Read: John 6:25-51
Focus:
Have you ever walked into a home or a restaurant and the air was filled with the fragrance of fresh-baked bread?
Inform
v. 25 The feeding of the 5,000 happened near Tiberias on the west side of the Sea of Galilee. Then Jesus and his disciples travelled to Capernaum on the north side of the Sea of Galilee where the events described in this passage takes place.
vv. 30-31 At the time, there was a popular belief that the manna from heaven would resume when the Messiah came. Perhaps with that in mind, the crowd is comparing the giving of the mannah with Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000 and implying that what Jesus did is insignificant in comparison to what Moses did. Moses fed a nation, Jesus only fed 5,000. Moses did it for 40 years, Jesus did it only once. Moses fed the people “bread from heaven,” Jesus fed the people with ordinary bread.
vv. 32-33 In response Jesus reminds the people of the true source of the mannah in the desert, God the Father, who also is offering them a far better “bread” right now: life through Jesus.
v. 35 This is the first of seven “I am…” statements by Jesus. The rest are in 8:12; 9:5; 10:7, 9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5. The phrase “bread of life” could mean “the bread that is living” or “the bread that gives life” or both.
v. 37 God (the Father and the Son) is the one who does the act of saving.
v. 38 Jesus gives his life purpose. “come down from heaven” 4 times in this passage (33, 38, 50, 51) Jesus emphasizes his divine origins.
v. 39-40 A clear statement of the will of God. “I shall lose none” Jesus is the one who will carry us through trials and tribulations.
v. 44 People don’t come to Jesus of their own volition, the Father draws them to the Son. “I will raise him up on the last day” the resurrection or eternal life are mentioned by Jesus 7 times in this passage (27, 39, 40, 44, 47, 50, 51). Jesus is making it clear that, unlike ordinary bread or mannah, he is the “bread” that gives life which death cannot take away
v. 51 “If anyone eats of this bread” Jesus is the one who gives and sustains everlasting life. “This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Points forward to Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross. It will cost Jesus dearly to give us everlasting life.
Connect
- What are some things that we work for that are like food (we think that they will give, enrich or sustain life) but they spoil (will not last forever)?
- What will last forever?
- What “work” must we do to obtain this food?
- How does Jesus “feed” us?
- How does Jesus give us everlasting life?
- How did God the Father draw you to Jesus?
- Do we ever grumble before Jesus like the crowd did?
- What did the people in the crowd not understand?
- What do we sometimes forget?
Vision
- What can you do over the next 2 weeks to make sure that you are being nourished by Jesus?
Summary
Farewell to Shadowlands 