A good sermon
- inform our minds
- inspires our hearts
- instructs our behaviour
There were 5000 hungry men (perhaps a total of 8000 to 10000 including women and children.) Jesus fed them with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and there were 12 baskets left. It was an amazing sight to behold. The Jews immediately identified this to the time God fed the people in the wilderness with the manna for 40 years. They were thinking whether Jesus was the Messiah.
Jesus knew they would force him to be king and so he withdrew from them.
Introduction
Jesus often used metaphors.- I am the Bread of Life
- I am the Light of the world
- I am the Door
- I am the good shepherd
- I am the Resurrection and the Life
- I am the Way, the truth and the Life
- I am the Vine
Exo 3:14 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.' "
Interestingly, Jesus often talked about “I am.” This has a great significance in the Jewish mind. Jesus was equating himself to God. “I am that I am” can be translated as “I will be what I need to be”. It can point to the notion that God can be whatever we need him to be. An open heart leads to open heaven.
1. The Bread that Satisfies
(Pastor Chris likes breads and he evaluates a restaurant by the bread they serve.)Bread = sustenance of life.
Reasons why people come to Jesus
a. Looking to meet their physical or emotional needs.
Joh 6:26-29 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. (27) Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." (28) Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" (29) Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
Jesus told them they followed him because they were looking for a free meal.
There is nothing wrong for us to look to meet our physical and emotional needs. But if that’s the only reason we go to church, something is wrong.
When we become a Christian, we are not just adopting a new religion. To find peace, we read a few more chapters in the Bible, give more offerings, etc. If we do this, we are looking for food that spoils.
There should be no difference during weekday or the weekend. Sometimes we forget why we come to church. We may do the opposite the moment we leave the church.
We spend our entire life buying things with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t’ even like.Fundamentally, we are all looking for the wrong things. Many of us are affected by this consumer mentality. We skip the parts that we don’t like. We open up the Bible like a kid opening the Happy Meal and go straight to the toy. We have made God into a shopping complex God.
b. Looking for a miracle rather than the miracle Giver.
Joh 6:30-36 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? (31) Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " (32) Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, 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. (33) For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." (34) Sir, they said, "from now on give us this bread." (35) Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (36) But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.
In the story of the 10 lepers, only one came back to thank Jesus.
Past records has shown that the church grows during economical downturn.
There is a vacuum in us that can only be filled with the Bread of life.
King Solomon was the wisest and richest man during his time be he did not turn out well. In Songs of Solomon, he talked about how he liked women. In Psalms, he said to be careful. In Ecclesiastes, he warned others to stay away from women.
2. The Bread that must be broken.
Jesus’s bones were not broken. His body is broken in his hands and his feet by the piercing of nails.Mat 26:26-28 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." (27) Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. (28) This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
We read about the Bread of Life – the Body of Christ which was broken for us. It brings forgiveness of sins.
Isa 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Our peace was brought about by his punishment.
Joh 6:28-29 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" (29) Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
Jesus has done everything that needs to be done … there is nothing we need to do (or could have done.) The only thing required of us is to believe, is to surrender.
Today, we have bread of family, work, etc. We may take them as the true Bread of Life. Jesus told us unless we surrender all these to Him, we cannot have true freedom.
It is a wrong question to ask whether it is ok to be wealthy. It’s not about being rich, Jesus was not telling the rich young ruler to sell everything but whether he was willing to surrender his possessions. No matter how much we surrender, it will never be enough because of what He has done. Our heart must be broken so we can surrender to God.
What is the surrender quotient in our life? Do we choose what we want to surrender? Do we surrender totally?
Joh 12:23-26 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. (24) I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (25) The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (26) Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
3. The Bread the must be consumed.
Joh 6:52-58 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" (53) Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. (54) Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (55) For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. (56) Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. (57) Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. (58) This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."We can stand in a bakery taking in all the smell of the bread, it will not do us any good until we consume them.
1Jn 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
We do not know every aspect of God before we accept Him.
T\he Bread of Life often shows up during times of crisis. What we can do now is to take the Bread of Life and consume it. We take on the Bread of Life because it gives us the meaning of life.
Joh 4:13-14 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, (14) but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Mat 6:33-34 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (34) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Joh 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
God gives us the Bread of Life so we have life.
Who is Jesus to us? How is our relationship with Jesus? Is it business-like? Is it a religion?
Are we a Christian of conviction or convenience? If it’s the former, it’s a relationship with God, it’s because “we want to.” If it’s the latter, it’s a religion, it’s because “we have to.” We can only have a true and good relationship with God when we realize how sinful we were.
Conclusion
Luk 9:23-27 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (24) For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. (25) What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? (26) If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. (27) I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."Joh 6:25-59 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" (26) Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. (27) Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." (28) Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" (29) Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (30) So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? (31) Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " (32) Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, 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. (33) For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." (34) Sir, they said, "from now on give us this bread." (35) Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (36) But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. (37) All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (38) For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. (39) And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. (40) For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (41) At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." (42) They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?" (43) Stop grumbling among yourselves, Jesus answered. (44) No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. (45) It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. (46) No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. (47) I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. (48) I am the bread of life. (49) Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. (50) But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. (51) I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (52) Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" (53) Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. (54) Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (55) For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. (56) Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. (57) Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. (58) This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." (59) He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
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