Jesus Christ Is the Bread of Life

Transcript

GR 353
3/16/1980
Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life
John 6:22-40
Gil Rugh

John's gospel, chapter 6, in your Bibles. John's gospel and the 6th chapter. We've looked through the first portion of this chapter which centers on the miracle Jesus performed in the feeding of the 5,000 men from five little barley loaves and 2 fish. And the thrust and point in this miracle is to demonstrate that Jesus Himself is the one who is sufficient to meet the needs of mankind. The point being made is a spiritual one—that He is the source of spiritual life and sustenance. That He, in effect, is the Bread of Life; and that is what He will be developing in the teaching that we'll be looking at in a moment.

Now there is a miracle that follows the feeding of the 5,000 which is limited in scope to just His disciples. Remember, after the feeding of the 5,000 He sent His disciples across the Sea of Galilee to the town of Capernaum. And as they were crossing that sea they were caught in a sudden storm. And in that turmoil they despaired of their lives and Jesus came walking on the water, and the result of it was that the storm was calmed and they were immediately at their destination.

Now we were told in the parallel account in another gospel that the disciples were amazed because they had not understood the miracle of the loaves. The point being made in the feeding of the 5,000 had escaped them. So here is another working of the power of Christ to reinforce to them that message which is that Jesus Christ is sufficient. Now they may have recognized something of His sufficiency in the feeding of the 5,000, that He is the source of life. They had partaken of Him, but as is so easily done and often we do it too, that while we recognize that He is sufficient to cleanse me from my sin.

He is sufficient to be my Savior. When we get into the storms and the difficulties and the trials, we sometimes forget that He is sufficient there also. He is the totally sufficient One. All-sufficient in every circumstance, in every situation to sustain me, to give me life, to give me peace, to protect me. He is sufficient in EVERY circumstance. The disciples had missed the point of the loaves. Who He is and what He is—the One who is sufficient in every situation. We need to have that impressed upon our minds because the circumstances vary. The trials that you go through are not exactly the trials I go through, but what is the same for both of us as believers in Jesus Christ is the sufficiency of the One who meets the needs. And it doesn’t matter that my trials are not just like your trials. It doesn't matter that my problems aren't just like your problems. What does matter is that Jesus is sufficient for us both. He is the One who is adequate to meet every need. And that is the point that is being made to the disciples in the calming of that storm and seeing them safely to land.

Now what we're going to do for the rest of the chapter is to revert back to the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000, and develop the teaching that comes out of that. And as we noted, while all four gospel writers include the account of that miracle, only John records the discourse that comes out of it which develops the fact that Jesus Himself is the Bread of Life. In Him and Him alone there is life by feeding on Him.

Now verse 22 through verse 25, you have the transition or the connection that gets you from what has happened to the teaching that is going to go on. You remember that Jesus had gone down to the sea, had sent His disciples out onto the sea to cross over to Capernaum. And He Himself remained there. Then He had walked on the sea that night and saw them safely to the other side. Now in the morning the multitude arises. In verse 24, "When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not. There, nor the disciples, He got into the small boats and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus." Now verse 23 has told us that some other small boats from Tiberias had come earlier that day, perhaps as a result of the storm, to where the multitude was. But they recognized there was only one boat available. The disciples went across on that boat, but Jesus didn’t and now here it is the next day and where is Jesus? Well, naturally we know where His disciples went. And sooner or later He'll rejoin His disciples so we ought to get on these available boats and get on over there. And they do.

Now verse 25. "When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, ’Rabbi, when did You get here?’" Now you might think they’d say ’How did you get here’ but it’s the same kind of question. ’When did you get here? Did you leave on an early boat this morning? What were the circumstances?’ They are amazed, He’s here. Now you note. The miracle of the calming of the storm was for the disciples only. Really, the only ones in whose lives Jesus is meeting the needs of the day-to-day trials and testings and storms are for the believers. Jesus doesn’t begin to elaborate for this unbelieving multitude. ’Well, you know what happened? My disciples got into the middle of the sea and there was a storm last night, so I just walked out on that sea and calmed the storm and got them to their destination.’ The multitude wouldn’t be ready for that anyway. They can’t even grasp what they’ve seen. But Jesus goes on and ignores the question completely. He picks them up where they are because you remember the last thing they were involved in was having their stomachs filled by a miraculous work of Christ. So Jesus takes them back to that point when they were fed because they are still focused on the physical things. That is still where their interest is, and as Jesus will make clear, that is why they are following Him in the first place.

Alright. Note verse 26. "Jesus answered them and said, ’Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled.’" That’s a remarkable statement. My first reaction would have been to think the multitudes were following Him because they were dazzled by the miracles, or perhaps that they were beginning to get some insight into a man who could do such a tremendous miracle as to feed 5,000 people with almost nothing. Must, at least possibly, be the Messiah. Now Jesus says to them 'You follow Me not because you saw signs. That's not even been the motivating factor for you. Simply because you had your stomachs filled.' And what He is doing is making the point here that they're not seeing the significance of the miracle at all. A miracle has occurred and yet they have not seen anything of its significance. They are not evaluating that perhaps this is the promised Messiah. No, it's totally on the physical level.
He fed us, and you know that was yesterday. It may be time for breakfast or lunch by now. Maybe they're think it's time again. So here they are. What are they after? Jesus says 'The only thing that concerns you is a full stomach, and you're here today because I filled your stomach yesterday. You're not interested in the fact that these miracles point to Me as the Son of God.' Purely the physical. So He gives them an exhortation, in verse 27, which begins the transition. Because He must make the transition from physical things to spiritual things. "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." Two words you ought to underline in this verse. Perishes and endures. That's the contrast. Some food perishes; some food endures. And it endures eternally because it endures to eternal life. So He tells them, 'Don't spend your energies pursuing that which is temporal. Physical food perishes'—evidenced by the fact that they were fed yesterday but they are hungry again today. But...devote yourself, spend your life for that which will endure to eternal. Take your focus off of physical things. They are temporal. Everything you can see is going to pass away. All the possessions you can acquire are going to pass away. It's all temporal. Readjust your thinking. Spend your life for that which has some significance, that which endures to eternal life. Now that exhortation is strong, and it’s easy to look at them and say ’my, isn't that something that they could do that.’ You know, it’s not new. Eight Hundred years earlier, Isaiah asked the question in Isaiah 55 'Why do you spend money for that which is not food? Why do you labor for that which does not satisfy?' This is the same kind of idea. Eight hundred years earlier the Jews were still in the same kind of dilemma. Spending their lives for the physical which had no real, eternal significance.

You know it's interesting. The Book of Ecclesiastes chapter 5 and verse 10 we're told that the man who seeks gold and silver will not be satisfied with gold and silver. They are longing for something that does not satisfy. They are seeking to meet a need, but they are seeking to meet it with something that will not meet the need, which will not satisfy the longing.

There’s a danger here that we as believers need to be aware of—the pressure of the world is always to conform. The pressure of the world is always to attach value and significance to that which you can see and handle and touch.
And if we're not careful, even we as believers become occupied in working for that which perishes. This passage reminds me of Matthew chapter 6 where we are exhorted not to spend our lives for physical things. We're not to be laying treasure upon earth, where moth and rust and inflation and deflation and everything else consume it. But lay up treasure in heaven. That's a contrast. I can see the physical. I can see what I've got in my bank account. But you know, I've never seen what I've got in heaven. I have some feeling of security in seeing what I've got here. But I have to take what I've got there by faith and there is tremendous pressure to spend my life for things that I can see. I think to a large extent this is why the testimony of Christians is muted in a materially affluent society. We claim that the basic, most important reality is spiritual, yet people look at us and we are absorbed in the pursuit of the physical. Now I'm aware that Paul said that he who doesn't work, doesn’t eat. And I like to eat. And it’s necessary to eat, but I believe we as believers need to be careful. That's a side issue. We work and we need to work, but we don’t work to acquire and to build up. Believers get involved in this. I was listening to a man who was speaking on the subject of material things and he is a believer. He is trying to make a case that it is not necessary to have physical things, material things, as a believer but it sure makes life a lot more enjoyable. And I don't have to have these things but I sure would be more content in life when I do have them. I really have a hard time reconciling that in Scripture; when Paul says he is just as content when he has nothing as when he has everything. Yet we as believers because of the pressure often try to make the adjustment. We need to be careful. Are our lives characterized by those who are spending ourselves for the physical? As I mentioned before, I wonder how our kids would evaluate us if they would mark it down.

I was interested in being in a home and the parents were showing some new things they had gotten, and you know what the teenager turned around and said? ’More new toys.' They weren't toys as we as adults would see them but you know how the kids evaluate them? 'More new toys.' Let me tell you, they were expensive toys. But they perhaps see through what we are doing, what we are talking about. We need to be careful that we are not pursuing, giving our lives to those things which are temporal because you can mark it down—Peter concludes his second letter by reminding us, 'All these things which you can touch, that you can feel, that you can acquire, will all be destroyed. There is no security in physical, material things.' God promises they will all be destroyed, whether they are owned by Christians or non-Christians. 'Therefore, what manner of people ought we to be in living godly lives.' I take it there is a marked contrast in living a godly life, a life for God, and a life for things which the world offers. So here's an exhortation to people to change their focus. It's very difficult to do. Adjust your thinking. "Do not be working, giving yourself for that which is temporal, but for the food which endures to eternal life." Where will they find it? "The Son of Man shall give it to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal." Important here. The source of this food is the Son of Man. We’ve noted this title comes out of Daniel chapter 7 in that awesome heavenly scene when God the Father sits on the Throne and God the Son stands before Him and receives an eternal kingdom. And Daniel says ’I saw One like the Son of Man come and stand before the Ancient of Days and to Him was given dominion.' And that title, Son of Man, is the title for the Messiah—Jesus’ favorite name for Himself. One who is not only God but also man. So He is the source of the food which endures to eternal life.

Now note here—an important point that they are going to miss. "Which the Son of Man shall GIVE to you." The religions of the world without exception miss the point, that the eternal life we are talking about is a gift from God. The Son of Man will give you this food that endures to eternal life. Why? 'Upon Him God the Father has set His seal.' Now a seal denotes authenticity. It denotes approval. What we are saying here is that this is the plan of God. It is the plan of God that no one ever receive eternal life apart from the work of the Son of God. It is not possible for you today to go to God the Father and receive eternal life. Because it is the plan of God, He has set His seal on the Son, that all receive eternal life through the Son. So no man comes to the Father but by the Son. God has set His seal on Him. What about those people who do not believe in Christ but worship God? God the Father has set His seal on His Son, Jesus Christ. It is only from Him that you can receive food that endures to eternal life. And you receive it from Him as a gift. He will give it to you.

Note. Verse 28. They miss it. As soon as you start talking about eternal life, as soon as you start talking about heaven, you know what people begin to think? Works. Good works. Well, my life is pretty good. I do a lot of good things. I'm religious. I'm this, I'm that. And you know, this multitude does the same thing. Verse 28. "They said therefore to Him, 'What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?'" What can we do? You're talking about eternal life, what can we do to work the works of God? What could we do to please God, in effect? To be pleasing to Him? To acquire from Him eternal life? Now the answer is very significant in verse 29. It's crucial. I take it every person must confront the question. "Jesus answered and said to them,
'This is the work of God...'" And you note here, they asked what works may we do to work the works (plural) of God. Jesus said, this is the work (singular) of God. They wanted to know all the things. Jesus said only one thing—"that you may believe in Him whom He has sent." There is a two-fold emphases here— To work the work of God. This could mean both what God does and what I do for God. 'The work of God', that work that I do for God or what God does for me. The foundation of it, and that will become clear as we move through this chapter, is that it is the work of God. It is translated here to express the purpose. The work of God is in order that you might believe in Him whom He has sent. Driving home the fact that it is God's work. The issue is not what you do, the issue is what God does. Now as a result of what God does, you believe. And that's going to be the point that he develops as the chapter flows—that it is God's work to bring you to believe in the Son, Jesus Christ. That's the work of God. That's what God is doing in lives today. He is working through the power of the Spirit in order that men and women might believe in the One whom He has sent, the One who died on the cross, the One who rose from the dead— believe in His Son, Jesus Christ.

The context, and you might pick it up from verse 20, but also involved here the one thing that you can do to please God and that's the substance of their question. Not a conflict here in calling faith a work, but their question is, In light of talking about eternal life, what could we do to be pleasing to God? There is only one thing that a person can do to be pleasing to God and that is as a result of what God does in their life. They must believe. That’s it. That is it. That is THE issue. What must I do to be saved, the Philippian jailer asked in Acts chapter 16. Only one thing you can do to be saved—believe what God has done. Now people don't want to hear that. Isn't that amazing? People will go to church all their lives, they'll be as religious as possible, they'll try to be as good as possible, but when you tell them 'No, all God wants you to do is believe what He has done' they get irate. But there is nothing else that can be done. This IS the work of God. This is what God is doing. This is what God is accomplishing. This is the only thing that He expects and accepts—personal faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Now. That seems simple. But, you know what they want to know? 'Prove it.' Here is this multitude. One day earlier they had been fed, miraculously.
Amazing miracle. Now Jesus said the work of God is that you believe in Me, and you know what they said? 'Could you do a miracle to prove that?' They missed the point. What about the feeding of the 5,000 yesterday? Well, that was yesterday!

Note what they say. "They said therefore to Him, 'What then do You do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform?™ Now again. Amazing. They want Him to do a miracle to prove that He is the One sent from God. And they quote the Old Testament. "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written, 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.'" If you go back to Exodus 16 you can read about the manna. We won't go back there right now. God gave them bread from heaven, and when the dew came in the morning, and the dew dried, there was seed-like bread on the ground. Now they may be driving home the point that He fed them yesterday, but the manna was there every morning. 'Now you did it once, but you remember when Moses worked, we got manna every day.' And in effect, they may be asking for a repeat of the miracle today because they haven’t understood the correlation between Christ’s feeding and the manna in the Old Testament, and they are in effect, asking for a repetition. Now it’s interesting. If they were honest—the Jews didn’t accept this in the Old Testament either, you can read this in Numbers chapter 11. You know what they did? They grumbled about God's provision. Manna, manna, manna, manna! We’re getting sick of manna. Manna for breakfast, manna for lunch, manna for dinner—manna, manna—God doesn’t really provide very well for us. Sorta like us Christians when we ask God for something and He provides it and it’s wonderful. But often not too much time goes along and we’re complaining. You know, what God provided, that was alright but I’m sort of tired of what He’s provided. I’m ready to move on to better things.

At any rate, here they seem to be asking for Him to do more. The manna was a repeated miracle and ’do something more.’ But I wonder, what would be the end of this? If He fed them again today, what about tomorrow. And then tomorrow, what about the next day. Where is the line to be drawn? Because their real issue is not a miracle, not proof. They are still occupied with the physical. Now note what he does in verse 32. ’’Jesus therefore said to them, ’Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."’ Now He is making the transition to the kind of bread that He is really talking about. He reminds them, Moses didn’t give you that kind of manna. God gave you manna—My Father. And it was manna from heaven. What is the point? That bread came from heaven, and that bread pictured the ultimate bread that God would provide. There would be true bread that would come from heaven some day in the form of His Son. And it would be that bread which would give life for eternity. The manna was temporal—it perished after one day. But Jesus Christ is the eternal bread of God come from heaven.

Verse 33. "The bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” You note their response. "They said therefore to Him, 'Lord, evermore give us this bread.™ Now you think they are asking for the true spiritual bread? Remind you—go back and read John chapter 4 again. The woman at the well and Jesus told her about the well, the water that would well up, spring up to everlasting life, would satisfy her thirst forever. What did she say? 'Oh, give me of that water and I won't have to come back to this well ever again.' Still stuck on the physical. Where do you think these Jews are? Still stuck on the physical. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have that bread from heaven? Satisfy us forever? Think of how much time you could save if you never had to eat again! You wouldn't have to work to provide food. Oh Lord, give us this bread. So you see, they don't grasp the point. The rest of the chapter will make that clear.

"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life.' Now do we have that? It couldn't be any more clearly stated. When we're talking about the bread that endures to eternal life, we are talking about Jesus Christ. He Himself is the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger. He who believes in me shall never thirst. In effect, I am the One who will satisfy you forever. I am God's provision to meet your needs. "The one who comes to me shall not hunger and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." These are parallel ideas, they say the same thing. The one who comes to Christ is the one who believes in Him, the one who believes in Him is the one who comes to Him.

So how do I partake of Christ as the bread of life? I believe in Him. I believe that He indeed is the Son of God, the One who died to pay the penalty for my sins. The moment I trust Him and Him alone, I partake of Him. I share in Him, in His life and sufficiency. Now that is the answer that mankind is looking for. No more key section in all the Word of God. Man spends his life pursuing that which will satisfy, which will meet the need. That's often why the emphasis is on the physical. There's got to be something more. There's got to be something else. Problem is they have misidentified the problem. I will be satisfied when. I would be satisfied if. And on and on and on. The problem is they have misidentified the problem. The problem is a spiritual problem. Mankind was made for a personal relationship with a personal God who created Him. Because of sin that relationship is broken, that man has that gnawing hunger on the inside, that desire, and he tries to satisfy it in so many ways. Yet it never quite works. You know, I'll be satisfied with a different husband, with a different wife, with a different job, with more money. Whatever. But somehow it just doesn't do it. There's a temporary numbness that sets in when I get something, when I acquire something, but a little passing of time and I find that doesn't satisfy at all. I need something more, something else. Jesus says 'I am the One that you need. When you partake of me, you will be satisfied.' You say, 'Wait a minute, I know some Christians that aren't satisfied.' I take it this verse is very encouraging. It tells me here that if I believe in Him, I will never hunger, I will never thirst. He is the One who is the totally sufficient provision. Yet we have Christians running around looking for something more, something else. He doesn't say 'I will satisfy you until you can get something more.' He says that He is the satisfaction. Now there are some problems because we as Christians sometimes quit feeding the way we should. Peter tells us that we are to be like newborn babies, longing for the pure, unadulterated Word of God that we might be growing with respect to our salvation. And we cease to develop like we should and we think we're frustrated—there must be something else. But all it is that I must come back and be feeding on Him as revealed in the Word. We're looking for something more, something else. That's why the importance of the consistent daily diet of the Word of God. And then I find He is sufficient. I don't need anything else. I don’t want anything else. Jesus Christ is totally sufficient for every need I have and ever will have. He satisfies every longing, every desire I have. It's all met in Him. That's an exciting concept. I am totally sufficient in Him! Totally satisfied. That's a terrific place to come to. You know, we as believers have it—what the world longs for so much—yet it alludes their grasp. Here it is—the bread of life. That which can satisfy the need on the inside. You can't do it with externals. It wears off. You know what it's like. Most of you haven't kept your car for 40 years. Somehow as exciting was it was—most of you couldn't because you're not 40!—But as exciting as it is when we get it, doesn't it wear off? Boy, you can jump in it and you've got all kinds of places you could drive to! A few months later the kids say 'Let's go for a drive,' and you say 'Drive. I don't feel like going for a drive.' But when you first got it was new and there was an excitement, but it wears off. And that's like everything the world offers. But Jesus Christ doesn't wear off. He is eternally sufficient.

The problem—verse 36. "But I said to you, that you have seen Me, and do not believe." Here's the issue. The issue is not, 'Do another miracle.' The issue is that you have been confronted with me, the Son of Man, and you don't believe. There's the problem. The problem is, to be satisfied. To have your hunger satisfied, your thirst satisfied. You must believe in Me. But you've seen Me and haven't believed. I take it that the scene here has the emphasis of being exposed to Him. That's going to come out in a moment.

Now it comes in in verse 37 and following, an explanation and it's an interesting one and it's going to come out repeatedly through the chapter. We're going to take one of our studies together to develop this doctrine by itself. We're just going to pick up some of the elusions to it as we go along through the rest of the 6th chapter. "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out." You have not believed in Me, but let me tell you something. All that the Father gives to Me shall come to Me; and the one that the Father gives to Me and comes to Me, I don't cast out. You note the complete harmony and agreement. And here you see, back we're told that this is the work of God in order that you might believe in Him whom He has sent. And it's God's work to call out and give a group from humanity to Jesus Christ. Now all that the Father has given to Jesus Christ will come to Him. That's the Doctrine of Election. Sometimes people ask, 'Well, if I'm chosen by God it doesn't matter if I believe.' But you'll note here. God in His sovereignty has ordained the complete process. He has given a group to Christ and every one that He has given to Christ will come to Christ. And everyone that comes to Christ will be accepted by Christ. It's not that the Father has more to give to the Son than the Son will accept. There is perfect harmony in the plan. Perfect agreement.

Why? "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me..." What is the will of God? Here's a basic statement on it—"That of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but I raise it up on the last day." Here are 2 doctrines that go hand in hand, and we get shaky on one because we're shaky on the other. The Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God. That God in eternity past has selected a group from humanity. It was accomplished before the world was created. (We'll do this in detail in a couple of weeks.) And has ordained them to eternal salvation. You know what that means? That means that everyone He has given to the Son is destined to spend eternity in His presence. "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me (and those are the ones who will come to Him and believe in Him) 1^ lose nothing." You know why some people have problems on whether they can lose their salvation? They think their salvation depends in some part upon them! Now let me tell you! If any part of your salvation depends upon you, you lost it. You don't have to worry about losing it, you've already lost it! Probably before you shaved this morning! Before you got out of bed. If any part of it depends on you. You know what it says here? 'This is the will of Kim who sent Me, that most of them He has given Me hang on until the end.' Now that makes a tremendous difference! 'This is the will of Him who sent Me, that the majority of them that He has given Me be faithful and persevere to the completion of their salvation.' No. "This is the will...that of all those that He has given Me, I LOSE NOTHING." That's a tremendous encouragement. You know why? That includes me. I'm not going to be such a squiggly, wormy, slippery one that I got away. You know, He keeps most of them but I was just a little too slippery! You know who's responsible? Him! It is the Father's will that Christ lose
nothing. You know why I'm secure? He's hanging onto me! And I squirm, and I kick and I wiggle; and He hangs on. You know where the security is? In my hanging on! And you know what that's like. Some of you have picked up little children or babies, and they can squirm and kick. And you know what their security depends on? Your hanging on. And they're secure because you're hanging on. Nothing to worry about, I'm holding him. That's the way it is. Nothing to worry about. I'm going to be there. Know why? "I lose nothing but raise it up on the last day" and you know who the ’it’ includes? ME! I'm the it here. 'I'm going to raise it up.' Me, this body, is going to be raised up on the last day. That's the guarantee that I'm going to get to the glorification step that Romans 8 talks about. That's a tremendous relief. You know for the first few years of my Christian life I spent an awful lot of time trying to get resaved. I'd go to bed at night praying and crying because I thought I lost my salvation through the day. What a frustrated Christian life. It wasn't God's problem, I was just ignorant of the Word. I wasn't really satisfied in Christ because I was pursuing things that were contrary to what He had said. You say ’Oh, that means you can just do what you want.’ Sin? Great, because you're a Christian. No. Jesus doesn't touch on that here. He touches on security. But there is obviously implication of the style of life we live, but the point here is that the Father has begun the process. The Father guarantees the process to culmination. Now in between He has ordained that I believe in Jesus Christ and that will be accomplished.

"This is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son, and believes in Him, may have eternal life..." Two words you ought to underline in this verse—behold and believe. That summarizes the gospel. You must behold Jesus Christ—not an actual vision, but you must be presented with the truth of the gospel. You must be confronted with the reality that Jesus Christ the Son of God died to pay the penalty for your sins, but that is not sufficient. Many people are confronted with that reality and are going to spend eternity in hell because they have not believed. You say 'Wait a minute, I haven't believed because I wasn't one of those that He gave.' Well, if you don't believe that may be the case. But you know what? It's a non-issue because I know what God has done. I know why I believed in Him. But that just becomes an excuse like the miracles. 'Do another miracle so we can believe.' Well now I can't believe because He didn't 'give' me. You know you don't know. The very fact that you're here today is an evidence of the grace of God so that you could behold Jesus Christ, be confronted with the reality that He died for you in love. You're invited to believe in Him. Now if you do believe in Him, make no mistake about it. It's not because you toughed it through and made it. It's simply a matter that God in grace has chosen you. You know, I thought I was beating down the door of Heaven until I realized that I was being wound in on a pulley. Here I thought I had finally battled it through and I made it—you just got to hang in there and beat your way through. Then I found out I was being reeled in like a fish. It was the work of God but the point is, I didn't realize that. The point I had to realize was that Jesus Christ died for me, and I need to believe in Him. But you know, I’m sure glad it is the work of God. Otherwise, it would depend on you and me. And if you didn’t break down, I sure would. But you know what? God is always faithful. He is always sure, and He begins the process. He ends the process.

"I will raise him up on the last day.” And you note the end of verse 40 is the same as verse 39, because the resurrection is the guarantee that I have reached the culmination process. What is the culmination of our salvation? Glorification. When this body is raised in a glorified state and I indwell it for eternity. And He guarantees He will raise me up. I'm going to be there.
You say 'Wait a minute, Gil, that's presumption. You don't know what you're going to do tomorrow.' No, but I know what He's going to do tomorrow and He's not going to lose me. He's not going to lose you. That's tremendous. I can sit back and relax secure in Him. That doesn't mean I don't have responsibilities, but one of my responsibilities is not keeping me saved. So I set about doing what He has told me to do and quit worrying about doing what He is doing. It takes a tremendous load off.

What is He saying here? He is the bread of life. Ultimate simplicity. There are no works you can do to merit the life He is talking about. God has set His seal on Jesus Christ, and life is found only in Him. What a gracious provision. He is the One. You can come and partake of Him, have every need met in your life by the sufficiency of the Son of God.

Then, for those of us who have—it is so important that we live in light of reality. That we live not in pursuit of those things which are transitory, but remember that THE Ultimate significant thing is that a man come to believe in Jesus Christ. And you know what? We are privileged to distribute the bread of life. We are privileged to confront people wherever we are with Jesus Christ, the bread of life, so that the Spirit might work in their life and that they might believe and have the life that we're talking about. It is so important that we not become absorbed in the mundane irrelevant things that the world offers. To give my life to the pursuit of things which are transitory at best, but to rivet my attention on those things which has eternal significance. How important it is that I be one who is distributing this bread so that men and women might believe. Let's pray together.

Father, we do thank you for Jesus Christ. For the greatness of the provision you've made in Him, that He is the bread of life. Lord, what a privilege to come to Him, to believe and have our hunger and thirst quenched and satisfied, the longing of the soul met. Father, I pray for those that in your grace you have brought here this morning who have yet to partake of the bread, Lord, that the Spirit would open the eyes of their understanding. Lord, cause them to see Jesus Christ as the One who died for them that they might believe in Him as their Savior.

For those of us who have, Father, give us a burden for eternal matters.
Lord, a burden for the people of this city that we might be making Jesus Christ known in every place. That we might be those who go about distributing the bread of life that the Spirit of God may work in the lives of those who hear and cause them to come to partake of life as well, for we pray in His name