How I Love His Salvation
John 6:35-59
Introduction
One of the most familiar stories of the Old Testament is the provision of manna in the wilderness. God gives the food that was needed for survival for over 40 years. Amazing, but there were some problems with manna.
-Physical Only: Fed body, but spiritual meaning is lost on them.
-Short Shelf Life: Cannot sustain more than a day - every day gathered - no way to store it up.
-Eventually you will still die, does not prevent death - temporary in nature.
-Unavailable at times - if you don’t follow instructions precisely, you will be hungry. Especially on the Sabbath!
-Plentiful but not always appreciated.
-Misunderstood: Reflects the restless discontent of God’s people. Manna was God’s loving response to the complaints of His people, who then complained about it not being enough.
It’s hard for us to identify with having one food source, one food type, and a schedule to keep.Who can decide where to eat without driving around for an hour?
The manna story is referred to a couple of times in our text. But this chapter begins with Jesus recreating the manna provision by providing food for 5,000 people with a few loaves and fish.
John 6:14 “When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the prophet who is come into the world!”
This miracle is more than just feeding the hungry. Jesus tops the manna miracle with the feeding of the 5,000 and then tops that - John 6:35 “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
Jesus is everything manna could never be. He can bless more than 5,000! He fulfills and exceeds the promise of manna in every way.
1. Jesus the Bread of Life
He Fulfills all of our Greatest Needs. Manna was crucial to the survival of Israel, but it could only supply the physical needs of the people. Physical bread is important / necessary; but not the only thing of importance. Matthew 4:4 “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Jesus provides something for us that can only be found in relationship with Him. Forgiveness, Grace, Mercy, Strength, Belonging, Hope, Companionship…
He Sustains us Every Day. Manna lasted for a day, at the most two days on Sabbath. What Jesus offers lasts for eternity. So many things we turn to cannot give us what we search for. “The world is spending its billions on ‘that which is not bread’: … alcohol, tobacco, narcotics, gambling, and all of the vain and empty luxuries and superficialities that this world of ‘Vanity Fair has to offer. …And all the while, the Lord God is calling to mankind and pleading with his people…” (Gwynne) John 6:37 “…whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”
He Provides Eternal Life. John 6:49-50 “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.” The one great commonality we all share is that life is short. We are all terminal.
JAMES 4:14 AMP “…What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor - a puff of smoke, a mist -
that is visible for little while and then disappears [into thin air].”
John 6:40 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.
This is our ultimate hope and faith: I will raise him up.
Responses To Jesus as the Bread of Life
Reject Him. (36 …you have seen me and yet do not believe.”). Manna was not always appreciated, but if Israel did not eat it, they had no alternative. Manna was God’s loving response to the complaints of His people, who then
complained about it not being enough. Many people reject Jesus as Lord of their lives. Over and over in this text He emphasizes their need to believe in His identity, His mission, His purpose, and His Truth. Still, some do not.
When we reject Jesus, we reject his promise (vs 37)…whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
Trust Him (40 …Everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day.”). Israel demonstrated trust in God by minding His rules about gathering Manna. We demonstrate our trust in Jesus by listening to Him and trusting Him to save us, keep us saved, and give us life. We demonstrate our trust in Christ through repentance and baptism. Jesus told Nicodemus to be born of water and
spirit.
Share Him (6:51 “If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”). We should do all we can to share Christ with the lost world. We share him out of love for Him and others. The gospel message is the ONLY news EVERYBODY needs to hear. Casting Crowns song: 'Cause I'm just a nobody, Trying to tell everybody, All about Somebody who
saved my soul.
Abide in Him (vs 56-58). We live with Him every day, and signify that when we commune With Him weekly in worship. When We Commune, receiving Him into ourselves and we unite together as His followers.
1 Corinthians 10:17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
Conclusion
1. Will you reject the Bread of Life or Accept Him?
6:66 "After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him." This is crisis #1 in John’s Gospel. This is the beginning of the end. Is it the beginning or end of your faith today?
John 6:67-69 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
God saved the Israelites with Manna in the wilderness, Jesus fed 5,000 with a few loaves and fishes, and ultimately Jesus presents himself as the bread of life that brings us salvation and hope. We are talking about How We Love Jesus in this series. Last week: I love His Healing. This week: I love His Salvation. Jesus’ offer of the Bread of Life tells us of his compassion, His willingness to go to any length to save us. The picture of salvation we have when Jesus proclaims himself as the bread of life is one of eternal fulfillment, assurance, life - available to all … a choice to be made today.
We can reject Him, trust Him, share Him, abide in Him. We can never cancel Him - the Bread of life is eternal and
invites us to eternal life.
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Video of this message will be available on the YouTube channel for Forsythe Church of Christ located at https://www.youtube.com/c/ForsytheChurchofChrist
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Discussion Questions for John 6:35-59
1. After Jesus fed the 5,000, a day passed and the crowd comes again to Jesus. When Jesus redirects the crowd from thinking about physical food to spiritual fulfillment, why do you think they ask him for a sign (vs 30)?
2. The Jewish crowd brings up Manna as a sign of God’s care, apparently crediting Moses. Jesus refers to himself as the ‘true bread from heaven’ (vs 32). What comparisons do you see between Manna and Jesus? What contrasts? (Vs 32-23, 49-50)
3. Four times in this chapter Jesus talks about raising up on the last day (vs 39, 40, 44, 54). How does that fit into the discussion of the Bread of Life … and what does this tell us about what may be on Jesus’ mind?
4. When Jesus says, “This bread is my flesh,” the crowd thinks only of cannibalism (vs 52). What do you think it means to eat Jesus’ flesh and drink his blood (vv 53-59)?
5. The disciples had a hard time with this saying as well (vs 60). Why do you think Jesus talks about the ascension at this point (vs 62)? Does the cryptic remark in vs 70-71 give insight?
6. When Jesus addresses the Twelve, after many have turned away from him, he asks them “Do you want to go away as well?” (Vs 67). What are the elements of Peter’s statement that identify why the 12 stayed with Christ? Which do you identify with the most?
7. How does this chapter address John’s stated goal for his gospel in John 20:30-31?
8. What else did you want to talk about today?
Unused quote:
Spurgeon: "The bread must be eaten, the wine must be drunk. Learn, therefore, that if your soul is to be fed, you must take Christ into you … your own Savior, whose death was in your place, who loved you and gave Himself for you. “
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Resources
Casting Crowns, Nobody. https://youtu.be/1yBzIt_z8oY
Connelly, Douglas. John: The Way to True Life. InterVarsity Press, 2002.
Gwynne, Harold J. Communion Meditations and Prayers. Zondervan, 1969.
Spurgeon, Charles. Sermon located at https://ccel.org/ccel/spurgeon/sermons46/sermons46.li.html
