1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,040 If you will, turn to me in your Bibles to John chapter 6, verse 22 through verse 40. 2 00:00:11,040 --> 00:00:18,840 And this morning we're going to look at another one of those I am statements of Jesus Christ. 3 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:26,480 This past week, Jan and I and our granddaughter Paisley went up to Princeton, New Jersey, 4 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,960 and also Philadelphia. 5 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:31,760 And Paisley wanted to do something. 6 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:40,720 So we thought about taking a canoe trip on, I believe it was the Ritten Canal. 7 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:44,680 We get to the canoe rental place and you have three options. 8 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,560 You can go all day, three hours, one hour. 9 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,880 Paisley wants to go the entire day. 10 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:59,480 We say, no, we don't have time too expensive, we'll go for one hour. 11 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:08,320 So we get in the canoe, we are rowing down the canal, and guess what Paisley says after 12 00:01:08,320 --> 00:01:10,640 about 30 minutes? 13 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,920 Can we go back? 14 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,840 Now here's the moral of the story. 15 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:25,160 Going on a canoe trip is good, but sometimes what we think we want while it may be good 16 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:30,120 is not really what we want or need. 17 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:37,160 And we're going to look at a passage today, one of the I am sayings of Jesus, in which 18 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:42,240 this is not a parent at first, but really that's the underlying issue. 19 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:47,960 The people who have come to see Jesus think they want something which is very good, but 20 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:52,760 there's a deeper need which they need to be cognizant of. 21 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:59,400 Let's see what Scripture says to us this morning beginning at verse 22. 22 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:04,640 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that 23 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:10,960 only one boat had been there and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples. 24 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,560 So they had gone away alone. 25 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:19,080 And some boats from Tiberius landed near the place where the prophet had eaten the bread 26 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:21,760 after the Lord had given thanks. 27 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:27,280 And once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into 28 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:32,600 the boat and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. 29 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:37,920 And when they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, Rabbi, when did 30 00:02:37,920 --> 00:02:39,920 you get here? 31 00:02:39,920 --> 00:02:46,720 And Jesus answered, very truly I tell you, you are looking for me not because you saw 32 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:52,640 the signs I performed, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 33 00:02:52,640 --> 00:02:59,760 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the 34 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,560 Son of Man will give you. 35 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:07,880 For on him, God the Father's place, the seal of approval. 36 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:15,000 Then they asked him, what must we do to do the works God requires? 37 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:23,200 Jesus answered, the work of God is this, to believe in the one he has sent. 38 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:30,400 So they asked him, what sign then will you give that we may see it and believe in you? 39 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,360 What will you do? 40 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:37,240 Our ancestors ate the man in the wilderness as it is written, he gave them bread from 41 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,120 heaven to eat. 42 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:47,760 Jesus said to them, very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread 43 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:54,680 from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 44 00:03:54,680 --> 00:04:02,000 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. 45 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:11,840 Sure they said, always give us this bread, then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. 46 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:17,520 Whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty, 47 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:23,360 but as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 48 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:28,520 And all those the Father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me, I will never 49 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:30,520 drive away. 50 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:36,360 I have come down from heaven not to do my will, but to do the will of him who sent me. 51 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:42,640 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he had given 52 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,920 me, but raise them up in the last day. 53 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:52,120 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall 54 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:57,960 never have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:04,320 Let's pray and ask God to bless the reading of his word. 56 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:11,520 Our God, may we see today that Jesus is the bread of life. 57 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:19,960 Help us, our God, to desire him because our souls are hungry. 58 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:21,960 Hear our prayer. 59 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:23,460 Amen. 60 00:05:23,460 --> 00:05:25,960 I like bread. 61 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,200 All sorts of bread. 62 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:29,200 There's a restaurant somewhere around here. 63 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,160 They used to have the Throde rolls. 64 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:32,160 Anybody ever had those? 65 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:33,160 Oh, those are so good. 66 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,280 With butter on them and everything. 67 00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:40,360 And I really like a dark brown bread with butter on it. 68 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:46,600 One church that I was preaching in one time had a fresh loaf of brown bread. 69 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:51,600 I got to tell you that was the tastiest bread for our communion service that I ever had. 70 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,920 I mean, I was almost tempted to ask, are you finished with that one? 71 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:59,840 I'd like to take it home with me. 72 00:05:59,840 --> 00:06:02,960 Now do you remember this from your younger years? 73 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:07,240 There used to be a type of bread called Roman meal. 74 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:08,240 It was a very good bread. 75 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:09,480 It was supposed to be in atricious tea. 76 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:11,120 I love that stuff. 77 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:13,280 I used to eat it in sandwiches. 78 00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:18,480 I used to squeeze it together and make little bread balls and pop those things into my mouth. 79 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:22,160 Maybe I thought if I ate this bread, I'd be like a Roman soldier. 80 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,720 But it was tasty. 81 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,680 And don't get me started on another type of bread. 82 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:29,920 Pastries like bear claws and all that. 83 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,600 Oh, those are very good. 84 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:39,080 Now throughout the history of the world, human beings had to have bread to eat. 85 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:45,600 Not necessarily to delight their palate, but they had to have it to survive. 86 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:51,840 And before the days when you could run to publics and pick up frozen food, the staple 87 00:06:51,840 --> 00:06:54,920 of a diet was usually bread. 88 00:06:54,920 --> 00:07:01,760 They may not have had a lot of meat or vegetables, but throughout the world, you could get some 89 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,760 bread. 90 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:10,720 I want you to think about what Jesus talked about in the Lord's Prayer that we just recited. 91 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:20,800 Give us this day our daily bread because everyone was partaking of bread. 92 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:27,080 Everyone once said nature's first fast food, bread. 93 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,440 readily available in most places. 94 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,280 Common food that you ate. 95 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:37,360 And when you think of the temptations of Jesus Christ, what was one of them? 96 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,000 Turn these stones into bread. 97 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:45,240 You've got to have it to live, to sustain your life. 98 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:54,680 Today, I want to look at a passage in which Jesus talks about bread. 99 00:07:54,680 --> 00:08:01,200 And he's saying here, I am the bread of life. 100 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:08,040 Now that should make us wake up this morning and think of the importance of Jesus Christ 101 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:12,920 as the bread of God that gives life. 102 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:19,000 That basic staple that we need both for body and soul. 103 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:24,720 So let's dive into the passage this morning and let's start out by seeing what is going 104 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:28,840 on in the big picture of John chapter six. 105 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:37,920 And it all starts out with a miracle that Jesus Christ performs to meet a very physical 106 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:38,920 need. 107 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:42,720 Let's get the picture here. 108 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:51,800 The people have come to hear Jesus Christ teach a lot of people, five thousand men. 109 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:56,480 And then there's also going to be the women and children who were there together. 110 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:04,200 And Jesus is teaching away and he realizes that after a while the people are hungry. 111 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:09,400 Now there's no McDonald's, no hearties, no checkers, no waffle house to send them off 112 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,200 to. 113 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:17,960 So what is Jesus and his disciples going to do about this problem? 114 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:22,400 Jesus tells his disciples you feed them. 115 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:28,000 And the response from Philip is you want us to feed them? 116 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,720 Do you realize what that would cost? 117 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:37,280 Why Philip says that's going to cost a half a year's wages for us to pay for all these 118 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,400 people to get some bread and fish. 119 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:44,680 Where's it all going to come from Jesus? 120 00:09:44,680 --> 00:09:52,560 And in some of the Bible versions in other passages in which this event is dealt with, 121 00:09:52,560 --> 00:09:57,280 it says that Jesus had compassion on the crowd. 122 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:59,960 He was concerned. 123 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:09,200 And then they find a boy who's got five loaves of bread and two fish. 124 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:18,320 Not enough to feed five thousand, but Jesus gives thanks to God and the food keeps on coming. 125 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,680 And there's more than enough. 126 00:10:21,680 --> 00:10:27,280 The whole passage should remind us of the Old Testament where God gave his people in 127 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:32,880 the Old Testament manna and quail to satisfy their physical needs. 128 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:39,760 And they had to have food just as his crowd had to have food. 129 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:44,160 The reason that this miracle story is here is one to show that Jesus is God. 130 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:45,440 He could do miracles. 131 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:51,880 But it's also here to show us that he's concerned about human need. 132 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:54,200 He turns water into wine. 133 00:10:54,200 --> 00:11:02,800 He didn't have to do that, but there was a need to relieve someone of social embarrassment. 134 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,440 There is the feeding of the four thousand where people were hungry. 135 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:08,160 He meets the need. 136 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:11,560 There were people who were sick. 137 00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:14,280 He healed their bodies. 138 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:16,440 What's going on here in the mind of Christ? 139 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,160 What is the mind of God in all of this? 140 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:28,640 It is that human beings need help with their human needs, and God is not against that. 141 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:34,320 Now, often in our conservative circles, we've come up with a false dichotomy. 142 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:38,760 We say, well, the body, that's not really important. 143 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,040 It's the soul that counts. 144 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,400 It's just the soul. 145 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:48,040 If you have a human need, oh, that's not important at all. 146 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,240 Tell that to Jesus Christ. 147 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:52,880 Tell it to Jesus. 148 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:57,960 See, God created us body and soul. 149 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,320 And yes, at death, there is a separation. 150 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:04,960 But we've got to remember one day when Jesus Christ comes again, it's body and soul back 151 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:08,080 together again. 152 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:12,600 Some people have seen the body as a prison house of the soul. 153 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:17,000 That is not what the Bible says. 154 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,200 And the body has to be taken care of. 155 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:27,480 And part of the way that God blesses his people is by meeting their bodily needs. 156 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:32,640 And in this case, one of the big things, you've got to eat. 157 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,240 And Christ understands that. 158 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:40,080 Christ understands the pains of hunger. 159 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:44,880 And let's put it this way, in our lives, he has met those needs. 160 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:49,240 And for many people around the world, he meets that need. 161 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,400 Jesus knows that we need food. 162 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:55,800 That's the way he created us. 163 00:12:55,800 --> 00:13:04,920 But there is a conflict because of this miracle. 164 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:08,120 And the conflict comes down to this. 165 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:14,120 There is more to life than just bodily needs. 166 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:15,120 Are they important? 167 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:16,120 Yes. 168 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:17,640 Does Christ meet those needs? 169 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:18,640 Yes. 170 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:24,400 But there is something going on here that these people are leaving out. 171 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:30,840 You see, the people who had come to Jesus at this point, they only want someone who will 172 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:34,360 meet physical needs. 173 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:35,520 Look at verse 15. 174 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:37,400 What do they want? 175 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:44,080 If you look at verse 15 of chapter 6, they want to make Jesus king. 176 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:50,160 They want him to be king because they'll have what they need at a very physical level. 177 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:52,880 That's what they want. 178 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:54,880 Let's make him an earthly king. 179 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:59,240 That way, he will meet our need for food and drink. 180 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:00,720 And the crowds notice. 181 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:02,840 They're following him to find Jesus. 182 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:10,080 They can't find him at first, but they're looking for him and they go across the sea. 183 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:16,800 Remember what Caesar used to do in Rome when the crowds were getting a little restless? 184 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:18,880 Give them bread. 185 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,320 Let's have an event at the Colosseum. 186 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:22,800 Let's fill their stomachs. 187 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:24,240 They'll keep them happy. 188 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,480 Is that Jesus Christ, though? 189 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:31,120 Is he the type of king who's just going to give them a little bread so they'll follow 190 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:33,640 him and make them happy? 191 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:36,400 No, that's not Jesus. 192 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:43,160 And look at what Jesus says to them. 193 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:47,720 Look at what he's saying in verse 26. 194 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:51,480 Notice how pointed Jesus is. 195 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:56,720 Very truly, I tell you, you're looking for me not because you saw the signs I performed, 196 00:14:56,720 --> 00:15:00,640 but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 197 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:02,160 Was doing the miracle wrong? 198 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:03,160 No. 199 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:04,800 Was filling their stomachs wrong? 200 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:05,800 No. 201 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:11,240 But what Jesus is saying is, look, the only reason you're looking for me is because you 202 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,440 want more bread. 203 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:16,520 That's the reason you want me. 204 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:17,840 And you look at verse 30. 205 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:19,440 What else do they want? 206 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:26,400 They challenge Jesus, so they ask him, what sign will you give that we may see it and 207 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:27,400 believe you? 208 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,080 What will you do? 209 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:30,520 Our fathers gave us manna. 210 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:34,320 Can you do that, Jesus? 211 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:37,680 And Jesus says, oh yeah, I can do it. 212 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:39,360 But Moses didn't give you manna. 213 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:43,920 God the Father gives you manna. 214 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:52,480 What these people don't realize is that they are missing out on something that is weightier. 215 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:59,840 And what does Jesus say after they cry out for more bread? 216 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:07,280 I am the bread of life. 217 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:14,520 And what Jesus is saying, it's not just your stomachs that need to be filled, it's your 218 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:20,680 soul. 219 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:23,560 What happens when you have a big breakfast? 220 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:25,760 Oh, you're filled for a while. 221 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:28,800 You're satisfied, aren't you? 222 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:31,040 But then guess what happens at lunchtime? 223 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,840 You get hungry again. 224 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,520 I think God made us that way to show us something. 225 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:43,000 That a lot of what we desire in this world, well, it is necessary and good. 226 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:49,280 It will not ultimately satisfy us. 227 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,840 And these crowds think, well, if we have a king who just gives us physical bread, oh, 228 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:58,080 everything will be perfect, perfect, perfect, right. 229 00:16:58,080 --> 00:16:59,080 That's dealing with bread. 230 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:01,920 But what about your lives? 231 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:05,800 Let's look at some other areas where we want Christ to meet our needs. 232 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:09,080 And those needs may be good. 233 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:14,720 If I have the right job, I'll be satisfied. 234 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:19,960 If I go to the right school, I will be satisfied. 235 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:23,840 If I have the right friends, I will be satisfied. 236 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:28,680 If I have the right house in the night neighborhood, I will be satisfied. 237 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:30,440 Those are good things. 238 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:35,880 And a lot of times Christ gives us those things. 239 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,000 But they won't ultimately satisfy us. 240 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:45,200 No more than a loaf of bread will ultimately satisfy you. 241 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:54,520 And I wonder how many times God in His goodness and grace has given us what we want. 242 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:59,600 But we realize it's not really what we want. 243 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:05,760 It's good, but there's something deeper we're missing. 244 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:07,320 I had to go, I didn't have to go. 245 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:11,640 I wanted to go to Princeton, to the theological seminary there, to the university. 246 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:14,640 I wanted to do some study about something. 247 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,840 Now I got to tell you, that's a nice place. 248 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:21,680 I got to tell you, that place has got some money. 249 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:24,880 I got to tell you, I wouldn't mind living around there. 250 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:27,640 Could Ford live around there, but I wouldn't mind it. 251 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:33,680 Now here's the thing, there's an awful lot of kids who want to go to Princeton University. 252 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:37,320 Because it's going to give them a leg up in life. 253 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:42,720 And God has given certain students the ability to get into a place like that. 254 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:47,320 And I was reading an article, I believe it was in Wall Street Journal or some other magazine, 255 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:52,640 that talks about these Ivy League kids who go to these great schools. 256 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,560 They have the right connections to make it in the world. 257 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:56,560 And what do they want to do? 258 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:57,560 They want to go to Wall Street. 259 00:18:57,560 --> 00:18:58,560 They want to make money. 260 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:04,640 So, they graduate from their nice, well-manacured schools with all the resources and they go 261 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,640 to New York City and what do they find out? 262 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:12,120 Yeah, they're getting paid a lot, but they're living in New York City, so they're not keeping 263 00:19:12,120 --> 00:19:14,280 a lot. 264 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:19,800 They're working extremely long hours with no time to themselves. 265 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:30,680 They're working in an environment which is dog eat dog and they wind up being very dissatisfied. 266 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:34,320 In fact, I knew a student who went to Penn. 267 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:38,600 That is an Ivy League school in Philadelphia. 268 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:41,480 Went through the Ivy program here. 269 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,440 He graduated from Penn, got a job for Google. 270 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:45,440 I saw him one time. 271 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:47,880 I asked him, well, how's it going? 272 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,000 I can't stand it. 273 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,320 I like it. 274 00:19:52,320 --> 00:20:01,400 We think we know what we want, but deep down inside, it's not what we really need. 275 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:02,400 Is it good? 276 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:03,400 It's good. 277 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:12,440 It can be a blessing, but there's a deeper issue here. 278 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:17,280 And that's the resolution to the problem that has come up here. 279 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:26,360 You see, Jesus says, you've got to look to me as the bread of life to satisfy your deepest 280 00:20:26,360 --> 00:20:28,280 longings of your soul. 281 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:34,880 That is why he uses this idea of bread, because he knew back then, and he experienced in his 282 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:42,000 life, you've got to have bread to satisfy your stomach, but there's more to life. 283 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:46,520 There's the satisfaction of life with God. 284 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:49,600 He says, I am the bread of life. 285 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:54,720 He gives what we need, both for body and soul. 286 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:59,320 He is the one who gives us the blessings of salvation. 287 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:08,320 And in verse 37, he points that out when he says this in verse 37. 288 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:13,240 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me, I will never 289 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:14,240 drive away. 290 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:21,680 For I have come down from heaven to do my, not my will, but to do the will of him who 291 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:23,080 sent me. 292 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:28,600 And this is the will of him who sent me that I shall lose none of all those he has given 293 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:32,560 me, but raised them up in the last day. 294 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:36,400 Jesus is saying as the bread of life, I am the one who gives you what you really want, 295 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:40,880 and that is salvation in its fullness. 296 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:48,880 Now, you say to me, pastor, then I should have some hunger pains of the soul. 297 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:50,380 You do. 298 00:21:50,380 --> 00:21:53,360 And here's one of those hunger pains of your soul. 299 00:21:53,360 --> 00:21:55,480 It is significance. 300 00:21:55,480 --> 00:22:01,000 You're trying to find significance in this world, and you think if I do this, if I achieve 301 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:05,360 this, I will have some significance in my life. 302 00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:09,880 If I prove to other people, and that's really what significance comes down to, you've got 303 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:16,480 to prove yourself to somebody else, then everything will work out. 304 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:17,480 But it doesn't. 305 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:18,480 It doesn't. 306 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:22,840 What's to say, you are very good in your field. 307 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:24,320 You achieve some notoriety. 308 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:26,800 It doesn't last. 309 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:31,480 And you're only as good as your last accomplishment. 310 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:35,880 Someone else will come along who is a lot better than you. 311 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:41,280 And let's also be honest, people are fickled on what they like and what they think is an 312 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:42,280 accomplishment. 313 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:46,240 Jesus Christ knew that. 314 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:47,920 He didn't trust himself to other people. 315 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:48,920 Why didn't he trust himself? 316 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:50,880 Because he knew they were fickle. 317 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:51,880 They liked him one day. 318 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,400 They rejected him the next. 319 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:59,560 But in verse 37, he says, if you believe in me, you don't have to do any of that stuff 320 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:00,560 anymore. 321 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:02,920 You don't have to earn anybody's favor. 322 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:06,160 You have the favor of God. 323 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:11,560 That's what you really want, the favor of God that lasts forever, that doesn't go away, 324 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:15,840 that is not based on your latest accomplishment. 325 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:17,720 That's the hunger-paying of the soul. 326 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:19,120 We want some significance. 327 00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:20,280 And God gives it to us. 328 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:23,320 He makes us his adopted children. 329 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:25,680 And here's another hunger-paying of the soul. 330 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,360 It's called forgiveness. 331 00:23:28,360 --> 00:23:30,640 Events come into your mind from the past. 332 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,760 And you did long ago like a bad dream. 333 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:37,800 They keep coming into your mind something that you did that was wrong and you can't 334 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:38,800 get over it. 335 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:41,400 You don't know what has happened to the people you sinned against. 336 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:45,800 You can't say you're sorry. 337 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:52,400 But with Jesus as the bread of life, there's forgiveness. 338 00:23:52,400 --> 00:24:00,600 If he forgave David for his multiple sins, God will most certainly forgive him. 339 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:06,600 Because Christ died for sinners. 340 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:11,120 And one of the great hungers of the soul that people have is they want to be forgiven. 341 00:24:11,120 --> 00:24:16,520 They want to know that accepted by God. 342 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:21,000 The hunger of significance, the hunger for forgiveness. 343 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:27,560 Jesus says, I am the bread of life who meets that need. 344 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:30,040 Those are the soul hungers. 345 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:33,840 And remember what Jesus said when he was being tempted? 346 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:40,520 What did he say to Satan who said, turn these stones into bread. 347 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:48,040 Man shall not live by bread alone, but by the word of God. 348 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:53,200 And that's what we need to keep in mind. 349 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:57,640 The gifts that God has given you are his grace. 350 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:01,800 He cares about your body. 351 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:06,320 But the problem in our day and age is the problem that people back then had. 352 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:09,720 They're only concerned about their body. 353 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:14,940 But they need to be concerned as well about their soul. 354 00:25:14,940 --> 00:25:18,240 Because body and soul go together. 355 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:24,600 And you not only need the bread that fills your stomach, but the bread of life that feeds 356 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:27,360 your soul. 357 00:25:27,360 --> 00:25:35,040 So this morning as we get ready for our salad Sunday, don't forget to feast on Christ who 358 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:41,600 said, this is my body which is broken for you. 359 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:43,200 Let's pray. 360 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:50,920 Our heavenly Father, we come now before you, asking that you will help us to see Jesus 361 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:57,200 Christ as the bread of life that we so desperately need. 362 00:25:57,200 --> 00:25:59,160 We are prayer this morning. 363 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:00,680 And be with us now. 364 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:27,520 Amen.