Jesus, the bread from heaven (John 6:25-59)

Jesus, the living bread from heaven

John 6:25-59

Key Verse 51

Introduction: We celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, every year. The birth narratives in the gospel Luke and Matthew gave us great details how Jesus came as a baby. We enjoyed and marveled at God’s great hand in sending His son to us.  In this year’s Christmas, we will look into the depth of God’s mind as well as the mind of His Son, Jesus. that led to the coming of His son as a baby in a manger. Today's passage is about God’s will. His will may be answered through this question; ‘what was God thinking as he made decision to send his beloved son to this earth in human flesh?’.  In the next message on Hebrew (ch 10) answers the question on what Jesus thinking when he decided to come to us.  I pray that by knowing the heart of God we may celebrate better for the coming of Christ, Jesus.  

A.   Work for the food that endures eternal life.

Today's event happened soon after Jesus fed more than 5000 people at the other side of Galilee. At the end of that day Jesus sent his disciples in a boat to this side, i.e. near the village Capernaum. Jesus was alone after sending all of his disciples. As the midnight approached, Jesus walked on the water and caught up with his disciples who were struggling to oar the boat against the winds and quickly reached to the region of Capernaum. The next morning a large number of people gathered and searched for Jesus at the other side. They thought Jesus was still somewhere near the place Jesus fed more than 5 thousand people, since because only his disciples left that place by a boat.  After a long search, they finally found Jesus near Capernaum.  They were so surprised to find him there. So they asked Jesus "Rabbi when did get here?".  Here they expressed their enthusiasm and love for Jesus. It is good to know that Jesus was sought after by many. This indicates that their respect and favorable affect and honor to Jesus. But Jesus was not quite happy about them;

26 Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.

Jesus knew what was in the depth of their mind. He was disappointed to know that their main reason for seeking Jesus was not to learn from Jesus but to make their life easy though Jesus. The day before, in the late afternoon, they were so hungry and Jesus fed them with bread and fish. They were so good and they ate to their full satisfaction. It was the first time in long time that they felt so good and so happy to eat such a good meal. So they thought that If they follow Jesus, then they could eat all that they wanted to eat, and then they would be happy and there would be nothing more to worry about. They were driven by their need for easy food. So when they did not see Jesus where they were fed, they searched for Jesus here and there, intensely all the morning.

But though their desire was with Jesus, their efforts were driven by desire for food. It has something lack greatly. Jesus knew and pointed out this:  

27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

The delicious fish and bread they ate yesterday were food that spoils. I love bean sprout soup. So, I don't mind to have a bowl of bean-sprout soup every day.  But all the food that I eat will eventually spoils no matter how well it is preserved. Likewise the body that is maintained by such food will surely face decay over time. Do not work for food that spoils! Their search for Jesus was intense. Going and searching and coming back to Capernaum may be more than 14 miles or even more. It was a hard work! But it was all for food that spoils! After a hard work, we like to see a tangible and lasting outcome. If our hard work was geared to get food that spoils, then we will end up with something that is spoiled badly. It might be a futile effort!

Nowadays, as the population ages, retirement is a big issue; so after more than 30-40 years of hard work, everyone wants to make sure that the money that they stashed away may last long time.   Can that money will last forever? How about the life that has been supported by such an abundance of money? Jesus is telling us that as much the food that we eat everyday spoils so will our body spoil and face decay. Then, all the hard works of life will be futile.  Is this what we want? Certainly not! But as long as we work for the food that spoils, that is inevitable outcome! No other way! The outcome will surely be pitiful and dismal. I am happy that we all love Jesus. But even our love for Jesus is driven by our desire for the food that spoils, then,  we are not much different from these people and our lives will surely suffer spoiling. I pray that Jesus is not just a mean for you to find easy food. Then what should we do?

27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

Jesus told them to work hard for the food that endures to eternal life.  First what is that food? The first emperor of unified kingdom of China, Qin Dynasty, sent out many in search for a food that could make him live forever. Quite number of rare herbs was brought in and he ate it. But he eventually died and buried. I saw his tomb at Xian. There is no food in this world that endures to eternal life. It is as evident as we see all living creatures die, including tiny bugs and even bacteria. So the food shall not be of this earth.

But Jesus, the Son of Man, has that food and he was going to give it to them. And also he said that the father in Heaven has already approved of Jesus' offering of the food.   In order to reveal such particular role, Jesus called himself the Son of Man for the first time here in the gospel of John. The call, the Son of man, is a paradoxical allusion that he is not a son of man but the Son of God.   At the same time he called himself such way in order for us to know that he is from God and he has become like a son of man. Being the Son of God, and yet having taken upon himself as a son of man, Jesus was uniquely qualified to give out the food from heaven to men on the earth. Jesus emphasized this;

"For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval"

When you visit meat section on Safeway food store, you will find meats labeled 'FDA choice'. The authority of Federal government, Food and drug administration, approved that that particular meat labeled ‘FDA Choice’ is good or the best in quality. Likewise God has approved that the food that Jesus would give warrants eternal life.

God is eternal and we all are temporal. As we know everything on the earth perish; we man, all animals, fish and insects and birds, even trees and glasses; even bacteria, virus... there is no life that last forever.

But God, who is eternal, put a seal of approval on the food that Jesus gives, as the one give us eternal life.  If you eat it, without failure, you will have eternal life. By this food we can overcome the finite nature of our being. By eating that food, we can endure to the eternity with God.

As they heard such offer, the Jews changed their perspective of life and asked this question: 

28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

It was good and positive direction. They shifted their gear high to the food that gives eternal life. We must shift our gear to the food that endures eternal life; also that we’d better put a high gear on the work that endure to eternal life! Jesus taught them how they could engage life-gear high on that food.

 29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

God sent Jesus as the food for eternal life. So what God demanded for them to do was to believe Jesus. But they had problem to believe Jesus.

30 So they asked him, "What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "

They wanted a sign from Jesus that they could see the sign and then they would believe Jesus. They liked to see Jesus giving them something like manna. What were they thinking about manna? About a month and half after they left Egyptian slavery, about a million Israel were roaming in the desert. There was no food except that they brought from Egypt. But that food was running out. It was impossible to find food for such a large number of people. As they were starving, they complained to Moses. At this time, God heard their complaints and rained down manna and the entire Israel survived the life in the desert. This manna came down as long as they were in the desert, i.e. for forty years. It was a great miracle and manna stands as the sign of God's will to sustain the lives of Israel. Jesus fed more than five thousands of people the day before. But this was only one time. It was great.  But can it measure up to manna in the time of Moses? Can Jesus do that? If Jesus could do so, then they were willing to believe! But there was a great misunderstanding in such demand.

32 Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

Manna that sustained the lives of a millions of Israel for forty years was given by God, Jesus' father. Though all of them died, the manna stands as the emblem of God’s will to give life to those whom He favors. At the same time it serves also as the emblem of what God can do no matter how many lives he has to support. That will as well as that power was being put into action. God will do this by giving 'the true bread' from heaven. This true bread can not only support millions or billions but also support them all to eternity. This is the real, true bread because that bread can sustain lives to eternity and it is not of the earth but from heave. What was the primary goal of God in doing this? It is to give life to the world, the life that endures to eternity.   Truly it is exiting to have this bread! So the Jews welcomed this offer;

34 "Sir," they said, "always give us this bread."   Then what is that bread?

B.   Jesus, the bread of life 

35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Jesus declared. “I am the bread of life”. When one declares something, that claim is saturated with authority, truth, and power.  Any mishandling of this shall surely bear unwanted outcome. What does the bread of life can offer?

If anyone comes to him, he/she will never go hungry. Jesus can and will supply the bread that can nurture life in full.

I remember the days when I suffered hunger so many months and years. From breakfast to lunch, it was all too long to wait! When the food that I ate was not good enough, I longed for food, quality food rich in meat and calories in abundance.

What about hunger from our soul and our spirit? We look for food for our soul and our spirit that lasts. We know we are not happy with the food that this world gives. It runs very short. Money seems to quench our thirst for a while. But soon we realize that we are in hunger again. It seems that our spirit is bottomless pit that nothing of this world could fill that void. Like this the life that we live is full of wants. We are in want of love, satisfaction and achievement, success, victory. Most of all we are in want of sickness free, death free life, which we can seldom find in this life.  But here Jesus said that whoever comes to him will never go hungry! Never! All our wants are fully met and our soul and our spirit is fully satisfied in Jesus! He gives new and refreshing food day after day and year after year. When one believes in him, he won’t have any thirsty at all.  His or her heart is filled and satisfied. Jesus promised not only endless supply of our needs but also warranted full satisfaction. That warranty is not a few month or few years. It is to eternity.

Yet they had problem; the Jews could not believe Jesus as the bread from heaven. They could not believe that Jesus could deliver such food. They knew Jesus mother and father. They knew his brothers and sisters. How could Jesus say that he was from heaven? To them it was absurd and totally unreasonable claim! They never seen such food before and they never thought of such thing before. How can this be possible? This could be overcome by faith only. But there in the depth of their hearts sits unbelief. Were they too unreasonable that they could not believe Jesus?  

37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."

Here Jesus explored the root of unbelief. In unbelief they thought that Jesus had to prove himself as the one from heaven. But Jesus said that His father already has given the seal of approval. Here Jesus explains the details on how all these things happened;

·         It is God that would send to Jesus those whom he wanted to bless with eternal life. So it is not for Jesus to prove or disprove of who he is or what he can do. Rather their relationship with or their faith in God determines their belief in Jesus. If they do not believe God and have no trust in Him, then they could not believe or accept Jesus as the bread from heaven. It was all how they responded to God's discretion and His mercy!

·         Jesus came down from heaven to do God's will. Because God's will for him was not to lose any of those he has given to Jesus, Jesus would not reject any one that comes to Jesus.

·         In order to fulfill God's purpose Jesus would do everything so that his work would guarantee them all the eternal life.  Jesus' ultimate goal was to make sure that they all could be able to see God with big smile at the last resurrection day. So Jesus would not withhold anything that he could do to save them.

It all began from God and Jesus was willing to do everything to do His will. Simply Jesus is all for them! Warranty is a good thing. Whenever I buy something, I ask what the warranty is. Factory warranty for my car is three years and I can buy extra warranty with some additional money.  Jesus is our warranty for eternal life. Jesus Father expected him to do and Jesus would do everything to fulfill His father’s will. He himself would make sure that all those who come to him shall have eternal life, not even missing one.  So we have to work hard to get that warranty. I like to ask you; how much have you worked in order to get that warranty? Are you still working hard for the food that spoils?

Then what was the root of unbelief?

41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

They knew his parents and his siblings. In considering this in no way could they take Jesus as the one from heaven. Jesus was just like any son of man on earth! So in this dilemma, they grumbled and grumbled. It is too hard. It is beyond our head and our brain! But did they really know Jesus? They knew Jesus based on what they saw in outward appearance. Jesus was like any other man. They saw his father and his mother, and his brothers. But did they really know all about Jesus? The problem was that they thought they knew Jesus according to what they saw.

If it all began all with God, and then, their belief in Jesus has to begin with their faith in God, then why did they failed to accept God’s will in Jesus?  To answer this  Jesus mentioned v45-46

45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.

This does not mean that God taught people personally, in a mystical way. It means that they all were persuaded by God's works written in the scriptures, which details about God's justice, love and promises. So when they not only heard from God but also learned from Him as they studied the words of God, then they would come to Jesus. Simply speaking, as they read and learned OT, they were persuaded by God's authority, His justice and righteousness, as well as his promise, then, they would surely come to Jesus.  If they were receptive of divine illumination by the messages of the OT, then, they would surely come to Jesus in belief. Jesus is the exact fulfillment of God's promise, justice and righteousness. The problem was that though all were taught by God, only few learned from God. So if you know and believe the message of OT, then you will surely believe Jesus as the one coming for your salvation. This tells us one more thing;

v 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.

What it means is this; none of the people saw God and then believed Him. All were only taught by God and learned by faith! It is by faith only that those who believe came to believe. Also Jesus is the only one who saw God and knows more than anyone in the world.  Jesus is qualified more than any of them to tell the things of heaven! Jesus is the only one who can and will reveal God fully! No one else! So the only way to know God in His perfect will is to believe Jesus as he reveals all the truth about God.

This truth bears enormous implication for those who seek faith in Jesus. The OT contains the basic and fundamental truth about God. Such knowledge must present for one to be able to accept Christ.   What is the basic and fundamental knowledge about God? As God presented to Israel, God is the creator of all creatures. Also he is the judge of the living according to his holiness and righteousness, and is the author and owner of life. This must be extended to accept God’s authority as the owner of the universe and as the authority in sending Jesus as his son, the bread of life.  The birth of Jesus as the Son of God was the most formidable obstacle for many. It must begin with God’s authority as the creator of heaven and earth and his will to bring all ungodly to judgment and his will to bless all men in sin by and through His son Jesus. So Jesus’ birth is the place where God’s grace and justice meets for the sake of all human races. The purpose is the only one thing, the salvation of all human races.

C.   We have to eat this bread of life

Jesus again said with a very affirmative tone;

 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." He wants to be a prey for our hunger and thirst so that the life in his body may be imparted to us.  This is totally contrary to the fundamental principle of this world; The world is filled with peoples that live and run with vulture’s mentality. Vultures hunker down and snatch away his prey and eat them up! It is the spirit that runs deep in our society, in and among our friends, business world and international relationships.  “If it can be my easy prey, and it is edible, then I will surely go after that prey.”  

But it is interesting that Jesus wants to give his life as bread so that we may eat and we may not die. In order to give as prey, Jesus came down from heaven to be with men. This offer is so good and so life giving!

"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" No matter what reason we are reluctant to eat this bread, no eating this bread poses us a great risk.

53 Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever."

Eating his flesh and drinking his blood are musts if anyone wants to have eternal life. No other way! We have to think about what it means to eat his flesh and to drink his blood!

First, it is not what God would and could do for us but it is what we should do! It is a kind of work if you want to call it. 

Second it has to do with eating and drinking. Israel ate manna day after day for 40 years from heaven day by day. But eventually all of them died. But Jesus' flesh gives eternal life for those who eat his flesh and drink his blood. We have to believe that eating Jesus flesh and blood will surely lead us to eternal life.

What does it mean we have to eat Jesus flesh and drink his blood?

I like to look at how the food we eat everyday do to our body. About 72% of the human body is H2O (liquid water) and  every 16 days nearly 100% of this water is exchanged. Heavy elements like carbon, sodium and potassium take occupancy far longer perhaps 8 months - 11 months. Also every seven through ten years we become essentially new people, because in that time, every cell in our body has been replaced by a new cell.

Here is what it means eating and drinking. You become what you put in your mouth every day. If you put sweets in every meal, sweet change your body into diabetes. Likewise if you drink alcohol every day, then your body become alcohol dependent and cannot survive without alcohol.  If you eat meat so much, then you are sure to have atherosclerosis, , overweight and heart attack.

The fundamental idea of eating and drinking idea is change of our being. Our being must be changed, i.e. the constitution of our being must be replaced with Jesus. It is possible only by the way of eating Jesus flesh and drinking his blood.

Not only it hangs on what we eat and drink but also it hangs on ‘eating and drinking’. We eat daily throughout our lives as long as we live.

Jesus’ flesh and his blood is wholesomeness of Jesus’ being. This is the entirety of Jesus life itself we know and understand, particularly about Jesus suffering and death on the cross. The second one is through the process of eating and drinking. If you are fed on Jesus' flesh, that suffered and died on the cross for the sin of men, if you drink Jesus' blood that were shed on the cross in order to bear sins of men day after day,  the spirit of Jesus becomes your spirit. Your body, mind and spirit are filled with the Spirit of Christ! It may not happen in a day but it will happen in months and years! Jesus’ spirit becomes your spirit. In this way your life will be conformed to the life of Jesus in His spirit and in His will. This is most vivid description of ‘the process of sanctification’ This process has to be; unless you eat…. ; otherwise, no salvation.

It has to happen every day as we eat three meals a day as we drink water hours after hours. Believing is not joust acknowledge Jesus' mercy that one time in the long past done for me. Believing is the beginning that sets off this process. That sprit and that power, that trust, and that submission must be living in our flesh and blood by eating and drinking Jesus blood. The result is astounding:

56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.

We are in Jesus and Jesus is in us. Believing cannot be separated from living in the spirit of Jesus. The spirit in Jesus that loved all people, the spirit that was willing to suffer for the sins of others, the spirit that entrusted his life in God's righteousness, the spirit that believed God's love and God's power to resurrect him, all these become ours.  In this way Jesus truly become the way, the life and the truth in our being.  Jesus is truly living bread from heaven. He came from heaven to give his life as the bread for life. Now we have that bread and in this bread we can live to eternity with God. Christmas is the day that Jesus left heaven so as to give his flesh and his blood as the bread of life.  God planned and the Son of Man came to do Father’s plan. Father’s plan is that he might do everything to ensure salvation of all that come to him.  This began as he was born in a manger as the bread from heaven.

Merry Christmas!