Seeking True Nourishment: The Bread of Life
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into John chapter 6, where Jesus addresses the crowd following the miracle of feeding the 5,000. Jesus confronts the people, pointing out that they are seeking Him not for who He is, but for the physical sustenance He provides. He challenges them to seek the eternal life that only He can offer, rather than being preoccupied with perishable things like food. Jesus declares Himself as the "bread of life," emphasizing that those who come to Him will never hunger or thirst again. This statement signifies a deeper spiritual nourishment that transcends physical needs.
Jesus uses the miracle of feeding the 5,000 to illustrate that while He can meet physical needs, His primary mission is to offer spiritual fulfillment. The crowd's desire for more miracles and physical sustenance mirrors our own tendencies to seek temporary satisfaction in worldly things. Jesus calls us to shift our focus from these temporary satisfactions to the eternal life He offers. He invites us to believe in Him, the one sent by God, and to find true satisfaction in a relationship with Him.
The sermon also draws a parallel between our cravings for physical food, like chocolate chip cookies, and the crowd's craving for more miracles. Just as cookies provide temporary pleasure but no lasting nutritional value, the crowd's desire for more miracles offers no lasting spiritual fulfillment. Jesus urges us to seek Him, the true bread of life, who can satisfy our deepest spiritual hunger.
In our modern context, we often seek satisfaction in temporary distractions like social media or material possessions. Jesus challenges us to invest our energy in seeking Him and His eternal life. True satisfaction comes from a deep, ongoing relationship with Jesus, where we are continually nourished by His word and presence. This requires a commitment to prayer, reading Scripture, and living out His teachings in our daily lives.
### Key Takeaways
1. Seek Eternal Life Over Temporary Satisfaction: Jesus calls us to prioritize seeking eternal life over temporary, perishable things. Our focus should be on the spiritual nourishment that only Jesus can provide, rather than the fleeting pleasures of this world. [38:31]
2. True Satisfaction Comes from Jesus: Just as the crowd sought more miracles, we often seek temporary satisfactions. Jesus, the bread of life, offers a deeper, lasting fulfillment that transcends our physical needs and desires. [45:16]
3. Invest Energy in Spiritual Growth: Jesus urges us to spend our energy seeking Him and His eternal life. This involves a commitment to prayer, reading Scripture, and living out His teachings, rather than being easily satisfied by worldly distractions. [48:03]
4. Jesus Uses Opportunities to Teach: Jesus never tires of people coming to Him for miracles but uses these moments to teach about His true nature and mission. He invites us to move beyond seeking miracles to seeking a deeper relationship with Him. [52:38]
5. Revival Starts with Personal Commitment: True revival and transformation begin with individual commitment to Jesus and His word. By humbling ourselves and seeking to be filled with the bread of life, we can experience personal and communal renewal. [57:15]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[37:30] - Introduction to John 6
[38:01] - Jesus Confronts the Crowd
[39:32] - The True Bread from Heaven
[41:14] - Jesus Walks on Water
[42:27] - The Bread of Life Discourse
[45:16] - Seeking Jesus vs. Seeking Miracles
[48:03] - Investing Energy in Eternal Life
[52:38] - Jesus Teaches Through Miracles
[57:15] - Personal Commitment and Revival
[01:01:35] - Conclusion and Call to Prayer
[01:07:12] - Closing Prayer and Benediction
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- John 6:26-35 (NIV)
> 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. 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.” Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 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. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 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."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Jesus say is the reason the crowd is seeking Him? ([38:01])
2. According to Jesus, what should the crowd be seeking instead of perishable food? ([38:31])
3. How does Jesus describe Himself in John 6:35, and what promise does He make to those who come to Him? ([39:32])
4. What comparison does the pastor make between chocolate chip cookies and the crowd's desire for miracles? ([44:10])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus emphasize seeking eternal life over temporary satisfaction? How does this apply to our daily lives? ([38:31])
2. What does it mean when Jesus says, "I am the bread of life"? How does this statement challenge the crowd's understanding of Him? ([39:32])
3. How can the crowd's reaction to Jesus' miracles be seen in our own lives today? What are some modern "miracles" we might be seeking instead of Jesus Himself? ([45:16])
4. How does Jesus use the opportunity of feeding the 5,000 to teach about His true mission? What does this reveal about His approach to ministry? ([52:38])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life. Are there areas where you are seeking temporary satisfaction instead of eternal life? What steps can you take to shift your focus? ([38:31])
2. Jesus promises that those who come to Him will never hunger or thirst again. How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with Jesus to experience this true satisfaction? ([39:32])
3. The pastor mentioned that we often seek satisfaction in distractions like social media or material possessions. Identify one distraction in your life and discuss how you can minimize it to focus more on Jesus. ([48:48])
4. Jesus uses miracles as teaching moments. How can you use opportunities in your life to share about Jesus' true nature and mission with others? ([52:38])
5. Revival starts with personal commitment. What specific actions can you take this week to deepen your commitment to Jesus and His word? ([57:15])
6. The pastor talked about the importance of prayer and reading Scripture. How can you incorporate these practices more consistently into your daily routine? ([55:13])
7. Think about a time when you sought Jesus for what He could give you rather than for who He is. How can you change your approach to seeking Jesus in the future? ([45:16])
Devotional
Day 1: Seek Eternal Life Over Temporary Satisfaction
Jesus calls us to prioritize seeking eternal life over temporary, perishable things. Our focus should be on the spiritual nourishment that only Jesus can provide, rather than the fleeting pleasures of this world. In John 6, Jesus confronts the crowd following the miracle of feeding the 5,000, pointing out that they are seeking Him not for who He is, but for the physical sustenance He provides. He challenges them to seek the eternal life that only He can offer, rather than being preoccupied with perishable things like food. This message is a reminder for us to shift our focus from temporary satisfactions to the eternal life Jesus offers. [38:31]
John 6:27 (ESV): "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal."
Reflection: What are some temporary satisfactions in your life that you find yourself prioritizing over your relationship with Jesus? How can you begin to shift your focus towards seeking eternal life today?
Day 2: True Satisfaction Comes from Jesus
Just as the crowd sought more miracles, we often seek temporary satisfactions. Jesus, the bread of life, offers a deeper, lasting fulfillment that transcends our physical needs and desires. In John 6, Jesus declares Himself as the "bread of life," emphasizing that those who come to Him will never hunger or thirst again. This statement signifies a deeper spiritual nourishment that transcends physical needs. Jesus uses the miracle of feeding the 5,000 to illustrate that while He can meet physical needs, His primary mission is to offer spiritual fulfillment. [45:16]
John 6:35 (ESV): "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.'"
Reflection: In what ways do you seek temporary satisfactions in your daily life? How can you turn to Jesus for true and lasting fulfillment instead?
Day 3: Invest Energy in Spiritual Growth
Jesus urges us to spend our energy seeking Him and His eternal life. This involves a commitment to prayer, reading Scripture, and living out His teachings, rather than being easily satisfied by worldly distractions. In our modern context, we often seek satisfaction in temporary distractions like social media or material possessions. Jesus challenges us to invest our energy in seeking Him and His eternal life. True satisfaction comes from a deep, ongoing relationship with Jesus, where we are continually nourished by His word and presence. [48:03]
Colossians 3:2 (ESV): "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."
Reflection: What are some practical steps you can take to invest more energy in your spiritual growth this week? How can you incorporate prayer, Scripture reading, and living out Jesus' teachings into your daily routine?
Day 4: Jesus Uses Opportunities to Teach
Jesus never tires of people coming to Him for miracles but uses these moments to teach about His true nature and mission. He invites us to move beyond seeking miracles to seeking a deeper relationship with Him. In John 6, Jesus uses the miracle of feeding the 5,000 to illustrate that while He can meet physical needs, His primary mission is to offer spiritual fulfillment. The crowd's desire for more miracles and physical sustenance mirrors our own tendencies to seek temporary satisfaction in worldly things. Jesus calls us to shift our focus from these temporary satisfactions to the eternal life He offers. [52:38]
John 6:26 (ESV): "Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.'"
Reflection: How can you move beyond seeking miracles or temporary solutions and focus on building a deeper relationship with Jesus? What steps can you take to seek His true nature and mission in your life?
Day 5: Revival Starts with Personal Commitment
True revival and transformation begin with individual commitment to Jesus and His word. By humbling ourselves and seeking to be filled with the bread of life, we can experience personal and communal renewal. In John 6, Jesus invites us to believe in Him, the one sent by God, and to find true satisfaction in a relationship with Him. This requires a commitment to prayer, reading Scripture, and living out His teachings in our daily lives. True revival starts with each of us making a personal commitment to seek Jesus and His eternal life. [57:15]
2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV): "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
Reflection: What personal commitments can you make today to seek Jesus and His word more earnestly? How can you contribute to personal and communal revival through your actions and prayers?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Jesus replied, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. This is the word of the Lord for us today. For us this morning." [39:32] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Jesus says, spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. There's a difference between that bread and the bread of life. There's a difference between being satisfied and wanting more tomorrow and being truly satisfied and hungering and thirsting for more of Jesus." [48:03] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Jesus says, if you'll come to me, you won't be so easily satisfied. You'll actually be satisfied to the uttermost. To a point that you won't hunger and thirst for the things that are out there. You'll want more of me. You'll want more holiness and righteousness. You'll want more faith. You'll want to spend more time in prayer and communing with God than you will wanting to be in, the world around you." [49:18] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "To follow Jesus means to adopt His ways over all of our life. It means that when we eat the bread of life, when we eat the flesh, when we drink the blood, when we commune and take this communion, it means we are choosing God. It's not me. It's not me. It's you. I want your way of life now." [55:13] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Jesus says, I am the bread of life. If you want true satisfaction, this is the bread of life. This is where we do it. We surrender our lives to God. We surrender what we want to God this morning." [01:01:35] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Jesus says, but if you come to me, I am that more. I will satisfy. I will, I am enough for you. But Jesus, before he gets to that point, he calls him out and he says, I tell you the truth. You want to be with me because I fed you. He says, you're too easily satisfied. You're too easily satisfied with just the miracles. Just bread and fish that I gave you." [45:53] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Jesus says, spend your energy seeking the eternal life of the Son of Man, the life that the Son of Man can give you. How many of us spend our energy on so many other things? It's easy to spend my energy on a day off trying to go play golf or go and mow the grass and take care of the yard or clean the house. But do I spend my energy every day, seven days a week, on seeking Jesus?" [01:00:54] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Jesus says, this is the only work God wants from you. Believe in the one he has sent. Believe in the one he has sent. And then they go on, and they basically ask him again, Jesus, we want this. He says, eat the bread of life. Eat the bread of life. The only way that we'll ever, ever be made new, the only way that we'll ever be born again is by reading the word of God." [58:39] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Our country will not, will not look different until we begin reading this book and being changed by it. And it starts with us because that's how everything starts. It's just one person after another who says, I am committed to the word of God. I will read out of the Bible every day, not just to mark something off of the list, but to be fed by Jesus." [57:15] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Revival doesn't begin until we humble ourselves. Humble ourselves to the point that, okay, God, it's not about me anymore. If the nation's gonna change, if our church is gonna change, the community around us, it means that you and I are willing to no longer care all about me, but to do the things that Jesus has asked us to do, and that is to serve other people, to pray for others, to serve other people." [57:53] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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