Good morning everybody. My name is Alex Campbell and I have been part of the
Shed for almost five years now. So the Shed is our, yeah, I heard a whoop over
there, is our sixth through twelfth graders. We meet throughout the year, we're on
break right now for the summer, but we meet throughout the year at ten o'clock
right before service and that's been been a joy of mine. And so I've been
doing that for five years now, but today, in what we affectionately call Big
Church, we are going to read through a passage of John 6 together, okay? So
we've been walking through John the last couple weeks and by now I think we have
at least begun to see that the the book of John is a little bit different than
the other Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. And one of the reasons is John seems to
write with with one purpose in mind, right? He is writing to reveal and
persuade the readers, us, that Jesus is in fact who he says he is, that he is the
Son of God, that he is the Son of man, that he is the Holy One of God as Peter
puts it, and the Savior of all people. Right? So Jesus, as we've been reading, and
if you read throughout the whole book of John, he does really a great work of
weaving consistent messages and teachings throughout his interactions
with people. Right? And honestly, we saw that a little bit today with what we're
gonna, what we worshiped and what we're gonna talk about today, just the
consistency that Jesus brings. What we will read today is a continuation of
just what we've already been learning, what he's already been teaching, and this
message that Jesus has kind of been incrementally revealing in his ministry.
John has been preparing, or has prepared our hearts to receive it, right? The way
that he's written it is a way that we can actually receive it. All right? So
with that, let's go to start, get your Bibles. They're on your table. We're gonna
open up to John 6. They're on your table. You can take those home with you if you
like, or you can download an app from any smart device. And we have a tradition
here of giving the scriptures our full attention. So if you, however you're
willing and able to do that, if you'd like, you can join me by standing. We'll
be reading from John 6, starting in verse 1, and I will be skipping around a
little bit, but I'll give you a heads up as we move through this chapter.
Sometime after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee, that is
the Sea of Tiberias, and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw
the signs that he had performed by healing the sick. When Jesus went up on a
mountainside and sat down with his disciples, the Jewish Passover festival
was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to
Philip, where shall we buy bread for these people to eat? He asked this only
to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Verse 11, Jesus
then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as
much as they wanted, and he did the same with the fish. When they had all had
enough to eat, he said to his disciples, gather the pieces that are left over, let
nothing be wasted. Jump down to verse 25, when they found him on the other side of
the lake, they asked him, Rabbi, when did you get here? Jesus answered, very truly,
I tell you, you are looking for me not because you saw the signs I performed,
but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that
spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of
Man will give you, for on him, God the Father, has placed the seal of approval.
Then they asked him, what must we do to do the works God requires? Jesus answered,
the work of God is this, to believe in the one he has sent. One more passage
starting at verse 41, at this the Jews there began to grumble about him
because he said, I am the bread that came down from heaven. They said, this is, is
this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now
say, I came down from heaven? Stop grumbling among yourselves, Jesus answered,
no one can come to me unless the Father who has sent me draws them and I will
raise them up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, they will all be
taught by God. Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.
No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God, only he has seen the
Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the
bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.
But here's the bread that comes down from heaven which anyone may eat and not
die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will
live forever and this bread, this bread is my flesh, which I will give for the
life of the world. Then the Jews began to argue sharply amongst themselves, how can
this man give us his flesh to eat? Jesus said to them, very truly I tell you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life
in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will
raise them up on the last day for my flesh is real food and my blood is real
drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in them.
Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, no one who
feeds on me will, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the
bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died. Whoever
feeds on this bread will live forever. He said this while teaching in the
synagogue of Capernaum and on hearing it many of his disciples said this is a
hard teaching. Who can accept it? And aware of his disciples were grumbling
about this, Jesus said to them, does this offend you? With that let's let's pray.
Jesus, this is a hard teaching. May you soften our hearts to receive it.
May you guide us in and learn leaning into the words of eternal life that you
have given us, that you've spoken to us. May they overcome our thoughts. May we
just welcome you into our hearts. Lord may we stand before you with honesty and
lack of understanding. Lord clear it up for us and draw us into your presence.
Amen. Thank you. I know that was a long passage but man I've read this book of
John multiple times in my life but I feel like I have skimmed over this most
of those times. Like what is he saying here? But particularly because of John's
purpose of writing we should be drawn to the things that Jesus teaches that not
only draw the crowd as we see at the beginning of this chapter but also his
teachings that disperse the crowd right. John is trying to convince us that he
is who he says he is. So when we read passages like this I question sometimes
whether we get offended enough right. Do we really understand the gravity of what
Jesus is saying here and that's not all our fault right. We live in a completely
different time, different culture. We have the benefit of skipping to the end. The
end of the book and the story and the chapter. We have resources to help
explain some of this stuff to us. So with all of that we should still ask why did
they get so offended. Really there are two topics here that cause grumbling
amongst the people and his disciples all right.
Apparent cannibalism and something called predestination right. So welcome
to church everybody. It's gonna be a long day. No unfortunately or fortunately we
won't have time to completely solve both of these things right. Both these
teachings but that's okay. That's not the main goal here. While they are important
and they are obviously part of the teaching and we'll get on we'll touch on
them both. Jesus may have a little bit different goal or a purpose in mind than
just breaking down theological points and talking about God's providence right.
So that's okay and John's pursuit to persuade us of the truth of Jesus he
writes first of Jesus is feeding thousands of followers with bread and
then goes right into Jesus teaching and his claiming to be the bread of life
right. So that's why we read so much today but while these events in and of
themselves are grand and miraculous together they really lift each other up
and is meant to be seen as a tangible metaphor for who Jesus is the bread of
life who has descended from heaven to us okay. The chapter starts with a very
basic need of real hunger right real hunger. A test we can say of the material
type something that we physically experience and this test the material
was all about the capability of God right and the incapability of man who
could not solve this problem. Yet Jesus shows us that not Jesus shows us that
our most important needs can not only be met but be fulfilled with more leftover.
We can have our full and still have more leftover and the teaching that follows
could be described as a second test a second spiritual compliment to the first
the spiritual test shows us that God's care that God cares so much for so much
for us and so much more than just our physical stomachs. See Jesus ministry
impact was spreading and drawing people towards him so much so that they came
not only by the thousands but they came hungry they came hungry meaning they
came from either a far far distance or simply just without a plan they were
just they just wanted to go see this guy. That's the big deal how many times have
you gone on a trip without a plan of food that's how I plan my trips. Jesus
miraculously feeds these thousands of people with five loaves and two fish and
these loaves aren't like the big loaves that you well what I would think of I
will say but these were enough for about one person's lunch. One one boy was
carrying five loaves and two fish. All right so it is in a way as we have read
following this story really an invitation to a redemption story of the
Israelites when they were wandering the desert after God rescued them from
slavery in Egypt. So thank you Brandon for that lead in this morning.
The manna the Israelites gathered every day when it last the night.
You have read the story they they gathered it every single day this manna
that mysteriously appeared with the dew in the morning. They gathered it and they
gather every day and twice as much the day before the Sabbath but over time
something happened something changed in the people and they started gathering
simply out of self-preservation. They lost sight of the miraculous that was
happening right in front of them and they were no longer satisfied with what
they were eating. They grew tired of eating the bread. They grew hungry again
and they ended up turning away in worshiping other gods. Gods that they
created with their own hands and this is what the people in Jesus were discussing.
They had their their feeding of the five thousand with bread and fish and then
they were discussing about the Israelites and they didn't think that it
was on par like well you know Moses they he gave us manna from the desert. You
just gave us some bread and fish and Jesus is saying what I've done is this
is the redemption the opportunity for redemption here and what we find out the
next day as as they're discussing this Jesus teaches no one can come to me
unless the Father who sent me draws them. We find out quite quickly who has the
spiritual stomach for the teachings of Jesus. Not just the tangible food but
the spiritual food and the first thing we just teach about is what we call
predestination. There are many different views on predestination and
how we define it and how it works but I think there are some some things we can't
agree on. What we do know is that Jesus does have something to say about it. He
does just talk about it here and while there are many different views on even
what he does say what we do know what he does say is that something has to happen
before we may enter the fullness of God's presence. He is clear on this. He's
believe in me believe in him as the blameless, willful, and final sacrifice. He
says very truly I tell you the one who believes has eternal life and this
belief apparently is eating his flesh and drinking his blood right so this is
something new. Jesus is teaching something new yet it is also
steeped in a rich history of meaning. Not only is he pointing ahead to what is to
come with his death and resurrection what we call communion or the Eucharist
but is also pointing back and back to something they knew very well and though
I say back for our sake it was something they were actively practicing at the
time the law of Moses right so the book of Leviticus alright this takes us back
book of Leviticus if you've ever read it you've probably just skimmed it you know
same it was generally thought as the so-called rule book right but it's it
is much more than that but they it was laws and laws that were given to the
Israelites while they were in the wilderness right after God delivered
them from slavery to the Egyptians. One of these laws was how to atone for the
sins of the Israelites okay. Sinful people how can I be in the presence of
God again we have to sacrifice so atonement here meaning bringing us into
right relationship with God again right so we were sinful we want we want to be
with God again one day a year on this law called the day of atonement the
priest would be responsible for making sacrifices and offerings before the
tabernacle and this is where God dwelt with his people the animal sacrifice was
the blameless representation of the sinful offer and a portion of that
animal was burned on the altar the unclean parts were taken outside the
camp and burned somewhere else and a portion was kept for food as for the
priests and the priests would take some of the blood from the animal into the
holy of holies it says take its blood behind the curtain into the holy of
holies which is the innermost room of the tabernacle this holy of holies is
where God's God's presence dwelt most abundantly okay and this as it rounds
out some of this stuff of a gus 1711 says for God says for the life of the
creature is in the blood and I have given it to you to make an atonement for
yourselves on the altar it is the blood that makes atonement by the life in the
blood see the holy priest the high priest could only answer the holy of
holies the fullness of God's presence one time a year and only if he carried
before him the lifeblood of a blameless creature this was the only way because
of our sin that separates us from his presence not only were these sacrifices
many they were temporary so this that was one day a year for the whole
community but throughout the year there were individual you know sacrifices and
atonements having to be made right now that that's a that way that's only a
couple of the laws right and all this for what what are we doing this for
simple obedience God just says do it my son Milo is over there is really into
asking the question why right now those that have kids have probably all been
through hopefully a phase I'm counting on it but man it's so hard not to say
because I said so it's still ends up saying it quite a bit but it made he
asked why for a I didn't know I have to explain some of these things in my life
this isn't because God said so this is something different something a little
bit more real exodus 25 8 so before for all these God said then have them make a
sanctuary for me and I will dwell among them so don't miss this God is
instructing his people to make this tabernacle sanctuary so that he may
dwell among his people in the midst of our sin the midst of their sin God is
making a way to be with his people just like we're saying earlier God is
bringing heaven down to us he is pursuing his people his presence among
his people so starting to sound a little familiar right because here Jesus comes
along quite literally God's presence walking among his people quite literally
God's presence he's making a way to be with his creation again and this is a
little bit new a new way he comes along saying whoever eats my flesh and drinks
my blood remains in me this is this is the something new there's this couple
that this is this something that remaining in me finality just use is no
longer temporary and repetitive but remaining this is the same teaching same
teaching but in a brand new way but the people were offended by it all right
Jesus wasn't trying to offend people right he's not walking up trying to push
everybody's buttons we get offended when we misunderstand and they were offended
by it largely because they were misunderstanding they were taking his
saying quite literally we actually find this quite typical throughout the book
of John in particular they took Jesus quite literally when he said he'd rebuild
the temple in three days when in fact he was talking about his body or last week
we learned about Nicodemus right Greg preached about how Nicodemus thought
we'd literally have to go back into our mother's womb to be born again they were
taking him literally they were saying Jesus doesn't want us to carry this
blood before us but now he wants to drink it okay it says right there one of
the laws you may not eat bloods that's you know red flag that's about as
straightforward as you're gonna get right and then the priests just like the
priest rate portion of the sin offering now you want us to eat body right I
don't even know if there's a law about that but we don't like we know we're not
gonna do that what was lost on the people was awesome people that at the
time the message that Jesus was conveying the same message that Jesus
that God was conveying to the Israelites and creating the tabernacle and giving
them the laws was to hunger and thirst for his presence he has given us hunger
and thirst for his presence they thought Jesus's flesh and blood were
given to us to eat rather than for us in place of us but this does this message
is belief and Jesus is all-consuming is all-consuming when God looks at you he
treats you as if you were his son as if you were Jesus blameless holy he does
this because Jesus was treated like what we deserve but I deserve what you
deserve he was put to death so when Jesus says you must drink my blood he is
saying that it is only by my lifeblood a true sinless not even a representation
but truly sinless that we may enter the fullness of in the holiness of God's
presence beautiful part about this I mean if that wasn't beautiful already
great beautiful part is when the priest would eat a portion of the sacrifice set
aside for them back in Leviticus it signified the acceptance of that
sacrifice that's what Jesus is asking us here just like the priest who ate a
portion of that sin offering we too are to eat of his body drink this blood in
confirmation saying yes I believe that Jesus is acceptable that he is fully and
wholly complete this is the word of eternal life this is the way that God's
presence once again you know what mankind what really we have been seeking
since the time Adam and Eve were banished from the garden all right true
communion with God we find out in verse 66 it says from this time many of his
disciples turned back and no longer followed him they accepted the miracle
the loaves and the fish because it suited them at the time but they really
undervalued the true miracle of Jesus the Son of God in the flesh and the
blood they had the curiosity gratified right by the strangeness of Jesus's
miracles that he could do these things but did not have their consciousness
their spirit convinced by the power of them and they walked away it walked away
from the presence of God you know there I remember when Milo was born I had a
conversation with one of my friends a couple months he was probably a couple
months old one of my friends also had a child around the same time I remember
talking to him and saying that I had some I was having a difficult time with
being home in the evenings some and some of those times because I am such a
task-oriented person I'm an engineer if you didn't know about me and so my whole
work life is based on schedules and deadlines do this go to the next thing
it's very logical straightforward but spending time with my children there's
no boxes to check progress is long waiting long waiting for them to sleep
through the night for the first time say their first word to walk
forced me to just be in their presence to be in their presence and that be
sufficient not just sufficient but abundant every part of my cultural
upbringing wants to tell all of you and all of us to go do something right now
go do something fill up your schedules volunteer Bible studies devotions check
those boxes but really we find in these verses that it is simple to ask what
must I do to do the works of God on the other hand it's quite difficult to ask
what must I do to be in the presence of God not only is this what we asked today
but it's exactly what the people asked of the time okay they asked what is what
must we do to do the works of God and Jesus's response is this the work seems
singular of God is this to believe in the one he has sent to believe in the
one he has sent this belief is not a belief of unknowing we're not seeing
Jesus is the one we look on but when our sight does fail us may our taste buds
remind us that he is good that we have experienced his goodness believe in
Jesus believe in his holiness believe he is complete and acceptable sacrifice
believe in his abundance that is abundance is more than we could ever
consume this belief is to come to him to have affection for him and to have a
deep and visceral appetite for him now all of this leads to real movement not
just our souls but our hands and our feet our bodies because to eat and to
drink is to participate and to enjoy life with him this belief in effect all
these things are added up is nourishment and growth it is not stagnant because
belief is to know God and to be taught by him so in the midst of God's presence
and being taught by him may we have the response of Peter looking at verse 67
Jesus says you do not want to leave to do you Jesus has the 12 Simon Peter
answer him Lord to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life we have
come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God and this is a man
speaking right out for hearing some very difficult things so difficult that many
followers left not just curious observers but followers disciples left
him he may not have fully understood what Jesus was teaching but he was still
convinced that Jesus is the way that Jesus presence is worth every bit of
our discomfort so I asked earlier you know you get offended be offended get
uncomfortable and in that seek the true understanding that can only be found in
his presence so whether we're coming to him full of knowledge full of doubts
empty stomachs in the wilderness without a plan Jesus sits us down and feeds us
he feeds us with abundance it is there in his presence that we can remain