildfire as news of the miracles Jesus was performing reached the masses.

Think about all of the miracles he’d done in the fullness of his ministry.

Think about this story in a broader context than the Gospel of John

From turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana

To cleansing lepers in the book of Luke

To restoring sight to the blind

To calming storms with a mere word,

To healing a nobleman's son from a deathbed,

Jesus was a beacon of light, hope, and power unto the world.

He cured a 38-year invalid by the Sheep Gate

He miraculously fed a large crowd with just two fish and five loaves of bread

In moments of great peril, he walked on water

He forgave sins, demonstrating his authority and compassion Then

He told him to RISE take up your bed and walk

He was growing in his popularity.

No wonder people were excited about meeting him

No wonder they had high hopes for this man of God.

No wonder expectations grew when they heard he was in town

He could heal them if they got sick

He could clothe them when they got naked

He could feed them when they got hungry. HE WAS THE MAN.

His following has grown

His disciples have grown,

AND THE MORE STUFF HE DID,

THE MORE STUFF THEY EXPECTED HIM TO DO…

AND IT is in this text, where Jesus makes a left turn, in what seems to be the wrong direction

He’s not meeting expectations any more.

He’s now talking a language, that they can not understand

He’s now giving meat that is too hard to digest.

I can only imagine what his followers were thinking about at this point.

Jesus, this is not what we expected.

Jesus, I just want bread.

Jesus, you’re Joseph’s son.

Jesus, you want us to do what?

AND WHAT DO YOU DO

When JESUS does not meet your earthly expectations?

WHAT DO YOU DO.

WHEN YOUR LIFE, IS SEEMINGLY HARDER THAN IT WAS BEFORE YOU GAVE YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST WHAT DO YOU DO,

WHEN YOU’VE FOLLOWED JESUS TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, YET SICKNESS IS STILL IN YOUR BODY

WHAT DO YOU DO,

WHEN WHAT YOU’VE EXPECTED, SEEMS TO LEAD TO DISAPPOINTMENT

YOU CHANGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS

BECAUSE AS PASTOR HAS BEEN SAYING

EXPECTATIONS ARE THE SEED OF DISAPPOINTMENT.

AND WE CAN NOT ALLOW OUR EARTHLY EXPECTATIONS,

TO KEEP US AWAY FROM AN ETERNAL SAVIOR.

HIS WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS

HIS THOUGHTS ARE NOT ARE THOUGHTS

AND AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGHER THAN THE EARTH,

SO ARE HIS WAYS HIGHER THAN OUR WAYS.

AND THERE MAY BE TIMES WHERE HE DOES SOMETHING OR SAYS SOMETHING THAT WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND

BUT WE MUST TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALLOF OUR HEART AND LEAN NOT TO OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING AND IN ALL OF OUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE SHALL DIRECT OUR PATH.

THEY WERE CHOKING ON THE BREAD OF LIFE BECAUSE THEY HAD SURFACE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS THAT LEAD TO DISAPPOINTMENT.

BUT THEN THEY WERE CHOKING ON THE BREAD OF LIFE BECAUSE OF THEIR.

2. DISCOMFORT

There are a lot of things that we can deal with in this life,

but one of the things that we don’t like, is to be uncomfortable,

and I believe all of us can see how this conversation between Jesus and his followers,

could have made them uncomfortable.

Jesus was a master teacher.

He taught in stories and parables. I mean he would even use what was around him to enhance his teaching.

You see this harvest right here?

This harvest is plentiful but the labors are few.

You see this mountain? This mountain can be moved with the faith the size of a mustard seed.

and this is what Jesus is doing in this moment.

Jesus is teaching his disciples and he is using natural examples to reveal to them spiritual things.

Certainly, here's a simplified yet scholarly version of your points:

The contrast between physical and spiritual nourishment is pivotal in Jesus' discourse on eating His flesh and drinking His blood.

He emphasizes that it's not physical bread the world truly needs, but spiritual sustenance.

Jesus repeatedly identifies Himself as this spiritual bread which then underlines the importance of faith for salvation.

Jesus Draws a parallel with the manna eaten by Israel in Moses' time, by declaring Himself as the living bread from heaven

and offering eternal life which is not like the temporary sustenance of manna

This assertion establishes Jesus' superiority over Moses

and His diety in the earth.

Jesus then, expands on this metaphor,

by stating that consuming His flesh and blood is essential for eternal life.

He clarifies that He speaks metaphorically while also emphasizing the spiritual significance of His words.

There were some, who stumbled over Jesus' metaphor and was trapped in a physical mindset, while it is the spiritual truth He conveyed.

Their focus on physical needs hindered them from grasping the deeper spiritual reality Jesus presented.

They wanted another fish fry,

They wanted another miracle to fulfill their physical wants and desires.

and those

Those who struggled to move beyond the physical aspect of Jesus' words ultimately abandoned Him .

Their discomfort with His teachings led them to stop following Him altogether.

and the turth is, we often struggle with the teachings of the Bread of Life when they challenge our understanding or make us UNCOMFORTABLE.

We stop going to church when the Pastor preaches a sermon that makes you uncomfortable

We stop serving when our leaders challenge us and makes us uncomfortable

We stop reading our word when we read something that makes us uncomfortable

Let the dead burry the dead: Uncomfortable

If someone smites you on the cheek, turn the other one: Uncomfortable

Love your enemies and pray for those who despitefully use you: Uncomfortable

forgive some one seventy time seven: uncomfortable

Blessed are the poor in spirit: uncomfortable

Blessed are the meek: uncomfortable

Blessed are they who morn: uncomfortable

There are sometimes in life that following Jesus, will make you uncomfortable

It’ll keep you up at night

It’ll keep you on your knees

It’ll keep you dependent on him

It’ll keep you humble

It’ll keep you from thinking you can do it yourself.

and don’t allow your discomfort cause you to distance yourself from God

There are times in our lives where we will be uncomfortable

Jesus was uncomfortable,

In the garden of Gethsemane, facing the fact that he has to take on the sins of man.

But Jesus did not allow his discomfort to keep him from God.

HE PRAYED all night…

and after a while, the bible says an angel from heaven Came and strengthened him.

Because it’s in our times of discomfort where we get the most clairty about who he is.

It’s in our times of discomfort where we get the most out of Jesus.

and Our discomfort should push us to draw near to him.

Their

They choked on the bread of life because of their

Disappointment

They choked on the bread of life because of their

Discomfort

Then they choked on the bread of life because of their

3. Disbelief

26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man[f] can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

In this passage, Jesus provides a profound lesson about the essence of faith and the simplicity of the requirement.

The disciples at this point are eager to know what actions they should take to please God. They ask the question, "What should we do?"

Jesus, in his clarity, responds: "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent" (John 6:29).

This a remarkable declaration that captures the core principle in the book of John and of Christianity:

This is faith and belief in Jesus Christ.

Despite the disciples' inclination towards actions or religious rituals,

Jesus redirects their focus to the foundational truth of belief.

He prioritizes the state of their hearts over external behaviors.

and the truth is, This message today is as relevant and powerful as ever.

We're often tempted to measure our spiritual standing by our deeds or our actions.

But Jesus's words challenge us to Realign our priorities. I

t's not about the outward expressions of religion;

it's about the inward transformation of the soul and spirit through faith in Christ.

So, what does this mean for us?

It means that while good works and righteous living are important,

they must flow from a heart grounded in faith.

It means that our primary focus is not to adhere to a checklist of religious obligations

but to trust in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

It means that true discipleship begins with a simple yet profound act:

believing in the Son of God.

That’s all that Jesus required of the disciples Believe!

That’s all that John was trying to get us to understand through these miracles and signs and that is that if we believe in Jesus we would have eternal life.

It’s all through the book of John!!!!

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 4:42

And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

John 5:24

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 6:69

And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Dont choke on the bread of life due to your disbelief.

That’s why this lenting season is so important,

It’s not just about

us not watching tv or eating cupcakes

It’s not just about

us saying sorry to someone or not cursing.

It’s about us recommitting our lives to the father in celebration and preparation of the fact that we can have eternal life.

If we, Believe in Jesus

If we, Believe that he died

If we, Believe that he rose

If we, Believe that he’s coming back

Our spirit’s will NEVER die….

And peter understood this so perfectly.

Peter was able to articulate this so perfectly

John 6:66–69 (NLT)

At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

Peter was able to believe because

He didn’t allow his disappointment or discomfort cause disbelief.

Peter says “YOU ARE THE HOLY ONE OF GOD”