This Is What You Really Need

Message: Bread of Life part 1

John 6:22-35

Theme: Digesting Truth

Date: Jan. 22, 2023

Text: Jn. 6:22-40

On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 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.”

BACKGROUND

You’ll Notice it says – On the next day (the day after the feeding of the 5k) Jesus had still needed some down quiet time and had sent the disciples on to Capernaum (this will become somewhat of a ministry HQ for Him). The crowd that had been fed had noticed that the disciples had left but without Jesus. I know you carpooled here in a mini-van and there’s only one exit. And the last time I saw Jesus He was headed in the opposite direction by foot. The mini-van is gone. What’s up? Because of the preceding verses (6:19-21) we know that He walked across the lake but they’ve presumed that He mustve gotten in some other boat. So, they get into boats to track Jesus down. Lake community. They themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum.

SEEKERS 6:24 ,

“they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus” (6:24).

Potpourri of reasons and motives as to what they were seeking from Him.

-Genuine Interest: is this the Christ. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” (Jn. 6:14-15) . They’ve seen with their own eyes what just happened and when they’re starting to connect the dots that there’s more to Jesus.

-King/Political: “They would force Him to be King.” (6:15) i.e., “Make Israel Great Again” -Thrill Seekers. Some want to see what He’ll do next.

-Bread Seekers: “you’ve eaten your fill” (6:26b) …but are hungry again.

1-Zoe is a Greater Need than Bios

READ 6:25-27 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” (Notice Jesus never answers that particular question but directs the question to a more important topic). “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set his seal.” (Jn. 6:26-27)