Jesus Is True Bread From Heaven

John 6: 22-35

Audio Link: Jesus Is True Bread From Heaven

Yesterday Jesus performed the miracle of feeding the five thousand somewhere on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee (John 6:1-15). But they did not realize what the miracle actually revealed to them. The crowd, being satisfied once by what Jesus had done for them, wanted to see what else Jesus could do for them. Maybe he would provide more free meals? What better social program could be possible than miraculously feeding people every day! But that was not Jesus’ intension. Jesus refused to encourage them in their desire for the material and physical satisfaction he could provide.

We know that throughout the Exodus, God miraculously sustained His people by sending manna from heaven each morning. Manna was a physical and daily bread. The people ate it and were sustained for a day. But they had to get more bread every day, and this bread could not keep them from dying in the end. Symbolically, Jesus is the heavenly manna, the spiritual or supernatural food given by the Father to those who hunger.

Just as God had provided for His people as they came out of Egypt, so Jesus had provided physical food for the 5,000 and was ready to provide spiritual nourishment and life to all of them as well. Thus, in today’s Scripture, Jesus told crowd, “I am the bread of life.” Clearly, Jesus was indicating that He was God’s provision for the people’s deepest spiritual needs.

There are two kinds of hunger. There is physical hunger which physical food can satisfy; but there is a spiritual hunger which that food can never satisfy. A man may be as rich as Bill Gates and still have an unsatisfied spiritual hunger in his life. The bread that fills the stomach, whether produced by a miraculous sign or made at the bakery, is neither spiritual nor eternal. But there is another kind of food, “food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” God had given them his Son as the true heavenly bread to meet their daily spiritual needs.

I have often thought how exciting it would be to win a shopping spree in a grocery store. In such a contest the prizewinner is given a few minutes to accumulate as much merchandise as possible. When the time is up, the items are sorted and the prices are totaled. But it’s all free!
I watched one of these events, and it was obvious that the participants knew exactly what they wanted. They had carefully worked out a strategy. When the clock started, they headed right for the high-priced items. Now suppose a contestant had filled his cart with empty boxes and cartons. We would say, “He’s foolish. Why doesn’t he take the valuable items?” What about our life?

We live in a materialistic age. Gadgets and luxuries with their glitter and glamour entice even Christians to spend too much energy and money to obtain them. That’s why it is important to keep spiritual values foremost in our minds. Have you been putting all of your energies into getting ahead in this world while neglecting heavenly values?

Jesus was saying that the people should not be following him because he provided free bread, but because he provides spiritual bread—bread that can give them eternal life. We all have a deep spiritual hunger that can’t be satisfied by anything the world has to offer. Jesus Christ alone can satisfy the hunger of the human heart and soul. He alone can fill our lives with hope and meaning. And, Jesus told them: “Do not work for the food that perishes.” Long ago a prophet called Isaiah had asked: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:2).

This morning, I want to ask one simple question that I always like to ask. What are you working for? I am not asking what you do for a living; I’m asking what you do it for, and why you do it. Like the words of a popular song, are you working for a weekend? Are you working for a vacation, better house, better job, more joy and happiness? Or working for retirement?

Lee Strobel, teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, Illinois, offers a unique perspective on life in the 1990’s…Even though we are now living in 2000’s, I believe it still applies to us. If you really are a person of the 90s…You feel like life is whizzing past you at 90 miles an hour. You work 90 hours a week, and you’ve still got 90 items on your to-do list. You’re on a 90-calorie-a-day diet because you look 90 pounds overweight in your swimming suit. You’ve got 90 different bills to pay, and you’re still paying $90 a month on your student loan, and you don’t know where you’re going to get $90, 000 to send your kids to school. You’ve got 90 channels of cable television, and there is still nothing worth watching. You drive your kids to 90 different activities and events a month. Your toddler just asked “Why?” for the 90th time today. And you think everything would be fine, if you were just making 90 grand a year. He sharply pointed out what we are working for, why we are busy, and at the same time, how many people are wasting their lives for the less important, or even the not at all important.

Recently, we have witnessed that Bill Gates, who is the world’s richest man and founder of Microsoft, plans to step away as CEO. Gates announced that over the next two years, he will gradually step away from his daily responsibilities at the company. He explained that he had been working part-time for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (They have targeted health reform and education in the continent of Africa and other underdeveloped areas of the world, including the US) and full-time for a Microsoft company that has made him the richest man in the world, and he wished to reverse those priorities.

Days after Gates announced his eventual departure, Warren Buffett, the world’s second richest man, announced that he will donate, putting personal ego aside, $31 billion to an organization bearing the names of Bill and Melinda Gates.

There are many lessons taught by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. For example, first of all, it is better to give than to receive. Second, spread your wealth and share your fortunes with the unfortunate. Third, share your property with others long before we leave this world. However, what I learned about them gave me a chance to evaluate myself on what I’m working for, and why I am working.

In today’s Scripture, the crowd asked Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” The crowd missed Jesus’ words about how he would give the food that lasts for eternal life. Instead they focused on his words about working, wanting to know what they could do to carry out the works of God.

When Jesus spoke about the works of God, the Jews immediately thought in terms of “good” works. It was their conviction that a man by living a good life could earn the favor of God. So when the Jews asked Jesus about the work of God they expected him to lay down lists of things to do. But that is not Jesus’ way at all.

Jesus wanted the people to look to Him as the one who could provide the food that endures to eternal life. He Himself is that food. By coming to Him and receiving Him by faith they would partake of the bread of life. This offer is the same as the offer of living water to the Samaritan woman in chapter 4. Eternal life is a gift; it cannot be earned, so Jesus said, “Do not work for it.” The only work to be done is to believe in Jesus.

Jesus gave a straightforward answer: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” Jesus said that God’s work was to believe in Him whom he had sent. The only work God requires from us is to believe in his Son. But for some reason, we feel better somehow earning God’s favor rather than accepting it as a gift. Many who sincerely seek God wonder what He wants them to do. However, Jesus’ reply was brief and simple: Believe in him whom God has sent. Satisfying God does not come from the work we do, but from whom we believe.

Years ago a man was making a journey by ship from England to America. Worried about spending any extra cash, he lived on crackers and cheese for the entire trip, until the last day. No longer able to stand the sight of crackers and cheese he thought to himself, “Well, maybe on this last day I’ll go all out and treat myself to a full meal.”

The steward was surprised to see the man seated at the dinner table and when he inquired as to where the Scotsman had been for the entire voyage, the man told how he was anxious about spending too much money. The steward was shocked, “Didn’t anyone tell you? The meals are included in the price of the ticket!” How many of us are sailing through life on a “crackers and cheese” existence, worried sick over earthly treasures? “Give it up,” Jesus says. “It isn’t necessary. God’s provision is included in the price of your trust.”

In today’s Scripture, Jesus said to us, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life.” What is the prime goal of our lives? For what are we working? Just as bread supplies our bodies with strength and nourishment, Jesus, the true bread from heaven, came to strengthen and nourish his people—to change their lives, to bring spiritual and eternal life to all who would believe in him! Jesus offers the ultimate spiritual satisfaction: if we believe in him, we will never hunger or thirst.

What are you working for? Even though you live in a big house, wear designer clothing, own property, and eat expensive meals, you will still be hungry if you do not have Jesus in your life. Are you still hungry for something? What bread do you need? Do not work for the bread that is perishable. Do not waste your life for the bread that makes you hungry again. Work for the bread that you can share with the unfortunate, and have the bread of faith from heaven, that eternally satisfies your hunger.

Jesus Is True Bread From Heaven

Jesus Is The True Bread From Heaven - Audio Sermon On-line - Reverend KyungMo Koo