The Bread of Life

The Scam

The phone rings.

You answer, but there is a slight delay in the response at the other end.

Finally, they say, Mr. Gentle, we regret to inform you that your computer has been infected by a virus. But we can fix it for you. Are you sitting in front of your computer?

Now, I desperately hope that every one of you at this point recognise that this is one of many different scam phone calls, that I suspect each of you receive on a far too frequent basis.

At this point in the conversation, I usually decide if I’ve got a bit of time to waste, and if so, I’ll sometimes string them along for a while. I actually figure that if I’m on the phone to them, it’s less time they are scamming others.

Unfortunately, they do get some people, which is why they continue to do it, but for most of us, we’ve learnt to detect things that aren’t true.

When a Nigerian prince offers you millions of dollars in an email, it’s not true.

A general rule in life - you don’t get anything for nothing. If you didn’t enter a lottery, then you didn’t win it.

If people offer you something, they want something in return.

It’s actually why some people struggle to accept charity. They must want something in return.

When someone is offering us some help, can we believe them?

Belief

Belief is a funny thing. We could ask the question: why do we believe what we believe?

I think we’d hope the answer was because it was the truth.

But like Pilate asks Jesus in the lead-up to the crucifixion, what is truth?

We might believe there is an absolute truth, but how can we know it?

Now, I’ve got to be careful because I could lead us all far down a rabbit hole, and I don’t want to get too philosophical here right now, but today I’m going to hold up belief as the key concept for us to grab a hold of.

I’m going to be saying, that Jesus is offering you something amazing, and all you have to do is believe.

Many, maybe even most, might be thinking - yes, I do believe.

But you know what… sometimes belief can be hard.

It can be hard, because it can seem unlikely. It can be hard, because it comes with consequences.

Belief… easy, isn’t it? Well, it can be hard.

This morning, as we go through John 6, I’m going to find four reasons why belief is hard, but then show why it’s worth it.

Geography

Now, I’ve noted before, and you’ve likely noticed yourself, that John’s gospel is different to the other three gospels, that is, Matthew, Mark and Luke, in that they all tell very similar stories, but John tells completely different stories, with the major exception being the Easter story.

But there’s another exception, and that is chapter 6. There is actually a geographical reason for this.

John’s gospel is mostly set around Jerusalem, whereas, the other three gospels are almost entirely set around Galilee with the obvious exception of the Easter story. John’s only real foray into the region of Galilee is in chapter 6, which is why it’s not surprising that we get some cross over with the stories here.

Now, an interesting little fact that’s easy to overlook - there’s a few little verses throughout the gospels that indicate that Capernaum was actually where Jesus stationed himself during his ministry years, which is where most of chapter 6 is set.

Feeding of Five Thousand - the Unlikely

Anyway, let’s get to the story.

Chapter 6 starts by telling us that we’re now some time after the events of the previous chapter and that Jesus has just crossed over to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee. Now, if we acknowledge that Jesus was often stationed at Capernaum, the presumably the far shore is probably in reference to where Capernaum is.

Well, by this stage in the ministry of Jesus, it’s obvious that he has now developed quite a reputation, and many people are heading out of their way to hear what he has to say. They’re recognising that there is something about this man, but they need to figure out for themselves if they really believe it or not.

But in this part of the story, it’s not the belief of the crowd that’s going to be in focus, it’s the belief of his closer disciples.

You see, Jesus is about to test his disciples in an intriguing way. If you look at verse 5, he looks at the great crowd that was coming their way, and he turns to Philip and says “where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”

We’re even told in verse 6 that this was actually a test because Jesus knew what was about to happen.

Philip looks at the crowd. This was no small crowd. Verse 10 tells us that there was 5000, and this was just the men.

Now, by way of context, this Tilligerry Peninsula has about 7000 on it. If I say to you, I want you to cater a lunch for every single person on the Peninsula in one sitting - what are you going to tell me?

If you’re being polite, you might laugh at me. But perhaps there might be some other choice words you say to me as well.

Imagine just the cost! On a Thursday lunch, we feed somewhere in the order of 50 people and we think we’re doing all right. Multiply that by 100 , and the reality is, where now talking about something impossible.

But Simon Peter speaks up. I think we all like Peter because if you’ve read your bible stories, you know he’s the one that often speaks up, saying some of the most profound things, but also saying some of the most stupid things.

At first glance, his statement in verse 8 seems a bit like one of the stupid comments.

He’s found a boy, who happens to have five small barley loaves and two small fish.

In case you were wondering, barley loaves are about as basic as things get. There really just a cheap, every day kind of bread. The first were most likely a small pickled fish that you could eat with the bread to give it a little flavour. We’re talking really basic food, and not much at that.

Peter pointing out this meager amount, is a bit like turning up at a bush fire, and pointing out a single bucket of water.

So, put yourself in the shoes of these disciples.

Do you believe?

Do you believe it is even remotely possible that feeding such a massive number of people just might happen?

I suspect I’d start lowering my hopes. Maybe Jesus can just lower there hunger pains, after all, you can go for quite a while without food.

It’s hard to believe when something is so unlikely. Actually, let me change that… it’s hard to believe when the task before you is impossible.

But yet Jesus makes the people sit down.

Jesus takes the loaves. He doesn’t conjure up any kind of spell. He does not start doing any kind of ritual. He simply gives thanks.

It hard to imagine this next part. Because he just starts handing out the bread and people can eat as much as they like. How did the bread keep coming? Well, it wasn’t by natural means, that’s for sure.

So, this is the first example of when it’s hard to believe. It’s hard to believe when the task before us is impossible.

I’ll come back to this, but let’s move to the next part of the story.

Walking on Water - Scary

Well, once Jesus had performed that amazing miracle, the people wanted to make him king. Jesus had to withdraw.

Jesus somehow managed to make an escape - and you wonder if that’s a miracle in and of itself, but his disciples are now separated from him. Now, remember, these men are fishermen and so are familiar with the water, so with Jesus having made a temporary time away, they get in the boat to head back to Capernaum, which remember, is where Jesus has largely been basing himself.

Now, the Sea of Galilee is known for big winds coming up. Apparently it’s due to the topography of the land. Things would usually be quite still and calm, but when the winds blew in a certain direction, things could change very quickly.

In this last week, we’ve of course become very familiar with images of large strong winds. Many of you will have had family and friends in the path of the incoming Cyclone Alfred, and it was scary to think of what might happen. I remember seeing an image of some people on the shore of some beach somewhere, and the wave picked them up and effectively washed them up into the car park. Now, as far as I’m aware, they were all came out unscathed, but it was scary just watching it.

Now let’s put yourself in a first century fishing boat. It doesn’t even have to be the cyclonic winds that we’ve seen recently. Just imagine massive waves forming and your little boat is being thrown all over the place. Now only that, but it’s got dark and that always makes things a little more scary.

Now these are brave men, but you’re miles from shore. And at that moment you look up and you see someone walking on water. Now that’s not something you see every day.

You look again - it’s Jesus!

What do you think at this point? It’s really one of those scenarios that it’s just hard to put yourself in.

We’re told that they were frightened. At this point, I’m not sure if they are frightened for the sake of Jesus who is walking on some scary looking waters, or are they frightened that if Jesus is walking on water then he must be a ghost, and does that mean he’s now dead?

Probably, it’s all so odd that they can’t quite process their thoughts that quickly.

Now let’s think about belief in this setting.

Actually, it’s perhaps not so much as hard to believe, as you don’t know what to believe

Sometimes our lives can be like this. Things are flying at us so fast and so chaotically… it’s not that we don’t believe… but what are we meant to believe in this moment???

Not what you expect

I want to keep moving, because so far, I’ve looked at two situations where belief is hard. The first one because the situation is impossible. The second because we have a scary chaotic scene.

I want to suggest two more reasons, but this time not because of the a difficult set of circumstances.

So let’s continue with the narrative.

So, we’ve had this moment with Jesus walking on water. The crowds didn’t specifically see this miracle, but they’re obviously paying attention because they’ve realised that Jesus had not entered the boat with the disciples, but yet Jesus was not there, and they want to go and find him.

So they go to Capernaum to find Jesus. Why Capernaum? Well, it’s perhaps the obvious choice when you recognise that this is where Jesus stationed himself for much of his ministry.

And it turns out, they were right to look for him, because that’s where they find him. In fact they find him in the synagogue at Capernaum. And in case you’re wondering how I know it was in the synagogue, you need to jump all the way down to verse 59 where we’re told that Jesus said all of this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Now, I want to think about this in terms of the struggle to believe.

You see, when Jesus talks to the new crowd that has found him in Capernaum, he knows what they are thinking.

You see, in one sense, while I’ve been arguing how hard it is to believe, these people have just witnessed one of the most amazing miracles and so in one sense they believe now.

We might even be in a similar category. Of course we believe in God. Maybe you’ve witnessed a miracle… maybe you’re convinced of the absolute power of God to do the impossible.

There’s a problem though - and Jesus sees it. They’re there for the wrong reason.

It’s not with the spectacular that they struggle to believe. But they’ve made it about the spectacular. They want the food that spoils. They’ve missed the point. The food that spoils is temporary what Jesus offers is the eternal.

This is where Jesus gets into the discussion on the bread of life.

I’m going to come back to this, but while we’re looking at the struggle to believe, I want you to jump down in your bibles to verses 41 and 42. They grumble… why? Because they can only think in earthly terms. Isn’t this the son of Joseph?

Sometimes I wonder whether we are actually quick to recognise that stage 4 cancers can be cured, but yet the bigger miracle is that you have been granted eternal life.

The struggle to believe is because our heads in the wrong space. Our heads in the things of this world. We pray for healing and protection, but our real concern should be in our eternal status.

Many turned away

Let me now jump down towards the end of the chapter.

Look at verse 60 - “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’”

Then in verse 66: “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him”.

Now, what’s going on here?

I know I’ve said that it’s hard to believe when faced with impossible situations. And it’s hard to know what to believe when we’re in the scary and chaotic. We’ve also seen it’s hard to believe in the heavenly reward when our concern is with the earthly.

But does this account for them turning away now?

Why do they consider it such a shard teaching?

One of the parts I skipped over was the section immediately before verse 60 when Jesus talked about eating his body and drinking his blood. Could it be that the hard teaching is the misunderstanding that they think Jesus is asking them to be cannibals?

Perhaps...

But, could it also be that accepting the teaching of Jesus is to thoroughly change your world view. That we need to accept the things we actually seek are not from the worldly power structures that we are so used to, but from something different.

It’s hard to accept, because to believe is to recognise you need to change.

Here’s the thing… in one sense, believing in Jesus is the easiest thing you will ever do, because you just need to believe. But as we see in this chapter, belief doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens in a world full of complexity, and belief often has consequences for us.

The Bread

But this chapter is not just to tell us it’s hard. This chapter is here to say it’s worth it.

It’s worth it because with it comes the most amazing gift of all.

Let me go back to the conversation Jesus was having with the crowd that had tracked him down to Capernaum.

I’m back in verse 27 now.

“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.”

As the conversation continues, there is a reminder of the bread we saw during the 40 years of Israel wandering in the wilderness. In case that’s not familiar for you, we’re talking in the time after Israel have their exodus out of Egypt. For almost the entire time of their wandering, God provides bread from heaven - bread known as Manna.

In verse 32, Jesus says there is a true bread from heaven that is even greater than this.

The crowd want this true bread - when Jesus answers in verse 35: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

The reason belief is so important, is because with it, you will taste the most amazing thing ever. A taste that is sweeter than anything you’ve ever had.

Every other thing you eat, you might get a feeling of satisfaction for a time. You might be energised for a time. But then a bit more time passes, you desire to be satisfied again. You need more energy.

Now let me just be clear to avoid any sort of misunderstanding… this side of the return of Jesus, you will continually need re-feeding.

But from a spiritual perspective, there is bread that will leave you eternally fulfilled.

What does this mean in practice? In one sense, it’s hard to put in words, because the satisfaction you feel is unlike anything this world offers. It’s partly in the hope that your future is secure. It’s partly in knowing you’re never alone. It’s partly in the sense of purpose you gain. But it’s even more than this. It’s a joy bubbling up inside you. A peace that comes over you.

Back at the end of the chapter, when the other followers started leaving, Jesus turned to the twelve and said “You do not want to leave too, do you?”

Simon Peter answered - remember, he’s the one that says some crazy things but also some profound things. This time it’s profound. He says: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life”.

It’s hard to believe because so many things in this world are pushing us in different directions, but the reason it’s worth it, is because here we find the things that deep down we all need. The bread of life. The bread that will keep us fed for all eternity.

Conclusion

For many here, I know you already believe. If so, I want you to know that there might be times when believing is still difficult. I’m not necessarily talking about the kind of difficulty where you reject the faith altogether. But many of the difficulties I’ve talked about today may still present themselves in your life.

You will face impossible situations. You’ll face the scary and chaotic. You’ll be driven by the deeply earthly desires, and you’ll realise that there is a cost to believing. I want to encourage you to cling tight, because that bread you’ve tasted will remain with you forever.

But there may be others where you’re still wondering whether you really want to commit. You might believe on one level, but I want to encourage you to take that bread and let it sink into your soul. Taste and see.

You can be like those that grumble and walk away. But that hunger will remain. Or you can take the bread of life and know true satisfaction.

Let me pray...