WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.759 So we're going to read John 6, 1-14, and then I'm going to skip over and read 26-35. 00:00:08.019 --> 00:00:13.620 After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 00:00:14.280 --> 00:00:19.219 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 00:00:20.359 --> 00:00:24.620 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 00:00:25.560 --> 00:00:29.000 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:36.820 Lifting up his eyes then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, 00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:40.579 Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat? 00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:46.359 He said this to test them, for he himself knew what he would do. 00:00:47.260 --> 00:00:54.659 Philip answered him, 200 denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little. 00:00:54.659 --> 00:01:00.359 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:06.599 There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many? 00:01:07.500 --> 00:01:09.939 Jesus said, Have the people sit down. 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:16.620 Now there was much grass in the place, so the men sat down, about 5,000 in number. 00:01:16.620 --> 00:01:23.280 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. 00:01:24.280 --> 00:01:27.000 So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 00:01:27.939 --> 00:01:30.880 And when they had eaten their fill, he told the disciples, 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:34.740 Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost. 00:01:34.739 --> 00:01:42.780 So they gathered them up and filled 12 baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 00:01:43.679 --> 00:01:46.979 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, 00:01:47.500 --> 00:01:50.879 This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world. 00:01:52.039 --> 00:01:54.459 Now jumping down to 26. 00:01:54.459 --> 00:01:58.619 Jesus answered them, 00:01:58.619 --> 00:02:06.899 Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 00:02:07.899 --> 00:02:15.219 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. 00:02:16.060 --> 00:02:18.939 For on him God the Father has set his seal. 00:02:18.939 --> 00:02:21.340 Then they said to him, 00:02:21.939 --> 00:02:24.500 What must we do to be doing the works of God? 00:02:25.259 --> 00:02:26.259 Jesus answered them, 00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:32.620 This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent. 00:02:33.599 --> 00:02:34.819 So they said to him, 00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:38.699 Then what sign do you do that we may see and believe you? 00:02:39.219 --> 00:02:40.699 What work do you perform? 00:02:41.620 --> 00:02:44.919 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written. 00:02:45.379 --> 00:02:47.180 He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 00:02:47.180 --> 00:02:49.180 Jesus then said to them, 00:02:49.180 --> 00:02:57.439 Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:03.280 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. 00:03:03.960 --> 00:03:05.000 Then they said to him, 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:07.760 Sir, give us this bread always. 00:03:08.580 --> 00:03:09.439 Jesus said to them, 00:03:09.920 --> 00:03:11.180 I am the bread of life. 00:03:11.760 --> 00:03:16.640 Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 00:03:17.180 --> 00:03:29.379 Well, I have first met my wife in university days, 00:03:29.900 --> 00:03:32.540 and I still remember at Jesmond Park, 00:03:33.180 --> 00:03:37.360 there's this attractive Christian girl playing soccer. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:44.280 And I told this inappropriate joke. 00:03:44.420 --> 00:03:47.160 I can't remember the joke, but I remember the reaction. 00:03:47.660 --> 00:03:49.320 This girl did not laugh, 00:03:50.140 --> 00:03:51.520 and she just kept playing soccer, 00:03:51.660 --> 00:03:53.720 and she didn't talk to me again. 00:03:54.380 --> 00:03:55.260 I blew it. 00:03:55.540 --> 00:03:56.720 I absolutely blew it. 00:03:57.200 --> 00:04:00.860 Now, thankfully, God has erased her memory of this. 00:04:00.860 --> 00:04:03.960 I remember it. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:04.700 She doesn't remember it. 00:04:04.900 --> 00:04:08.860 And we met again years later when I grew up a little bit more. 00:04:10.320 --> 00:04:16.800 Now, I'm going to let you in on a little secret that I still say and do things that offend Emma. 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:26.139 Now, when you meet a real person, at points they irritate, 00:04:27.100 --> 00:04:31.259 and at points they confuse, and at points they can even offend. 00:04:32.840 --> 00:04:34.280 Don't real people offend? 00:04:34.680 --> 00:04:38.280 Now, there's a big difference. 00:04:38.420 --> 00:04:40.139 Obviously, I'm leading to Jesus here. 00:04:40.220 --> 00:04:41.980 There's a big difference between Jesus and me. 00:04:41.980 --> 00:04:44.819 I offend because I am offensive. 00:04:47.060 --> 00:04:52.580 I believe Jesus offends because he's greater than what we want. 00:04:53.560 --> 00:04:54.819 That's why he offends. 00:04:55.900 --> 00:04:57.480 If you're visiting this morning, 00:04:58.060 --> 00:05:01.060 we've got no interest in you signing up to a religion. 00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:05.160 We want you to meet a person, a real person, a person we love. 00:05:07.000 --> 00:05:09.520 But like any real person, he offends. 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:12.319 That's how you know he's real. 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:16.359 There's so many different ideas of Jesus out there in the world. 00:05:16.439 --> 00:05:17.799 You've probably come across a lot of them. 00:05:18.219 --> 00:05:21.699 But so many people just chop off the bits of Jesus they don't like. 00:05:21.979 --> 00:05:24.639 And in the end, they've just got this figment of their own imagination. 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:28.039 There's so many theories about Jesus out there. 00:05:29.359 --> 00:05:31.599 But they've just chopped off the bits they don't like. 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:38.040 So I invite you to meet the real Jesus. 00:05:38.760 --> 00:05:39.840 And how do you do that? 00:05:39.860 --> 00:05:40.600 In his word. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:41.920 Listen to what he says. 00:05:42.500 --> 00:05:44.260 Hear what he thinks about himself. 00:05:44.860 --> 00:05:45.760 Not what I think. 00:05:45.820 --> 00:05:47.080 What he thinks about himself. 00:05:47.800 --> 00:05:49.060 From his own words. 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:57.939 Now, those who met him were deeply offended by him, 00:05:57.939 --> 00:06:00.399 is what we see in this passage. 00:06:02.259 --> 00:06:03.680 We pick up the story. 00:06:03.939 --> 00:06:09.660 Jesus has just supernaturally fed a crowd the size of, like, 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:13.759 apparently the average attendance at a Newcastle Jets game. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:15.540 At least it was that. 00:06:16.819 --> 00:06:19.060 I'm not sure if that impresses you or not. 00:06:19.060 --> 00:06:23.079 But he's just fed this crowd. 00:06:24.019 --> 00:06:25.439 And they're out in the sticks. 00:06:25.620 --> 00:06:26.220 They're in the wilderness. 00:06:27.079 --> 00:06:29.360 And he used the schoolboy's lunchbox. 00:06:29.660 --> 00:06:32.379 And this Jewish crowd, they're amazed. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:33.480 They know their history. 00:06:34.019 --> 00:06:34.959 They know who they are. 00:06:35.459 --> 00:06:37.060 Their nation began with Moses. 00:06:37.800 --> 00:06:38.639 He's a big deal. 00:06:39.340 --> 00:06:40.920 Setting them free from Egypt. 00:06:41.340 --> 00:06:43.160 And once they were free, they were in the wilderness. 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:45.439 And their stomachs started to growl. 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:48.600 And then they started to growl at Moses. 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:50.560 What, did you bring us out here to die? 00:06:51.879 --> 00:06:53.180 Give us some food. 00:06:53.460 --> 00:06:56.879 And God gives them bread from heaven every morning. 00:06:57.340 --> 00:07:00.960 It's described as like frost on the ground, little flakes. 00:07:01.500 --> 00:07:03.840 And the families picked up the flakes every morning. 00:07:04.220 --> 00:07:05.500 And they baked it into bread. 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:06.640 And it tasted like honey. 00:07:09.379 --> 00:07:13.280 Now, he did this for a whole generation for 40 years. 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:24.199 Bread made the difference between dying of starvation in the wilderness and making it to the promised land. 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:33.479 When we hear bread, we might think like, I don't know, gluten-free, multigrain, whatever. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:35.399 There's a thousand different choices. 00:07:36.199 --> 00:07:42.980 When they heard bread, they heard life or starving. 00:07:42.980 --> 00:07:48.840 So Jesus, they've just tasted the bread from Jesus. 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:50.180 And this crowd is excited. 00:07:50.500 --> 00:07:52.460 They knew that God had promised a second Moses. 00:07:52.620 --> 00:07:54.000 Is this the second Moses? 00:07:54.180 --> 00:07:57.780 So his public relations staff must have been really excited. 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:00.280 Like, this huge crowd coming. 00:08:00.540 --> 00:08:01.960 But he doesn't like it. 00:08:02.500 --> 00:08:03.460 Jesus is not happy. 00:08:03.520 --> 00:08:04.520 He's not happy about it. 00:08:04.519 --> 00:08:11.439 And by the end of the day, most of the people have walked away. 00:08:12.599 --> 00:08:14.539 They're deeply offended by him. 00:08:16.180 --> 00:08:18.819 So what does he say that's so offensive? 00:08:21.459 --> 00:08:26.740 Well, first, he suggests he's someone greater than Moses. 00:08:26.740 --> 00:08:41.120 Now, for us to kind of feel the offence of this, I think it might be like if we attended an Anzac Day dawn service. 00:08:41.659 --> 00:08:49.919 And in that solemn morning air, when you're remembering the sacrifice of people to give us freedom. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:09:00.079 And after the service, someone next to you says, I'm about to do something that's even greater than that. 00:09:03.419 --> 00:09:05.919 It's just... 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:11.599 Now, I'm not sure if that quite captures it, but it's so ingrained in our culture. 00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:14.219 How dare someone speak like that? 00:09:14.220 --> 00:09:23.240 So Jesus does kind of allude to be greater than Moses and be doing something that's even greater than Moses. 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:27.259 Whoa, he better be telling the truth. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:28.580 It's pretty offensive. 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:32.279 Because Moses spoke to God as a friend. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:35.399 Jesus says, I speak to God as my father. 00:09:38.040 --> 00:09:41.440 Yes, Moses, he ate and drank up in the mountain. 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:46.920 And he saw something like the glory of God's feet or his back. 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:52.140 Jesus says, I know him fully. 00:09:52.380 --> 00:09:53.540 I've come down from heaven. 00:09:54.580 --> 00:09:56.940 I am in closest relationship with God. 00:09:58.940 --> 00:10:03.780 So he offends by saying, I'm a bigger deal than Moses. 00:10:03.900 --> 00:10:06.840 I'm doing something greater than Moses did. 00:10:06.840 --> 00:10:15.320 And then he confronts their motives for why they're seeking him. 00:10:16.940 --> 00:10:23.300 He says, do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures for eternal life. 00:10:23.299 --> 00:10:30.299 Now in those times, most of the people lived off the land. 00:10:30.599 --> 00:10:39.699 And apparently, it's probably approximate to like 85% of someone's income was just to put the fish and bread on the table. 00:10:41.959 --> 00:10:43.620 Having bread is life. 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:47.379 Not having bread is starvation. 00:10:47.379 --> 00:10:53.139 And how amazing would it be if you had someone who could put bread on the table every day. 00:10:53.700 --> 00:10:55.539 You don't need to work. 00:10:55.659 --> 00:10:57.379 Imagine that work-life balance. 00:10:57.700 --> 00:10:58.899 You can go to the beach more. 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:03.860 Imagine if Jesus just increases your income 85%. 00:11:03.860 --> 00:11:05.820 They want this bread. 00:11:06.179 --> 00:11:07.620 Give us this bread continually. 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:08.840 This is fantastic. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:15.620 But he's offending their idea of where they'll find life. 00:11:15.620 --> 00:11:27.179 He points out the obvious fact that physical bread isn't enough. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:28.700 Even in Moses' day. 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:33.100 Yes, they ate the manna for 40 years. 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:36.580 But that generation died. 00:11:37.899 --> 00:11:40.820 They didn't make it to the promise. 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:41.820 They didn't make it. 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:44.860 That physical bread wasn't enough. 00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:51.560 Because they missed the true spiritual life that God wanted to give them. 00:11:51.820 --> 00:11:53.240 They were just focused on the bread. 00:11:54.500 --> 00:11:56.419 And now he's saying, you're doing the same thing. 00:11:56.500 --> 00:11:59.519 You're coming to me because you think I'm useful. 00:12:03.860 --> 00:12:07.259 Stop searching for things that spoil, that perish. 00:12:07.259 --> 00:12:16.240 And I think people today will still seek Jesus as long as he's useful. 00:12:17.019 --> 00:12:23.279 How useful is Jesus if when you pray to him, he can heal all your sicknesses? 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:27.179 If he does that, wow, yeah, he's worth following. 00:12:28.139 --> 00:12:34.879 He's useful if he guarantees that your kids will grow up to be good people and have good jobs. 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:42.039 He's useful because he gives you get out of jail free card once you die. 00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:45.740 You can have ongoing existence forever. 00:12:46.740 --> 00:12:48.819 People seek Jesus because he's useful. 00:12:48.820 --> 00:13:00.900 And Jesus is saying, don't search for things, life in things that perish, that spoil, that fade. 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:06.820 Now, I've just turned 36. 00:13:06.820 --> 00:13:16.700 And someone, Kath saw this image of me from, we're going to meet Kath later in the service. 00:13:16.780 --> 00:13:18.580 She saw this image from me from SMBC. 00:13:18.820 --> 00:13:22.860 Someone posted it on a group chat of SMBC friends. 00:13:23.080 --> 00:13:28.040 I barely recognize myself because there's so much color in my hair. 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:31.959 Like six years ago. 00:13:32.899 --> 00:13:36.099 And I haven't even earned my gray hair yet. 00:13:36.579 --> 00:13:37.860 Like some of you have earned it. 00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:38.899 I haven't earned it yet. 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:41.360 It's fading. 00:13:42.039 --> 00:13:48.599 Like my soccer team is struggling to field 11 players because there's so many injuries. 00:13:49.319 --> 00:13:50.919 Like we're too old. 00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:58.399 You know what I'm talking about. 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:02.399 Success, achievement, power, anything. 00:14:02.579 --> 00:14:03.659 It fades, right? 00:14:04.419 --> 00:14:05.079 It all fades. 00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:12.879 During World War II, there was a radio broadcast. 00:14:13.599 --> 00:14:15.679 And the presenter said it better than I can. 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:24.059 So he said, most people, if they had really learned to look into their own hearts, would 00:14:24.059 --> 00:14:32.299 know that they do want and want acutely something that cannot be had in this world. 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:38.799 There are all sorts of things in this world that offer to give it to you, but they never 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:40.379 quite keep their promise. 00:14:40.379 --> 00:14:50.439 The longings which arise in us when we fall in love or first think of some country or first 00:14:50.439 --> 00:14:57.860 take up some subject that excites us or are longings which no marriage, no travel, no learning 00:14:57.860 --> 00:14:59.580 can really satisfy. 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:09.919 There was something we grasped at in that first moment of longing which just fades away in the 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:10.360 reality. 00:15:11.740 --> 00:15:13.399 I think everyone knows what I mean. 00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:22.439 Jesus is saying, don't strive for things that perish. 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:25.559 It will leave you starving in the wilderness. 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:30.019 Don't come to me because you think I'm useful to get something from me. 00:15:30.439 --> 00:15:36.379 I've come to give true bread, true life, quality, quality of life. 00:15:36.379 --> 00:15:41.439 So what quality of life is Jesus talking about here? 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:47.799 He does say he will raise his people on the last day. 00:15:48.100 --> 00:15:54.939 He's going to, we Christians, we believe that Jesus will raise us physically, materially for 00:15:54.939 --> 00:15:56.120 forever existence. 00:15:56.299 --> 00:15:57.279 But it's more than that. 00:15:58.659 --> 00:16:01.059 It's more than just existing forever. 00:16:01.059 --> 00:16:06.459 However, the Bible has a term for ongoing existing without quality of life. 00:16:07.899 --> 00:16:09.039 It's called hell. 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:13.419 It's not just existing. 00:16:13.819 --> 00:16:15.919 He's talking about a quality of life here. 00:16:17.019 --> 00:16:19.879 He's saying, I want to give you true life. 00:16:21.819 --> 00:16:23.899 Whoever comes to me shall not hunger. 00:16:24.439 --> 00:16:26.759 And whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 00:16:26.759 --> 00:16:29.620 Eternal life starts now, as soon as you come. 00:16:32.100 --> 00:16:37.220 So here we come to the first of the seven I am claims in John's Gospel. 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:39.200 And we're going to spend seven weeks on this. 00:16:40.179 --> 00:16:41.759 Jesus is saying, I didn't come to be useful. 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:45.679 I am the bread of life. 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:52.059 The wording in the original language, it's strange wording. 00:16:52.059 --> 00:16:55.099 It's emphasizing not the bread. 00:16:56.399 --> 00:17:01.559 It's saying, I myself am the bread of life. 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:07.519 Jesus didn't come to give bread, but to be bread. 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:19.200 When my one-year-old Aurora is in her high chair and she's got a bib on and she's got a placemat, 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:22.339 which barely catches any of the scraps that are just going everywhere. 00:17:22.680 --> 00:17:24.180 But she's a noisy eater. 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:25.519 She's... 00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:38.279 Jesus says, if you want true quality of life, you need to be a noisy eater. 00:17:41.059 --> 00:17:43.440 That's kind of what's behind this word here. 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:45.440 Whoever feeds... 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:54.259 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood, 00:17:54.259 --> 00:17:56.839 has eternal life. 00:17:57.559 --> 00:17:59.819 And I will raise him up on the last day. 00:17:59.879 --> 00:18:02.180 For my flesh is true food. 00:18:02.740 --> 00:18:04.740 And my blood is true drink. 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:08.839 The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. 00:18:13.220 --> 00:18:16.640 Now, for all the cannibals in the room, you're loving this. 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:18.779 But for the rest of us, 00:18:20.259 --> 00:18:23.019 that's an offensive image, is it not? 00:18:23.019 --> 00:18:29.259 You've got to feed on my flesh and drink my blood. 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:33.480 Now, this offends. 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:36.420 It offends even Christian tradition. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:39.960 Because a lot of Christians go, 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:42.000 oh, he's talking about Holy Communion, 00:18:42.099 --> 00:18:44.539 where you have the wafers and the wine. 00:18:44.660 --> 00:18:45.940 He's talking about the sacrament. 00:18:45.940 --> 00:18:50.480 But I don't think so. 00:18:50.539 --> 00:18:52.320 The language is way too strong for that. 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:55.080 Because if you look at the wording, 00:18:55.259 --> 00:18:58.880 if you eat and drink, you have eternal life. 00:18:58.920 --> 00:18:59.600 Full stop. 00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:01.700 He doesn't add any conditions. 00:19:02.259 --> 00:19:03.400 That's the only requirement. 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:04.480 You want eternal life? 00:19:04.980 --> 00:19:05.740 Eat and drink. 00:19:05.740 --> 00:19:10.259 Unless you eat and drink, you have no life. 00:19:11.140 --> 00:19:13.359 There is no Christian tradition that says, 00:19:14.120 --> 00:19:16.460 only if you partake of Holy Communion, 00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:19.019 will you have eternal life. 00:19:19.099 --> 00:19:21.940 No one, people don't follow the logic of that. 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:24.680 It's too absolute language. 00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:28.039 It's offending Christian tradition even. 00:19:29.860 --> 00:19:33.000 You've got a noisily munch on my flesh. 00:19:35.080 --> 00:19:36.560 Now, clearly it's a metaphor. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:43.779 So what's the real thing that it's a metaphor of? 00:19:45.340 --> 00:19:48.720 And why would he use such an offensive image? 00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:53.580 Well, he's told us plainly. 00:19:53.579 --> 00:20:02.960 In verse 47, whoever believes in me has eternal life. 00:20:03.799 --> 00:20:09.659 Verse 35, whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 00:20:15.339 --> 00:20:20.500 So how does he give us this flesh and blood to drink? 00:20:20.500 --> 00:20:28.880 Well, us city dwellers, we're so far removed from where food comes from. 00:20:28.980 --> 00:20:31.779 But if you live on the farm or if you grew up on the farm, 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:33.539 you probably get this a bit more easily. 00:20:33.740 --> 00:20:37.299 That if you leave here and go through drive-through and get a hamburger, 00:20:38.359 --> 00:20:42.180 that cow, I'm not sure if you know this or not, 00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:46.080 but that cow went to a building called an abattoir. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:51.100 And there's some very sharp knives in that building. 00:20:51.099 --> 00:20:56.219 And that grain of wheat, living and growing in the field, 00:20:56.299 --> 00:21:00.919 had to be cut from the stalk and then crushed and then put in the oven. 00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:05.160 The grain had to die. 00:21:06.560 --> 00:21:10.140 The cow has to die so that you eat it and live. 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:11.820 Something has to die. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:16.759 You have to die or the cow and the grain has to die. 00:21:19.880 --> 00:21:22.940 Jesus dies or I die. 00:21:22.940 --> 00:21:52.920 Jesus dies or I die. 00:21:52.940 --> 00:21:56.059 And gave his life so that I can live. 00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:01.779 I think the metaphor is pretty clear. 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:07.320 But why use such a picture like feeding? 00:22:09.120 --> 00:22:13.279 I think it helps us just cut straight to the point of what belief means. 00:22:16.320 --> 00:22:17.940 Here's what truth belief means. 00:22:17.940 --> 00:22:18.539 Belief means. 00:22:18.600 --> 00:22:22.259 It doesn't mean belonging to a human institution like a church. 00:22:23.299 --> 00:22:25.180 Belonging to a group doesn't help you. 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:26.039 You've got to feed. 00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:27.200 You have to eat. 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:29.820 You have to drink. 00:22:32.940 --> 00:22:40.900 What we feed on isn't a list of doctrinal statements that we just intellectually subscribe to. 00:22:40.900 --> 00:22:42.060 It's a person. 00:22:43.320 --> 00:22:48.380 We have to somehow ingest Jesus into our being. 00:22:48.380 --> 00:22:53.120 I think we talk like this when we talk about the ones we love. 00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:59.520 I think of my family and I think I can't think of them apart from me. 00:22:59.620 --> 00:23:00.240 They're in me. 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:01.760 They're in my heart. 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:05.460 They're so a part of me. 00:23:05.460 --> 00:23:09.600 I think that's the kind of language belief is about. 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:11.779 It's not a list of truths. 00:23:14.019 --> 00:23:18.900 Once you believe in Jesus, he's just so precious to you. 00:23:19.700 --> 00:23:20.460 He's in you. 00:23:23.960 --> 00:23:26.420 He's not useful to you. 00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:28.960 He himself is precious to you. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:44.420 Well, I want to finish with a story of someone who's been in the wilderness much more than I have. 00:23:45.640 --> 00:23:53.220 And I think she describes what this feeding on Jesus, what effect it has had on her. 00:23:53.819 --> 00:23:55.220 And so I want to finish with her story. 00:23:55.220 --> 00:23:59.480 And if I make it through without crying, it'll be a miracle, okay? 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:00.140 I'll just warn you. 00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:04.440 But it's a story of Joni Erikson-Tata. 00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:07.299 These are her words. 00:24:07.380 --> 00:24:11.180 My prayers as a teenager were so self-centered looking back. 00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:13.019 God, help me lose weight. 00:24:14.039 --> 00:24:15.460 God, help me get a new boyfriend. 00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:19.860 God, help me get good grades in this test. 00:24:20.420 --> 00:24:24.779 I thought I'd done God a huge favor by accepting Jesus as my Savior. 00:24:26.200 --> 00:24:29.880 A few weeks after high school, my sister Kathy invited me for a swim. 00:24:30.539 --> 00:24:33.120 And I swam out to a pontoon and dived in. 00:24:33.299 --> 00:24:36.319 And I snapped my head back when I hit the bottom. 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:38.620 Stuttered already. 00:24:39.720 --> 00:24:43.600 Crushed my fourth cervical vertebrae, severing my spinal cord. 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:49.259 After 46 years of quadriplegia. 00:24:50.119 --> 00:24:54.079 Don't be thinking I'm an expert at quadriplegia. 00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:56.619 Every morning I wake up saying, 00:24:56.740 --> 00:24:59.339 Jesus, I can't do this thing called life. 00:25:00.339 --> 00:25:01.139 Please help me. 00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:02.619 Please show up. 00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:04.759 Give me your smile. 00:25:04.899 --> 00:25:05.859 Give me your strength. 00:25:05.959 --> 00:25:07.699 Because I can't make it through the day. 00:25:07.700 --> 00:25:15.420 Because I go to God with that earnest dependency and requirement of his grace, 00:25:16.059 --> 00:25:21.980 I experience the sweetest, most precious, most intimate union with Jesus Christ. 00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:24.500 I have chronic pain. 00:25:25.259 --> 00:25:27.900 I had breast cancer a couple of years ago. 00:25:28.700 --> 00:25:33.099 My husband was driving me home in the van from chemotherapy one day. 00:25:33.099 --> 00:25:38.159 We were talking about suffering as like little splashovers of hell. 00:25:40.099 --> 00:25:42.379 And we pulled into the driveway and he said, 00:25:42.500 --> 00:25:44.819 Well, what do you think splashovers of heaven are? 00:25:46.599 --> 00:25:51.359 Are they those easy, breezy, bright times where everything is going your way? 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:52.939 And we said, No. 00:25:54.779 --> 00:26:01.480 Splashovers of heaven are finding Jesus in your splashovers of hell. 00:26:03.099 --> 00:26:09.299 To find Jesus in your hell is ecstasy beyond compare. 00:26:17.299 --> 00:26:24.019 I wouldn't trade it for any amount of walking in this world. 00:26:33.099 --> 00:26:41.059 You won't find life in what spoils or fades. 00:26:41.679 --> 00:26:44.959 Can I just invite you, get to know this offensive Jesus. 00:26:44.959 --> 00:26:50.399 Because when you feast on him, it's the richest of foods. 00:26:50.740 --> 00:26:52.759 He gives life even in the wilderness. 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:57.379 I am the bread of life. 00:26:58.259 --> 00:27:00.059 Whoever comes to me shall not hunger. 00:27:00.940 --> 00:27:03.740 And whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 00:27:05.079 --> 00:27:05.960 Let me pray. 00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:26.360 Lord, I know my words can't even get into my own heart. 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:29.799 My tears can't win us over. 00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:34.200 Any warnings I've said can't convince us. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:42.419 My prayer is that you would meet each and every one of us and show us the Lord Jesus. 00:27:43.639 --> 00:27:48.500 So that we might feed on him and have eternal life. 00:27:48.859 --> 00:27:49.799 In Jesus' name I pray. 00:27:50.119 --> 00:27:50.440 Amen. 00:27:50.440 --> 00:27:50.539 Amen. 00:27:50.539 --> 00:27:50.559 Amen. 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:50.579 Amen. 00:27:50.579 --> 00:27:50.619 Amen. 00:27:50.619 --> 00:27:52.619 Amen. 00:27:52.619 --> 00:27:52.659 Amen.