{"id":1099,"date":"2024-07-29T13:53:17","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T13:53:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/?page_id=1099"},"modified":"2025-12-15T20:51:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T20:51:55","slug":"the-bread-of-life","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/the-bread-of-life\/","title":{"rendered":"THE BREAD OF LIFE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

THE BREAD OF LIFE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John 6:25-36<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTRODUCTION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Matthew Mark Luke and John, there are sixty-four different miracles recorded. There are also three occasions in which the gospel writer says that Jesus performed many miracles and healed many people. [eg Matthew 9:35] So when you read the gospels, you see that this was a significant aspect of his ministry. Miracles weren’t merely a sometimes event; they were a frequent occurrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even so, quite often \u2014 even with all the miracles taking place, the people of His day still failed to recognize Jesus for who He was. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They overlooked the most important thing \u2014 in light of lesser important things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever done that in life? Saw something small and overlooked something great?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author Max Lucado tells a story about this in his life. It happened when His wife called him one day while he was driving home. She asked, \u201cCan you stop at the grocery store and pick up some bread?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Max said, \u201cOf course.\u201d His wife Denalyn asked, \u201cDo I need to tell you where to find it?\u201d Max said, \u201cAre you kidding? I was born with a bread-aisle tracking system.\u201d She replied, \u201cWell, just stay focused, Max.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Max writes,\u00a0\u201cShe was nervous. Rightly so. My mom once sent me to buy butter and milk<\/strong>; I bought buttermilk<\/strong>. I once mis-took a tube of hair cream<\/strong> for toothpaste<\/strong>. . . I am a charter member of the Clueless Husband Shopping Squad.<\/strong>\u00a0 But . . . knowing that Denalyn was counting on me, I parked the car at the market and entered the door. En route to the bread aisle<\/strong>, I spotted my favorite cereal, so I picked up a box, which made me wonder if we needed milk. I found a gallon in the dairy section. The cold milk stirred images of one of God\u2019s great gifts to humanity: Oreo cookies. The heavenly banquet will consist of tables and tables of Oreo cookies and milk. We will spend eternity dipping and slurping our way through\u2026OK, enough of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I grabbed a pack of cookies, which happened to occupy the same half of the store as barbecue potato chips. What a wonderful world this is\u2014cookies and barbecue chips under the same roof! On the way to the checkout counter, I spotted some ice cream. Within a few minutes I\u2019d filled the basket with every essential item for a happy and fulfilled life. I checked out and drove home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Denalyn<\/strong> looked at my purchases, then at me. Can you guess her question? All together now: \u201cWhere\u2019s the bread?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I went back to the grocery store. I forgot the big item. The one thing I went to get. <\/strong>The one essential product. I forgot<\/strong> the bread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I just wonder, how often do we make the same mistake as Max \u2014 but in more critical areas? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an effort to live life and do good, to gather with our church family or serve one another. We feed the hungry, we encourage others, we pray with the hurting and seek healing for the afflicted, we try to do good and help those in need and serve our community. And we may even address racial issues and poverty problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while all those things are good \u2014 sometimes, even good things can distract us from the most important thing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following, trusting, and believing in Jesus! This morning I want to make sure that in everything we do \u2014 that we don\u2019t forget the bread!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bread of Life<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the account that we\u2019re about to read, this is the longest chapter in the gospel of John,<\/strong> it\u2019s the longest chapter in the entire New Testament<\/strong>, but we will see that everyone is hungry.  We have hungry hearts – hungry maybe for comfort, <\/strong>hungry maybe for romance<\/strong> or for money,<\/strong> hungry maybe for power <\/strong>or for approval,<\/strong> but everyone is hungry.  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In John\u2019s gospel, chapter 6<\/strong>, verses 1 through 21<\/strong>, Jesus <\/strong>had arrived in the city of Tiberias<\/strong>, and there, along the shore of Galilee\u2019s sea<\/strong>, He performed a miracle.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With only five barley loaves<\/strong> and a couple of fish<\/strong>, He fed a crowd of thousands \u2014 some believe as many as 20,000 hungry people<\/strong>. The people were so amazed that they desired to make Him a king <\/strong>at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, Jesus<\/strong> knew this \u2014 and slipped away. The next day, <\/strong>He and his disciples docked at the town of Capernaum<\/strong>. It was not long, however, before the news spread and the crowd of people grew, once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its here \u2014 at this point, that we pick up our study in John, chapter 6. <\/strong>If you have your bible, look at it with me, beginning in verse 25. <\/strong>Here John<\/strong> writes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

25\u00a0<\/strong>When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, \u201cRabbi, when did you get here?\u201d 26\u00a0<\/strong>Jesus answered, \u201cVery truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27\u00a0<\/strong>Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.\u201d 28\u00a0<\/strong>Then they asked him, \u201cWhat must we do to do the works God requires?\u201d 29\u00a0<\/strong>Jesus answered, \u201cThe work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.\u201d 30\u00a0<\/strong>So they asked him, \u201cWhat sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31\u00a0<\/strong>Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: \u2018He gave them bread from heaven to eat.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

32\u00a0<\/strong>Jesus said to them, \u201cVery truly I tell you, 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. 33\u00a0<\/strong>For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.\u201d 34\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cSir,\u201d they said, \u201calways give us this bread.\u201d 35\u00a0<\/strong>Then Jesus declared, \u201cI am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John 6:25-35 (NIV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus used the analogy of bread a variety of times in his life and teaching. And it makes sense, because bread is and was \u2014 a common, daily necessity in life. When he used the analogy, he did so to explain how in like manner, He sustains and satisfies people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the clearest analogies in life is that we become what we consume.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It happens! We become like that which we take in.  And for that reason, Jesus invites us to feast on Him and His Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s pray.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heavenly Father, we confess that at times our hearts are fickle, our mind are sometimes filled with everything except you. In our cravings we often overlook the one person who could fulfill them all. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But we confess today that we are hungry, and thirsty, and long for more. So this morning we ask you to enable us to taste and see just how good you are. Help us today to learn to hunger and thirst more for you than anything else. Teach us through your Word to find our fulfillment in you alone. We pray this in Jesus name, amen!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this story today \u2014 John tells us how once again, Jesus was trying to do was to get his listeners to be passionate about matters of faith.<\/strong> He wants us to desire food for the soul in the way we desire food for our stomachs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I want to consider a couple of things \u2014 and then we\u2019ll concluder time together by celebrating communion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first thing comes right from the heart of this passage. And I\u2019ll put it in the form of a question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. WHAT IS IT THAT’S DRIVING YOU?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s driving<\/strong> you<\/strong>? What are your passionate about? For what do you live? What is it that causes you to dream<\/strong> and wonder<\/strong>? For what are you spending<\/strong> your<\/strong> life<\/strong> to pursue?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In verses 26-27<\/strong>, Jesus<\/strong> shows that the people of His day had the wrong pursuit<\/strong>. The wrong driv<\/strong>e. The wrong motivation.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When John<\/strong> tells us about the people looking for Jesus \u2014 he indicates that they weren\u2019t coming after Him because of who He was \u2014 but because of what He could provide for them. Because of the miracle that He did the day before, they were hoping for another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than seeing Jesus as the MESSIAH, all they saw was someone who could do miracles. And they wanted another FREE LUNCH. Listen again to the way Jesus put it. In verse 26,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

26 <\/strong>Jesus answered, \u201cVery truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 <\/strong>Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So here\u2019s the thing \u2014 the people of Jesus day<\/strong> were\u2019t much different than the people of our day<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many today, the people<\/strong> of this stor<\/strong>y thought only of their material things. To them the PHYSICAL\u2014the TEMPORAL\u2014was all that mattered! And because of that they saw the miracle\u2014but the MESSAGE behind it went right over their heads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And\u2014we probably shouldn\u2019t be too hard of them \u2014 because physical FOOD<\/strong> is still a priority in most of our lives as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get this, eating is something we do between 20-25 times a week. <\/strong>And there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ve already eaten today! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, some of you are already making plans (RIGHT NOW) for where you\u2019re going to eat lunch when this service is over. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I mean, think of it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n