Partaking in the Bread of Life

Welcome

John 15:13 “13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.”

This is a humbling morning

as this morning we celebrate if you will memorial Day

today is a day that we honor those that have lost their lives

defending the very freedom that we enjoy each and every day

Moment of Silence in observance of Memorial Day

Thank you

Text this morning is John 6:41-59

John 6:41–59 (CSB)

41 Therefore the Jews started grumbling about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

43 Jesus answered them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: And they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father comes to me—46 not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God. He has seen the Father.

47 “Truly I tell you, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Let us Pray

Illustration

we should at this point be able to link bread with forgiveness

and with himself

He says gives us this day our daily bread

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us

At the Lords supper he broke the unleavened bread and said

this is my body that has been given for you

He says as we have been learning that

I AM the bread of life

in a minute we will see the Jews grumble because they think he was

from Nazereth

Now what is significant and really cool about is that

he was not from nazareth

in the fact that he was born there

he was from where?

Bethlehem

and what does Bethleham mean in Hebrew?

Beth Leham

Beth means house

and Leham means bread

But lets dig deeper

Hebrew is an alphanumeric language

meaning each letter has a numerical value

and the numerical value for Bethleham is 490

Nativity is the story of Christ birth

which in Hebrew

the word nativity equals 490

to be perfect or complete

is the word Tamim

this word equals 490

why is this significant

because Jesus’ birth his nativity 490

was in Bethlehem 490

was the perfect and complete sacrifice 490

Then Peter later comes to Jesus and says

how many times must we forgive

7 times?

and Jesus says no

7x70 times which equals

490

why did he pick that number?

because you cant be perfect or complete

through forgiveness

unless you have the bread of life

which is Christ, born in Bethlehem

Everything God does is perfect

And as we continue to dive into this theme of the bread of life

we must understand that it is God that provided that

bread, through Jesus Christ

Last week we learned of the assurance and security in our salvation

that comes through the

bread of life

and this morning we will learn

of how one comes to the bread of life

and what they must believe in order to partake in it

Now, when I originally laid this out we were going to walk through V41-59

as your bulletin lays out

But I’m afraid we are only going to make it through the first 2 points this morning

as we will stop at V51

then hopefully finish up John chapter 6 next week

So let us begin with our first point of the morning

The Drawing

John 6:41 “41 Therefore the Jews started grumbling about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.””

If you recall, the focus of last weeks message found in V 35-40

was all about our assurance and security in salvation

the fact that we are secure because it is God that gives us this salvation

It through Him as the Bread of Life that we find assurance

Because he was the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven

we discussed that it was God’s provision of that bread

That it was due to his predestination, and God’s will that we are saved

and that is such an amazing thing

yet with all of that it seems as though the crowd

and the Jews in which Jesus was speaking these things to

only heard what they wanted to hear

Now the Jews here do not represent the entire population

John says the Jews here

primarily speaking about the leadership

and they didn’t want to hear the truth

So after all the amazing things Jesus was proclaiming

they really only heard 2 things

They heard that he claimed to be the source of life

and that he claimed to have come down from heaven

and at these 2 things they grumbled

this word grumbled means to mumar or complain

something like a hiss or a boo

maybe for you Aggies is a ssssss

anyway, it was sound they would make in the audience or the crowd to show their radical disagreement with the statements

But what is interesting is that Jesus had just talked about Moses and manna

and what did the people do in the wilderness after God provided the manna

they grumbled

So these Jews are now doing the same thing to Jesus

that they did to Moses

and this is described in psalms as unbelief Ps. 106:24-25,

and disobedience in Isa. 30:12

see these Jews ignored his claim to be the life giver

and instead focused on his claim to have come from heaven

So And they Jews think they have this figured out

mockingly they say

John 6:42 “42 They were saying, “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?””

They think they are calling his bluff

they are saying, HEY

your not from heaven

your that carpenter from Nazareth

your father is Joseph

we know who you are

sure you can do some pretty cool things

but really, there is no way you came down from heaven

See they were ignorant of his incarnation

and they justified their rejection based upon this

they were focusing on the earthly and willingly ignored the spiritual hand of God

hey were so fixated on where he came from

the fact that he was the adopted son of Joseph

that they missed the fact that he was the eternal Son of God

and their refusal would cost them eternity

see they missed his mission

which is really what started all of this

his mission was to feed them

to nourish them spiritually

to save and give life

they had completely missed this

and that shouldn’t be much of a surprise

we see so many do that today

people love the teachings of Christ

but this whole God thing, that’s a bit much right

many admit he was a historical figure

but that is it

they can wrap their heads around the fact that Jesus is special

that he is worth visiting on Easter and Christmas

but to really change their lives because of this man that lived over 2000 years ago..

I wouldn’t go that far

see they were hardening their hearts instead of allowing them to be opened

and just like Jesus did with Nicodemus when he surprised him with his words

and just like he did with the Jews when he healed on the sabbath

Jesus stepped it up a notch

When Nico was surprised

Jesus didn’t back down

he stepped it up, he said you think that is surprising

no one has ascended into heaven except the one that descended from heaven - ME!

and when the Jews questioned him working on the sabbath

he said, my father is working and so am i

and the father shows me all he is doing!!

Jesus was doubling down

and he did the same thing here

See Jesus longed for them to listen

he loved and cared for them

and he knew that as long as they grumbled

against him

They would never be willing to listen to the truth

So Jesus doubles down in V43

John 6:43–44 “43 Jesus answered them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Jesus doubles down by saying

stop grumbling!

stop complaining

you keep speaking of my earthly father

yet I speak of my heavenly father

and none of you will come to me unless

He draws you to me!

He is essentially saying the same thing he said in V37 from last week

except with one significant difference

there Jesus says those that God gives him

but here

Jesus is saying they are drawn by God

Only then can a person “come to Christ”

Now, I know we spoke a lot about predestination last week

but here is another obvious point made by Jesus that this is the case

But it speaks so much to the spiritual experience of the believer

See we talked about the assurance and the security that comes with the fact that God chose us

and by Him choosing us we respond by choosing Him

Again, when people hear predestination they think

of God picking some to go to heaven and some to go to hell

just because he feels like it

but that is not the case

see the fact that he predestined us

is His way of saying take heart

do not be discouraged

I, the creator of the universe hold tightly to you and your salvation, so much so that I have held you from all of eternity past

I have secured you

and why have I secured you?

Because I drew you to me

See a person who comes to Christ and Believes in him

has first been drawn by the father

A man does not come to God alone under his

own effort or physical labor, or good deeds

no,

That is why Jesus told Nico that he must be born again

and the last time I checked I had nothing to do with the fact that I was born

I was born / we were born because someone else brought me into the world

and on the opposite side of that Ephesians 2:1“1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins”

Last time I looked a dead man couldn’t do anything

But God, as Ephesians 2:4–5 “4 But God, who is rich in mercy, (undeserved favor) because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!”

and a little further down in Eph it says this

Ephesians 2:8–9 “8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast.”

See V44 again refers to God’s control in salvation and of the security of the believer

Jesus is saying that rejection of him is rejection of Gods drawing power

and this rejection will lead to and result in eternal rejection and judgement by God

God drawing people (us) to himself

is referring to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit

and once we are drawn by God

we will find life depending on how we respond

if we respond in faith we will be with Christ

but if we reject Christ, as these Jews are clearly doing

then we have no excuse

because the spirit has overcome our depravity

and made it possible to respond in faith

And Jesus digs this in by saying in V 45

John 6:45 “45 It is written in the Prophets: And they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father comes to me—”

They will be taught by God

he is referring to Isaiah 54:13 here with says “Then all your children will be taught by the Lord, their prosperity will be great,”

This prophesy speaks of a new covenant

a promise of a new future

with direct access to Him

and this new covenant is found in the teaching of Christ

it is itself Christ

because it is through Christ that we have access to God

And this teaching, how is it projected

through the voice of a preacher

through observing God’s perfect creation

through the reading of scripture

though the kindness of believers

at the dinner table or out to lunch

at work while swinging a hammer

the teaching of Christ and the gospel is spread all kinds of ways

and the Holy Spirit works in each every single one of them

and through that we are exposed to the glory of God and his Good news

and now that we know that… lets look at the second half of that verse

it says that everyone who has what?

listened and learned

how are they to listen

through the mediums we just talked about

Romans 10:14–18 “14 How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. 16 But not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message? 17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ. 18 But I ask, “Did they not hear?” Yes, they did: Their voice has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

this rounds our our metaphors for conversion

earlier we heard that we must see and believe V(37)

and here we see that we must listen and and learn

Brothers and sisters our conversion involves

our eyes, our hearts, our ears, and our minds

it is a total process in which God captures us completely

And how does he capture us, how does he draw us, how does he teach us…

through the spirit which:

makes the gospel come alive

it allows us to see it as we have never seen it before

just think about how many times you heard the gospel before you responded?

what changed..

the spirit moving inside you is what changed

then the spirit convicts you of your sin

of righteousness and judgement

of the fact that God is Holy and we are not

and the fact that we need a savior

John 16:8 “8 When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment:”

and through that conviction we are attracted or further drawn to the cross of Christ and its glorious provision of grace

where we find forgiveness of sin and eternal life with God

It is at this point that we are completely stirred to respond by coming to Christ

Listen to the prophet Isaiah

Isaiah 55:1–3 “1 “Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the water; and you without silver, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without silver and without cost! 2 Why do you spend silver on what is not food, and your wages on what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and you will enjoy the choicest of foods. 3 Pay attention and come to me; listen, so that you will live. I will make a permanent covenant with you on the basis of the faithful kindnesses of David.”

He is describing everything we are to find in Christ

when we are thirsty - come to him

when we are wanting - come to him

why spend money on things that fade and do not satisfy

when the grace through Christ is provided at no cost

it is a free gift

and Isa describes it as the choicest of foods

to eat what is good

come listen so that you will live!

Now, our part in all of this is 3 fold

see we must #1

hear the voice of God

when He draws us

when He pulls at us

when He moves around

and that spirit is felt

the butterflies

the tingling

the conviction

whatever you want to call it

We must listen to it

we must not harden our hearts as the Jews in this story did

and refuse it

number 2

as Jesus said we must

learn from the father

thats interesting

But verse 46 says…

John 6:46 “46 not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God. He has seen the Father.”

In other words, how will people learn of God?

only by listening to and concentrating on his Son, Jesus Christ

See no man has seen God

yet Christ alone is of God

and Christ alone has seen God

So we are to to

hear the voice of God

Learn of God through Christ

and number 3

We must come to Christ

we must yield to his drawing power

and when we do that, we will believe

then that belief will lead us to our second point of the morning

which is our salvation

The Salvation

John 6:47 “47 “Truly I tell you, anyone who believes has eternal life.

See when we come to Christ in belief we will have eternal life

this is the 11th double amen

Christ is saying truly truly

amen amen

listen here!

the invitation is HERE

come to me for salvation

come to me for life

come to me for belief

But what is it that we must believe in for salvation after we are drawn

John 6:48 “48 I am the bread of life.”

We must believe that he is the Bread of life

the bread of life that feeds and nourishes the soul

that saves and gives us life

last week we said that bread does what

it nourishes or sustains life

it satisfies

it energizes

and it creates a desire in us for more

When we come to Christ as the bread of life

he will provide all of those things spiritually

which is what our body really needs

As we return to this statement that seems to be the primary focus of this entire chapter

that is Jesus as the bread of life

it is is clearly saying that this is the only way by which we are saved

he provides the only path to salvation

and this is the 11th time eternal life has appeared thus far as well

in V48 he refers to the manna again in contrast to the bread of life

signifying that the things of this world

the physical obsession with stuff

the obsession with pleasing ourselves

the fact that we place our priorities and our faith in the things of this world

will only lead us to wanting more

they will only sustain temporarily

then you will die

Just like the mana God provided in the wilderness only lasted temporarily

then they died

the point is clear

our concern should not be with the physical

it should be with the spiritual

V50 says that we must believe that he came down from heaven

that he has come out of heaven

that he took off his glory

and put on flesh

to walk this earth

living a sinless life

in order to show us

to teach us

and finally die for us

V51 adds to that which says

John 6:51 “51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven.

Again he says that he came down from heaven

and that he is the living bread

While Jesus Christ died upon that cross

he is still alive and well

we don’t have a savior that died and is lying in a grave somewhere

as every other religion has

we have a savior that conquered death

that rose from the dead

defeating sin in our place

and whom is seating at the right had of the Father

John 6:51 continues with … If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.””

We must believe that Christ gave His flesh for the life of the world

he is associating this bread with his body

that was given up for us

remember Jesus came in the flesh

again he walked this earth

seeing our struggles

feeling our temptations

Hebrews 4:14–16 “14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.”

he lived a perfect sinless life and he gave it up for us!

Now, lets imagine the shock that went through the minds of the people hearing this

its one thing to talk generally about eating the bread of life

but its quite another to say, “this bread is my flesh”

and next week we will see how this drove many away

now, the word flesh is different from the body or self

because it focuses on his physical death

and clearly points to the cross

where the bread of life was offered up

for the life of the world

Brothers and sisters it is crucial for us to understand

the implications of this verse

Jesus is saying that His death and its atonement for our sins

are only effective

are only applied when we come to Him and believe

after he has drawn us

we must believe

that he came from heaven

that he is the son of God

that we are sinners in need of a savior

and that it is Him and Him only that provides that salvation

Conclusion

So as we close out this morning I must ask you

Have you partaken in the bread of life

Have heard, felt, or seen the hand of God working

drawing you nearer to him

if you have, do not delay,

come to him

and if you have received this grace

if you have responded in faith

take heart, that not only are we securely held in the hands of God

But that we have eternal life

and eternal life is not a set amount of years

of decades or some unending progression of years

it is something we experience now!

We don’t have to wait for eternal life

it’s not something that starts when we die

we have hope now

we have grace now

and in that

we will dwell with God forever

simply by coming to Him

and believing in Him

Let us Pray!