Scripture: John 6:25-59
I. Jesus brings God’s life to us because He himself is God’s manna.
A. The crowd says to Jesus in vs. 30, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” The crowd wants Jesus to be like Moses. Jesus had just given the people a big meal. Moses gave the people manna to eat every day for 40 years in a row. Actually, it was God who provided the earthly manna, Jesus says (vs. 32). And God has now provided heavenly bread through Jesus, the bread of life, to give people eternal life.
II. Jesus brings God’s life to us because He does His Father’s will.
A. Jesus makes clear in vs. 36 that some don’t believe that Jesus is the bread of life who can satisfy and give eternal life. So, Jesus says in vs. 37, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” It is only those that God the Father gives to Jesus who will believe in Jesus. Rather than rejecting God, in a real sense God has already rejected this crowd for rejecting His Son. But those who are given to Jesus will inevitably, infallibly come. Jesus will do the Father’s will (vs. 38-39) in bringing people to God’s Family.
III. Jesus brings God’s life to us because He reveals God to us.
A. Verse 41 says the crowd grumbled about Jesus. Why? They think they know Jesus, and they are not impressed (vs. 42). Grumbling against God is always dangerous. Grumbling is insulting to God because God is a good king. Jesus is not forcing you against your will to come to Him. He is enticing you. Jesus quotes from Isaiah 54:13 in vs. 45: “And they will all be taught by God.” This is a promise of the new covenant. When you are born again, God Himself will teach you, He will reveal Himself, and He will draw you to Jesus by the Holy Spirit.
IV. Jesus brings God’s life to us because He gives His life on our behalf.
A. Jesus teaches in John 6 that He is a better bread than merely earthly bread. Those who ate the manna died (vs. 49). But if you come to Jesus the bread of life you will not die (vs. 50). You will live forever (vs. 51). We have eternal life by faith that Jesus gave His life for us (vs. 51). If you feed on Jesus as the bread of life, you will have life because He gave His life for you (vs. 57). All the pictures of Jesus in John’s Gospel are pictures of Jesus going to the cross to die for your sin so that you might have life. Jesus gives His life for you.
Application:
Eternal life is a gift to be received from Jesus. Take it and pass the bread of life along to others.
Sources:
The Bible
Commentaries by D.A. Carson, Herman Ridderbos, and Edward Klink.
Sermon Discussion Questions
1) How is Jesus like the manna that the Israelites ate in the wilderness? How is Jesus better than that manna?
2) How does Jesus make clear in John 6 that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone? Is it possible that Jesus will fail to bring people to faith and into God’s Kingdom?
3) Can we enter heaven without coming to Jesus as the bread of life (vs. 51)? Almost everything we eat is something that has died. What does it mean then that Jesus calls Himself the bread of life?