Lesson One       The Bread of Life. 

The theme verse emphasized that our relations with Christ must be a personal one, and that it does not matter what the rest of the world thinks.

Lesson Statement –  “…I am the bread of life…” 

We must understand two things in particular as we begin these studies in God’s Word, keeping them in mind over the next three days.

The first is that, through each of the statements that we will examine, the Lord Jesus was teaching His disciples to follow Him in declaring the Gospel to the world.  Remember His words to these men –

Matthew 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Each of the statements was a lesson for them to increase their faith.

The second was for them to understand that He made the claim that no patriarch or prophet had made.  Jesus was unique in declaring that men must have faith in Him, as the Son of God.  No one else, not Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, or even John the Baptist made the claim that life is all about Him.  As a matter of fact, John the Baptist made the claim about Jesus of Nazareth – “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world”.  The religious leaders understood exactly the claim that Jesus made –

John 5:17-18   But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

With this in mind and in order to understand the Lord’s statement, we need to begin with the Bread of –

I.  Compassion    

John 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Context:  Someone read John 6:1-14

The people who followed Jesus desired to see him do more miracles.  John records in chapter four that the people in Galilee had “…seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem…”  and also, they were aware of the Nobleman’s son who Jesus healed in Capernaum.  In –

John 6:2  And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

They were following Jesus to the other side of the lake as he was retiring to a place to rest with the disciples.

When the people arrived where Jesus was, instead of resting, He taught them and He healed them.

Luke 9:11  And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

  A.  They received what they had expected –

  1.  The people were fed the bread of everlasting life.  The Word of God

  2.  The people were healed of their diseases.  The healing from God.

        And –

  B.  They received more than what they had expected –

    1.  They were fed with the bread of physical life.

    2.  They were fed miraculously with that which they worked for each

         day.

    3.  They were anxious to continue receiving this bread without labor.

Instead of being spiritually encouraged, they were selfishly eager to receive more, which led to –

II.  Contention. Someone read John 6:15-21

The people had no intention of submitting to and serving God.  They wanted God to submit and serve them.  They were no different than their forefathers who did not understand God’s will in sending Moses to lead them from bondage in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land.  They had not been free to serve the Lord while in Egypt, but they would be free to serve Him in the land that He was giving them.  They rebelled and rejected God then, now, they were rebelling and rejecting Him again.

They wanted this promised prophet to –

–        Judge and overthrow the Roman oppressors.  (Moses and Pharoa)

–        Liberate their promised land and establish the Kingdom.

–        Provide them daily with bread.

Jesus relieved this contentious situation through –

  A.  Protecting His disciples.  

Matthew 14:22  And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side…..

  B.  Preventing the crowd from accomplishing their purpose.

……while he sent the multitudes away.

  C.  Proving His power.    Walked out to them on the water –

Matthew 14:27-32  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

Once the Bread of Compassion has been received and consumed, it left the people with an ungrateful heart and an unsatisfied hunger.  This led them to –

III.  Covetousness.  Someone read John 6:22-26       Notice –

  A.  The determination to seek Jesus.  John 6:22-25

“…they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?”

  B.  The desired to satisfy their hunger.  John 6:26

    1.  They did not seek Him because of who He is.  John 6:26a

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles,”

         The miracles identified Him.  For an example, refer to –

Luke 7:19-23  And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

    2.  They sought Him because of what He could provide.  John 6:26b

“…but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.”

Jesus’ reproof of them brought forth –

IV.  Correction.  Someone read John 6:27-29   Notice –

  A.  Their wrong ambition. 

John 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

They desired to have their needs supplied and worked at manipulating God to serve them instead of working to supply their daily needs in order to have strength and ability to serve God!

  B.  Their wrong attitudes.  John 6:28,29

     1. They did not understand what was most important in life. They used

         their time and effort to seek the satisfaction of the flesh.   They

         wanted to work His works – multiply bread.  God condemned this

         attitude in –

Isaiah 5:8  Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

The world cries out “Get all that you can for yourself”.  This was the thinking of these people following Jesus.

John 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

    2.  They needed to understand that they should seek the One who was

         working the works and not just the result of His works. 

John 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

  C.  Their wrong arguments.  Someone read John 6:30-41

    1.  They demanded that He provide them with more bread.

“…Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.”

    2.  They denied that He is the gift of life from God.  John 6:35-41

          They had seen, but they refused to believe.

John 6:36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

Learn what they could have had if they would have repented and submited to the Lord –

        a.  God’s gift to man.  John 6:37,38             The Saviour

        b.  God’s gift to Jesus Christ  John 6:39       The Saved

        c.  God’s gift to the Saviour and to the saved.  John 67:40 

             Security!

    3.  They declared His humanity, but they denied His deity. 

John 6:41  The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

They believed that He was like Mose, a man and a prophet.  They did not believe that He is the Son of God.  They were not interested in Spiritual Truth.

For an example of what men believed, refer to –

Matthew 16:13-17  When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Peter had seen the small amount of food, and he had handed out the bread and fish to the multitudes, but this is not why He believed that Jesus was the Son of God.  He believed because he wanted to know the truth and God revealed it to him through His Word.

The people rejected the gift from God and increased in –

V.  Confusion.  John 6:41-52

  A.  They reinforced their unbelief .  John 6:41,42  and justified their

        rebellion.

John 6:41-42  The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

  B.  They rejected the truth – hearing but not learning.    John 6:42-52

John 6:42-45  And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

VI.  Caution.  John 6:53-63    Be careful

“…These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

In order to illustrate spiritual truth about Jesus, He spoke, and also the Holy Spirit led the writers, comparing Himself to normal things of life that men could understand.  He is called “The Lamb of God”, “the Word”, “the Light of the world”…..  All of these comparisons were given to help men to understand more about Him, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.

VII.  Consecration.   John 6:64-71   Set apart unto the Lord.

  A.  Separation from God.  Explained by speaking of physical bread.

John 6:64-66  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

  B.  Separation unto God.  Explained by speaking of Spiritual Bread –

        Partaking of Jesus, the Son of God. 

John 6:67-71  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Will you hear the Word of God tonight, learn of the Father, and believe on the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to give life unto you?

Without Him, you will not have everlasting life, but you will continue in everlasting death, separated forever from God.

Without physical bread, we will die.

Without spiritual bread, we will remain dead in our sins.

Have you repented of your sin, believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and asked God to save you?

Discussion question: What does God have that you need that only Jesus can supply?         –        Everlasting life!