- Have you ever met someone who always has to have a better story than everyone else? If you did something, won something, went somewhere, this person has to add their story and has to in someway make it sound like their story is better or what they accomplished was better. OR you tell a “sob story” and they have to add their sob story because they want to be pitied more than anyone else!
- Jesus spoke in metaphors because of his overall message and his humility.
- So, Jesus has a really tall task in front of him – which is to tell Israel that all the prophecies they heard about have come true. He has present truth but not sound arrogant.
- Sometimes Jesus statements about himself are hard to wrestle with and difficult to understand. This is one of those!
- Jesus has six “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John, which is one of the things that makes John’s Gospel so unique and not considered part of the synoptic gospels.
- I Am Statements:
o Relates to God’s I Am that I Am in Exodus 3.
o Jesus’ statements though reveal his relationship to humanity (I am the bread of life, I am the gate of the sheep, I am the light of the world, I am the way, truth and life, I am the good shepherd, I am the true vine and I am the resurrection and life.”
[Exposition]
John 6:35 – 40
- The crowd was following Jesus because he gave them physical bread (and fish) and they wanted more! Jesus’ I Am Bread indicates that he is essential for life and we will never be satisfied until we commune with him.
- Whoever comes will never hunger.
- Whoever believes will never thirst.
John 6:41-51
- Following the crossing of the Red Sea (Israel / Egypt), God provides water and then bread from heaven.
- We cannot come to Jesus but are drawn to Jesus by the Father. God does all the work for us! This stands in contrast to the Pharisees who believed that obedience was key to obtaining and maintaining salvation.
John 6:52 - 69
a. Do we want to hang on to Jesus even when he asks us to do hard things or when he says hard things or do we want to turn around and walk away?
b. The disciples were alarmed at what he said but they held on because Christ is essential and satisfied them.
c. Our belief in Jesus is demonstrated by our worship towards him (actions/obedience).
