'rock-Solid Promise: Satisfaction.'

SERMON OUTLINE:

Question #1: Satisfy our curiosity? (vs 25)

Question #2: How can we satisfy/please God (vs 28)?

Question #3: Will you satisfy our eyes by showing us a miracle? (vs 30b)

Question #4: Will you keep on satisfying us with food?? (vs 34)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• Wherever you go in the world you find bread,

• USA = Burger buns

• Greece = Pitta bread

• India/Pakistan = chapattis

• Ethiopia = Himbasha bread

• Germany = Black bread

• Mexico = Tortillas

• Denmark = Rugbrod bread

• Italy = Ciabatta bread

• Zambia Africa = Nsima bread

• Israel = Matzos bread

• There are two reasons that you find bread all around the world:

• First: it is cheap, so even the poor can afford it.

• Second: it satisfies, it fills you up. It takes away the hunger.

TRANSITION: When Jesus claimed to be ‘The Bread of Life’

• First: he is claiming that he can fill us up spiritually.

• No one need be hungry for God.

• Second: he was saying that he is available to all!

• He is not just for the wealthy, the intellectuals, or any privileged group of people.

• He is available to all who will feed on him!

BACKGROUND:

• Three things to note:

• (1st). This chapter opens with a miracle, the feeding of the five thousand (vv. 1-15).

• (2nd). Jesus slips away and escapes the crowd and his disciples,

• The disciples head back to Capernaum and another miracle is recorded,

• This time Jesus appears to the disciples by walking on the water (vs 16-21).

• (3rd). Third the crowd realize that Jesus has left and gone somewhere else (vs 22-23).

• So, they jump into a fleet of boats and chase after them.

Note:

• In this chapter Jesus becomes the preacher who lost his congregation.

• This great message found in John chapter 6 appears to be so difficult to the crowd,

• So much so, that the crowd slowly breaks up and people start walking away.

Ill:

• If we assume the bulk of the crowd followed Jesus to Capernaum,

• Then at the start of his preaching there was 10, 000plus,

• Maybe half of them 5,000 followed him across the water,

• But note that at the end of the sermon there was just 12 left (vs 67).

• Now, that is a preacher’s nightmare,

• Humanly speaking we would say that is disastrous.

• After all, I am preaching now,

• If you did not like what I said and one-by-one started to get up and leave,

• I wonder if I would get another invite back here to ever preach again.

The title I was given to speak on is ‘Rock-solid promise - Satisfaction.’

• But 10,000 or 5,000 went away from Jesus unsatisfied,

• And only 12 remained (11 if you discount Judas),

• And they ended up baffled and confused!

Note:

• We note from hindsight, we see this chapter in full context and in the full gospel of John,

• We know that Jesus is, ‘The bread of life’ and we can ‘feed on him’

• And no-one need be hungry for God anymore.

• It would appear to me that the cost of that bread might be ‘free’ but it is not cheap!

• Jesus required something from the crowd, and he will require something from us too!

NOW:

• The chapter divides itself up with questions and answers.

• In the section I have been given (vs 25-40),

• Four questions are asked by the crowd and Jesus responds with four answers.

(1). Satisfy our curiosity? (vs 25)

“When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, ‘Rabbi, when did you get here?’”

Note: To that question I want you to note something:

• Jesus did not give the crowd the answer they were looking for!

• The real answer is, “I walked across the water last night,”

• But he deliberately did not tell them that.

• ‘How did you get here?’ was the question on their lips,

• But Jesus knew the real question that was in their hearts and minds.

In verses 26-27 Jesus says, “You only want me for a free meal!”

“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.’”

These people were more concerned with physical food than spiritual food!

• But if we are honest so many of us are.