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.
• ill: Top selling books in most bookshops are to do with cooking and dieting!
• We love our food and most of us have had too much of it!
Ill:
• You could understand their desire for food, if they had not eaten for a few days,
• But these people had eaten and eaten well,
• Just 24hours earlier these people had eaten one of the biggest meals of their lives,
• When their physical appetites were truly satisfied (vs 12)
Now Jesus is reminding these people that, “Man does not live by bread alone.”
• We are not just animals, animals are always concerned with food,
• But people are different, we are more than just flesh and blood,
• We are also spiritual beings, made to know God, enjoy God, and serve God.
• Physical food says Jesus goes rotten so quickly, it soon spoils, it is temporary.
• Instead, take care to crave food that lasts.
• Jesus said to them, you are concerned, pre-occupied with breakfast,
• But I can give you food that will last forever!
• (Jesus is of course using the physical to illustrate the spiritual as in John chapter 4: water)
(2). How can we Satisfy/please God (vs 28)?
• NIV: The crowd respond: “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
• GNB: “What can we do in order to do what God wants us to do?”
• NET: “What must we do to accomplish the deeds God requires?”
Note:
• Did you notice that in verse 28 the people grab hold of the wrong word.
• Look at what Jesus said in verse 27.
“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.’
Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’”
They latch on to the word ‘work’ and they ignore the word, ‘give’
• Human pride likes to work, to achieve, to be able to do something,
• We all struggle with a ‘free’ gift,
• Maybe because we feel there is probably a catch to it,
• Or we do not like to admit our weaknesses our needs.
• But it is pure arrogance and pride to assume we are good enough for God.
• We cannot even live up to our own standards, never mind God’s perfect standard.
Note the irony here:
• Physically they are willing to accept a free meal of bread from Jesus.
• But spiritually they will not accept spiritual food from Jesus.
• They are happy to receive the temporary,
• But will not accept the eternal.
• Question: How can we satisfy/please God?
• Answer: Only one thing – to believe in Jesus!
• Verse 29: Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
(3). Will you satisfy our eyes by showing us a miracle? (vs 30b)
“So, they asked him, ‘What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?”
• This third question again reflects human nature:
• The crowd say, “Ok if you want us to believe, show us a sign (a miracle)!”
Again, this request is very ironic,
• Twenty-four hours earlier they saw a miracle before their very eyes,
• Their noses smelt and their tastebuds enjoyed fish and bread.
• When Jesus fed the crowd of 10,000plus.
Note: the impudence of the crowd in these verses.
• They saw and tasted and were involved in a miracle,
• A supernatural event that they most likely will never experience ever again.
• And they turn to Jesus and complain!
• “Our miracle wasn’t good enough,
• We want one like Moses experienced in the Old testament.”
• They say, “You only gave us earthly fish and bread.”
• In other words, you only gave us common, everyday food.
• When Moses did a miracle, he gave the people, “Mana, heavenly bread”?
• (Exodus chapter 16)
• Your miracle only lasted for one afternoon.
• When Moses did his miracles, they lasted for forty years.
• You only used a boy’s lunch, you used what came from your hands.
• Moses gave to us, ‘Bread from heaven’
• Wow! Talk about being ungrateful, rude, impudent, and cheeky,
• What a way to speak to the Lord of Glory!
Jesus explains to these people the real facts:
• What Moses gave the people was bread, but it was not the real bread.
• Jesus identifies himself as the "true bread."
• And Jesus shows them that the real bread has two qualities that the mana did not have.
• First: Moses gave them, “it” (an edible substance).
• But God gives you, “Him” (a living person – the Son of God).
• Second: The bread Moses gave only sustained life, kept them alive until the next day.
• Each day they had to go out and collect it and eat it all again.
• But the bread that God gives, creates life!
• It does not merely sustain life it creates life!
Ill:
• Try giving a piece of bread to a dead corpse, he or she is not going to eat it,
• Because they are physically dead, natural bread can only sustain life.
• But to these and all people who are spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins,
• Jesus the "true bread" can give life! And life eternal!
No wonder Jesus replied to them in strong language (vs 32-33),
“Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly’ (or ‘truly, truly’ or ‘Amen! Amen!’)
‘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.’”
(4). will you keep on satisfying us with food? (vs 34)
“they said, ‘always give us this bread.’”
• The crowd want immediate and repetitive results.
• But alas they still have not realized what the true bread is.
• So, Jesus says to them (vs 35).
“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 says four incredible truths here:
First, NOT all who see will come (vs 36):
• “But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.”
• Sadly, some people will see the importance and their need of Jesus but will not come!
• ill: Think of the Rich Young Ruler (Mark chapter 10 verses 17-27).
• Question: Does that describe someone here this morning?
• You see the importance and your need of Jesus but will not come!
• To you, Jesus says, "Come."
• He is asking you to trust him, to commit yourself to him.
Secondly, all who are chosen will come (vs 37a).
• “All those the Father gives me will come to me.”
• I believe that the Holy Spirit leads people, and that the Father draws people,
• And all who are chosen will come to the Son.
• Now do not argue this morning over the term, ‘election’ (save that for another day),
• Just enjoy this verse and the truth of it.
Ill:
• I like the story of the country bumpkin who was not too bright,
• He explained election this way.
“God votes for you, the devil votes against you,
And wherever you cast your vote, you are elevated 2 to 1!”
• TRANSITION: That might not be the greatest bit of theology you will ever hear,
• But it makes a good point!
Thirdly, all who come are welcomed:
• “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”
• Look at that! We have both the teaching of ‘election’ and ‘free will’ side-by-side!
• This verse is also teaching you must choose Christ to have life!
• Listen, no, matter what your record, no matter what you have done,
• No matter where you have been, or how proud, arrogant & self-sufficient you have been,
• When you come to Jesus you will be welcomed.
• You will not be cast out. There is no sin Jesus cannot forgive, so come.
Fourthly, all who come are forever safe (vs 39).
“And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me but raise them up at the last day.”
• Those that belong to Jesus will never be lost.
• And that tells me that our salvation does not depend on us but him!
He goes on to say, four reasons we will not be lost:
• First, because of his own work (vs 38):
• "I have come down from heaven to do this very thing."
• Secondly, because it fulfills the Father's will (vs 39):
• "This is the will of my Father I shall lose none of all those he has given me,
• Thirdly, because it involves even the resurrection of the body (vs 39-40).
• Twice Jesus says, "He will raise them up at the last day."
• Even death with its decay & its corruption death itself is not going to defeat his purposes.
• Fourthly: Because it involves the gift of eternal life right now (vs 40):
• "Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life.”
Note: Eternal life
• Jesus offers us an eternal life that is quite different from the one we usually imagine.
• It has a two-fold application.
• Yes, eternal life refers to a state we enter after we die.
• But Jesus tells us here and elsewhere that eternal life is an eternal union with God,
• That begins the instant the Spirit of God comes to dwell in our hearts.
And finally:
The Bible only ever talks about two types of people.
• Not black or white, not rich or people, not young or old,
• Not intelligent and those who struggle. Not even Man UTD fans and the rest!
• The two types of people are not even good or bad,
• Rather they are dead and alive – dead in sin or alive in Christ.
• Question: Which group are you in?
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=EiMDii51myXHzdKeWIZr5OGrB1jHemio
