The Bread of Life: Part II (John 6:14-71)

The Bread of Life: Part II
John 6:14-71
This text demonstrates the claim, “I am the Bread of Life.”

C. Jesus and the Multitudes

1. The Immediate Response of the Multitude
      Look quickly then at the immediate response of the people to this miracle. The
people said, in verse 14, "This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world."
They said, "My! Look at this man, a prophet, the one we’ve been looking forward to
seeing for so many years. We've been wanting to hear his voice – now we hear it. We
wanted to see Him in action – now we see it because He has come with miracle signs and
wonders. "
      So they all came together, just one great surge, to just run and take Jesus by force
and make Him King. Now you'd better watch it when a whole bunch of people run after
you and you become so popular and they start to give you that King treatment. You better
watch it.

2. Jesus' Response to the Multitude
      You know what Jesus did? He went and slipped away alone into a mountain to
pray. When the clamor and the cries of the people feed your ego for that popularity and
that desire to be well known and to build your reputation, you're on dangerous ground.
It's a subtle form of temptation and trial. It is a time to flee by yourself alone in a
mountain and pray. Pray until the midnight hours. Because you see that same crowd that
is so fickle that just follows you because of sensationalism and signs, when they're put to
the test they may turn on you and may cry – crucify you as they crucified Him.

3. The Response of the Multitude the Following Day
      The next day, the people were looking for more bread. They came seeking for
Jesus, but it was not because they saw or understood the meaning of the great sign. Jesus
said, "You seek me, not because you have seen the miracles, and you're seeking me not
because you understood what I was doing and the purpose and the meaning behind that
miracle, but because you did eat the loaves and were filled."
      When He blesses, it's for a reason. When He anoints, it's for a reason. When He
heals, it's for a reason. When He moves with miraculous power, it is for a reason. That
men may see Him and believe on Him and have life and have life more abundantly.
Hallelujah!
      They said, in answer to that, "What shall we do to have life and work the works of
God?" Jesus said, "It's not a matter of what you can do or not do to do the works of God.
To do the works of God is to believe in Him whom God hath sent."
      They said, "Well, if you want us to believe on you, then show us a sign." It
always has disgusted me. This fellow is about twice as fat as I am with his toothpick
whittled out of a willow stick I guess leaning over here to the side picking out bread and
fish out of his teeth and him so full of signs then he's about to pop said, "Show us a sign
if you want us to believe."
      Do you know what? There are a lot of spiritual gluttons around the church these
days. God's everywhere, but they don't see Him. His hand is moving but they don't feel it.
The Holy Ghost is working, but they're not aware. God's working, but they're not walking
with Him. All they want is one more sign. One more great thing to heap upon them and
glut their appetite for the sensational.

D. The Teaching of Jesus

      Jesus then began to zero in on them with a little bit of teaching and theology. Now
that's where a lot of people get busy and they want to get up and they have to leave the
church when you start teaching what the Word says. I get a little disappointed in some
people. They can sing the house down and shout the house down and you start to preach
the Word and they have to go get a glass of water, or do something, and they have to
leave.

1. Jesus Is What He Gives
      Jesus started saying, "Well now listen, if you want to know what that true bread is
that your fathers ate and the true bread that comes down from heaven, you're looking at
him because I am the bread of life." What John is saying is that Jesus is what He gives.
He gives gifts but in the giving He gives Himself, hallelujah, so that you can't get His
blessings without receiving Him. You can't eat His bread without receiving Him.

a. Jesus Is Not a Santa Clause Giver
      Jesus is not a Santa Claus that just hands you out gifts, but He disrobes Himself of
all the mythologies and He says, "Oh, if you're going to receive my blessings and receive
my gift and if you're going to have life, then I'm life. You've got to have me." Hallelujah!
You can't have God's blessings, you can't have God's best unless Jesus Christ becomes
your Lord and Master. Hallelujah! Praise Him!

b. Jesus Is Everlasting Life
      You know what happened? He said, "If you receive this gift," which indeed
means you receive the giver as well, "you have everlasting life," verse 40. Oh, this is the
results of receiving Him and His gifts. It's everlasting life.

2. The Murmuring of the People
       But look quickly at the reaction of the people and the religious
leaders what it said. When Jesus offered this way to everlasting life first of all the
murmured at Him. You know murmur, murmur, murmur. Just rising up throughout the
congregation.
      You know I preach on people like that murmuring at you. He went a little bit
further and He gave them to understand that His own flesh was the living bread.

3. The Striving of the People
      They began to strive among themselves pushing and pulling. "I can't accept that. I
don't believe." Striving among themselves. Then in a little bit when He said, "...Except
you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." They
and the disciples said, "...This is a hard saying, who can hear it?" And Jesus said, "...Are
you offended?" And that word offended means, "Are you scandalized at this?"

4. Levels of Rejection and Levels of Faith
      You see, what John does throughout this great Gospel is show us levels of
rejection. Levels of unbelief. And at the same time and sometimes in the very same story,
he'll show us levels of faith that move step by step into higher realms of enlightenment
which we'll perhaps see the next time as we look at Jesus the light of the world, and a
young man emerging out of darkness step by step moving into realms of higher faith and
light and enlightenment and understanding.

5. The Gospel Is Either Received or Rejected
      You see, that's the way of the Gospel and that's the way of Christ and that's the
way of the Word. Every time you hear it, every time you're into it's presence, you either
move into a higher level of faith and receptivity to God's Word, or you sink to a lower
depth of misunderstanding and confusion and rejection.
      The Gospel is powerful. It's no neutral ground. Every time the Word goes forth
with power and the anointing of the Spirit you're on the spot. You either move up or you
move out. Go up in faith or sink down with a harder heart and a more confused mind. It's
always active, life giving.
      So they murmured first and then there was strife among them and then they were
offended. I've preached when people were offended and got their feelings hurt so bad
they never came back to church. But think of Jesus on this day. The Bible says, verse 66,
"From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him."

6. The Testing of the Twelve
      Finally, he tested the twelve. And in testing the twelve He says to them, "Will ye
also go away? Are you going too? Are you offended at me and what I have taught? Then
Simon Peter said, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life."
      Listen friends, there is no other place to go.
      He is the bread of life and He has the words to eternal life and that's the reason the
pastor today almost shouted while he preached the funeral because he knew a saint of
God was in the presence of the Lord with eternal life. And that's the reason yesterday we
had almost a worship service as Brother Walker went on. Eternal life. And you've got it
abiding in you now. And if you keep believing on Jesus and eating that bread of life,
you'll never die. One day you'll just change your dwelling place and move swiftly out of
this world. Amen.

This text demonstrates the claim, "I am the Bread of Life."

Thompson's Chain Reference: 1308 (Christ - Bread of Life)