WEBVTT 00:00:10.019 --> 00:00:12.679 Hey everyone, this is Josh from Encounter Church 00:00:12.679 --> 00:00:15.279 Henley and thanks so much for tuning into our 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:19.000 podcast. Our prayer is that through this podcast, 00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:20.899 you can have an encounter with Jesus that will 00:00:20.899 --> 00:00:24.359 change your life. And now get ready for an inspiring 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:28.039 message from our preaching team. How are we going 00:00:28.039 --> 00:00:34.250 church? Having a good week. Tex is having a good 00:00:34.250 --> 00:00:38.490 week. If we haven't met yet, my name is Angus 00:00:38.490 --> 00:00:41.450 August. It's great to be here. I'm part of the 00:00:41.450 --> 00:00:44.969 team here at Encounter Henley. I'm really privileged 00:00:44.969 --> 00:00:48.409 to be part of the preaching team. It's a real 00:00:48.409 --> 00:00:53.170 pleasure and a joy. I love doing it. But it fills 00:00:53.170 --> 00:00:56.509 me with a lot of anxiety. And so I'm going to 00:00:56.509 --> 00:00:59.750 pray. I'm going to pray and then we'll jump into 00:00:59.750 --> 00:01:06.219 it. Loving God, we thank you for your word. We 00:01:06.219 --> 00:01:08.799 thank you for the miracle it is that it's been 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:14.200 preserved through thousands of years. It's survived 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:17.280 censorship, it's survived people trying to wipe 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:19.780 it off of the earth, but God, your word has endured. 00:01:21.659 --> 00:01:24.560 And so Father, we're so grateful that we're able 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:26.760 to access your word and we're able to access 00:01:26.760 --> 00:01:29.670 your spirit through your word. Father, we can 00:01:29.670 --> 00:01:31.650 learn more about You and we can grow deeper in 00:01:31.650 --> 00:01:34.510 relationship with You through Your Word. So Father, 00:01:34.510 --> 00:01:37.209 I pray that as I speak this afternoon, God, that 00:01:37.209 --> 00:01:39.989 Your Spirit is here in this place moving in the 00:01:39.989 --> 00:01:42.750 hearts and the minds of everyone listening. Father, 00:01:42.750 --> 00:01:45.230 I pray that as I speak, it would not be my truth 00:01:45.230 --> 00:01:47.329 or my power or my strength, but God, it would 00:01:47.329 --> 00:01:51.310 just be all You. Father, I pray for Your truth 00:01:51.310 --> 00:01:54.640 to be spoken tonight. pray for your spirit to 00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:58.239 move in power. Father, may we all walk away richer 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:00.480 in love and deeper in understanding of who you 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:03.299 are, what you've done, and how you're moving 00:02:03.299 --> 00:02:06.760 in our lives. So Father, I thank you. I give 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:08.879 you all the praise, all the honour, all the glory, 00:02:09.500 --> 00:02:12.500 in your mighty, wonderful, powerful name. Amen. 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:18.400 Amen. All right, church, think about the best 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:22.770 meal you've ever had in your life. Jordan's deep 00:02:22.770 --> 00:02:30.310 in thought. Nothing but bad food this week. A 00:02:30.310 --> 00:02:33.509 rough week for food. Think about the best meal 00:02:33.509 --> 00:02:37.750 you've ever had. I know for me, I think of a 00:02:37.750 --> 00:02:39.789 meal I had in Italy a couple months ago when 00:02:39.789 --> 00:02:42.069 I was there with Deanna and her family. There's 00:02:42.069 --> 00:02:45.650 a picture of it up on the screen hopefully. We 00:02:45.650 --> 00:02:49.050 were in Florence and we went to a restaurant 00:02:49.050 --> 00:02:52.610 and ordered a beautiful steak. that you can see 00:02:52.610 --> 00:03:00.189 there. Oh. It was really good. We had a few pasta 00:03:00.189 --> 00:03:02.710 dishes on the side and then we had some profiteroles 00:03:02.710 --> 00:03:07.750 and a creme brulee to finish. Oh, yeah. It was 00:03:07.750 --> 00:03:11.889 really, really good. So, for me, it's quite an 00:03:11.889 --> 00:03:14.509 easy decision. That's the best meal I've ever 00:03:14.509 --> 00:03:17.169 had. But then there's also food that I can just 00:03:17.169 --> 00:03:20.979 kind of eat whenever. For me, I'm not a huge 00:03:20.979 --> 00:03:25.800 steak guy, typically. I would much rather order 00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:31.159 a chicken schnitzel, because I'm a baby boy and 00:03:31.159 --> 00:03:34.460 nothing tickles my taste buds more than a giant 00:03:34.460 --> 00:03:39.479 chicken nugget. I love chicken schnitzels. If 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:42.180 we go out to eat, I'll just scour the menu and 00:03:42.180 --> 00:03:45.099 if there's a chicken schnitzel there, 98 % of 00:03:45.099 --> 00:03:49.639 the time. That's what I'm going for. Yes. Amen. 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:54.000 Some places do really good chicken schnitzels, 00:03:54.060 --> 00:03:57.080 but others really don't. So just bear with me 00:03:57.080 --> 00:04:01.259 for a second. The Palais at Semaphore. Bad chicken 00:04:01.259 --> 00:04:04.740 schnitzel. Yeah. They put parmesan in with the 00:04:04.740 --> 00:04:07.300 crumbing and it doesn't do it. It doesn't do 00:04:07.300 --> 00:04:10.020 it for me. I'm not a huge fan. But the Anglevale 00:04:10.020 --> 00:04:13.379 Tavern. Good schnitzels. The Williston Tavern, 00:04:13.539 --> 00:04:16.050 which is also in the north. Good schnitzels. 00:04:16.470 --> 00:04:20.329 Schnit House, it's a bit divisive. You can go 00:04:20.329 --> 00:04:22.769 there, you can get like a solid five or six out 00:04:22.769 --> 00:04:25.810 of ten, depending on the day. But then you can 00:04:25.810 --> 00:04:27.810 also go and get like a really good schnitzel 00:04:27.810 --> 00:04:30.629 on Sundays. Like, if you get the mac and cheese 00:04:30.629 --> 00:04:32.569 topping on your chicken schnitzel, you're in 00:04:32.569 --> 00:04:37.069 for a good time. Or that A -B topping. I'm very 00:04:37.069 --> 00:04:41.089 passionate about chicken schnitzels. At school, 00:04:41.189 --> 00:04:44.519 when I started working there, my... I got up 00:04:44.519 --> 00:04:46.339 in front of the school because the head of senior 00:04:46.339 --> 00:04:48.139 school said, this is Angus. He's now going to 00:04:48.139 --> 00:04:51.040 speak and introduce himself. And I was just talking 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:53.600 about myself and I spent five minutes just talking 00:04:53.600 --> 00:04:56.339 about chicken schnitzels. And so for a while 00:04:56.339 --> 00:04:58.620 I was just known as, oh, you're Angus, the chicken 00:04:58.620 --> 00:05:02.680 schnitzel guy. But anyway, I digress. We're here 00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:10.040 for God, not schnitzels. Here. I love chicken 00:05:10.040 --> 00:05:12.620 stencils and I still think about that steak that 00:05:12.620 --> 00:05:15.220 I had in Florence. But the thing is, and you 00:05:15.220 --> 00:05:17.879 guys would find this too, no matter how much 00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:20.399 of it I eat, I'm still gonna end up hungry in 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:24.980 the end. I feel satisfied for a while, but then 00:05:24.980 --> 00:05:28.420 eventually I get hungry again. My stomach is 00:05:28.420 --> 00:05:32.339 filled, but then it's empty again. And this doesn't 00:05:32.339 --> 00:05:35.720 just happen with our stomachs, does it? Where 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:37.259 we eat a little bit, then we have to eat again 00:05:37.259 --> 00:05:40.730 later? It happens all the time in almost every 00:05:40.730 --> 00:05:44.269 single part of our lives. We have a need. We 00:05:44.269 --> 00:05:49.589 have a longing and a desire, a need to keep going 00:05:49.589 --> 00:05:52.410 back and being refilled, not just physically. 00:05:53.610 --> 00:05:55.449 But all of us at some point of our lives have 00:05:55.449 --> 00:05:59.889 felt a deeper, more spiritual hunger, a longing 00:05:59.889 --> 00:06:02.449 for something deeper to fulfill us. We're talking 00:06:02.449 --> 00:06:06.449 about things like meaning, purpose, love and 00:06:06.449 --> 00:06:10.910 acceptance. And so my question to you church 00:06:10.910 --> 00:06:15.410 is how do you try and satisfy this hunger? How 00:06:15.410 --> 00:06:20.509 do you try and satisfy this hunger? Do you try 00:06:20.509 --> 00:06:24.750 and satisfy it with productivity? Do you try 00:06:24.750 --> 00:06:27.610 and fill it with church activity? Do you serve 00:06:27.610 --> 00:06:31.550 more here at church? Do you scroll more? Do you 00:06:31.550 --> 00:06:38.370 consume more? These are some of our tendencies. 00:06:39.410 --> 00:06:43.290 But despite all of our efforts to satiate this 00:06:43.290 --> 00:06:47.269 hunger and create life for ourselves, when we 00:06:47.269 --> 00:06:49.069 chase these things, we're often left feeling 00:06:49.069 --> 00:06:53.149 emptier than ever. Right now we're making our 00:06:53.149 --> 00:06:55.290 way through a series called Life to the Full, 00:06:55.810 --> 00:06:57.990 which is all about asking ourselves the question, 00:06:58.129 --> 00:07:01.389 where is our source of life actually coming from? 00:07:02.149 --> 00:07:03.829 We're in our second year of a church plant, which 00:07:03.829 --> 00:07:06.920 is a massive joy. But it also comes at a cost. 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:10.399 Many people here have served long hours. Lots 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:12.980 of people here have gone above and beyond to 00:07:12.980 --> 00:07:15.459 serve the church and to help see our shared vision 00:07:15.459 --> 00:07:18.740 come to life. It's hard work. A church plant 00:07:18.740 --> 00:07:21.600 is hard work. And on top of everything else that 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:23.980 we're already committed to, like our full -time 00:07:23.980 --> 00:07:27.620 jobs, our families, our sport commitments, other 00:07:27.620 --> 00:07:35.980 things that we have going on, we are tired. But 00:07:35.980 --> 00:07:37.519 even if you're new, maybe you haven't been coming 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:39.259 to church very long, maybe not even sure if you're 00:07:39.259 --> 00:07:41.879 a Christian, that's okay. You still get tired. 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:45.779 We still have these feelings of burnout and we 00:07:45.779 --> 00:07:49.100 still get distracted from time to time. Our lives 00:07:49.100 --> 00:07:51.759 are filled with so many things that keep us busy 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:56.300 and occupied. We have work, school, study, smartphones 00:07:56.300 --> 00:07:59.500 with a 24 -hour news cycle, Netflix binge sessions, 00:07:59.980 --> 00:08:02.819 social lives, and then we have to sleep as well. 00:08:03.100 --> 00:08:05.819 We make all these jokes and comments about being 00:08:05.819 --> 00:08:08.939 overstimulated all the time, and this is why. 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:12.019 Because we're filling our lives with all of these 00:08:12.019 --> 00:08:15.720 things. The world that we live in is very good 00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:18.920 at keeping us busy. It's very good at telling 00:08:18.920 --> 00:08:22.120 us what we need to do in order to be fulfilled. 00:08:22.980 --> 00:08:25.959 But ultimately these things are all empty promises. 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:29.920 This series, Life to the Full, is about equipping 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:33.200 us as followers of Jesus to form and be part 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:35.500 of a community that is shaped by sustainable 00:08:35.500 --> 00:08:39.279 faith rather than exhaustion or working for things 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:41.940 based on our own strength. It's about learning 00:08:41.940 --> 00:08:45.519 to recognize spiritual hunger without shame and 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:47.980 encouraging all of us to recognize the empty 00:08:47.980 --> 00:08:50.080 wells that we often look to for fulfillment. 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:55.080 It's a re -centering on Jesus as our true source 00:08:55.080 --> 00:09:00.159 of life. Are you with me? So with that said, 00:09:00.460 --> 00:09:03.679 We are sitting in John chapter 6 today from verse 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:07.820 25 to 36 as Carly read for us. Now this passage 00:09:07.820 --> 00:09:10.539 is fresh off of Jesus performing one of his most 00:09:10.539 --> 00:09:13.179 famous miracles when he fed the 5 ,000 people. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:15.679 With a child's lunch, a few loaves of bread, 00:09:15.740 --> 00:09:20.100 a few fish, he feeds an entire crowd of 5 ,000 00:09:20.100 --> 00:09:22.679 people. And then he ends up in Capernaum overnight. 00:09:23.639 --> 00:09:26.440 And the people, the crowd has followed Jesus 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:29.389 there. They find him there and they act kind 00:09:29.389 --> 00:09:34.909 of coy and they're like, Rabbi, Jesus, you're 00:09:34.909 --> 00:09:40.889 here? What? That is, ah, that's so crazy. What 00:09:40.889 --> 00:09:42.529 a coincidence. Do you have any more of the bread? 00:09:46.269 --> 00:09:49.649 But Jesus sees right through, right through this, 00:09:49.889 --> 00:09:51.690 as he tends to do. That's such a Jesus movie. 00:09:51.750 --> 00:09:53.710 He just sees right through it. He doesn't mess 00:09:53.710 --> 00:09:56.610 around. He doesn't beat around the bush. He says, 00:09:57.179 --> 00:10:01.580 You want to be with me because I fed you. Not 00:10:01.580 --> 00:10:03.840 because you understood the miraculous science. 00:10:05.179 --> 00:10:06.919 You know, I would think back to when I was a 00:10:06.919 --> 00:10:09.840 kid and I loved playing video games and I still 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:13.139 do. But I'd always try and bargain with my parents 00:10:13.139 --> 00:10:16.080 to give me more time on the PlayStation. And 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:18.440 my mum was very affectionate. Like she loved 00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:21.039 just like... being in close vicinity with me. 00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:23.340 And so when I wanted more PlayStation time, I'd 00:10:23.340 --> 00:10:25.519 go up and I'd give her a nice hug. I'd sit with 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:27.220 her on the couch and watch a show together for 00:10:27.220 --> 00:10:30.100 a little while. And eventually, she probably 00:10:30.100 --> 00:10:31.779 knew for a long time, but eventually she caught 00:10:31.779 --> 00:10:34.740 on. She was like, are you spending time with 00:10:34.740 --> 00:10:36.059 me because you actually want to be with me or 00:10:36.059 --> 00:10:39.279 because you just want PlayStation time? Yeah. 00:10:39.620 --> 00:10:42.379 And that cut me deep, even as like 11, 12 year 00:10:42.379 --> 00:10:46.539 old me, because of course I love my mum. Of course 00:10:46.539 --> 00:10:49.940 I want to spend time with her. But it it cut 00:10:49.940 --> 00:10:52.740 me and that that's the same situation that's 00:10:52.740 --> 00:10:54.919 happening here these this crowd the people have 00:10:54.919 --> 00:10:57.580 followed Jesus And they're asking for more bread 00:10:57.580 --> 00:11:00.580 and he's like you don't you don't want me You 00:11:00.580 --> 00:11:05.000 just want the bread The crowd wants more bread, 00:11:05.059 --> 00:11:09.500 but they don't want Jesus And we're all guilty 00:11:09.500 --> 00:11:13.299 of this How many times have you prayed for God 00:11:13.299 --> 00:11:17.220 to move or to give you a change in your life? 00:11:17.480 --> 00:11:19.700 How many times have you prayed to get something 00:11:19.700 --> 00:11:25.519 instead of just simply being with God? It's fine 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:27.379 to ask God for things. We're encouraged to and 00:11:27.379 --> 00:11:30.940 we should. But how often do we come to Jesus 00:11:30.940 --> 00:11:34.320 and look for what he provides rather than who 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:40.059 he is? We pray for relief, freedom, provision, 00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:46.000 rest, stability, blessing, success, all good 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:50.309 things. All good things that God provides for 00:11:50.309 --> 00:11:53.190 us and gives to us. But when these things become 00:11:53.190 --> 00:11:57.190 our ultimate thing, our end goal, we miss so 00:11:57.190 --> 00:12:03.330 much of who Jesus is. We look for provision instead 00:12:03.330 --> 00:12:10.309 of presence. God stops being relational and starts 00:12:10.309 --> 00:12:15.629 becoming more like a genie. In the passage, Jesus 00:12:15.629 --> 00:12:19.240 says, don't be so concerned with perishable things 00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:23.200 like food. Instead, spend your energy seeking 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:26.720 the eternal life the Son of Man can give you. 00:12:27.700 --> 00:12:31.580 We can pray great prayers and we can do amazing 00:12:31.580 --> 00:12:34.340 things for our church and our communities. We 00:12:34.340 --> 00:12:36.960 can read the Bible and we can say and do all 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:40.240 the right things on the surface, but we can still 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:45.639 miss Jesus. The crowds in the passage, they're 00:12:45.639 --> 00:12:48.500 not wrong for going after Jesus. They're not 00:12:48.500 --> 00:12:53.139 doing the wrong thing by pursuing Him, but they're 00:12:53.139 --> 00:12:56.620 missing the point. They saw this miracle happen 00:12:56.620 --> 00:13:00.019 where He fed all the people. They saw it, but 00:13:00.019 --> 00:13:02.299 they missed what it was revealing. They missed 00:13:02.299 --> 00:13:04.419 that it was revealing. Jesus is actually saying, 00:13:04.419 --> 00:13:08.919 this is who I am. Jesus didn't come to offer 00:13:08.919 --> 00:13:11.759 them temporary satisfaction or temporary joy. 00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:16.320 It's not what He offers us today. Like the crowd 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:19.179 we can look to Jesus to provide and give us what 00:13:19.179 --> 00:13:23.399 we think we need Stuff like rest blessing success 00:13:23.399 --> 00:13:27.480 freedom And again, we should ask for these things 00:13:27.480 --> 00:13:29.620 we should pray for these things They are good 00:13:29.620 --> 00:13:32.820 things that God wants to give to us But ultimately 00:13:32.820 --> 00:13:35.000 more than pursuing after these things and asking 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:37.399 God for these things. We should be pursuing him 00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:41.700 We should be pursuing Jesus and that is the way 00:13:41.700 --> 00:13:46.500 to a full and satisfied life. Amen Don't be concerned 00:13:46.500 --> 00:13:50.620 with perishable things. Look to Jesus who offers 00:13:50.620 --> 00:13:54.259 us something greater. Because we can think that 00:13:54.259 --> 00:13:57.200 we're hungry for bread, right? We can think that 00:13:57.200 --> 00:14:00.179 we need to pray more, serve more, rest more, 00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:05.279 sleep more, do whatever it is for you more. That's 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:08.700 what we think we need. We can be like the crowd 00:14:08.700 --> 00:14:10.460 in the passage. We can be like the Israelites 00:14:10.460 --> 00:14:13.139 chasing after the bread because we always want 00:14:13.139 --> 00:14:16.519 more. We can feel full, but then eventually we're 00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:20.840 empty again We can be satisfied, but then eventually 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:24.240 we become restless again. We become itchy again 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:28.919 the ADHD kicks in You can get promoted at work 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:31.539 or we can find a better job then after a few 00:14:31.539 --> 00:14:33.879 months or a year or two years we can start to 00:14:33.879 --> 00:14:36.700 think Actually, I'm ready for something else 00:14:36.700 --> 00:14:45.980 now We can finally find rest. We can have a few 00:14:45.980 --> 00:14:50.740 days off but then eventually we still get busy 00:14:50.740 --> 00:14:55.480 and tired and anxious again. We can serve at 00:14:55.480 --> 00:14:57.580 church, we can work hard and we can be successful 00:14:57.580 --> 00:15:02.419 in our ministries and we can still feel dry and 00:15:02.419 --> 00:15:06.600 empty and like we're missing something. You know 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:08.179 some of you are sitting in your chairs right 00:15:08.179 --> 00:15:13.240 now and you're feeling tired. And not just a 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:17.539 physical tired. We're talking like a deep tide 00:15:17.539 --> 00:15:21.519 in your soul. Your tiredness runs deep through 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:25.740 your body, in your mind, in your heart. I feel 00:15:25.740 --> 00:15:30.700 it. Even right now. I feel that tiredness. It's 00:15:30.700 --> 00:15:33.600 beyond just a, I could go to sleep now. But it's 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:40.799 like a, man, I'm just wiped spiritually, emotionally, 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:45.950 mentally. It's because we feed on the things 00:15:45.950 --> 00:15:48.710 that the world promised to sustain and fulfill 00:15:48.710 --> 00:15:52.850 us And we can think to ourselves I just need 00:15:52.850 --> 00:15:56.210 a win, you know, I just need a break I just need 00:15:56.210 --> 00:15:58.210 to find the motivation. I need I need to find 00:15:58.210 --> 00:16:00.789 a better rhythm We can make adjustments and small 00:16:00.789 --> 00:16:03.429 changes to our lives, but this is all just physical 00:16:03.429 --> 00:16:10.590 bread It's not bad But it's not ultimate You 00:16:10.590 --> 00:16:12.029 know, we can think that we're hungry for these 00:16:12.029 --> 00:16:14.289 things and we can look to them to fix us and 00:16:14.289 --> 00:16:19.070 sustain us, fulfill us and satisfy us, but the 00:16:19.070 --> 00:16:23.490 Prophet Jeremiah calls these things empty cisterns. 00:16:24.509 --> 00:16:27.169 They're wells and pools of water that don't actually 00:16:27.169 --> 00:16:32.669 hold water. And yet, we still return to them 00:16:32.669 --> 00:16:38.340 time and time again. We think we're hungry for 00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:42.639 bread, but bread isn't the issue. What we're 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:47.799 really hungry for is Jesus. So the crowd asks 00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:51.580 Jesus, what should we do? What should we do, 00:16:51.580 --> 00:16:54.659 Jesus? And this mentality is just as strong for 00:16:54.659 --> 00:16:58.159 us today. What do we have to do? What's the system? 00:16:58.500 --> 00:17:00.379 What's the process? What are the steps that we 00:17:00.379 --> 00:17:03.769 have to take? You know, growing up for me, it 00:17:03.769 --> 00:17:06.329 was drilled into me that I need to work and earn 00:17:06.329 --> 00:17:10.450 for everything that I have. And it's easy for 00:17:10.450 --> 00:17:13.529 us to look at faith and spiritual life through 00:17:13.529 --> 00:17:16.309 the same lens, thinking that we need to perform 00:17:16.309 --> 00:17:19.150 in order for God to provide. You know, we chase 00:17:19.150 --> 00:17:22.069 the things like achievement or busyness, productivity, 00:17:22.910 --> 00:17:26.470 comfort, significance. We want to make something 00:17:26.470 --> 00:17:30.740 of ourselves. But Jesus tells us that these are 00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:35.440 all perishable. It's like dust in the wind. They 00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:39.000 don't sustain or fulfill us. Performance -based 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:43.359 bread always spoils. Anything we rely on to give 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.759 us life and fulfillment other than Jesus just 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:51.039 leaves us exhausted. It just leaves us empty. 00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:55.839 We can be filled for a little while, but eventually... 00:17:56.009 --> 00:17:58.410 We're empty again. We're exhausted again. Then 00:17:58.410 --> 00:18:03.210 we need more to fill us again. And this is when 00:18:03.210 --> 00:18:07.809 Jesus changes the narrative. He says, truly I 00:18:07.809 --> 00:18:10.230 tell you, when Jesus says truly I tell you, that's 00:18:10.230 --> 00:18:13.289 when we got to pay attention. Truly I tell you, 00:18:13.470 --> 00:18:16.809 Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My father 00:18:16.809 --> 00:18:20.630 did. He references this story from the Exodus 00:18:20.630 --> 00:18:23.210 when the Israelite people were slaves in Egypt 00:18:23.210 --> 00:18:26.500 and God sends Moses to liberate them, to save 00:18:26.500 --> 00:18:29.880 them from Pharaoh and slavery. And he leads them 00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:32.339 out of Egypt into the desert, into the wilderness 00:18:32.339 --> 00:18:35.539 for 40 years. They didn't have enough food for 00:18:35.539 --> 00:18:39.839 40 years. And so God provides manna for them 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:43.680 to turn into bread. And Jesus says, Moses didn't 00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:48.619 give you the bread. My father did, God did. And 00:18:48.619 --> 00:18:51.900 now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 00:18:52.430 --> 00:18:55.609 The true bread of God is the one who comes down 00:18:55.609 --> 00:19:01.369 from heaven and gives life to the world Sir they 00:19:01.369 --> 00:19:06.170 said give us this bread every day and Jesus replied 00:19:06.170 --> 00:19:10.829 I am the bread of life and again he echoes that 00:19:10.829 --> 00:19:13.049 story from the Exodus when God is in the burning 00:19:13.049 --> 00:19:16.369 bush and He introduces to himself and to Moses 00:19:16.369 --> 00:19:21.539 as I am who I am Jesus saying I am the bread 00:19:21.539 --> 00:19:25.940 of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry 00:19:25.940 --> 00:19:33.660 again. Jesus is the bread. We're talking a lot 00:19:33.660 --> 00:19:36.880 about bread here at the moment. And that's because 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:40.059 in the first century, the Israelites, the Jewish 00:19:40.059 --> 00:19:43.359 people listening to Jesus talk right now, for 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:47.539 them, bread was symbolic of fulfillment, nourishment. 00:19:48.299 --> 00:19:53.430 It was symbolic of richness, fullness, God's 00:19:53.430 --> 00:19:55.470 provision for them in their lives. And Jesus 00:19:55.470 --> 00:19:59.829 is saying that, I am that bread. I am essential 00:19:59.829 --> 00:20:02.769 for your flourishing. Now this is Jesus making 00:20:02.769 --> 00:20:05.609 a claim about his identity. He's saying, this 00:20:05.609 --> 00:20:09.029 is who I am. You didn't get it when I performed 00:20:09.029 --> 00:20:11.549 that miracle for you yesterday when I fed you. 00:20:12.829 --> 00:20:15.769 I am the one that you've been waiting for. I 00:20:15.769 --> 00:20:20.460 am the bread of life. Jesus declaring himself 00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:23.920 as God's provision for his people God says you're 00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:26.099 looking everywhere for provision, but it's here. 00:20:26.700 --> 00:20:32.480 I am the provision The crowd wanted bread like 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:35.700 Moses gave to the Israelites in the desert But 00:20:35.700 --> 00:20:38.019 Jesus says that actually I'm greater than Moses. 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:41.660 I Don't just give the bread from heaven. I am 00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:46.500 the bread from heaven He is essential for us 00:20:46.500 --> 00:20:51.519 today to live our lives to the full. He isn't 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:53.880 just something available for us to tap into when 00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:56.140 we want to from time to time, although he is, 00:20:56.920 --> 00:21:01.220 but there's more on offer. He's vital for our 00:21:01.220 --> 00:21:05.180 daily sustenance. That steak I had in Florence 00:21:05.180 --> 00:21:10.720 was incredible, but it was temporary. Jesus isn't 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:16.220 a steak dinner. He is life itself. Jesus tells 00:21:16.220 --> 00:21:18.500 us that whoever comes to Him will not hunger, 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:22.799 whoever believes will not thirst. He doesn't 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:25.799 remove that desire that we have and He doesn't 00:21:25.799 --> 00:21:28.640 rebuke us for the longing that we have, He just 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:32.599 reorders it. In Him we are able to satisfy our 00:21:32.599 --> 00:21:37.619 deepest longings, our desires for meaning, rest, 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:42.900 belonging, love, forgiveness, acceptance, relationship 00:21:42.900 --> 00:21:46.390 with God. All of these longings find their home 00:21:46.390 --> 00:21:50.349 in Jesus. Not to say that we won't ever have 00:21:50.349 --> 00:21:53.289 periods of spiritual dryness after we say yes 00:21:53.289 --> 00:21:57.609 to Jesus, because we will, and we do. We will 00:21:57.609 --> 00:21:59.430 certainly have moments when we feel distant, 00:21:59.950 --> 00:22:03.869 when we feel hungry, but Jesus gives himself 00:22:03.869 --> 00:22:07.509 as an eternal source of fulfillment and satisfaction. 00:22:07.829 --> 00:22:10.670 So when we say yes to Jesus, we know where to 00:22:10.670 --> 00:22:19.009 go. So what must we do? In verse 29, Jesus says 00:22:19.009 --> 00:22:22.630 something completely radical. He takes the idea 00:22:22.630 --> 00:22:24.470 of religion and he blows it up in the Israelites 00:22:24.470 --> 00:22:28.509 face. He says, this is the only work that God 00:22:28.509 --> 00:22:34.569 wants from you. Believe in the one he has sent. 00:22:37.109 --> 00:22:41.650 This is the only work God wants from you. Believe 00:22:41.650 --> 00:22:48.420 in the one. He is sent. He doesn't give advice. 00:22:49.660 --> 00:22:56.660 He doesn't give a system. He extends an invitation. 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:03.160 Religion says that we have to do, we have to 00:23:03.160 --> 00:23:06.440 act, we have to perform in a certain way in order 00:23:06.440 --> 00:23:12.730 to earn our salvation, but Jesus says no. Believe. 00:23:16.710 --> 00:23:20.089 Believe. The apostle Paul talks about this in 00:23:20.089 --> 00:23:22.230 Ephesians. Charlie, you can make your way back 00:23:22.230 --> 00:23:26.269 up if you like. Paul talks about it in Ephesians, 00:23:27.490 --> 00:23:31.410 chapter two, verses eight to nine. God saved 00:23:31.410 --> 00:23:36.210 you by his grace when you believed. You can't 00:23:36.210 --> 00:23:41.880 take credit for this. It is a gift of God. Salvation 00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:44.460 is not a reward for the good things we've done, 00:23:44.700 --> 00:23:49.160 so none of us can boast about it. We can't earn 00:23:49.160 --> 00:23:52.220 our way into heaven, church. It's not gonna happen. 00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:57.660 No amount of productivity or success or significance, 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:02.339 none of it will win us spots in heaven. The only 00:24:02.339 --> 00:24:06.240 thing we need to do is believe. And when we choose 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:08.180 to believe, and when we choose to accept the 00:24:08.180 --> 00:24:11.940 gift of grace, that is given to us, we are given 00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:17.539 access to this bread of life. A source of fulfillment 00:24:17.539 --> 00:24:20.619 that the best meal of your life could never give 00:24:20.619 --> 00:24:25.220 you. No amount of worldly success could ever 00:24:25.220 --> 00:24:29.680 give you this. It's only through Jesus that we're 00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:36.400 saved. Jesus is the bread of life. So church, 00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:42.250 are you tired? Are you looking for fulfillment? 00:24:43.170 --> 00:24:45.210 Have you been chasing after the wrong bread? 00:24:48.190 --> 00:24:52.529 We are all sinners. We have all fallen short 00:24:52.529 --> 00:24:57.230 of the glory of God. The reason that we feel 00:24:57.230 --> 00:24:59.390 empty isn't necessarily because we're chasing 00:24:59.390 --> 00:25:02.789 the wrong bread. That's the reason we're not 00:25:02.789 --> 00:25:06.849 feeling filled. But it isn't the reason we're 00:25:06.849 --> 00:25:11.059 feeling empty. We feel empty because our sin 00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:13.759 has separated us from the one true source of 00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:20.700 life What we need more than anything is restoration 00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:26.680 What we need more than anything is reconciliation 00:25:26.680 --> 00:25:33.940 Jesus is inviting us inviting you into something 00:25:33.940 --> 00:25:42.089 more something deeper He gave Himself for you. 00:25:43.910 --> 00:25:45.650 It's not something we earn. It's not something 00:25:45.650 --> 00:25:50.470 we can work for or ever deserve. Honestly, church, 00:25:50.490 --> 00:25:54.130 I struggle with this. I really struggle with 00:25:54.130 --> 00:25:57.250 this. Maybe this will resonate with you. Maybe 00:25:57.250 --> 00:26:00.190 it won't. But I never really feel like I'm good 00:26:00.190 --> 00:26:05.390 enough. I feel like I'm not a good enough preacher. 00:26:05.490 --> 00:26:08.670 I'm not a good enough worship leader. At my work, 00:26:08.849 --> 00:26:10.529 I think to myself, am I actually really that 00:26:10.529 --> 00:26:13.730 good at what I do? I like to think that I am, 00:26:13.750 --> 00:26:18.009 but am I really? I don't always feel like I'm 00:26:18.009 --> 00:26:19.650 a good enough husband. I don't always feel like 00:26:19.650 --> 00:26:25.289 I'm a good enough friend. Jesus takes all of 00:26:25.289 --> 00:26:29.869 that. And he says, Angus, my grace is sufficient 00:26:29.869 --> 00:26:33.650 for you. So church, whatever it is for you, Jesus 00:26:33.650 --> 00:26:39.259 says, my grace is sufficient. My grace is enough. 00:26:40.940 --> 00:26:43.119 I know I'm not good enough. I know I never will 00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:46.200 be. But Jesus takes my place and he tells me 00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:51.059 that I'm worthy. And if that's where you're at 00:26:51.059 --> 00:26:54.000 church, if you don't feel like you're good enough 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:59.640 or whatever it is, God tells you that you don't 00:26:59.640 --> 00:27:04.799 have to be enough because Jesus is. Jesus is 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:12.670 enough. Jesus says, I'm the bread of life. And 00:27:12.670 --> 00:27:15.289 he says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:27:17.609 --> 00:27:19.869 We can keep chasing after physical bread. We 00:27:19.869 --> 00:27:22.269 can keep chasing after the things of the world. 00:27:22.430 --> 00:27:25.150 But church, we will always be kept wanting. There 00:27:25.150 --> 00:27:27.230 will always be a part of us that needs something 00:27:27.230 --> 00:27:31.690 more, something deeper. We will never be satisfied. 00:27:33.369 --> 00:27:37.029 That's why we need Jesus. Jesus came, He died 00:27:37.029 --> 00:27:39.339 on a cross, and then He rose again. so that we 00:27:39.339 --> 00:27:41.940 could experience life to the full, so that we 00:27:41.940 --> 00:27:44.200 can have access and relationship with God the 00:27:44.200 --> 00:27:48.680 Father through Him. Thanks to Jesus we now have 00:27:48.680 --> 00:27:51.900 unending grace. He took our burdens, He took 00:27:51.900 --> 00:27:54.339 our sin, and He declared that has no claim on 00:27:54.339 --> 00:27:57.940 us anymore. He took our striving, He took our 00:27:57.940 --> 00:28:00.359 performance, He took our guilt of feeling like 00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:02.819 we're not good enough, He took our exhaustion 00:28:02.819 --> 00:28:06.980 from trying to be our own saviors, and in exchange 00:28:06.980 --> 00:28:12.890 He gave us Himself. we need to let go of our 00:28:12.890 --> 00:28:19.490 own striving and this is scary it can be really 00:28:19.490 --> 00:28:21.549 scary because we can feel like if you know if 00:28:21.549 --> 00:28:24.109 we stop striving if we stop trying if we keep 00:28:24.109 --> 00:28:29.329 if we stop working then it will fall apart this 00:28:29.329 --> 00:28:31.829 life that we've built for ourselves will fall 00:28:31.829 --> 00:28:37.119 apart that fear is real but As long as we're 00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:38.920 working like this, as long as we're striving 00:28:38.920 --> 00:28:41.259 like this, we are limiting what Jesus can do 00:28:41.259 --> 00:28:44.940 in our lives. We keep trying to pay the price, 00:28:45.079 --> 00:28:50.680 but Jesus has already paid it. So church, are 00:28:50.680 --> 00:28:55.519 you tired? Are you looking for fulfillment and 00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:58.420 satisfaction in a world that will never give 00:28:58.420 --> 00:29:07.119 it to you? Jesus is calling. The crowd in the 00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:10.400 passage wanted more bread, but many of them walked 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:14.700 away when Jesus became difficult. The question 00:29:14.700 --> 00:29:18.880 for us isn't just, are you hungry? The question 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:23.660 is, will you stay when Jesus stops giving you 00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:26.519 what you want and starts giving you himself? 00:29:28.900 --> 00:29:31.960 Because that's what Jesus offers us. It's greater 00:29:31.960 --> 00:29:35.680 than what we want. It's greater. He gives us 00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:39.319 himself. Jesus doesn't want us living off temporary 00:29:39.319 --> 00:29:42.140 bread, small hits, getting us through life, one 00:29:42.140 --> 00:29:46.160 coffee at a time. He wants to give us something 00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:48.460 deeper, something that will actually fulfill 00:29:48.460 --> 00:29:54.799 us for real. He gives us the bread of life and 00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:58.839 life to the full. Would you close your eyes for 00:29:58.839 --> 00:30:06.920 a second church? Some of us here have been striving. 00:30:08.200 --> 00:30:10.720 We've been trying to fulfill ourselves. We've 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:12.700 been trying to satisfy ourselves with the things 00:30:12.700 --> 00:30:16.099 of the world. We've been trying to do it ourselves. 00:30:18.839 --> 00:30:21.279 And we're at a point now where it's like, I don't 00:30:21.279 --> 00:30:25.420 know what to do. We've been trying and trying 00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:30.480 and trying and you keep falling short. Right 00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:35.299 now there's an invitation from Jesus. to step 00:30:35.299 --> 00:30:41.420 into this life. There's an invitation from Jesus 00:30:41.420 --> 00:30:47.940 that says, I am enough for you. My grace is sufficient 00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:52.220 for you. If you're longing, church, if you're 00:30:52.220 --> 00:30:55.220 tired, if you need something more, can you just 00:30:55.220 --> 00:30:58.720 raise your hand? Just quietly, with all eyes 00:30:58.720 --> 00:31:18.240 shut. There's something deeper. I know I need 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:26.420 it. So right now, we're just gonna pray. We're 00:31:26.420 --> 00:31:33.380 gonna invite Jesus in. We're gonna ask for him 00:31:33.380 --> 00:31:35.740 not not just to provide for us, but we're going 00:31:35.740 --> 00:31:42.000 to ask Him to reveal Himself to us. Not just 00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:45.519 so that we can have a temporary satisfaction, 00:31:45.660 --> 00:31:49.240 but something that sustains. Now we're not just 00:31:49.240 --> 00:31:51.779 going to chase provision, but we're going to 00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:59.220 chase after presence. Thanks so much for tuning 00:31:59.220 --> 00:32:02.220 into this week's message. If you felt challenged 00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:04.910 or need prayer, would love to hear from you on 00:32:04.910 --> 00:32:08.309 Instagram at encounterhenley or if you're interested 00:32:08.309 --> 00:32:11.109 in how you can support this ministry please go 00:32:11.109 --> 00:32:15.910 to our website encounteradelaide .com .au Thanks 00:32:15.910 --> 00:32:17.930 again for listening. God bless you.