Okay, so we're in John's Gospel.
I'm going to get into it now for the second week.
And John's biography, we've been saying, presents hard evidence that Jesus is God,
come into the world as God's Messiah, the long-awaited Savior and King of God's people.
And John builds his case, like a lawyer or a barrister,
he builds his case around seven key signs, as he calls them, or miracles.
And each of those signs or miracles has a saying with it.
So there's seven key signs, seven key sayings,
each of which combine in this identikit picture of Jesus,
explaining what the signs actually mean.
But there's only one purpose.
Seven signs, seven sayings, but one purpose.
And the purpose is not just conveying information.
The purpose that John has is to see a response to the information,
to see Jesus as God,
and, says John, to believe or trust in him as the source of life.
We're working through Jesus' teaching associated with a sign or miracle
of feeding a crowd of more than 5,000 people from a schoolboy's lunchbox.
And the key saying at the heart of that teaching is verse 35 of chapter 6.
Jesus says,
I am the bread of life.
Now, it's picture language when Jesus says,
I'm the bread of life.
And, of course, we easily understand the ordinary or physical word picture bread.
So we know what bread and water is and eating and drinking.
We know how those are the basic essentials of life.
We know about the idea of hunger
and the longing to be satisfied with good food.
We know, unlike my fellow man before me,
we know that good food satisfies.
But giving in to the craving of junk food,
which is all too easy and all too regular for us,
is actually bad for us.
And in spite of what we might try,
it's hard to mix good food with bad food.
So we understand the ordinary physical idea of picture of bread,
but Jesus pushes us to see a deeper,
a more spiritual understanding of bread in these verses.
A heart-based understanding
that he wants us to get out of this picture
of him being the bread of life.
And that's a lot harder.
And so I should say to you also this morning,
you should have your wits about you
because after looking at this passage all week
and a bit longer than all week,
I'm still not sure that I've actually cracked it.
So you need to have your wits about you this morning
in case I'm telling you something that's actually not right.
But here's how it goes, I think.
Most of us would know,
as we push into this spiritual understanding of bread,
most of us would know the phrase,
you are what you eat.
And it's been around for almost 100 years.
It equates the type of food a person eats
to their overall health and well-being.
Well, Jesus, I think, is pushing us to see him
as the spiritual essential for life and well-being.
He wants us to recognize that only he can satisfy properly
the hunger that we have in our hearts,
a hunger that's much, much deeper than just physical bread,
the hunger for connection with God
and satisfying connection with God.
He wants to appeal to us as the good food alternative.
He wants us to desire to feed on him
and reject junk food alternatives,
no matter how much they might appeal,
how glitzy they look.
He said, no, feed on me.
Reject this.
And he promises, if we feed on him,
that he will nourish us into the good life
and indeed a life that a lifelong diet of him
alone can produce.
Now, that's all picture language,
which he then, I think, tries to explain
and pad out a little bit in these verses 41 through 59.
So let's jump back into the text at verse 41.
Last week, of course, we covered verses 22 to 40.
And we saw there that the crowds that were following Jesus
after experiencing this great miracle,
this great sign of having their bellies filled,
that the crowds were stuck.
They were stuck on what they could see
as a result of that sign.
They were stuck on a physical or surface response
to the feeding miracle.
And we saw last week that out of that
came their own agenda for Jesus.
They experienced their feeding,
and then they imposed their own agenda on Jesus.
They saw him as a new Moses,
a great leader or savior
who would deliver them from the Romans,
who would make them a great nation once again,
who'd provide all their physical needs.
But Jesus pushes back against their agenda,
determined that they would hear his agenda for them.
And so we said last week,
there's a real tussle going on here.
Whose agenda is going to triumph?
And along the way, Jesus challenges the crowd.
We hinted at this last week.
We're going to spell it out a little bit more this morning.
And Jesus issues a challenge to the crowd,
saying your current salvation categories
are seriously distorted.
If you're a visitor here this morning,
there's an outline of what I'm saying
on the back of the bulletin sheet
you got handed this morning
as you come in the door.
So Jesus says your current salvation categories
are seriously distorted.
Now look at the response.
Having heard everything Jesus said
about being the bread from heaven,
the life that nourishes and sustains and satisfies
in a way that nothing else can,
the response?
The crowd, including the Jewish religious leaders,
common response.
They grumbled.
Verse 41.
They grumbled at Jesus.
Now grumbling is as it sounds.
It's a growing anger and rejection
of everything that Jesus had said.
It was rising up from within them.
And it was overflowing into,
verse 42,
a verbal attack on Jesus
and a dismissal of him, in fact.
Why do they dismiss him?
Well, they say,
actually,
how dare this guy lecture us like this?
He's the son of Joseph.
We know about him.
He's so ordinary.
How can he possibly be claiming
something so extraordinary?
Jesus goes from hero to zero
in less than 24 hours before the crowd.
Now, why were they so annoyed?
I suggested last week,
this was not an annoyance
that grew out of a lack of understanding.
It was as if they were tearing their hair out
and saying,
Jesus, we don't have a clue
what you're talking about.
Quite the opposite.
Their annoyance is
a refusal to accept Jesus' teaching
because his salvation categories,
spiritual or heart categories,
were at odds with theirs,
physical or outside categories.
There was a clash.
And so verse 43,
Jesus says to them,
stop grumbling.
Now, that terminology
would have reminded the Jews
of the terminology
that God's people used
in the wilderness.
Remember, God brought them out of Egypt
and then they were in the wilderness.
And what did they do
when they got to the wilderness?
After being rescued
in the most amazing way by God,
they grumbled.
They grumbled.
And so Jesus here
is really saying to them,
look, you guys,
just stop your grumbling
for you're sounding in my ears
very much like God's people
sounded all those years ago
back in the wilderness.
They also grumbled
about God's salvation
or deliverance.
They too longed for deliverance,
longed for salvation.
But then when God sent it
and sent the Savior,
they didn't like it.
They refused to accept it.
It didn't fit with what they wanted.
It wasn't even what they liked.
They rejected God's terms
for salvation.
I'm bringing you to myself
that you might be a holy people.
Well, they liked the idea
of coming out to Egypt,
but they didn't so much like
the idea of coming to God
as his holy possession.
And they dismissed
and despised
the provision he made for them.
Remember what they said
when manna was provided
to them and quail?
Better they'll be back in Egypt
eating garlic and onions.
God's provision
was not what they wanted either.
And so they too
reduced salvation
to outside-in physical
and practical terms,
the terms of the Exodus event.
So in their minds,
Moses was their Savior.
He was the one
who provided manna.
Manna was the means
of their salvation.
And we saw that last week
in verses 31 and 32.
And salvation then
was the deliverance
from their physical enemies.
Back then it was the Egyptians.
And deliverance
into political freedom
as they moved
into the promised land.
And from there
they would dominate
all the nations.
They too deliberately
rejected any focus
on spiritual deliverance,
spiritual renewal.
They refused to take
ownership of sin.
They refused to see
the need for forgiveness
and grace
as God's free gift to them.
They refused to see
the need for heart.
Renewal.
And renewed
relationship with God.
And the challenge
to live distinctively
as God's people
in obedience and worship.
They weren't interested
in any of that.
So they too
believed that salvation
was something
they could expect.
Something they could control.
Something they were
entitled to.
Because after all
they were God's people.
And at the end of the day
God would happily
accept them
on the basis
of their religious actions
of sacrifice,
prayers,
tithing,
and keeping the law
of Moses.
So Jesus said to these guys
look as you're grumbling
here before me
you're just like
your predecessors.
You want God's salvation
but when it comes
you don't like it.
You want God's savior
but when it comes
you want recognition.
You want God's provision
but when it comes
you complain about it.
You want life
but you don't want life.
You want a substitute
convenient life
of your own creation.
And Jesus was evaluated
against those categories
and rejected.
They refused
therefore to give up control
of their practical,
physical,
outside in salvation.
They refused
to accept Jesus
insisting that salvation
or life
was a spiritual
inside out process
beginning in the heart
controlled by God
and ultimately
received as a gift
not a reward
for hard work.
Their categories
were seriously distorted.
And Jesus then moves on
to make a big claim
against that.
He says I am God's
single salvation category.
I am the bread of life.
As he tells them
to stop grumbling
in verse 43
he's also pushing them
to instead
start believing.
Start believing
what I've already
made clear to you
says Jesus
verses 35 through to 40.
His mission
he had already
made clear to them
in the world
is to save those
that God had given them
through being their
true bread from heaven.
being the one
who perfectly
satisfies their
deep longing
their hunger longing
who's the basic
sustenance of life.
And he's already
made that clear to them
and in these verses
he spells it out again.
Different pictures
slightly different
emphasis
a little bit more detail
but essentially
I think the same picture
has been restated.
In verse 44
therefore
how can you believe
when you receive
glory from one another
try chapter 6
verse 44
makes a bit more sense
no one can come to me
unless the father
who sent me
draws him
and I will raise him up
at the last day.
Jesus said
look this
this spiritual life
is an altogether
different category
from what you guys
are thinking about.
It's not yours to command
it's not yours to manufacture
it's something that requires
the inner working
of God in your life.
The deep longing
of the heart
for acceptance with God
for life ever after
is a spiritual reality
which can only come
through Jesus
only comes through me
says Jesus
I am the source
of real life.
There is no other life
apart from me.
And for Jesus
for a person to be
connected to Jesus
the father
has to draw him.
Now the word draw
is a very very strong word
and it's sort of like
a word drive
because it always implies
resistance.
So the picture here
is that God actually
in a sense
has to drag people
to Jesus
and they're digging
their toes in
resisting every part
of the way.
Jesus is saying
this work of salvation
is something that
requires God's input
because not only
are you unwilling
to come and see me
as your savior
and trust me
as the bread of life
you're actually unable.
You've been so distorted
by sin
that you're actually
unable to come
because sin has blinded you
to the truth.
You need God's work
within your heart
as part of this process
of coming to life.
But verse 45
at the end of verse 44
and verse 45
God's drawing power
will always triumph.
There's never
uncertainty in this.
God's drawing power
always triumphs.
Isaiah recognized that
and Jesus quotes Isaiah here
chapter 54 of Isaiah.
Look at the quotation.
It is written in the prophets
that's actually Isaiah
they will all
be taught
by God.
Everyone who has heard
and learned from the Father
comes to me.
Now the context
speaks here
about faith
or belief.
And it's really inferring here
that faith or belief
is an insight
implanted
into blind children
by the Father
in fulfillment
of his promise.
So I don't have time
to go back
and do it in detail
but I'd encourage you
to go back
and look at chapter
53, 54
and the start
of chapter 55
of Isaiah
and you'll see
the context
fits perfectly
with what Jesus
is saying here.
In chapter 54
well chapter 54
immediately follows on
from chapter 53
which is the big chapter
in which God
speaks of his promise
to send his suffering servant
for what purpose?
Because his people
need someone
to deal with their sin
if they're going to be
back in good relationship
with God.
And God promises
to send his suffering servant
who would sacrifice
his own life
to deal with the guilt
and sin of his people
so that relationship
with the Father
would be restored.
Then in chapter 55
verse 1
we have the classic
invitation
to God's people
to come
come
you who are hungry
come
you who are thirsty
come and buy
and drink
and eat
you who have no money
it's picture language
it's an invitation
given God's promise
of salvation
given God's promise
of the servant
coming
to deal with your sin
it's an invitation
to come and receive it
you don't have anything
to buy it with
just come and receive it
as a gift
and all that
is behind
Jesus' summary
in verse 47
Jesus is the only way
to the Father
the only pathway
to life
Jesus is all
that is essential
for real life
and he is
God's package
that was promised
he is the one
and we'll get to the verse
that talks about
given his life
as bread
he is the one
who is the suffering servant
the one who will give his life
to deal with guilt
and sin
the one who issues
the invitation
come to me
and eat
and drink
when you've got nothing
to buy that food with
or earn that life with
and the process
of joining those two together
is chapter 54
God's planning
implanting
spiritual insight
so you actually
want to do that
which
in your natural state
you wouldn't want to do
and the proof
of the inner work
of God's spirit
people actually
come
everyone who has heard
and learned
from the Father
comes to me
when the Father
works in a person's life
implanting
that
moment of
illumination
into an otherwise
blind life
the inevitable result
is that the person
comes to Jesus
that's why
the Father
does it
people
the proof
of the inner work
done by God's spirit
is that people
actually come to Jesus
in belief and truth
and then
having come to him
they might be
assured
of having life
and relationship
with God
forever
and there's
further assurance
offered in verse 46
not that anyone
has seen the Father
except he
who is from God
he has seen the Father
Jesus is saying
well look
I know what I'm
talking about
because
I have been
with the Father
we know
together
sorry
we know
what our purpose is
and together
we're acting
to implement
God's purpose
in salvation
he has come
to
he's come
to them
to make
real
his Father's
purpose
in salvation
verse 49
he does
what manna
was never
ever meant
to do
and never
could do
give spiritual
or eternal life
it's the same
idea as we had
back last week
where Jesus
told him
we've been
sealed
the Father
verse 27
being sealed
by his Father
he's really
just said
listen to me
I know
what I'm
talking about
I've got
authority
to say
this stuff
you think
I'm ordinary
I'm telling
you
I've come
straight
from the
Father
to deliver
this truth
this reality
to you
so he's
got a
challenge
he issues
he's got
a claim
he states
and now
he switches
into a
command
as he
ramps up
the pressure
on the
crowd
verse 53
onwards
Jesus'
command
is to
feed on
me
for salvation
now it's
interesting
that when
you look at
verse 52
you see the
development
the crowd
came with
their agenda
Jesus
challenged
them
they push
back
Jesus
challenged
them
they grumble
Jesus
challenges
them
now
verse 52
the word
here again
a very
strong word
this is
they're just
babbling
over with
absolute
annoyance
and anger
and hostility
at Jesus
they just
had enough
of them
why
I think
it's because
Jesus has
very clearly
made before
them
a connection
that they
don't like
they will
not accept
Jesus
has made
himself
central to
salvation
and life
he has
removed
from them
any sense
of control
any sense
of entitlement
they might
have
in this
matter
of salvation
he's really
said to them
you cannot
manufacture
your salvation
no matter
how many
religious
things you
do
Jesus
has taken
away
all the
things
that are
so important
to them
and because
they can't
counter what
he says
their only
resort
is to
blaster
to let
that anger
just rise
up and
ooze out
of them
but
interestingly
Jesus
doesn't take
a step
backwards
he shoves
it into
their face
if you want
to follow
in that
language
if you can
accept
that language
from him
so Jesus
said to
them
this is
what he
says in
response
things are
getting out
of control
almost
fisticuffs
breaking out
so Jesus
said to
them
and this
is going
to quiet
things down
isn't it
truly
I say
to you
unless
you eat
the flesh
of the
son of
man
and drink
his blood
you have
no life
in you
now
at first
reading
this just
gets seriously
weird
doesn't it
eating his
flesh
drinking his
blood
it's a
a very
graphic
picture
but the
context
here
is that
Jesus
pushing the
crowd
even
further
into that
area where
they're
refusing to
go
by
insisting
that if
they're going
to have
life
then nothing
short of
actually
feeding
on him
his whole
person
flesh
and blood
is going
to be
satisfactory
or necessary
if they're
to enjoy
salvation
or relationship
with God
in eternal
life
then nothing
short of
feeding on
Jesus
is the
pathway
now
I think
it's pretty
safe to
think
and accept
that the
crowd here
know
that Jesus
was using
very graphic
and very
offensive
picture
language
I think
it's
unreasonable
to think
that they
would have
thought
this was
literal
the reason
why I
suggest
that is
because
for Jesus
to make
any
suggestion
of a
literal
interpretation
would have
just been
totally
against the
law
of Moses
and therefore
they would
have had
reason to
grab
Jesus
and pulverize
him
but they
have no
reason to
grab him
and I
think that
then tells
us
the crowd
knew
jolly
well
that he
was using
a picture
language
pushing them
to a
conclusion
they refused
to accept
that salvation
required an
intimate
totally
dependent
relationship
with Jesus
that's
described in
picture languages
as nothing
short of
feeding and
eating and
drinking from
him
so ask
the question
what is it
to eat
or feed
and drink
Jesus
well
we don't
actually have
to guess
because the
passage actually
tells us
and we've
seen it
right through
John uses
just different
phrases
different pictures
and we can
put the
whole thing
together
so I
believe that
what feeding
on Jesus
is is
believing in
Jesus
John spoke
about believing
the need
absolutely
essential need
of believing
in Jesus
back in
chapter 29
and chapter
29 verse
29 and
verse 35
and verse 47
so we have
to believe
in Jesus
it's coming
to Jesus
that John
uses in
verse 35
it's looking
to Jesus
that John
uses in
verse 40
it's listening
and learning
from Jesus
that's in
the verse 45
so I think
it all just
goes together
it's not
mystical
it's not
too hard
Jesus said
look yes
you must
eat me
and drink
me
he's been
really really
emphatic
in other words
what he's saying
is unless
you guys
see me
says Jesus
as critical
for life
as bread
and water
then there
could be no
life
no relationship
with God
unless you
see me
as being
so central
to life
that you
have to
ingest me
in my
whole being
flesh and
blood
not just
taking bits
of me
you might
like
but the
whole
kit and
caboodle
unless
you're doing
that
then there's
no life
no salvation
so let
me
come back
verse 55
to the phrase
I used
in the
introduction
you are
what you
eat
verse 55
Jesus says
my flesh
is true
food
and my
blood
is true
drink
whoever
feeds on
my flesh
and drinks
my blood
abides
in me
and I
abide
in him
you are
what you
eat
other food
Jesus is
considering
saving here
other food
has some
benefits
but there's
only one
source of
real life
real salvation
and only
one way
of connecting
into that
source of
life
through
trusting
or believing
or coming
to Jesus
or being
taught
and learning
from Jesus
or having
faith in
Jesus
all of those
phrases are
sort of
similar ideas
similar pictures
describing the
one reality
if you're going
to have life
if you're going
to have salvation
if you're going
to have a
relationship
with God
then it has
to be entirely
invested
in and through
Jesus
feeding on
Jesus
therefore
needs to be
purposeful
it's not
something that
happens
automatically
you need to
says Jesus
recognize the
extent
of your
hunger
you need to
recognize
that Jesus
is actually
deep down
what you
crave for
what you've
been longing
for all
your life
because he
will be
the one
who satisfies
your heart
hunger
Jesus
is saying
build desire
therefore
for good
food
take time
this is all
part of
feeding on
Jesus
take time
to understand
how Jesus
is the
perfectly
balanced
diet
he is
perfectly
suited
to your
nutritional
needs
and perfectly
supplies
all your
nutritional
needs
spiritual
nutritional
needs
for the
good
life
so Jesus
says take
time to
savor and
enjoy the
delights
that I
offer you
through active
personal
daily commitment
to me
that's all
part of
feeding
take time
to study
my word
take time
to pray
enjoy the
fellowship
with others
who likewise
recognize true
food
good food
when they
see it
determine
says Jesus
to get rid
of all junk
food from
your diet
it's so
appealing
but you
know deep
down
that it's
not good
for you
that it
doesn't
satisfy
so this
is all
part and
parcel of
what it is
to feed on
Jesus
come to
me
believe in
me
trust in
me
learn from
me
respond to
me
have faith
in me
search for
me
desire for
me
desire me
and finally
Jesus
offers a
consequence
he says
I promise
I will
deliver
the forever
life you
long for
now we
know
that physical
nutrition
affects every
part of a
person
we know
that no
food
means you'll
die in
somewhere between
21 and
30 days
without
exception
we know
that bad
food
likewise
stunts or
deforms
in the
short term
or causes
death
over a
longer period
and I
think Jesus
is just
saying
look it's
like that
in the
spiritual
realm
as well
the
consequences
of what
you eat
is huge
quite
literally
says Jesus
here
the
consequence
of what
you eat
is quite
literally
life
or death
and Jesus
promises here
to follow the
picture the
metaphor of
food
Jesus promises
to deliver
limitless
health benefits
to all who
will feed on
it
the perfect
balanced
nutritional
diet
fail safe
guaranteed
he will
deliver
forever
sacrifice
verse 51
that bread
says Jesus
the bread
that I will
give for the
life of the
world
is my
flesh
that links
back to
Isaiah 53
Jesus
emphasizes
that he
has come
down from
heaven
to do
his
father's
will
and
salvation
what is
his
father's
will
primarily
to offer
himself
as a
sacrifice
to deal
with God's
anger
at our
sin
to pay
the penalty
for our
sin
the things
that caused
the relationship
with God
to be broken
in the first
place
the things
that leave
us alienated
from God
in our
natural
state
the things
that deep
down in
our heart
leave us
fearful of
God's
ultimate
rejection
Jesus
says I
promise you
forever
sacrifice
never again
do you need
to feel
or be
guilty
before God
forever
intimacy
he promises
verse 55
that word
abide
is a
beautiful
word and
it's very
very important
in John's
biography of
Jesus
he uses
it lots
of times
it's a
warm
secure
intimate
word
and part
of our
deep
spiritual
heart
hunger
is a
longing
for
intimacy
we
substitute
it so
easily
thinking
about
sex
or
physical
relationships
but that's
only an
expression
of something
much deeper
we long
for
a deep
intimacy
and security
in a
guilt
free
relationship
says Jesus
that's
exactly
what I
promise
to deliver
to you
Genesis 1
describes
the intimate
abide in
me and I
will abide
in you
relationship
which God
created
at the start
of the world
where people
were made
in the image
of God
made to
enjoy the
relationship
within the
eternal
community
Father
Son
and Holy
Spirit
we were
made to
be part
of that
that was
our ultimate
being
our ultimate
satisfaction
our ultimate
joy is to
be part of
that relationship
well says
Jesus
if you come
to me now
for salvation
that's exactly
what I take
you back to
that very
relationship
for which
you were
created
coming to
Jesus
feeding on
Jesus
believing on
Jesus
secures the
benefits of
his sacrificial
death
which is a
life transforming
union with
Christ
restoration of
family relationship
and restoration
of full
enjoyment of
the eternal
community
and Jesus
says I
promise you
forever life
it's repeated
multiple times
in these verses
and again
that's what
our hearts
long for
every time
we observe
sickness and
death
something rises
up from
within us
and screams
out in our
minds and
sometimes even
screams out
verbally and
audibly
we were made
for something
better than
this this is
not right
and Jesus
delivers what
we long for
forever life
eternal life
is not just
life without
limits in
time
it is life
without limits
in security
in relationship
with God
it is life
without limit
of joy
or satisfaction
it's a life
without any
evidence of
hunger and
thirst moving
forward
it's a life
of being with
Jesus and
being like
Jesus
it's a life
of strength
for living
in this
day to day
struggle
Jesus promises
I will deliver
all of that
for you
if you come
to me
so my friends
a very simple
question
connecting back
to where we
started
verse 41
are you
continuing to
be a grambler
having heard
what Jesus
has on his
menu
and offers
you free
of charge
are you
going to
continue to
turn up your
nose and say
it's not what I
want
bring me
a different
menu
or if
you're a
Christian
is Jesus
really
your food
and drink
or is he
just
one part
of a
very varied
diet
where other
things in your
life
bring you
sustenance
and nourishment
and life
as well
let me pray
lord help us
to understand
this passage
which is
full of
difficult pictures
lord we
understand that
the problem
and any
problem
and understanding
is our
limited
incapacity
as people
to delve
into your
mind
so by
your spirit
lord help
us to see
truth
and help
us to
respond to
truth
and to the
lord jesus
amen
this
good
to께서