This is a Manna Moment

John 6:1–6 (NIV)

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

We are reading, and about to read into the miracle when Jesus fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fishes. Many of you know the story, but for those who don’t, you’re going to learn the story.

For those who do know the story, please don’t assume anything that I’m going to share next because you’ll do exactly what the people did who were fed that day - they missed the moment.

As a matter of fact, that’s the title of my thought tonight, This is a Manna Moment.

I want you to take a close look at what I highlighted here in the text first.

He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

If you’ve ever felt like you were being tested by Jesus, let me tell you that you might have been.

Because, as we just read, there was a theological precedent happening here.

Pastor, are you saying, that God would put a beautiful woman who is not my wife into my life to test me?

No, I didn’t say he was going to tempt you. God doesn’t tempt you into sin.

This testing was far different… Let’s keep reading.

John 6:7–9 (NIV)

Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

Philip said we don’t have the resources, and Simon said the little we do have is not enough.

How many have you ever been there before?

You had dreams bigger than your resources.

“Hey, I want to do this but I don’t have the money.”

“Hey, I’d love to do this, but I don’t have the experience.”

“Yea, it would be great if we could, but I don’t have the required training.”

And meanwhile, the one who has all of the resources, the one who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the omnipotent and omniscient one, is just sitting there watching you disqualify yourself.

You see, that’s the type of testing I’m talking. He’s not tempting you into sin, He wants to know if you’d be willing to join Him in revealing Christ to the world.

[Transition]

Pastor, is that what’s going on here?

Isn’t he just going to feed a whole bunch of people?

I think that’s what was going on in their heads, but that’s not what was going on with him.

So he feeds them.

The Bible says that he sat them down and he took the little bit of food he had. He thanked God for what he had and then he began to break and distribute the food until everyone was full. And then, there were left overs.

And do you know what happened after that?

It’s really interesting…

John 6:15 (NIV)

Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Jesus left right at this moment.

And you might think, well that’s really awkward. This is a good thing, right Jesus?

No, in that moment Jesus was aware that they were missing the point of everything.

John 6:26–27 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

In other words, Jesus was saying to them that they were looking for him not because you know who I am and what eternal thing I can give you, but you were looking for me because of what I could give you.

In their attempt to justify their quest they then challenged Jesus with their own history as they wandered in the wilderness.

John 6:31 (NIV)

Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

This was a good point, and in some way they are saying they aren’t wrong to want the guy around to take care of their earthly needs.

John 6:32–33 (NIV)

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

In other words, they missed the point of the bread back then, and I don’t want you missing it now.

The bread, the manna, that was given to them was to point to the Lord. It was always to point to the Lord as their provider. It was to teach them daily dependance on the Lord and to love a life satisfied in him, but here Jesus is saying that they missed it.

John 6:34–35 (NIV)

“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Jesus drops this bar to them… I AM the bread of life.

Please don’t miss what is packed into there five words. When Jesus said I AM he is revealing to them his oneness with the Father.

Exodus 3:14 (NIV)

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”

Moses carried the message of I am to Israel, and now Jesus is saying to them, I am Him. I am the same God, now come into this world, in the flesh, and you can’t miss this moment!

I AM the bread of life. I AM what you need. I AM what gives you life.

It’s not the food you eat, the things you possess, or the things you earn here on earth. And until we settle in our hearts that we are complete in Christ, we will go through this life thinking that we lack something and that we need something to complete ourselves. When all along, all you ever needed was Jesus.

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