The Bread from Heaven

Introduction: The Gospel of John records seven primary “miracles” that were performed to help people recognize the divine nature of Jesus and the reason to place their faith in him alone.  These signs include changing water into wine, healing a royal official’s son, healing the man at the pool of Bethesda, feeding the 5,000, walking on water, healing the man born blind, and raising Lazarus from the dead.

This morning, I want to speak on the Bread from Heaven and the message in the miracle.

READ: John 6:25-57

1. THE MIRACLE:

Jesus has massive crowds following him everywhere. On this particular occasion it is getting late, it’s also supper time and people are getting hungry. The disciples encourage Jesus to call it day and send the crowds home to feed their families. But Jesus has plan at work and so he tells the disciple to figure out how to feed the people.

Philip, go get them something to eat in town. A test of his faith. And Philip fails the test, excuse me Jesus, a year and a half’s wages wouldn’t be enough money to buy this amount of food.

Andrew on the other hand has a little more faith. He points out that a boy in the crowd brough his lunch along and perhaps they could start with this little amount of food. (Little is a lot when God’s in it)

Jesus has the disciples grab the boys lunch basket and divided the people up into groups of 50 people. Then he prays over the loaves and fish (Eucharisteo) and something happens. MIRACLE.

Then he instructs his disciples to pass out the vittles and encourage the people to take as much as they want.

When the people are all fed he instructs his boys to gather up the leftovers and there is plenty of food to spare. MIRACLE

• Miracle Accomplished Message about to begin. But we must first notice the among the people who are beginning to grumble. The spiritual dullness of the crowd.

2. THE MISUNDERSTANDING

• The crowd was all Jewish present at this miracle. And they all knew the story of the Exodus. But they missed the fact that it was God and not Moses that provided bread from heaven. And then he drops the bomb on them.

“I am the bread that was sent down from heaven.”

But this message was misunderstood. And they thought like the woman at the well did about the living water- give us more of this bread to eat, it’s free and its good!

• Nobody earns their salvation. V.28-29
  • What must we “DO” to please God ? v.28-1
  • Answer: believe in the one he sent!
• Jesus first temptation involved bread. He was hungry after fasting for many days and Satan said to him, if you are the Son of God turn these stones into bread. Jesus response says it all, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE. (Matthew 4:4)

^“ Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.” (Philippians 3:19)

3. THE MESSAGE:

• Ingesting the truth about Christ is essential for salvation and eternal life.

• The words Eternal Life appear 17 times in John’s gospel and 5 are in this chapter. Only 9 times is this phrase used in the other tree gospels combined.

Observations:

• Most people come to Jesus motivated by self-interest.

John says that they crowd recognized Jesus to be the prophet and desired to make him King by force. Sounds good right! But their motivation is not based upon faith but on focus. Their motives were selfish. Give us this bread, like the woman at the well who says to Jesus, give me this water you’re talking about so I don’t have to make the trip to the well every day. (John 4)

Whosoever believes in him will never perish but have eternal life!

These are the people who are given the right to be called the children of God. John 1:12-14

• Those who truly believe give evidence that the Father is at work in them. V.35-51
• All those the Father gives me will come to me. V.37
• I will lose none of those He has given me but raise them up at the last day. V.39
• No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. V. 44

Effectual Grace: the word draw is: didwmi which means to compel, woo or draw. God the Father through the work of the Holy Spirit removes the blinders that keep people in the dark regarding to the true identity of Christ and the gospel.

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:4-6

We have been saved through the regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5

• Jesus explains what he means by the drawing of the Father in verses 63-64
• Holy Spirit must be at work in person for them to truly receive the Bread from Heaven.
• Jesus told his disciples that the key to their ministry would be the Holy Spirit whose role is to convict the hearer that they need to be saved, that their sin is great, their righteousness is insufficient and that judgement is to be expected. John 16:8
• The Apostle Paul informed the Corinthian church that the Holy Spirit is the one who alone will interpret the mind of God and share it with people. 1 Cor. 2:14
• Man’s is unable to respond to Jesus unless the Spirit sent by the Father moves in them. It’s not that your will is unable to choose Jesus.

Lazarus was called from his dead state and the Holy Spirit raised him up! John 11

• Luke says that “as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. Acts 13:48. Say Effectual GRACE!

My story: I had an encounter with the Holy Spirit and repented in Washington State after a life of sin. But, when I moved back to the bay I was struggling to stay the course. I was single and unsatisfied.