25-1109p Transcript

(1:32) So a sermon is called, From manna to Messiah, (1:37) the bread that endures forever.

Today we gather to feast on the word of God, (1:43) to be nourished by the truth that sustains us, not just for a day, but for eternity. (1:52) Our scripture today comes from the Gospel of John, chapter 6, verse 35, (1:58) where Jesus declares, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, (2:05) and whoever believes in me shall not thirst.

These are not just words, they are a promise, (2:12) a revelation, and an invitation from the Son of God himself. (2:17) In a world full of temporary distractions, fast food, fleeting pleasures, and material pursuits, (2:25) Jesus offers something far greater, himself the bread of life. (2:33) What does it mean for Jesus to be the bread of life? How does this truth shape our faith, (2:40) our daily walk, and our eternal hope? Tonight we’ll explore three truths about Jesus as the (2:56) partake in him.

Let’s take a closer look at why partaking of his bread can change our lives. (3:05) Point one, Jesus is essential for life. First, let’s understand that Jesus as a bread of life (3:12) is not optional.

He is essential for true life. In John 6, Jesus speaks to a crowd that had (3:22) just witnessed the miracle of feeding of the 5,000. They were amazed by the loaves of fish, (3:30) but Jesus redirects their focus.

In verse 26, he says, You are seeking me, not because you (3:39) saw the signs, but because you ate your fill of loaves. So it must have been good bread, (3:46) it was from Jesus. They must have thought, oh man, this is better than Olive Garden, (3:51) I’m going to come back.

People wanted more bread, more miracles, more temporary provision. (3:59) But Jesus points them to something greater, himself. (4:05) Right in the ancient world was a staple of survival.

Without it, people starved. (4:12) Kind of like today, we still have a ton of bread. You know, I eat bread every day almost.

(4:17) Probably not the healthiest, but it’s still a big part of everybody’s diet. (4:24) When Jesus calls himself the bread of life, he’s saying, I am what you need to live, (4:31) not just physically, but spiritually and eternally. In John 6, 27, he urges, (4:38) do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, (4:44) which the Son of Man will give you.

Think about it, we chase after things that perish. (4:52) Money, status, comfort, but these cannot sustain our souls. (4:59) Jesus is the only source of eternal life.

In John 14, 6, he says, (5:06) I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (5:13) Without Jesus, we are spiritually starving, cut off from the source of life itself.

(5:20) This truth challenges us. Are we treating Jesus as essential or as an add-on to our lives? (5:30) Do we come to him only when we need a miracle, like the crowd seeking more bread? It’s easy (5:36) to do that. When we’re in trouble, we look to God, or maybe when we want something.

But how often (5:44) do we go to him daily, just to talk or have other needs, or even to praise him? (5:55) Jesus invites us to recognize that he is the foundation of our existence. (6:00) Without him, we are empty, but with him, we live an abundant life, John 10, 10. (6:06) Point two, Jesus satisfies our deepest hungers.

(6:11) So second, he’s a bread of life that satisfies us. (6:18) The crowd in John 6 was hungry for physical bread, but Jesus knew their deeper needs. (6:26) In verse 35, he promises, whoever comes to me shall not hunger.

(6:32) Whoever believes in me shall not thirst. (6:36) This is a bold claim. Jesus isn’t offering a quick fix.

He’s offering complete satisfaction for the (6:44) soul. We all have hungers, longings for love, purpose, security, and meaning. The world offers (6:53) substitutes, success, relationships, entertainment, but these are like eating junk food.

They leave (7:01) us craving more. Psalm 107 says, for he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills (7:12) with good things. Jesus is a good thing that completely fills us.

That’s true. The world (7:20) offers a lot of temporary pleasures, but Jesus is the one that gives us true pleasure. Let’s look at (7:30) the context of John 6. Jesus compares himself to the manna God provided for Israel in the wilderness, (7:38) Exodus 16.

The manna was miraculous, but was temporary. It sustained the body for a day. (7:50) If you remember back in the Old Testament, in the wilderness, (7:54) every single day they would get manna, and it only lasted one day.

(8:00) Jesus says in John 6, 49-50, your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. (8:09) This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. (8:15) Jesus is the true manna, the bread from heaven that gives eternal life.

(8:23) This satisfaction isn’t just for your future, it’s for today. (8:30) But it’s amazing how God even compares himself to manna and bread. You can see that Jesus (8:38) is pretty much everywhere.

He represents everything. When we come to Jesus, we find (8:44) peace that surpasses understanding, Philippians 4-7. Joy that is unshaken by circumstances, (8:52) John 16-22, and purpose that anchors our lives.

Have you ever felt restless, (8:59) like something was missing? That’s your soul crying out for the bread of life. (9:05) Only Jesus can fill that void. (9:09) Point three, Jesus invites us to partake in him.

(9:14) Finally, Jesus as the bread of life invites us to partake in him. (9:19) In John 6-35, he says, whoever comes to me, whoever believes in me, this is an open invitation. (9:29) Jesus didn’t force himself on anybody, but he welcomes all who come.

He doesn’t turn away any. (9:37) In verse 37, he says, all that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me, (9:44) I will never cast out. What a promise.

No one is too broken, too sinful, or too far gone to come (9:52) to Jesus. It doesn’t matter who you are. We look at people, we say, that person would never believe (10:00) in Jesus.

Maybe he saw somebody, a biker with tattoos, or somebody out of prison. (10:07) But you don’t know who will accept Jesus, and Jesus doesn’t turn away anybody. (10:12) Just like Isaiah says in verse 42-3, a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick (10:21) he will not snuff out.

In faithfulness he will bring forth justice. So if you’re broken, (10:30) if you’re weak, he still will not turn you away. (10:35) We’re never too far gone for Jesus.

He is his love and redemptive power. (10:43) Partaking in Jesus means more than just admiring him. It means receiving him by faith.

(10:50) In John 6, 53-54, Jesus says, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, (11:00) you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. (11:07) Could you imagine listening to that thousands of years ago? This shocked his ears.

(11:15) But Jesus wasn’t talking about literal cannibalism, which some in the crowd probably had thought. (11:22) That’s why such many people walked away. He was pointing to the intimate, life-giving act (11:31) of trusting his sacrifice.

His body broken in blood, shed on the cross for our sins. (11:40) We partake in Jesus through faith, prayer, his word, and worship. (11:46) During the Lord’s Supper, we remember his sacrifice and receive his grace anew.

(11:54) But partaking isn’t just a weekly event. It’s a daily choice to feed on Christ. (12:02) Just as we eat bread daily to sustain our bodies, we need Jesus daily to sustain our souls.

(12:11) So it’s not just thinking about him every Sunday. It’s every day. (12:17) Every day get into his word and pray, which I’m sure many of us do.

(12:23) In Matthew 4, 4, Jesus says, man shall not live by bread alone, but every word that comes from (12:30) the mouth of God. Jesus is a word made flesh, John 1, 14. And we feed on him by abiding in him, (12:40) John 15, 5. This invitation is for everyone.

The crowd in John 6 included all kinds of people, (12:50) rich, poor, religious, skeptical. Jesus didn’t turn anyone away. Today he invites you, (12:57) no matter where you are in your journey, come to him, believe in him, and find life.

(13:05) But what does this mean for us to live as people fed by the bread of life? (13:11) Let me offer three practical ways to apply this truth. One, make Jesus your daily bread. (13:20) Just as you wouldn’t skip meals for your body, don’t skip feeding your soul.

(13:24) Spend time in prayer. Read God’s word and seek his presence daily. (13:31) Start your day with Jesus, asking him to fill you with his strength and wisdom.

(13:37) If you’re feeling spiritually dry, recommit to this practice. Jesus is waiting to nourish you. (13:47) Trust Jesus to satisfy, this is number two, is trust Jesus to satisfy your deepest needs.

(13:54) When you’re tempted to chase worldly substitutes, whether it’s approval, wealth, or pleasure, (14:01) turn to Jesus instead. You can see the world offers a lot of temptation. If you go by the world, (14:11) all you’ll care about is money, fame, what kind of material things you have.

Instead, (14:18) we need to focus on Jesus. Bring your longings to him in prayer. Ask Lord, how can you satisfy (14:25) this hunger? He may not give you what you want, but he will give you what you need, himself.

(14:34) Luke 12, 15 says, watch out. Be on guard against all kind of greed. A man’s life does not consist (14:41) in the abundance of his possessions.

Man shouldn’t live for just material things. (14:50) And bread alone for the flesh, but on every word that comes out, comes from the mouth of God. (14:57) Matthew 4, 4, to satisfy his spirit.

Number three is share the bread of life with others. (15:08) In John 6, 11, Jesus took the loaves, washed them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute. (15:15) We too are called to share Jesus, to share Jesus with a hungry world.

(15:20) Tell others the hope you found in Christ. (15:25) Invite a friend to church, share a testimony, or show Christ’s love through acts of kindness. (15:32) The world is starving for the bread of life.

Let’s share them generously. We all know in Mark (15:39) 16, 15, it says, go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Like Jim mentioned, (15:50) I don’t know if it was a Bible study or his sermon, the fields are white.

(15:54) They’re ready to be harvested. You know, the world is prepared. They need a Savior right now.

A lot (16:03) of people are struggling. A lot of people are hurting. We need to share the good news.

(16:10) As we close, let’s return to John 6, 35. I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger.

(16:20) And whoever believes in me shall never thirst. Jesus is not just a teacher, (16:27) a healer, or a miracle worker. He is a source of life itself.

He is essential. He satisfies. (16:36) And he invites us to partake in him.

Today, wherever you are, Jesus is calling you to come, (16:43) to believe, and to be filled. Maybe you’re here and you’ve never fully trusted Jesus as the bread (16:55) of life. Today is the day to come to him.

Romans 10, 9 says, if he confesses your mouth that Jesus (17:02) is Lord, and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Come to him and (17:10) he will never cast you out. Maybe you’re a believer, but you’ve been feeding on the world’s (17:16) empty promises.

Come back to Jesus. Make him your daily bread. Let him satisfy your soul.

(17:27) If you have any needs, or even want to tell the congregation about something good that happened, (17:34) now’s the time to come forward.