2.7.10 2.6.2022 The Bread of Life John 6.34-58

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Entice: Even when it is in the Bible it is a little embarrassing to be present for, or to witness someone else's argument. We see some of that in John 6. This text is filled with lots of essential information for forming our faith. We find ourselves peeking through the window of the Synagogue in Capernaum as Jesus teaches. In the midst of the grumbling complainers who seem so immune to their own spiritual starvation that they could no longer discern the hunger pains, Jesus offers Himself to the famished.

Engage: Jesus, again.

By whatever comparison is helpful,

however we might frame the question,

however we choose to understand it,

Jesus is the ultimate answer.

Expand: Jesus is what we need. From the days of His flesh until the present, conversations like this one occur all the time. Let me summarize what has occured thus far in John chapter 6—>

Jesus fed a multitude. They want to make Him king, He resists that impulse.

The Disciples depart by boat, He follows later, walking on the water.

Jesus and the audience, now at the synagogue in Capernaum enter into a long, somewhat bitter debate which is sort about food but mostly about what motivates them.

In John 6.27 & 29 He tells them to work for permanently filling food, which is the hard work of belief. They of course, want more signs.

Jesus reminds them that God not Moses gave them Manna. Which leads to this.

John 6:34–59 ESV

34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” 41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble 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 heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one 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. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

Excite: The spiritual hunger at the heart of our existence can only be filled by believing in and following after Jesus.

Explore:

Famished? Jesus is the feast that satisfies!

Explain: Out of this large, sprawling text, John leavens the discussion by hi-lighting how Jesus fortifies our faith.

Body of Sermon: First...

Jesus Sustains us.

John 6:35 ESV

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

Jesus keeps us from eternal hunger & thirst.

Jesus alone can satisfy our spiritual craving.

Next we are reminded that...

Jesus is sufficient for us

John 6:48–50 ESV

48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.

Personal intervention.

Permanent intervention.

Heavenly intervention.

Last He tells us that this bread is available as...

Jesus sacrificed for us.

John 6:51 ESV

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

The Living bread present among us.

The living bread offered for us.

Shut Down:

A synecdoche is an adjective is which a part of something stands for the whole For much of human history "bread" has been a synecdoche for the food needed to survive. Hence, "our daily bread." However you think of your great spiritual need I guarantee that believing or not believing on Jesus is crucial.

You may question why you’re spiritually famished...

Jesus is the bread that fills and satisfies!

You may know and understand that Jesus is the answer but are unwilling to fully trust Him

Fully submit to Him and you will find what you need.

We gather around His table to be reminded of how He fills us. One day we will share the Eternal communion around His throne.

It is Jesus who fills us.

Jesus presence,

Jesus Words,

Jesus Sacrifice.

This is what gives us life.

As surely as our next meal.

As certainly as the next breath we draw,

Jesus gives us life.

Don't make this harder than it needs to be. Jesus invites us…today if we will but hear His word.