Jesus and bread.
Bread is a staple. Bread is universal
Bread is everywhere, and so is Christ. He is universally available.
Bread is eaten daily.
Jesus can nourish our hearts daily.
Bread is served in many forms.
Jesus is adaptable to need.
Bible Reading: John 6:25-40
The large number of people in John 6 are from the 5000 men plus women and children who enjoyed the miracle of the loaves and fishes.
Their excitement was based upon what they expected Jesus to do for them but this is due to a false assumption of who Jesus was and what he was offering.
Jesus would not accept their invitation to be their king, sent his disciples away from the influence of the crowd and withdrew to a mountain.
2. They are determined
They are passionate and aggressive in their search for Jesus, which is encouraged by Jesus at other times, (Matthew 7:7) however their motives are wrong.
The crowd falls into three categories:
a) Materialists John
6:25
The people
wanted hand-outs and provisions. They lived with material insecurity which
exhausted them physically and humiliated them emotionally. A physical struggle
can rob a person of the energy to meet needs of the heart and soul. That is why William Booth said that it was no
use preaching to a man whilst his belly was empty and their feet were cold. Jesus advice John 6:27
Jesus recognised that these people didn’t recognise spiritual need but assumed material wealth would satisfy them completely.
In the west today we don’t deal with the fact that we are spiritually starving to death not because we are struggling with poverty but because we are so over stimulated by our outer senses that we can hardly hear our inner soul. Many fear looking at the hunger within. We should value our spiritual hunger as we do our physical hunger; a bad appetite leads to under nourishment and malnutrition.
This group wanted a list of rules because it is easier to be dominated by a leader than to responsible for your own inward spiritual life. It is easier to make rules than to build relationships.
The LEGALISTS wanted the LAW but not the GIVER of that law.
c) Sensationalists John 6:30
Even though they had witnessed the feeding of the 5,000 by the next day this group were eager for another sensation.
Many in the church today fall into the category of “keep them “wowed” and you’ll keep them around!” It is fickle.
John 6:34
Jesus replied with, “I am the bread of life.”
The Greek could be translated "I am the bread of life and no one else is.
No more waiting required. Jesus didn’t say “I’ll get onto the supplier. I have arrived. Here I am.
Which group of people in the story do you
have the most sympathy with?
Why wouldn’t Jesus settle for meeting the economic needs of people and abolishing hunger?
What is the most satisfying thing about your
relationship with Jesus at the moment?
If Jesus came to meet all our spiritual
hunger, why doesn’t every Christian experience full satisfaction all the
time?
How do we know the difference between being satisfied with our Christian experience and being complacent?
What do you hunger for spiritually?
Read the story of the baker below and pray
about your own efforts to help people find Jesus the bread of life
There
was a beggar who came and sat before a baker. “I want bread,” he said.
“How wise you are,” the baker assured him. “Bread is what you need. And you
have come to the right bakery.” So he pulled his cookbook down from his shelf
and began to tell the beggar all he knew about bread.
He spoke of flour and wheat, of grain and barley. The baker’s knowledge impressed even himself as he cited the measurements and recipe. When he looked up, he was surprised to see that the beggar wasn’t smiling. “I just want bread,” he said.
“How wise you are.” The baker applauded his choice. “Follow me, and I’ll show you our bakery.” Down the hallowed halls he guided him, pausing to point out the rooms where the dough is prepared and the ovens where the bread is baked.
“No one has such facilities. We have bread for every need. But here is the best part,” he proclaimed as he pushed open two swinging doors. “This is our room of inspiration.”
The baker knew the beggar was moved as they stepped into the auditorium full of stained-glass windows. The beggar didn’t speak. The baker understood his silence. With his arm around his shoulder, he whispered, “It overwhelms me as well.”
Then the baker leaped to the podium and struck his favourite pose behind the lectern. “People come from miles to hear me speak. Once a week my workers gather, and I read to them the recipe from the cookbook of life.”
By now the beggar had taken a seat on the front row. The baker knew what he wanted. “Would you like to hear me?”
“No,” he said, “but I would like some bread.”
“How wise you are,” The baker replied. And he led him to the front door of the bakery. “What I have to say next is very important,” he told him as they stood outside. “Up and down this street you will find many bakeries. But take heed; they don’t serve the true bread. I know of one who adds two spoons of salt rather than one. I know of another whose oven is three degrees too hot. They may call it bread,” the baker warned, “but it’s not according to the book.”
The beggar turned and began walking away. “Don’t you want bread?” the baker asked him. He stopped, looked back, and shrugged, “I guess I lost my appetite.”
The baker shook his head and returned to his office. “What a shame,” he said to himself. “The world just isn’t hungry for true bread anymore.”
He spoke of flour and wheat, of grain and barley. The baker’s knowledge impressed even himself as he cited the measurements and recipe. When he looked up, he was surprised to see that the beggar wasn’t smiling. “I just want bread,” he said.
“How wise you are.” The baker applauded his choice. “Follow me, and I’ll show you our bakery.” Down the hallowed halls he guided him, pausing to point out the rooms where the dough is prepared and the ovens where the bread is baked.
“No one has such facilities. We have bread for every need. But here is the best part,” he proclaimed as he pushed open two swinging doors. “This is our room of inspiration.”
The baker knew the beggar was moved as they stepped into the auditorium full of stained-glass windows. The beggar didn’t speak. The baker understood his silence. With his arm around his shoulder, he whispered, “It overwhelms me as well.”
Then the baker leaped to the podium and struck his favourite pose behind the lectern. “People come from miles to hear me speak. Once a week my workers gather, and I read to them the recipe from the cookbook of life.”
By now the beggar had taken a seat on the front row. The baker knew what he wanted. “Would you like to hear me?”
“No,” he said, “but I would like some bread.”
“How wise you are,” The baker replied. And he led him to the front door of the bakery. “What I have to say next is very important,” he told him as they stood outside. “Up and down this street you will find many bakeries. But take heed; they don’t serve the true bread. I know of one who adds two spoons of salt rather than one. I know of another whose oven is three degrees too hot. They may call it bread,” the baker warned, “but it’s not according to the book.”
The beggar turned and began walking away. “Don’t you want bread?” the baker asked him. He stopped, looked back, and shrugged, “I guess I lost my appetite.”
The baker shook his head and returned to his office. “What a shame,” he said to himself. “The world just isn’t hungry for true bread anymore.”
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