Feeding On The Bread Of Life

FEEDING ON THE BREAD OF LIFE

JOHN 6:51-58

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: ALL YOU CAN EAT PLACES

1. I think that one of the wisest decisions ever made in the food industry was the idea of the “All You Can Eat Buffet.” Many restaurants only offer this option and it has proven to be very successful.

2. For years, whenever we went out to eat with my (now deceased) Father-in-Law – this was the only type of restaurant he preferred, especially fish/shrimp places.

3. I must admit I’m also a fan of Golden Corral, Ryan’s, Grand Buffet, and Hartz Chicken Buffet. There are very distinct reasons why many of us like the buffet style restaurants:

a. To see the food before we eat it;

b. Observe the quality of the food beforehand;

c. Choose our portion size according to our tastes;

d. If you want a little extra desert and fewer vegetables- it’s not a problem; you can eat as healthy or unhealthy as you want to;

e. And finally, because it’s ‘All You Can Eat!’

B. TEXT

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread 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, “Very truly I tell you, 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 them 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 them. 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 ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” John 6:51-58

C. THESIS

1. Jesus’ words about eating His flesh and drinking His blood sound, if we took them in a physical sense, like behavior that God said was against His Law – cannibalism and drinking blood. This is obviously NOT what Jesus was saying, as shown in verse 63, “The words that I have spoken to you are spiritual. They are life.” God’s Word Trans.

2. Jesus was speaking of how we need to spiritually absorb His words and His presence, with the result that they will impart to us God’s “Zoe-Life.”

3. So we’re going to look at 5 aspects of the Bread of Heaven (manna), the necessity of eating it daily, and two of the ways this can be done. The title of this message is “Feeding on the Bread of Life.”

I. FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MANNA/BREAD

There are five ways in which the manna is similar to feeding on Jesus Christ and His Word:

A. IT IS DELICIOUS TO THE SOUL/TASTE

1. It was like wafers made with honey (Ex. 16:31). It was like fresh oil. God didn’t give them convenience store food. He “rained down bread from heaven” for them. Heaven’s bread undoubtedly was delicious to the taste.

2. Ezekiel said the scroll gave him to eat was as sweet as honey in his mouth. The Psalmist called the manna “angels’ food” (78:25), and food that falls from the table of cherubim and seraphs must be incredible!

B. IT WILL ALWAYS SATIFY YOU

1. It was always the right amount. “He that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack” (Ex. 16:18). The manna seemed to shrink or swell to be exactly what was needed to satisfy the hunger.

2. God’s Word & Presence will always be enough; “My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

C. IT MAY NOT LOOK LIKE ANYTHING GRAND

1. The manna was a small, round thing, like coriander seed, or like the hoarfrost. Though it seems insignificant, just a little bit of God’s Word packs an unseen power.

2. If you only find one new thought or one fresh idea, pick it up, and put it into your soul. You will find that your spiritual hunger will be satiated and your strength renewed!

D. HUMILITY

1. It was always down low. Imagine seeing the Israelites go out of their tents seeking manna. You would see them stooping down to pick it up. Most of them would be down on their knees gathering it.

2. That’s the way God wants us to gather our heavenly food – to gather it on our knees, stooping low with humility and in prayerfulness. May His Word be sweet to our taste!