WEBVTT 00:00:01.640 --> 00:00:04.500 Let's pray and ask God to speak to us. And I 00:00:04.500 --> 00:00:06.679 hope, as we've been going through John, that 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:09.380 John is starting to come alive to you. We're 00:00:09.380 --> 00:00:12.500 going slow enough through it that, and I hope 00:00:12.500 --> 00:00:15.039 just that as you're reading it and discovering 00:00:15.039 --> 00:00:18.199 it, that God's word is doing a new work inside 00:00:18.199 --> 00:00:22.219 of you. It's been really good for me, so I'm 00:00:22.219 --> 00:00:24.820 hoping it's that way for you as well. But let's 00:00:24.820 --> 00:00:27.739 pray and ask the Holy Spirit to do a work in 00:00:27.739 --> 00:00:31.230 a very, there's a lot in this text. And you're 00:00:31.230 --> 00:00:34.289 welcome. We didn't do all seven up to verse 71. 00:00:35.049 --> 00:00:38.409 We'll tackle that next week. But there's so much 00:00:38.409 --> 00:00:41.369 in here, but we'll try to simplify it and work 00:00:41.369 --> 00:00:43.049 through it together. Let's pray together, okay? 00:00:43.590 --> 00:00:48.490 Lord, we come before you. If we're really honest, 00:00:48.789 --> 00:00:55.750 we're all kind of a big mess. And we are desperate 00:00:55.750 --> 00:01:01.659 need of you. So help us fix our eyes on you right 00:01:01.659 --> 00:01:07.099 now, on your word, to know you more, to be saturated 00:01:07.099 --> 00:01:14.579 and soaking in what you have for us. Lord, you 00:01:14.579 --> 00:01:18.659 use a really basic and simple metaphor in this 00:01:18.659 --> 00:01:21.319 text, and I pray that it'll come alive to us 00:01:21.319 --> 00:01:26.159 in a new way as we unpack it together. Lord, 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:28.299 I pray that for just our hearts, that they will 00:01:28.299 --> 00:01:32.700 not be, a heart that they will be soft and shapeable 00:01:32.700 --> 00:01:35.180 before you that we'll be honest with where we 00:01:35.180 --> 00:01:40.319 currently stand and in the very private and quiet 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:42.599 places of our own heart but that we will just 00:01:42.599 --> 00:01:46.659 be real with you i pray that for myself even 00:01:46.659 --> 00:01:49.319 as i've spent hours studying through this god 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:51.840 that you'll continue even as i speak that you'll 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:56.819 speak to my heart lord we give it all to you 00:01:56.819 --> 00:02:00.599 this morning amen Okay, if you don't have your 00:02:00.599 --> 00:02:04.780 Bibles, go get one in the back. Otherwise, open 00:02:04.780 --> 00:02:09.180 it up to John chapter 6. We're going to look 00:02:09.180 --> 00:02:14.159 at unpack 22 to 51. Blaise Pascal, the 17th century 00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:18.479 French mathematician, physicist, theologian, 00:02:18.580 --> 00:02:23.379 has been the one that was credited with this 00:02:23.379 --> 00:02:27.439 concept or this phrase that in us is a God -shaped 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:36.680 whole. It is this idea that all of us have this 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:41.419 longing or real, deep, authentic desire for happiness, 00:02:41.500 --> 00:02:45.159 for fulfillment, that we've been created for 00:02:45.159 --> 00:02:48.240 something more than this world that we're living 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:55.259 in right now. Inside of us is this hole. The 00:02:55.259 --> 00:02:58.620 hole that needs to be filled. And so we strive 00:02:58.620 --> 00:03:02.360 and we deliver lives. I'm part of this. I've 00:03:02.360 --> 00:03:04.479 experienced this in my own life, that we strive 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:07.219 to fill that hole with the things of this world. 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:15.000 But it doesn't work. And so, C .S. Lewis, in 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:18.919 Mere Christianity, argues along this line. He 00:03:18.919 --> 00:03:22.599 argues that if we find desires within ourselves 00:03:22.599 --> 00:03:27.620 that nothing in this world can satisfy, then 00:03:27.620 --> 00:03:32.669 it's most probably that we were designed and 00:03:32.669 --> 00:03:38.129 made for another world. So the hole inside of 00:03:38.129 --> 00:03:43.689 us, every one of us has it. We call it a God 00:03:43.689 --> 00:03:47.189 -shaped hole because it can only be filled by 00:03:47.189 --> 00:03:53.889 Jesus. Truth is that you and I are all spiritually 00:03:53.889 --> 00:03:57.590 hungry. Even if we don't want to believe it right 00:03:57.590 --> 00:04:03.219 out of the chute. There is a growling of our 00:04:03.219 --> 00:04:06.280 souls that indicate there's this emptiness inside 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:09.800 of us. You guys know what I'm talking about? 00:04:10.259 --> 00:04:13.919 Been there, you lay in your beds at night. What 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:16.759 is this all about? I've got to find something 00:04:16.759 --> 00:04:22.199 to fill it. So in our passage today, Jesus tells 00:04:22.199 --> 00:04:28.379 us, talks to us, tells us about the bread of 00:04:28.379 --> 00:04:32.089 life. And it's an illustration, it's a metaphor 00:04:32.089 --> 00:04:36.709 that is incredibly powerful. And so just for 00:04:36.709 --> 00:04:40.350 a reference, think back to what we talked about 00:04:40.350 --> 00:04:44.290 last week in the bread where Jesus feeds the 00:04:44.290 --> 00:04:46.230 5 ,000s. I want you just to kind of have this 00:04:46.230 --> 00:04:51.490 visual in your mind. So in our passage, Jesus 00:04:51.490 --> 00:04:54.110 is going to unpack this bread of life. The only 00:04:54.110 --> 00:04:57.149 thing that satisfies enough, the only thing that 00:04:57.149 --> 00:05:00.899 really... fills the craving of our soul. That's 00:05:00.899 --> 00:05:03.160 what he's going to unpack, okay? So real basic, 00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:05.339 there's a lot of verses there, but that's the 00:05:05.339 --> 00:05:09.360 big idea. That this bread of life that is offered 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:13.339 is the only thing that will truly satisfy you. 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:16.959 And before we look at what Jesus had to say in 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:19.720 these verses, though, we need to do a quick review. 00:05:20.450 --> 00:05:22.970 Remember, I said last week as we started chapter 00:05:22.970 --> 00:05:27.329 6, that chapter 6, all of chapter 6 happens about 00:05:27.329 --> 00:05:29.910 a 24 -hour period. And there's a lot packed in. 00:05:30.009 --> 00:05:33.589 And it's a real critical chunk of the Bible. 00:05:33.649 --> 00:05:37.490 In fact, all four Gospels cover this chunk of 00:05:37.490 --> 00:05:40.709 section. It's the only thing other than the resurrection 00:05:40.709 --> 00:05:44.990 that all the Gospels touch on. Okay? Because 00:05:44.990 --> 00:05:48.740 it's real important. And so last week we looked 00:05:48.740 --> 00:05:50.819 at the first day, the first day of this kind 00:05:50.819 --> 00:05:53.680 of two -day or 24 -hour period. And there's this 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:55.379 huge crowd. So if you remember, there's this 00:05:55.379 --> 00:05:59.319 huge crowd that had followed Jesus. And now they 00:05:59.319 --> 00:06:01.819 end up on the hillside. And I won't go into everything. 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:03.220 I encourage you, if you missed last week, go 00:06:03.220 --> 00:06:06.199 back and listen to it because it does give context 00:06:06.199 --> 00:06:08.180 to everything we're talking about today. But 00:06:08.180 --> 00:06:11.540 they're up on a hillside, and Jesus is teaching 00:06:11.540 --> 00:06:14.040 them all day. And we don't know what he was teaching 00:06:14.040 --> 00:06:16.360 them, but most likely, according to the, it's 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:18.439 something to do with the kingdom of God, like 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:22.420 how Jesus was breaking into our world, God's 00:06:22.420 --> 00:06:25.920 kingdom breaking into our world. A problem has 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:28.279 been presented, though. They get to the end of 00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:30.839 the day, and there's an estimated, blow your 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:33.180 mind, I don't know how he taught all this, but 00:06:33.180 --> 00:06:35.620 there was an estimated 15 ,000 to 20 ,000 people, 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:38.819 because when they say there was 5 ,000 men, they 00:06:38.819 --> 00:06:41.100 only counted the men, but you wouldn't just have 00:06:41.100 --> 00:06:43.629 men there. There'd be children. Because we know 00:06:43.629 --> 00:06:46.709 there's a boy. Shows up with loads of bread and 00:06:46.709 --> 00:06:50.329 fish. So they estimate, if that's true, there's 00:06:50.329 --> 00:06:53.149 5 ,000 men, there's probably women and children. 00:06:53.209 --> 00:06:56.370 So they estimate somewhere between 15 ,000 and 00:06:56.370 --> 00:07:00.230 20 ,000 people. It's a big hillside. And they're 00:07:00.230 --> 00:07:03.790 all there. And the problem is, is they get really 00:07:03.790 --> 00:07:11.550 hungry. And so, Jesus takes five... small loaves 00:07:11.550 --> 00:07:17.769 of bread, two small dried fish. And he multiplies 00:07:17.769 --> 00:07:21.350 it and he feeds the thousands. It's a miraculous 00:07:21.350 --> 00:07:24.930 miracle. And the crowd is so excited. And just 00:07:24.930 --> 00:07:27.009 like we mentioned last week, if that was you 00:07:27.009 --> 00:07:29.970 in that place and you got fed, you'd be like, 00:07:30.089 --> 00:07:35.589 hey, I like that guy. And so they're all excited. 00:07:36.459 --> 00:07:38.980 And so what they decide to do, because of all 00:07:38.980 --> 00:07:40.759 the oppression that they're under with the Roman 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:43.060 Empire and all the things that they're dealing 00:07:43.060 --> 00:07:45.680 with, like, that's our king. And so they kind 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:47.680 of start, you could hear them murmuring, like, 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:50.660 that's our guy. He's going to be the one to rescue 00:07:50.660 --> 00:07:53.399 us. And so what Jesus does, knowing what they're 00:07:53.399 --> 00:07:56.199 doing, he retreats to the woods. He goes up in 00:07:56.199 --> 00:08:00.269 the wilderness. He disappears, and then he sends 00:08:00.269 --> 00:08:02.850 his disciples across the sea, and it's dark at 00:08:02.850 --> 00:08:05.910 night, and this sea is like, if you've ever driven 00:08:05.910 --> 00:08:08.910 to Canada or going to Whitehorse, and you've 00:08:08.910 --> 00:08:11.110 got Lake LaVarge, or you've heard of those big 00:08:11.110 --> 00:08:14.730 lakes out there, it's massive, right? So the 00:08:14.730 --> 00:08:18.810 sea is like five, six miles wide, and so they're 00:08:18.810 --> 00:08:20.970 rowing across the sea, and they get close to 00:08:20.970 --> 00:08:23.649 the middle, and a storm kicks up, and these very 00:08:23.649 --> 00:08:27.720 experienced rowers or fishermen are like, what 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:30.500 is happening? And they start to fear for their 00:08:30.500 --> 00:08:34.000 life. And in the midst of that, they look across 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:38.399 into the storm that's hitting them and they see 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:40.840 this figure walking across the water. And they're 00:08:40.840 --> 00:08:44.059 scared. That's Jesus. And he shows up and he 00:08:44.059 --> 00:08:46.379 tells them, don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:49.179 And he gets into the boat with the disciples 00:08:49.179 --> 00:08:51.799 and at once they are at the shore on the other 00:08:51.799 --> 00:08:56.519 side, instantly to the other side, safe and sound. 00:08:57.450 --> 00:09:03.190 What a day. Two massive miracles that those close 00:09:03.190 --> 00:09:05.889 disciples got to see. At least everybody saw 00:09:05.889 --> 00:09:09.950 the miraculous feeding. What a day and what a 00:09:09.950 --> 00:09:12.929 night. And now we pick up our story in verse 00:09:12.929 --> 00:09:18.230 22. As you can kind of think of it as morning 00:09:18.230 --> 00:09:22.009 time comes. It's gotten bright now. The sun is 00:09:22.009 --> 00:09:31.100 coming up. Pick up verse 22. The next day, the 00:09:31.100 --> 00:09:34.240 crowd that had stayed on the other side of the 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:38.740 sea saw there had been only one boat. They also 00:09:38.740 --> 00:09:41.919 saw that Jesus had not boarded that boat with 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:44.720 his disciples, but that his disciples had gone 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:49.139 off alone. Some boats from Tiberias came near 00:09:49.139 --> 00:09:52.279 the place where they had eaten the bread, and 00:09:52.279 --> 00:09:56.399 after the Lord had given thanks, when the crowd 00:09:56.399 --> 00:10:00.019 saw that... Neither Jesus nor his disciples were 00:10:00.019 --> 00:10:02.559 there. They got into the boats and they went 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:06.659 to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they 00:10:06.659 --> 00:10:09.139 found him on the other side of the sea, they 00:10:09.139 --> 00:10:15.620 said to him, Rabbi, when did you get here? So 00:10:15.620 --> 00:10:21.919 the big question we need to ask here is, why 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:25.740 are the people chasing Jesus? This is the big 00:10:25.740 --> 00:10:27.679 question that comes up in these few verses. Why 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:31.460 are they chasing after Jesus? Why did they leave 00:10:31.460 --> 00:10:34.539 and make such an effort to find him? Why were 00:10:34.539 --> 00:10:36.659 they looking for him? And when they found him, 00:10:36.740 --> 00:10:43.139 they asked this question, where are you? Was 00:10:43.139 --> 00:10:45.840 it because they understood that he was the one 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:50.279 who could quench their spiritual hunger? The 00:10:50.279 --> 00:10:54.860 one who could fill their God -shaped hole? So 00:10:54.860 --> 00:10:58.940 they ask the question in verse 25, when did you 00:10:58.940 --> 00:11:02.659 get here? But Jesus already knew their hearts. 00:11:02.679 --> 00:11:07.480 He knew what was going on. And so he, and not 00:11:07.480 --> 00:11:09.460 just what they say, he just jumps right to their 00:11:09.460 --> 00:11:12.759 heart level in verse 26. Now look what he says 00:11:12.759 --> 00:11:15.399 in verse 26. He's answering the question why 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:18.460 they're there. They've shown up. They're pursuing 00:11:18.460 --> 00:11:23.200 Jesus. Seems really good. Let's just pause here 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:28.419 for a second. As a pastor, I live in a culture, 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:33.000 in a world that puts great value on how many 00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:37.519 people come to your church. Think about Jesus 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:40.720 for a minute. He just had 15 ,000, 20 ,000 people 00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:46.919 following him. And they're motivated to follow 00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:49.840 him. Seems like a pretty good deal, right? If 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:52.379 you read from this point on with a question in 00:11:52.379 --> 00:11:55.450 your mind, What was Jesus really doing? He's 00:11:55.450 --> 00:11:58.129 whittling down the crowd. He's not doing what 00:11:58.129 --> 00:12:00.710 the normal pastor. And so it's a really good 00:12:00.710 --> 00:12:03.370 challenge for me. I don't want our church to 00:12:03.370 --> 00:12:05.789 be about numbers. I want them to be about a place 00:12:05.789 --> 00:12:08.690 where we meet the real Jesus in the real way. 00:12:09.190 --> 00:12:11.110 One more person gets a chance to meet the real 00:12:11.110 --> 00:12:14.169 Jesus. So that's just a side note. But I want 00:12:14.169 --> 00:12:17.009 you to think like, so Jesus knows what their 00:12:17.009 --> 00:12:21.679 motivation of their heart is. And so look at 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:26.120 what he says in verse 26. Jesus answered, truly 00:12:26.120 --> 00:12:31.360 I tell you, you are looking for me not because 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:35.779 you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves 00:12:35.779 --> 00:12:41.000 and were filled. He says, you are seeking me 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:49.169 because you want more bread. You're seeking me 00:12:49.169 --> 00:12:52.470 because you've seen some temporary things that 00:12:52.470 --> 00:12:54.409 I've given you and you want more of that. You 00:12:54.409 --> 00:12:58.590 want me to give you something. You want for me 00:12:58.590 --> 00:13:03.389 something for you. That's what he's saying. Look 00:13:03.389 --> 00:13:05.789 at your heart. You're not chasing me because 00:13:05.789 --> 00:13:10.669 you see me as the Messiah, as the God who's come 00:13:10.669 --> 00:13:14.559 from... It's come into our world. As John 1 says 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:16.399 in the beginning of the chapter, in the beginning 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:18.240 was the Word, and the Word was with God, and 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:20.860 the Word was with God. And that God came to us, 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:23.340 right? That's not why they're seeking Him. They're 00:13:23.340 --> 00:13:27.960 seeking Him for what He can offer. Look at verse 00:13:27.960 --> 00:13:38.700 27. Don't work for the food that perishes, but 00:13:38.700 --> 00:13:41.919 for the food that lasts for eternal life. which 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:44.759 the Son of Man will give you because God the 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:50.840 Father has set his seal of approval on him. So 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:53.820 Jesus has a different kind of bread, he's saying. 00:13:54.220 --> 00:13:56.620 You're coming for the things that I can offer, 00:13:56.700 --> 00:13:59.039 but I have something more that I have for you. 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:03.240 I'm offering you this kind, this different kind 00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:07.519 of bread, one that brings eternal life, lasting 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:11.580 life. I think Jesus is exposing something here, 00:14:11.700 --> 00:14:15.100 he says, that I'm guilty of. Because I wrestle 00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:19.700 with this even just as a human. We spend so much 00:14:19.700 --> 00:14:24.600 of our lives in pursuit or looking for the things 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:30.159 to satisfy us. It's kind of sobering when I started 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:34.039 to think about all the things that I do to satisfy 00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:39.659 me. To fill that hole in my life. It's the next 00:14:39.659 --> 00:14:42.179 vacation. What is it for you? Maybe it's the 00:14:42.179 --> 00:14:44.460 next vacation. Maybe it's promotion at work. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:49.759 Maybe it's the next hunting trip. Maybe it's 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:55.879 the friendships. A romantic relationship where 00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:59.919 you can have that somebody to love you and to 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:03.559 feel cared for. Maybe it's this perfect little, 00:15:03.620 --> 00:15:06.399 or in our case at Radiant Mat -Su, big family. 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:13.940 Maybe it's secure finances. Maybe it's appearance. 00:15:14.340 --> 00:15:16.059 If you want to look good, you go to the gym. 00:15:16.700 --> 00:15:18.559 You're working really hard and hoping that will 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:25.200 satisfy. Maybe it's the safety of being the smartest 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:29.879 one in the room in a situation. Maybe it's just 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:33.740 straight up comfort food. You eat because it 00:15:33.740 --> 00:15:37.879 feels good. Kind of makes you numb. Maybe it's... 00:15:40.670 --> 00:15:44.429 And it's just find the next thing. Maybe it's 00:15:44.429 --> 00:15:49.149 alcohol. Or the next toy. I mean, we could just 00:15:49.149 --> 00:15:53.509 continue. There's thousands of things. Thousands 00:15:53.509 --> 00:15:56.350 of things we run to and chase after to bring 00:15:56.350 --> 00:16:02.149 us a sense of satisfaction. What's yours? Be 00:16:02.149 --> 00:16:03.490 honest with you right now. You don't have to 00:16:03.490 --> 00:16:05.110 say it out loud, but just think in your own heart. 00:16:05.169 --> 00:16:09.039 What are the things that I run to? to bring satisfaction 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:11.840 to me. And then I think one of the things we 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:15.759 have to ask is, how's it working? Is it filling? 00:16:15.940 --> 00:16:21.000 Is it temporary? It may feel good in the moment, 00:16:21.059 --> 00:16:27.200 but is it really working? What Jesus has to offer 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:30.740 sounds really good to the people. They're like, 00:16:30.820 --> 00:16:34.980 yes. Yes, that sounds good. We want that kind 00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:38.919 of bread. So they ask the question, they turn 00:16:38.919 --> 00:16:41.320 to Jesus after Jesus says, I have something that 00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:44.059 satisfies. And they're like, yes, what is it? 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:48.940 Like, what do we do to get it? That's their next 00:16:48.940 --> 00:16:56.779 question. Look at verse 28. What can we do? Underline 00:16:56.779 --> 00:16:59.759 that. If you're Bible writer, underline what 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:02.200 can we do? Because I think that's oftentimes 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:04.400 our first go -to, isn't it? What do we got to 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.900 do? What do we got to do to get it? What do we 00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:11.039 do to perform the works of God? Works of God, 00:17:11.099 --> 00:17:15.339 they asked. And Jesus replied, this is the work 00:17:15.339 --> 00:17:18.440 of God. Notice in your Bibles there's a dash. 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:22.019 He's pointing us to something. That you believe 00:17:22.019 --> 00:17:26.900 in the one who sent me. Sent. Who he has sent. 00:17:27.299 --> 00:17:31.619 You believe. They ask, what kind of work do we 00:17:31.619 --> 00:17:33.740 need to do to get this bread that we need, like 00:17:33.740 --> 00:17:35.960 you're talking about, the one that brings satisfaction, 00:17:36.259 --> 00:17:38.299 the one that fills our lives? And Jesus' response 00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:41.420 is, no physical work, no performing for God will 00:17:41.420 --> 00:17:49.039 work. We just need to believe in Him. In Him. 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:53.119 The bread that satisfies, the bread that endures 00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:57.559 comes through faith in Jesus. It's living your 00:17:57.559 --> 00:18:00.519 life with... Full surrender, putting your faith 00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:04.240 in Jesus. That's what he's saying. Unfortunately, 00:18:04.339 --> 00:18:09.440 the crowd, though, still doesn't get it. And 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:12.819 you can see this by their response in verse 30 00:18:12.819 --> 00:18:19.720 and 31. Look what they do. What sign? What sign, 00:18:19.940 --> 00:18:23.420 then, are you going to do so that we may see 00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:26.519 and believe you? They asked, what are you going 00:18:26.519 --> 00:18:30.049 to perform? See, our ancestors ate the manna 00:18:30.049 --> 00:18:33.390 in the wilderness just as it was written, he 00:18:33.390 --> 00:18:38.190 gave them bread from heaven to eat. Okay. So, 00:18:38.269 --> 00:18:43.430 they don't quite get it yet. The crowd is skeptical. 00:18:43.990 --> 00:18:46.930 And by the way, guys, it's okay to be skeptical 00:18:46.930 --> 00:18:49.650 of a certain place. I don't know about that. 00:18:49.990 --> 00:18:51.829 But this is where they're at, and they're so 00:18:51.829 --> 00:18:56.289 skeptical. they still are not sure if they can 00:18:56.289 --> 00:19:02.250 trust Jesus in what he's saying. Now, think about 00:19:02.250 --> 00:19:04.849 what they have gone through. What happened yesterday? 00:19:06.569 --> 00:19:12.230 My goodness, what did he do? He just fed 15, 00:19:12.309 --> 00:19:14.710 20 ,000 people. You think, well, and what are 00:19:14.710 --> 00:19:20.869 they asking for? Another sign. Like, I've heard 00:19:20.869 --> 00:19:23.579 people say sometimes, like, I wish I could just 00:19:23.579 --> 00:19:25.759 see a sign. I wish I could just see God, then 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:31.720 I'd believe. Would you? They're skeptical in 00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:34.460 what Jesus is saying. It's like they're saying, 00:19:34.599 --> 00:19:40.279 you know, we are really interested. You did a 00:19:40.279 --> 00:19:42.819 great job yesterday, Jesus. That was really cool 00:19:42.819 --> 00:19:46.019 that you fed that many people. And hey, we like 00:19:46.019 --> 00:19:47.700 what you're doing, and we're almost on board. 00:19:49.710 --> 00:19:53.529 But you know, Jesus, you know, Moses, remember 00:19:53.529 --> 00:19:55.910 how we talked about last week, how all of that 00:19:55.910 --> 00:19:58.029 was tied to, you could just see the parallels 00:19:58.029 --> 00:20:00.769 with Moses and the children of Israel. And they 00:20:00.769 --> 00:20:02.369 go back to that and they says, you see, Moses 00:20:02.369 --> 00:20:05.349 did a lot more though. Do you remember? That 00:20:05.349 --> 00:20:07.869 was really good. No, don't forget. Like that 00:20:07.869 --> 00:20:11.190 miracle you did with the bread thing, that was 00:20:11.190 --> 00:20:12.690 really good. But do you know Moses did a lot 00:20:12.690 --> 00:20:16.650 more? He did a lot more. Do you remember like 00:20:16.650 --> 00:20:23.730 all those plagues? And then he took 2 million 00:20:23.730 --> 00:20:26.569 people out of Egypt, and they got to the sea. 00:20:26.809 --> 00:20:28.930 Do you remember that, Jesus? And they parted 00:20:28.930 --> 00:20:32.750 the sea. Moses just like, whew, like a staff 00:20:32.750 --> 00:20:34.589 out there. The seas parted. You remember the 00:20:34.589 --> 00:20:38.150 Red Sea? Oh, and do you remember the manna that 00:20:38.150 --> 00:20:43.470 fell from the sky? It fed them every day. We 00:20:43.470 --> 00:20:45.789 want another sign. Prove it to us. Take us to 00:20:45.789 --> 00:20:48.309 another level, Jesus, because what we have is 00:20:48.309 --> 00:20:51.930 Moses, and we believe in him. So Jesus shows 00:20:51.930 --> 00:20:54.269 them another. So Jesus, just show us another 00:20:54.269 --> 00:20:58.670 sign. Prove to us that you give us bread that 00:20:58.670 --> 00:21:06.289 will last forever, bread that will satisfy. Here's 00:21:06.289 --> 00:21:11.930 Jesus' response in verse 32. Jesus said to them, 00:21:12.539 --> 00:21:15.200 Truly. Now, whenever you see truly in here, Jesus 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:19.039 is going and saying, listen really close. That's 00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:21.759 what the word means. Listen up. Okay? So truly, 00:21:21.900 --> 00:21:29.019 I tell you, Moses didn't give you the bread from 00:21:29.019 --> 00:21:32.099 heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread 00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:37.720 from heaven. For the bread of God is the one 00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:41.539 who comes down from heaven and gives life to 00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:46.440 And they said, sir, give us this bread always. 00:21:48.420 --> 00:21:52.079 Jesus says, look, boys. Look, boys and girls. 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:55.700 Moses didn't give you the bread. It came from 00:21:55.700 --> 00:22:01.059 God. This is really important because what does 00:22:01.059 --> 00:22:09.200 Jesus say he is? Jesus says, the bread I am talking 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:13.769 about. also comes from God, just like the manna 00:22:13.769 --> 00:22:19.630 did, but this bread is amazing. It gives life 00:22:19.630 --> 00:22:24.170 to the world. And they're like, yeah. They're 00:22:24.170 --> 00:22:29.190 like, yes. Give us that bread. That's what he's 00:22:29.190 --> 00:22:30.250 doing. That's what they're doing right there. 00:22:30.470 --> 00:22:35.390 Okay. Give us that bread then. And Jesus then 00:22:35.390 --> 00:22:38.599 drops the bomb. And this is the most important 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:41.480 verse in this whole section today. Look at verse 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:45.240 35. It's a key verse. Everything's pointing at 00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:48.539 this verse. Jesus drops the bomb and he says, 00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:55.680 I am the bread of life. Not Moses. I am the bread 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:59.940 of life. Jesus told him, no one comes to me who 00:22:59.940 --> 00:23:02.980 comes to me will ever be hungry. And no one who 00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:08.039 believes in me will ever be thirsty again. What 00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:12.259 an amazing statement. He just took a metaphor. 00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:15.599 He fed the 5 ,000. He says, see, I can do it. 00:23:15.640 --> 00:23:18.279 And they're already hungry. He's talking about 00:23:18.279 --> 00:23:22.559 the manna. And now he says, me. I'm the bread. 00:23:23.940 --> 00:23:27.059 Eat my body. And they're going to struggle with 00:23:27.059 --> 00:23:29.400 this later on. We won't get to that until next 00:23:29.400 --> 00:23:34.730 week. But he's saying, I am that. I am the bread 00:23:34.730 --> 00:23:36.769 that gives you life. I am the fulfillment. First, 00:23:36.910 --> 00:23:41.109 this is the first of seven I am statements by 00:23:41.109 --> 00:23:44.750 Jesus. An I am statement is this big explanation 00:23:44.750 --> 00:23:47.789 point that points right to him saying, this is 00:23:47.789 --> 00:23:53.549 who I am. I am. It's massive. And he says, I 00:23:53.549 --> 00:23:57.130 am the light of the world. He says, I am the 00:23:57.130 --> 00:24:00.349 door you go through. I am the good shepherd. 00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:04.400 I am the way, the truth, and the true vine, a 00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:07.460 life. I am the true vine. And then here in verse 00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:11.000 35, the first one he says is I'm the bread of 00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:13.680 life. And these metaphors throughout John are 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:16.079 incredibly important for us to come back to because 00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:20.160 as we look at Jesus, we're trying to see Jesus 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:23.759 to really grasp and understand how big and how 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:26.500 massive he is and then say, do I really see him 00:24:26.500 --> 00:24:30.579 that big? And so this metaphor of bread, he says, 00:24:30.599 --> 00:24:36.279 I want you to see me for what I am and what I 00:24:36.279 --> 00:24:40.640 offer because I'm calling you to believe in me. 00:24:41.279 --> 00:24:42.880 I don't care if you went to church your whole 00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:45.619 life. I'm calling you to believe in me. I don't 00:24:45.619 --> 00:24:47.519 care if you've never heard of Jesus before. I'm 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:51.289 calling you to believe in me in this way. And 00:24:51.289 --> 00:24:53.569 I'm going to call you to believe in me in six 00:24:53.569 --> 00:24:56.390 other ways throughout the Gospel of John. This 00:24:56.390 --> 00:24:58.210 is the first one, and he says, I want you to 00:24:58.210 --> 00:25:03.470 see me as bread for your life. One of the commentators 00:25:03.470 --> 00:25:06.450 said that it's no coincidence that Jesus was 00:25:06.450 --> 00:25:08.430 born in Bethlehem, which means what? Anybody 00:25:08.430 --> 00:25:13.289 know what that means? House of bread. He's born 00:25:13.289 --> 00:25:17.460 in Bethlehem. The house of bread as prophesied 00:25:17.460 --> 00:25:21.339 by hundreds of years earlier in Micah 5 verse 00:25:21.339 --> 00:25:29.940 2. The word became flesh and he broke it. It's 00:25:29.940 --> 00:25:34.200 no coincidence that either that it was all planned 00:25:34.200 --> 00:25:39.559 by the Lord for our redemption. Think back to 00:25:39.559 --> 00:25:42.019 the children of Israel. They're in the desert 00:25:42.019 --> 00:25:45.920 and God gave them what? Manna. Bread, for they 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:50.119 can eat. All the bread they can eat. Consume 00:25:50.119 --> 00:25:53.500 it daily. Oh, by the way, it rots at night, so 00:25:53.500 --> 00:25:55.640 don't try to collect it. Trust me, every day 00:25:55.640 --> 00:26:00.000 for me. I'm going to model this for you. This 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:02.619 is how I work. This is what I provide. I provide 00:26:02.619 --> 00:26:07.680 for you every day. Jesus says, I am better bread 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:12.180 for you to eat. I am the one your heart and this 00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:16.039 whole inside of you desires. Jesus is the bread 00:26:16.039 --> 00:26:19.299 of life. He is our sustenance. He is that for 00:26:19.299 --> 00:26:23.420 us. In verse 35, it says that those who come 00:26:23.420 --> 00:26:27.099 to Jesus will never, will not hunger. And those 00:26:27.099 --> 00:26:29.720 who believe in Jesus will never thirst. What 00:26:29.720 --> 00:26:33.740 does that remind you of? Remember the, what did 00:26:33.740 --> 00:26:40.960 he do? The wedding? Jesus constantly is using 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:43.420 these metaphors of food and stuff to say, that's 00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:47.440 me. I am in that in your life. Not just once 00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:50.319 a week. I want to be there in all the moments, 00:26:50.420 --> 00:26:54.339 in all the days. Apart from Jesus, nothing satisfies. 00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:56.279 The best adventure leaves you wanting another 00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:59.880 adventure. Not a bad thing. Enjoy the adventure. 00:27:00.099 --> 00:27:03.579 But know that adventure will not satisfy. Because 00:27:03.579 --> 00:27:05.480 you'll just want another adventure. The best 00:27:05.480 --> 00:27:10.529 meal leaves you hungry at some point. But the 00:27:10.529 --> 00:27:16.170 bread of life truly satisfies. Having made this 00:27:16.170 --> 00:27:20.430 massive claim about himself, Jesus goes on to 00:27:20.430 --> 00:27:22.789 explain the mysteries of his grace. Now, I'm 00:27:22.789 --> 00:27:24.369 not going to spend a lot of time in this section 00:27:24.369 --> 00:27:26.470 because parts of John are going to unpack this. 00:27:26.529 --> 00:27:29.109 This is almost his own sermon all by itself. 00:27:29.430 --> 00:27:32.390 But understand that in these next verses, the 00:27:32.390 --> 00:27:35.329 next four verses, Jesus is pointing at the mystery 00:27:35.329 --> 00:27:39.630 of the grace that you and I get to receive. Okay? 00:27:39.970 --> 00:27:45.890 Verse 36. But as I told you, you've seen me. 00:27:46.130 --> 00:27:51.750 And yet, you do not believe. Everyone the Father 00:27:51.750 --> 00:27:54.910 gives me will come to me, and the one who comes 00:27:54.910 --> 00:28:00.210 to me I will never cast out. For I have come 00:28:00.210 --> 00:28:03.369 down from heaven. He's just telling us again 00:28:03.369 --> 00:28:07.049 who he is. Not to do my own will, but the will 00:28:07.049 --> 00:28:10.369 of him who sent me. this is the will of him who 00:28:10.369 --> 00:28:14.730 sent me that i should lose none of those who 00:28:14.730 --> 00:28:18.589 have he has given me but should raise them up 00:28:18.589 --> 00:28:22.170 on the last day this is the will of my father 00:28:22.170 --> 00:28:26.089 that everyone who sees the son that's me as jesus 00:28:26.089 --> 00:28:28.670 is saying and believes in him will have eternal 00:28:28.670 --> 00:28:31.769 life and i will raise him up on the last day 00:28:31.769 --> 00:28:36.049 so here's what's going on jesus is on a mission 00:28:36.049 --> 00:28:39.569 to gather people to himself he just tells us 00:28:39.569 --> 00:28:42.710 this is why i've come that every one of you would 00:28:42.710 --> 00:28:47.049 believe in me that you would come to me he claims 00:28:47.049 --> 00:28:49.289 that he is from heaven this goes back to john 00:28:49.289 --> 00:28:52.349 chapter one where john explains like this in 00:28:52.349 --> 00:28:56.549 the god of the universe has come to us he says 00:28:56.549 --> 00:29:00.450 i he claims i'm from heaven but those listening 00:29:00.450 --> 00:29:04.970 to jesus he also declares will struggle Many 00:29:04.970 --> 00:29:07.769 struggle to believe in Jesus, don't they? Look 00:29:07.769 --> 00:29:15.509 at verse 41. Therefore the Jews started grumbling 00:29:15.509 --> 00:29:19.170 about him because he said, I am the bread that 00:29:19.170 --> 00:29:22.950 comes down from heaven. They were saying, isn't 00:29:22.950 --> 00:29:27.349 this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and 00:29:27.349 --> 00:29:33.029 mother we know? How can he now say, I have come 00:29:33.029 --> 00:29:37.630 down from heaven? If I'm being real honest, I 00:29:37.630 --> 00:29:42.769 think I'd be asking that same question. We've 00:29:42.769 --> 00:29:49.849 seen you grow up. It's like me saying, Raul's 00:29:49.849 --> 00:29:53.349 kid Isaiah, I've watched him grow up. Now Isaiah's 00:29:53.349 --> 00:29:55.490 saying he's in his 30s and he's saying he's come 00:29:55.490 --> 00:29:58.609 from heaven? It's a hard thing to believe, isn't 00:29:58.609 --> 00:30:04.119 it? I think it's fair. He says, even after experiencing 00:30:04.119 --> 00:30:06.940 all the signs and miracles that Jesus has been 00:30:06.940 --> 00:30:08.880 doing, and we know this in John, that John says 00:30:08.880 --> 00:30:11.079 like, hey, there are so many more I didn't even 00:30:11.079 --> 00:30:13.660 write about that Jesus is doing. There's more 00:30:13.660 --> 00:30:15.920 than we can even count. Jesus has been running 00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:18.079 around doing like, he's showing everybody who 00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:21.880 he is. And even after all of that, they still 00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:27.559 struggle to believe in Jesus. So Jesus continues. 00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:34.029 Look at verse 43. Jesus answered them, stop grumbling 00:30:34.029 --> 00:30:38.049 among yourselves. No one can come to me unless 00:30:38.049 --> 00:30:43.769 the Father who has sent me draws him. And I will 00:30:43.769 --> 00:30:47.650 raise him up on the last day. It is written in 00:30:47.650 --> 00:30:50.450 the prophets and will all be taught by God. Everyone 00:30:50.450 --> 00:30:55.529 who has listened to and learned from the Father 00:30:55.529 --> 00:31:00.450 comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father 00:31:00.450 --> 00:31:05.369 except the one who is from God. He has seen the 00:31:05.369 --> 00:31:09.049 Father. Okay, so one of the mysteries of the 00:31:09.049 --> 00:31:13.230 gospel is that God is the one who draws you to 00:31:13.230 --> 00:31:15.950 himself. This is where this is a massive text. 00:31:17.509 --> 00:31:19.869 But here's a mystery. I don't know how it works, 00:31:20.049 --> 00:31:24.089 but God is drawing you to himself. A good chance 00:31:24.089 --> 00:31:27.029 if you're here today, he's drawn you to himself. 00:31:28.329 --> 00:31:30.690 And so that's a mystery. That's grace. We don't 00:31:30.690 --> 00:31:34.890 deserve that. He goes deeper in verse 47 with 00:31:34.890 --> 00:31:37.309 this same kind of thought. Truly I tell you, 00:31:37.369 --> 00:31:40.970 anyone who believes and believes has eternal 00:31:40.970 --> 00:31:45.349 life. Believes what? Believes what? Anyone who 00:31:45.349 --> 00:31:49.569 believes has eternal life. Believes what? Verse 00:31:49.569 --> 00:32:00.269 48. I am the bread of life. Believing in Jesus 00:32:00.269 --> 00:32:04.529 as the bread of life is putting Jesus at the 00:32:04.529 --> 00:32:08.049 center of our lives. That's what he's saying. 00:32:08.069 --> 00:32:15.809 It's pretty simple, pretty hard. I am the bread 00:32:15.809 --> 00:32:23.109 of life. He does it again. Verse 49. Your ancestors 00:32:23.109 --> 00:32:26.809 ate the manna in the wilderness and they died. 00:32:29.089 --> 00:32:32.450 Another way of saying it is, you can eat this 00:32:32.450 --> 00:32:38.210 all day long and you're going to die. Even manna 00:32:38.210 --> 00:32:41.950 that God provided every day, they ate it in the 00:32:41.950 --> 00:32:46.130 wilderness. Are any of them around? They died. 00:32:49.930 --> 00:32:52.589 This is the bread that comes down from heaven 00:32:52.589 --> 00:32:58.150 so that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am 00:32:58.150 --> 00:33:01.670 the living bread that came down from heaven. 00:33:02.069 --> 00:33:05.769 If anyone eats of this bread, they will live 00:33:05.769 --> 00:33:10.970 forever. The bread that I give, that I will give 00:33:10.970 --> 00:33:18.849 for the life of the world is my flesh. What's 00:33:18.849 --> 00:33:23.289 he going to do with his flesh, church? He's going 00:33:23.289 --> 00:33:28.799 to give himself. He says, this bread, this me, 00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:34.200 my life is going to be broken for you. I want 00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:38.559 you to believe, to put all your hope, everything 00:33:38.559 --> 00:33:45.880 in your life in me. As we wrap this up, I want 00:33:45.880 --> 00:33:48.799 you to think about this piece of bread, this 00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:50.339 loaf of bread, or whatever you want to call it, 00:33:50.380 --> 00:33:53.839 in comparison to what Jesus is saying about himself. 00:33:55.800 --> 00:34:01.420 When you take a bite of this bread, when you 00:34:01.420 --> 00:34:06.799 eat it, you believe it's safe. You believe it's 00:34:06.799 --> 00:34:08.159 safe for you to eat unless you're gluten -free, 00:34:08.199 --> 00:34:10.239 and then you've got a gluten -free one. I know 00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:15.519 how this works. Gluten -freers. But you eat it 00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:19.360 knowing it's safe, right? You believe it will 00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:20.760 give you strength to make it through the day. 00:34:23.340 --> 00:34:25.340 You can't eat it halfway. You can't just put 00:34:25.340 --> 00:34:27.659 it in your mouth, chew it a little bit, spit 00:34:27.659 --> 00:34:31.780 it out, never swallow it. It just does you no 00:34:31.780 --> 00:34:36.239 good. You have to consume it. You either eat 00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:42.900 it or you don't. The same is true of believing 00:34:42.900 --> 00:34:47.739 in Jesus. You either believe him or you don't. 00:34:50.079 --> 00:34:54.760 You either trust him To give you life so you 00:34:54.760 --> 00:35:01.000 receive him fully and completely, or you don't. 00:35:01.360 --> 00:35:03.579 There's no middle ground. You don't just chew 00:35:03.579 --> 00:35:06.400 it up, Jesus, spit it out a little bit when you 00:35:06.400 --> 00:35:09.340 want to. It don't work that way. It's either 00:35:09.340 --> 00:35:13.719 one way or the other. You either trust him or 00:35:13.719 --> 00:35:17.900 you don't. Thinking about eating is not the same 00:35:17.900 --> 00:35:19.699 as eating. I consider, like, I should take a 00:35:19.699 --> 00:35:26.019 bite of this. I'll think about it. That's not 00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:28.500 eating, is it? Thinking about it is not the same 00:35:28.500 --> 00:35:31.440 as eating. Knowing all about this nutritional 00:35:31.440 --> 00:35:34.880 fact of this bread is not the same as eating 00:35:34.880 --> 00:35:38.940 the bread. You know all about it. Understanding 00:35:38.940 --> 00:35:41.519 how this bread is processed as you chew it up 00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:43.659 and stick it in your body is not the same as 00:35:43.659 --> 00:35:48.380 eating it. To believe is to internalize the truth 00:35:48.380 --> 00:35:52.659 about Jesus. It's to receive him into your soul. 00:35:54.989 --> 00:35:57.630 Thinking about Jesus is not the same as believing. 00:36:00.650 --> 00:36:03.710 For that matter, even reading your Bible is not 00:36:03.710 --> 00:36:07.650 the same as believing. Knowing all the facts 00:36:07.650 --> 00:36:09.570 about Jesus, although those are really important, 00:36:09.769 --> 00:36:13.909 is not the same as believing. Believing is staking 00:36:13.909 --> 00:36:16.989 your life on the fact that Jesus is the only 00:36:16.989 --> 00:36:22.670 way, the only truth, and the only life. You receive 00:36:22.670 --> 00:36:29.750 him as Lord and Savior. That's why we, in our 00:36:29.750 --> 00:36:32.650 baptisms, we ask this question, who is Jesus? 00:36:32.829 --> 00:36:35.190 Craig, you're going to be baptized. Who is Jesus? 00:36:37.849 --> 00:36:44.469 He's my Savior and my Lord. I believe 125 % in 00:36:44.469 --> 00:36:46.550 Jesus. I would give it all to Him. Now, how good 00:36:46.550 --> 00:36:49.110 are we at staying there? We struggle, aren't 00:36:49.110 --> 00:36:51.480 we? All right. And so every day, it's not that 00:36:51.480 --> 00:36:53.480 we're getting saved again, but every day we walk 00:36:53.480 --> 00:36:56.019 back and say, God, just like I need to eat this 00:36:56.019 --> 00:36:59.739 every day for my food, I need you every day as 00:36:59.739 --> 00:37:04.039 the true life that I consume. It's placing all 00:37:04.039 --> 00:37:09.320 your hope in Jesus to sustain you. It's placing 00:37:09.320 --> 00:37:12.219 all your confidence in him, even when it doesn't 00:37:12.219 --> 00:37:16.059 make sense. You place all your confidence in 00:37:16.059 --> 00:37:18.940 him as the one who can give you life and strength. 00:37:19.530 --> 00:37:23.329 and the future. Believing in Jesus means you 00:37:23.329 --> 00:37:31.050 realize that all other means of salvation don't 00:37:31.050 --> 00:37:35.670 work. You say, I cannot do this on my own, Jesus. 00:37:35.809 --> 00:37:39.809 I need you. I need you, Jesus, today. I need 00:37:39.809 --> 00:37:44.530 you every hour. You are what sustains me. You 00:37:44.530 --> 00:37:46.909 are what gives me life, and I cannot do it on 00:37:46.909 --> 00:37:52.630 my own. I need you. I can't make this on my own. 00:37:52.710 --> 00:38:02.590 I need you, Jesus. I will die apart from you, 00:38:02.690 --> 00:38:08.630 Jesus. Jesus, save me. Jesus, forgive me. Jesus, 00:38:08.750 --> 00:38:12.510 give me life. This is the daily prayer of... 00:38:13.119 --> 00:38:15.559 Or this is the first prayer of somebody who says, 00:38:15.679 --> 00:38:18.059 I want Jesus in my life. You pray that prayer. 00:38:18.119 --> 00:38:21.639 But it's also the daily prayer of every one of 00:38:21.639 --> 00:38:30.199 us. The gospel is you did nothing to earn that. 00:38:32.420 --> 00:38:40.610 Sorry, guys. Only Jesus could do it all. The 00:38:40.610 --> 00:38:44.130 gospel says that Jesus stood in your place. He 00:38:44.130 --> 00:38:48.090 took your sins. And so a lot of us grew up in 00:38:48.090 --> 00:38:50.010 a church thinking, well, I've accepted Jesus 00:38:50.010 --> 00:38:52.289 into my heart, and so that's good. I've got it 00:38:52.289 --> 00:38:56.130 covered. No, that means that Jesus stood in your 00:38:56.130 --> 00:39:00.389 place for yesterday, today, tomorrow, and every 00:39:00.389 --> 00:39:03.110 moment. It just keeps going, and you just got 00:39:03.110 --> 00:39:06.630 to still keep coming back to Jesus. I need to 00:39:06.630 --> 00:39:09.250 hear this every day. I need Jesus every hour. 00:39:11.179 --> 00:39:14.239 Only Jesus can satisfy the growling of my soul. 00:39:15.360 --> 00:39:18.340 Only Jesus can fill that hole that's inside of 00:39:18.340 --> 00:39:22.440 me. We enjoy the things he offers, but we cannot 00:39:22.440 --> 00:39:25.619 place them as our salvation. We cannot place 00:39:25.619 --> 00:39:30.420 those things to satisfy us. Jesus is the only 00:39:30.420 --> 00:39:36.320 thing. You know, when we think about communion, 00:39:36.559 --> 00:39:38.420 what we're really saying, I mean, in baptism, 00:39:38.579 --> 00:39:41.280 when we think about baptism, Which we're going 00:39:41.280 --> 00:39:43.219 to be celebrating here really soon at our camp 00:39:43.219 --> 00:39:46.960 out. And one of the pictures I love about baptism 00:39:46.960 --> 00:39:50.420 is this idea that when I baptize you or somebody 00:39:50.420 --> 00:39:54.719 else baptizes somebody, they're fully letting 00:39:54.719 --> 00:39:59.179 go. And I lower that person into the water. They're 00:39:59.179 --> 00:40:01.960 not going, hey, I'm doing it myself. There's 00:40:01.960 --> 00:40:04.980 this release that says, God, I give it all to 00:40:04.980 --> 00:40:09.920 you, Jesus. All of my sin. All of my shame. All 00:40:09.920 --> 00:40:14.559 of my past. I give it to you because you died 00:40:14.559 --> 00:40:17.500 for it. And so put it to death. And so you go 00:40:17.500 --> 00:40:21.760 into the water. The symbol of death. But then 00:40:21.760 --> 00:40:25.219 Jesus, I also trust you to give me life. The 00:40:25.219 --> 00:40:27.880 life that only sustains. So you come up out of 00:40:27.880 --> 00:40:30.260 the water as a picture of the resurrection of 00:40:30.260 --> 00:40:33.219 Jesus. Going in Christ I resurrect. In Christ 00:40:33.219 --> 00:40:36.019 I have hope. In Christ I have a life. In Christ 00:40:36.019 --> 00:40:42.630 I have a future. he's my savior and he's my lord 00:40:42.630 --> 00:40:46.250 and so i simplify the fact that i surrender all 00:40:46.250 --> 00:40:51.929 to jesus okay lord you take it and in communion 00:40:51.929 --> 00:40:54.809 what we say every week band you can come up we 00:40:54.809 --> 00:40:57.309 say this as we go and celebrate communion every 00:40:57.309 --> 00:41:01.659 week we say this body was broken for you jesus 00:41:01.659 --> 00:41:04.460 your body was broken for me and i know that the 00:41:04.460 --> 00:41:06.699 only thing that makes it work in my life is you 00:41:06.699 --> 00:41:09.480 jesus and so i remember you today and so i i 00:41:09.480 --> 00:41:13.440 take a piece of this bread and i i break it and 00:41:13.440 --> 00:41:16.260 we here we just dip it into a cup of juice or 00:41:16.260 --> 00:41:19.179 symbolizing the this blood is the blood the wine 00:41:19.179 --> 00:41:21.400 that symbolizes his blood that was shed for me 00:41:21.400 --> 00:41:27.219 so i dip it into this is i am nothing without 00:41:27.219 --> 00:41:31.780 that Jesus, I consume you. I eat you. I want 00:41:31.780 --> 00:41:35.000 you to be at the center of my life. And so that's 00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:36.440 what we're going to do today is the band plays. 00:41:36.500 --> 00:41:40.940 We're going to respond. And seriously, if there's 00:41:40.940 --> 00:41:42.760 massive sin in your life you haven't repented 00:41:42.760 --> 00:41:44.960 of, don't go do communion. It's mocking God almost. 00:41:45.320 --> 00:41:48.719 Like he paid for that. Repent of that sin. Run 00:41:48.719 --> 00:41:50.980 to him. If you are not a believer, don't go do 00:41:50.980 --> 00:41:53.659 communion because it's really what it says to 00:41:53.659 --> 00:41:57.840 the Christian is this is... What I identify, 00:41:57.920 --> 00:42:01.119 Jesus did this for me. If you are a follower 00:42:01.119 --> 00:42:03.699 of Jesus, though, we go and we remember who is 00:42:03.699 --> 00:42:06.139 the real bread of our life. Who is the one that 00:42:06.139 --> 00:42:16.280 sustains us? Let's pray together. Lord, as I've 00:42:16.280 --> 00:42:21.420 thought about the sin that's in my life, even 00:42:21.420 --> 00:42:30.539 this last week of... looking to, thinking about 00:42:30.539 --> 00:42:33.460 the next adventure, maybe in my life, oh God, 00:42:33.559 --> 00:42:35.239 I wish I could go do this, it would be so much 00:42:35.239 --> 00:42:38.579 fun. And being honest with the fact that that 00:42:38.579 --> 00:42:42.719 is what I was looking to, to satisfy my whole. 00:42:44.199 --> 00:42:46.280 Even though God, you created adventures for us, 00:42:46.320 --> 00:42:50.139 you created those things, Jesus, forgive me for 00:42:50.139 --> 00:42:53.260 not looking to you. And Lord, I come back to 00:42:53.260 --> 00:42:56.000 you today to say, Jesus, you are what sustains, 00:42:56.039 --> 00:43:00.239 you are what gives me life. So Jesus, we look 00:43:00.239 --> 00:43:03.719 to you as a church. Psalm 34, verse five says, 00:43:03.780 --> 00:43:07.699 those who look to the Lord are radiant. Their 00:43:07.699 --> 00:43:12.519 faces shall never be ashamed. Help us, Lord, 00:43:12.559 --> 00:43:16.320 as we sit and respond this morning to readjust 00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:19.760 our gaze back to you. If those are in the room 00:43:19.760 --> 00:43:22.000 who've never surrendered to you, Jesus, I pray 00:43:22.000 --> 00:43:26.320 today that you will become their Savior and their 00:43:26.320 --> 00:43:31.380 Lord. For those that have made that commitment, 00:43:31.420 --> 00:43:34.860 God, remind us again and again, you are what 00:43:34.860 --> 00:43:35.500 sustains us.