Sermon: John 6:25-35

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE
Sermon by Judy Turner
Text: John 6:25-35

Let's listen in on a conversation between Jesus and a lot of people who were looking for him. We need to know what happened before this conversation took place. Jesus had miraculously provided food for 5,000 people. The crowd wanted to make him their king. But Jesus did not come to set up an earthly kingdom. He withdrew to pray, but the crowd searched for Jesus until they found him.

Vs. 25-27 They asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal.

People were seeking Jesus. Why? To get their needs met and their expectations fulfilled. It was about their agenda. Do we seek Jesus? Why? Is it about getting what we want from Him, or is it about finding out what He wants for us? Jesus tells us to seek what endures forever.

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The Food that Endures

I met a couple in Ohio who told me this story. They had been nominal Christians most of their lives. They went to church when it was convenient, they gave to the church when they had a little extra cash, they occasionally read the Bible. But what dominated their lives was building a dream house. They bought some land in the country and started in on the project. It took years, because they were doing much of the work themselves. They devoted every weekend for years to building their dream house. Finally the day came and they moved in. Neither of them wanted to admit to the other that there was a feeling of emptiness. They both started looking for what might satisfy that emptiness. The wife became part of a Bible study, really getting into the word of God for the first time. It was exciting, challenging, fulfilling. Then, there was the opportunity to use her skill as a nurse in caring for people in and beyond the congregation. The husband found a group of Christian men who lived out their faith by going to areas that were devastated by natural disasters to help people rebuild their homes and their lives. He found working for God so much more satisfying than working for himself.

There came that night in their dream home. Each wanted to bring up the subject, but feared how the other would respond. Finally, the husband cleared his throat and said, “You know I really enjoy working with the disaster relief team, and you really seem to love your work as a parish nurse. But we still have this big house and property to maintain, which takes a lot of our time and energy. I know you love this place, but what if we got a smaller place? We would have more time to give to God’s work. The wife jumped out of her chair, gave her husband a big hug, and said, “I’ve been thinking the same thing, but was afraid to even suggest that we sell our dream house we worked so hard to build.”

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But they had discovered how satisfying God-centered life is, and they gladly sold their dream house. They are now working for the bread that endures to eternal life, which God day by day provides.

What Must We Do?

The people Jesus is talking to want to know more about how you devote yourself to this work that endures to eternal life.

Vs. 28-29 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Believing in Jesus isn’t just giving mental assent that Jesus is the Son of God. It’s making yourself the apprentice of Jesus, so you follow Him every day, seeking His leading in your life. Then doing the work He invites you to do with Him.

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Apprentices of Jesus

Yesterday a group of us interested in growing a community garden went to see the farm of an organic gardener named Fred. Fred’s farm is an amazing place, with chickens producing eggs and goats keeping the pasture, and dogs watching the goats, and a greenhouse for the seedlings, and beds, some already planted, promising to provide all kinds of delicious vegetables. We were amazed at all Fred has accomplished and built in 3 years. But Fred wasn’t born knowing how to do all this. And he couldn’t get the training he needed just from books. Fred found a successful organic gardener named Patrice and apprenticed himself to Patrice. He spent time with Patrice, working with him side by side and so learned the ways of successful organic gardening.

The Bible talks about two different kinds of life we humans can live on this planet. There is either the self-centered life or the God-centered life. We are either ruled by our own thoughts, desires, plans, and actions; or we are ruled by God’s thoughts, desires, plans, and actions. We enter that God-centered life by putting our trust in Jesus. We apprentice ourselves to Him, daily learning His ways. The people Jesus is talking to either can’t understand or, I think more likely, don’t want to understand that Jesus is inviting them to enter a God-centered life through following Him. They are proud. They think they can continue their self-centered living and do just fine. They don’t want to submit their lives to Jesus’ authority. So they ask him what he will do to prove that He is the One sent from God.

Vs. 30 -33 So they asked him, “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate manna in the desert; as it is written: “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven and gives life to the world.

The people are remembering the stories of their ancestors after the exodus from Egypt in the desert heading toward the promised land. Every morning when the Israelites woke up there was food on the ground, something like bread, they called it manna. God provided this miraculous food. But what they are not recognizing is that God not only provided the physical bread which dropped from the sky, but the spiritual nourishment which kept alive their faith and hope. God still provides this spiritual nourishment which makes our faith deeper, our hope brighter, and our love greater, our joy more abundant. God-centered life has two dimensions: God provides what we need for our life in these bodies He has created. He provides for our physical needs. But He also provides what is needed for our spirits to thrive. He provides for our spiritual needs.

But the people Jesus was talking to were were stuck in the physical dimension and were wanting Jesus to provide their material needs so they could live their self-centered lives apart from surrender and obedience to God.

Vs. 34-36 “Sir, said the people, “from now on give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

So Jesus says it plainly now: " I am the one who will provide spiritual satisfaction and meet your deepest longings." Until they recognize who Jesus really is, they may be fed with bread and fish, but there is a deep hunger inside them which will never be satisfied. By His claim to be the Bread of Life, Jesus still says, “You can search and search, you study and gain all sorts of knowledge, you can gain riches and stuff, you can achieve status and success, you can possess everything you thought you always wanted, but unless you come to me, you’re going to go hungry.”

Not Religion, But Relationship

The religious leaders in the crowd were offended by this claim of Jesus. He threatened their religious system. But Jesus doesn't offer religion; He offers relationship. He offers a whole new dimension of living in loving relationship with Himself, with God the Father, and with the Holy Spirit. And as we accept Jesus’ offer, and live day by day with Him, we grow closer to Him, we know Him more intimately, and become more like Him. It is that growing love relationship that gives us true meaning and purpose in life, real security, lasting peace, and unquenchable joy.

Let me summarize the difference between religion and relationship:

Religion is people-made. Relationship is God-given. Religion is about “holy people”. Relationship is about a Holy God. Religion is a lot of rules; relationship is the power to live a new and better life. Religion produces pretense; relationship produces authenticity. Religion slides toward self-righteousness; relationship surges into self-giving. Religion tends toward hypocrisy; relationship makes us real. Religion is oppressive; relationship is liberating. Religion relies on human effort to reach God; relationship relies on the finished work of Jesus Christ. Religion is based on do; relationship is based on done.

Where are you going to go to find purpose in living? Where are you going to find the comfort and strength to meet each day’s problems and challenges? Where are you going to find true satisfaction? Jesus is here. He looks directly at you with eyes filled with more love than you can imagine and says, “I am the bread of life. When you come to me, you will never go hungry.”