Connecting to the source of true life

Okay, so we're in John's Gospel.

I'm going to get into it now for the second week.

And John's biography, we've been saying, presents hard evidence that Jesus is God,

come into the world as God's Messiah, the long-awaited Savior and King of God's people.

And John builds his case, like a lawyer or a barrister,

he builds his case around seven key signs, as he calls them, or miracles.

And each of those signs or miracles has a saying with it.

So there's seven key signs, seven key sayings,

each of which combine in this identikit picture of Jesus,

explaining what the signs actually mean.

But there's only one purpose.

Seven signs, seven sayings, but one purpose.

And the purpose is not just conveying information.

The purpose that John has is to see a response to the information,

to see Jesus as God,

and, says John, to believe or trust in him as the source of life.

We're working through Jesus' teaching associated with a sign or miracle

of feeding a crowd of more than 5,000 people from a schoolboy's lunchbox.

And the key saying at the heart of that teaching is verse 35 of chapter 6.

Jesus says,

I am the bread of life.

Now, it's picture language when Jesus says,

I'm the bread of life.

And, of course, we easily understand the ordinary or physical word picture bread.

So we know what bread and water is and eating and drinking.

We know how those are the basic essentials of life.

We know about the idea of hunger

and the longing to be satisfied with good food.

We know, unlike my fellow man before me,

we know that good food satisfies.

But giving in to the craving of junk food,

which is all too easy and all too regular for us,

is actually bad for us.

And in spite of what we might try,

it's hard to mix good food with bad food.

So we understand the ordinary physical idea of picture of bread,

but Jesus pushes us to see a deeper,

a more spiritual understanding of bread in these verses.

A heart-based understanding

that he wants us to get out of this picture

of him being the bread of life.

And that's a lot harder.

And so I should say to you also this morning,

you should have your wits about you

because after looking at this passage all week

and a bit longer than all week,

I'm still not sure that I've actually cracked it.

So you need to have your wits about you this morning

in case I'm telling you something that's actually not right.

But here's how it goes, I think.

Most of us would know,

as we push into this spiritual understanding of bread,

most of us would know the phrase,

you are what you eat.

And it's been around for almost 100 years.

It equates the type of food a person eats

to their overall health and well-being.

Well, Jesus, I think, is pushing us to see him

as the spiritual essential for life and well-being.

He wants us to recognize that only he can satisfy properly

the hunger that we have in our hearts,

a hunger that's much, much deeper than just physical bread,

the hunger for connection with God

and satisfying connection with God.

He wants to appeal to us as the good food alternative.

He wants us to desire to feed on him

and reject junk food alternatives,

no matter how much they might appeal,

how glitzy they look.

He said, no, feed on me.

Reject this.

And he promises, if we feed on him,

that he will nourish us into the good life

and indeed a life that a lifelong diet of him

alone can produce.

Now, that's all picture language,

which he then, I think, tries to explain

and pad out a little bit in these verses 41 through 59.

So let's jump back into the text at verse 41.

Last week, of course, we covered verses 22 to 40.

And we saw there that the crowds that were following Jesus

after experiencing this great miracle,

this great sign of having their bellies filled,

that the crowds were stuck.

They were stuck on what they could see

as a result of that sign.

They were stuck on a physical or surface response

to the feeding miracle.

And we saw last week that out of that

came their own agenda for Jesus.

They experienced their feeding,

and then they imposed their own agenda on Jesus.

They saw him as a new Moses,

a great leader or savior

who would deliver them from the Romans,

who would make them a great nation once again,

who'd provide all their physical needs.

But Jesus pushes back against their agenda,

determined that they would hear his agenda for them.

And so we said last week,

there's a real tussle going on here.

Whose agenda is going to triumph?

And along the way, Jesus challenges the crowd.

We hinted at this last week.

We're going to spell it out a little bit more this morning.

And Jesus issues a challenge to the crowd,

saying your current salvation categories

are seriously distorted.

If you're a visitor here this morning,

there's an outline of what I'm saying

on the back of the bulletin sheet

you got handed this morning

as you come in the door.

So Jesus says your current salvation categories

are seriously distorted.

Now look at the response.

Having heard everything Jesus said

about being the bread from heaven,

the life that nourishes and sustains and satisfies

in a way that nothing else can,

the response?

The crowd, including the Jewish religious leaders,

common response.

They grumbled.

Verse 41.

They grumbled at Jesus.

Now grumbling is as it sounds.

It's a growing anger and rejection

of everything that Jesus had said.

It was rising up from within them.

And it was overflowing into,

verse 42,

a verbal attack on Jesus

and a dismissal of him, in fact.

Why do they dismiss him?

Well, they say,

actually,

how dare this guy lecture us like this?

He's the son of Joseph.

We know about him.

He's so ordinary.

How can he possibly be claiming

something so extraordinary?

Jesus goes from hero to zero

in less than 24 hours before the crowd.

Now, why were they so annoyed?

I suggested last week,

this was not an annoyance

that grew out of a lack of understanding.

It was as if they were tearing their hair out

and saying,

Jesus, we don't have a clue

what you're talking about.

Quite the opposite.

Their annoyance is

a refusal to accept Jesus' teaching

because his salvation categories,

spiritual or heart categories,

were at odds with theirs,

physical or outside categories.

There was a clash.

And so verse 43,

Jesus says to them,

stop grumbling.

Now, that terminology

would have reminded the Jews

of the terminology

that God's people used

in the wilderness.

Remember, God brought them out of Egypt

and then they were in the wilderness.

And what did they do

when they got to the wilderness?

After being rescued

in the most amazing way by God,

they grumbled.

They grumbled.

And so Jesus here

is really saying to them,

look, you guys,

just stop your grumbling

for you're sounding in my ears

very much like God's people

sounded all those years ago

back in the wilderness.

They also grumbled

about God's salvation

or deliverance.

They too longed for deliverance,

longed for salvation.

But then when God sent it

and sent the Savior,

they didn't like it.

They refused to accept it.

It didn't fit with what they wanted.

It wasn't even what they liked.

They rejected God's terms

for salvation.

I'm bringing you to myself

that you might be a holy people.

Well, they liked the idea

of coming out to Egypt,

but they didn't so much like

the idea of coming to God

as his holy possession.

And they dismissed

and despised

the provision he made for them.

Remember what they said

when manna was provided

to them and quail?

Better they'll be back in Egypt

eating garlic and onions.

God's provision

was not what they wanted either.

And so they too

reduced salvation

to outside-in physical

and practical terms,

the terms of the Exodus event.

So in their minds,

Moses was their Savior.

He was the one

who provided manna.

Manna was the means

of their salvation.

And we saw that last week

in verses 31 and 32.

And salvation then

was the deliverance

from their physical enemies.

Back then it was the Egyptians.

And deliverance

into political freedom

as they moved

into the promised land.

And from there

they would dominate

all the nations.

They too deliberately

rejected any focus

on spiritual deliverance,

spiritual renewal.

They refused to take

ownership of sin.

They refused to see

the need for forgiveness

and grace

as God's free gift to them.

They refused to see

the need for heart.

Renewal.

And renewed

relationship with God.

And the challenge

to live distinctively

as God's people

in obedience and worship.

They weren't interested

in any of that.

So they too

believed that salvation

was something

they could expect.

Something they could control.

Something they were

entitled to.

Because after all

they were God's people.

And at the end of the day

God would happily

accept them

on the basis

of their religious actions

of sacrifice,

prayers,

tithing,

and keeping the law

of Moses.

So Jesus said to these guys

look as you're grumbling

here before me

you're just like

your predecessors.

You want God's salvation

but when it comes

you don't like it.

You want God's savior

but when it comes

you want recognition.

You want God's provision

but when it comes

you complain about it.

You want life

but you don't want life.

You want a substitute

convenient life

of your own creation.

And Jesus was evaluated

against those categories

and rejected.

They refused

therefore to give up control

of their practical,

physical,

outside in salvation.

They refused

to accept Jesus

insisting that salvation

or life

was a spiritual

inside out process

beginning in the heart

controlled by God

and ultimately

received as a gift

not a reward

for hard work.

Their categories

were seriously distorted.

And Jesus then moves on

to make a big claim

against that.

He says I am God's

single salvation category.

I am the bread of life.

As he tells them

to stop grumbling

in verse 43

he's also pushing them

to instead

start believing.

Start believing

what I've already

made clear to you

says Jesus

verses 35 through to 40.

His mission

he had already

made clear to them

in the world

is to save those

that God had given them

through being their

true bread from heaven.

being the one

who perfectly

satisfies their

deep longing

their hunger longing

who's the basic

sustenance of life.

And he's already

made that clear to them

and in these verses

he spells it out again.

Different pictures

slightly different

emphasis

a little bit more detail

but essentially

I think the same picture

has been restated.

In verse 44

therefore

how can you believe

when you receive

glory from one another

try chapter 6

verse 44

makes a bit more sense

no one can come to me

unless the father

who sent me

draws him

and I will raise him up

at the last day.

Jesus said

look this

this spiritual life

is an altogether

different category

from what you guys

are thinking about.

It's not yours to command

it's not yours to manufacture

it's something that requires

the inner working

of God in your life.

The deep longing

of the heart

for acceptance with God

for life ever after

is a spiritual reality

which can only come

through Jesus

only comes through me

says Jesus

I am the source

of real life.

There is no other life

apart from me.

And for Jesus

for a person to be

connected to Jesus

the father

has to draw him.

Now the word draw

is a very very strong word

and it's sort of like

a word drive

because it always implies

resistance.

So the picture here

is that God actually

in a sense

has to drag people

to Jesus

and they're digging

their toes in

resisting every part

of the way.

Jesus is saying

this work of salvation

is something that

requires God's input

because not only

are you unwilling

to come and see me

as your savior

and trust me

as the bread of life

you're actually unable.

You've been so distorted

by sin

that you're actually

unable to come

because sin has blinded you

to the truth.

You need God's work

within your heart

as part of this process

of coming to life.

But verse 45

at the end of verse 44

and verse 45

God's drawing power

will always triumph.

There's never

uncertainty in this.

God's drawing power

always triumphs.

Isaiah recognized that

and Jesus quotes Isaiah here

chapter 54 of Isaiah.

Look at the quotation.

It is written in the prophets

that's actually Isaiah

they will all

be taught

by God.

Everyone who has heard

and learned from the Father

comes to me.

Now the context

speaks here

about faith

or belief.

And it's really inferring here

that faith or belief

is an insight

implanted

into blind children

by the Father

in fulfillment

of his promise.

So I don't have time

to go back

and do it in detail

but I'd encourage you

to go back

and look at chapter

53, 54

and the start

of chapter 55

of Isaiah

and you'll see

the context

fits perfectly

with what Jesus

is saying here.

In chapter 54

well chapter 54

immediately follows on

from chapter 53

which is the big chapter

in which God

speaks of his promise

to send his suffering servant

for what purpose?

Because his people

need someone

to deal with their sin

if they're going to be

back in good relationship

with God.

And God promises

to send his suffering servant

who would sacrifice

his own life

to deal with the guilt

and sin of his people

so that relationship

with the Father

would be restored.

Then in chapter 55

verse 1

we have the classic

invitation

to God's people

to come

come

you who are hungry

come

you who are thirsty

come and buy

and drink

and eat

you who have no money

it's picture language

it's an invitation

given God's promise

of salvation

given God's promise

of the servant

coming

to deal with your sin

it's an invitation

to come and receive it

you don't have anything

to buy it with

just come and receive it

as a gift

and all that

is behind

Jesus' summary

in verse 47

Jesus is the only way

to the Father

the only pathway

to life

Jesus is all

that is essential

for real life

and he is

God's package

that was promised

he is the one

and we'll get to the verse

that talks about

given his life

as bread

he is the one

who is the suffering servant

the one who will give his life

to deal with guilt

and sin

the one who issues

the invitation

come to me

and eat

and drink

when you've got nothing

to buy that food with

or earn that life with

and the process

of joining those two together

is chapter 54

Isaiah 54 · chapter mention

God's planning

implanting

spiritual insight

so you actually

want to do that

which

in your natural state

you wouldn't want to do

and the proof

of the inner work

of God's spirit

people actually

come

everyone who has heard

everyone who has heard

and learned

from the Father

comes to me

when the Father

works in a person's life

implanting

that

moment of

illumination

into an otherwise

blind life

the inevitable result

is that the person

comes to Jesus

that's why

the Father

does it

people

the proof

of the inner work

done by God's spirit

is that people

actually come to Jesus

in belief and truth

and then

having come to him

they might be

assured

of having life

and relationship

with God

forever

and there's

further assurance

offered in verse 46

not that anyone

has seen the Father

except he

who is from God

he has seen the Father

Jesus is saying

well look

I know what I'm

talking about

because

I have been

with the Father

we know

together

sorry

we know

what our purpose is

and together

we're acting

to implement

God's purpose

in salvation

he has come

to

he's come

to them

to make

real

his Father's

purpose

in salvation

verse 49

he does

what manna

was never

ever meant

to do

and never

could do

give spiritual

or eternal life

it's the same

idea as we had

back last week

where Jesus

told him

we've been

sealed

the Father

verse 27

being sealed

by his Father

he's really

just said

listen to me

I know

what I'm

talking about

I've got

authority

to say

this stuff

you think

I'm ordinary

I'm telling

you

I've come

straight

from the

Father

to deliver

this truth

this reality

to you

so he's

got a

challenge

he issues

he's got

a claim

he states

and now

he switches

into a

command

as he

ramps up

the pressure

on the

crowd

verse 53

onwards

Jesus'

command

is to

feed on

me

for salvation

now it's

interesting

that when

you look at

verse 52

you see the

development

the crowd

came with

their agenda

Jesus

challenged

them

they push

back

Jesus

challenged

them

they grumble

Jesus

challenges

them

now

verse 52

the word

here again

a very

strong word

this is

this is

they're just

babbling

over with

absolute

annoyance

and anger

and hostility

at Jesus

they just

had enough

of them

why

I think

it's because

Jesus has

very clearly

made before

them

a connection

that they

don't like

they will

not accept

Jesus

has made

himself

central to

salvation

and life

he has

removed

from them

any sense

of control

any sense

of entitlement

they might

have

in this

matter

of salvation

he's really

said to them

you cannot

manufacture

your salvation

no matter

how many

religious

things you

do

Jesus

has taken

away

all the

things

that are

so important

to them

and because

they can't

counter what

he says

their only

resort

is to

blaster

to let

that anger

just rise

up and

ooze out

of them

but

interestingly

Jesus

doesn't take

a step

backwards

he shoves

it into

their face

if you want

to follow

in that

language

if you can

accept

that language

from him

so Jesus

said to

them

this is

what he

says in

response

things are

getting out

of control

almost

fisticuffs

breaking out

so Jesus

said to

them

and this

is going

to quiet

things down

isn't it

truly

truly

I say

to you

unless

you eat

the flesh

of the

son of

man

and drink

his blood

you have

no life

in you

now

at first

reading

this just

gets seriously

weird

doesn't it

eating his

flesh

drinking his

blood

it's a

it's a

it's a

it's a

it's a

a very

graphic

picture

but the

context

here

is that

Jesus

pushing the

crowd

even

further

into that

area where

they're

refusing to

go

by

insisting

that if

they're going

to have

life

then nothing

short of

actually

feeding

on him

his whole

person

flesh

and blood

is going

to be

satisfactory

or necessary

if they're

to enjoy

salvation

or relationship

with God

in eternal

life

then nothing

short of

feeding on

Jesus

is the

pathway

now

I think

it's pretty

safe to

think

and accept

that the

crowd here

know

that Jesus

was using

very graphic

and very

offensive

picture

language

I think

it's

unreasonable

to think

that they

would have

thought

this was

literal

the reason

why I

suggest

that is

because

for Jesus

to make

any

suggestion

of a

literal

interpretation

would have

just been

totally

against the

law

of Moses

and therefore

they would

have had

reason to

grab

Jesus

and pulverize

him

but they

have no

reason to

grab him

and I

think that

then tells

us

the crowd

knew

jolly

well

that he

was using

a picture

language

pushing them

to a

conclusion

they refused

to accept

that salvation

required an

intimate

totally

dependent

relationship

with Jesus

that's

described in

picture languages

as nothing

short of

feeding and

eating and

drinking from

him

so ask

the question

what is it

to eat

or feed

and drink

Jesus

well

we don't

actually have

to guess

because the

passage actually

tells us

and we've

seen it

right through

John uses

just different

phrases

different pictures

and we can

put the

whole thing

together

so I

believe that

what feeding

on Jesus

is is

believing in

Jesus

John spoke

about believing

the need

absolutely

essential need

of believing

in Jesus

back in

chapter 29

and chapter

29 verse

29 and

verse 35

and verse 47

so we have

to believe

in Jesus

it's coming

to Jesus

that John

uses in

verse 35

it's looking

to Jesus

that John

uses in

verse 40

it's listening

and learning

from Jesus

that's in

the verse 45

so I think

it all just

goes together

it's not

mystical

it's not

too hard

Jesus said

look yes

you must

eat me

and drink

me

he's been

really really

emphatic

in other words

what he's saying

is unless

you guys

see me

says Jesus

as critical

for life

as bread

and water

then there

could be no

life

no relationship

with God

unless you

see me

as being

so central

to life

that you

have to

ingest me

in my

whole being

flesh and

blood

not just

taking bits

of me

you might

like

but the

whole

kit and

caboodle

unless

you're doing

that

then there's

no life

no salvation

so let

me

come back

verse 55

to the phrase

I used

in the

introduction

you are

what you

eat

verse 55

Jesus says

my flesh

is true

food

and my

blood

is true

drink

whoever

feeds on

my flesh

and drinks

my blood

abides

in me

and I

abide

in him

you are

what you

eat

other food

Jesus is

considering

saving here

other food

has some

benefits

but there's

only one

source of

real life

real salvation

and only

one way

of connecting

into that

source of

life

through

trusting

or believing

or coming

to Jesus

or being

taught

and learning

from Jesus

or having

faith in

Jesus

all of those

phrases are

sort of

similar ideas

similar pictures

describing the

one reality

if you're going

to have life

if you're going

to have salvation

if you're going

to have a

relationship

with God

then it has

to be entirely

invested

in and through

Jesus

feeding on

Jesus

therefore

needs to be

purposeful

it's not

something that

happens

automatically

you need to

says Jesus

recognize the

extent

of your

hunger

you need to

recognize

that Jesus

is actually

deep down

what you

crave for

what you've

been longing

for all

your life

because he

will be

the one

who satisfies

your heart

hunger

Jesus

is saying

build desire

therefore

for good

food

take time

this is all

part of

feeding on

Jesus

take time

to understand

how Jesus

is the

perfectly

balanced

diet

he is

perfectly

suited

to your

nutritional

needs

and perfectly

supplies

all your

nutritional

needs

spiritual

nutritional

needs

for the

good

life

so Jesus

says take

time to

savor and

enjoy the

delights

that I

offer you

through active

personal

daily commitment

to me

that's all

part of

feeding

take time

to study

my word

take time

to pray

enjoy the

fellowship

with others

who likewise

recognize true

food

good food

when they

see it

determine

says Jesus

to get rid

of all junk

food from

your diet

it's so

appealing

but you

know deep

down

that it's

not good

for you

that it

doesn't

satisfy

so this

is all

part and

parcel of

what it is

to feed on

Jesus

come to

me

believe in

me

trust in

me

learn from

me

respond to

me

have faith

in me

search for

me

desire for

me

desire me

and finally

Jesus

offers a

consequence

he says

I promise

I will

deliver

the forever

life you

long for

now we

know

that physical

nutrition

affects every

part of a

person

we know

that no

food

means you'll

die in

somewhere between

21 and

30 days

without

exception

we know

that bad

food

likewise

stunts or

deforms

in the

short term

or causes

death

over a

longer period

and I

think Jesus

is just

saying

look it's

like that

in the

spiritual

realm

as well

the

consequences

of what

you eat

is huge

quite

literally

says Jesus

here

the

consequence

of what

you eat

is quite

literally

life

or death

and Jesus

promises here

to follow the

picture the

metaphor of

food

Jesus promises

to deliver

limitless

health benefits

to all who

will feed on

it

the perfect

balanced

nutritional

diet

fail safe

guaranteed

he will

deliver

forever

sacrifice

verse 51

that bread

says Jesus

the bread

that I will

give for the

life of the

world

is my

flesh

that links

back to

Isaiah 53

Jesus

emphasizes

that he

has come

down from

heaven

to do

his

father's

will

and

salvation

what is

his

father's

will

primarily

to offer

himself

as a

sacrifice

to deal

with God's

anger

at our

sin

to pay

the penalty

for our

sin

the things

that caused

the relationship

with God

to be broken

in the first

place

the things

that leave

us alienated

from God

in our

natural

state

the things

that deep

down in

our heart

leave us

fearful of

God's

ultimate

rejection

Jesus

says I

promise you

forever

sacrifice

never again

do you need

to feel

or be

guilty

before God

forever

intimacy

he promises

verse 55

that word

abide

is a

beautiful

word and

it's very

very important

in John's

biography of

Jesus

he uses

it lots

of times

it's a

warm

secure

intimate

word

and part

of our

deep

spiritual

heart

hunger

is a

longing

for

intimacy

we

substitute

it so

easily

thinking

about

sex

or

physical

relationships

but that's

only an

expression

of something

much deeper

we long

for

a deep

intimacy

and security

in a

guilt

free

relationship

says Jesus

that's

exactly

what I

promise

to deliver

to you

Genesis 1

describes

the intimate

abide in

me and I

will abide

in you

relationship

which God

created

at the start

of the world

where people

were made

in the image

of God

made to

enjoy the

relationship

within the

eternal

community

Father

Son

and Holy

Spirit

we were

made to

be part

of that

that was

our ultimate

being

our ultimate

satisfaction

our ultimate

joy is to

be part of

that relationship

well says

Jesus

if you come

to me now

for salvation

that's exactly

what I take

you back to

that very

relationship

for which

you were

created

coming to

Jesus

feeding on

Jesus

believing on

Jesus

secures the

benefits of

his sacrificial

death

which is a

life transforming

union with

Christ

restoration of

family relationship

and restoration

of full

enjoyment of

the eternal

community

and Jesus

says I

promise you

forever life

it's repeated

multiple times

in these verses

and again

that's what

our hearts

long for

every time

we observe

sickness and

death

something rises

up from

within us

and screams

out in our

minds and

sometimes even

screams out

verbally and

audibly

we were made

for something

better than

this this is

not right

and Jesus

delivers what

we long for

forever life

eternal life

is not just

life without

limits in

time

it is life

without limits

in security

in relationship

with God

it is life

without limit

of joy

or satisfaction

it's a life

without any

evidence of

hunger and

thirst moving

forward

it's a life

of being with

Jesus and

being like

Jesus

it's a life

of strength

for living

in this

day to day

struggle

Jesus promises

I will deliver

all of that

for you

if you come

to me

so my friends

a very simple

question

connecting back

to where we

started

verse 41

are you

continuing to

be a grambler

having heard

what Jesus

has on his

menu

and offers

you free

of charge

are you

going to

continue to

turn up your

nose and say

it's not what I

want

bring me

a different

menu

or if

you're a

Christian

is Jesus

really

your food

and drink

or is he

just

one part

of a

very varied

diet

where other

things in your

life

bring you

sustenance

and nourishment

and life

as well

let me pray

lord help us

to understand

this passage

which is

full of

difficult pictures

lord we

understand that

the problem

and any

problem

and understanding

is our

limited

incapacity

as people

to delve

into your

mind

so by

your spirit

lord help

us to see

truth

and help

us to

respond to

truth

and to the

lord jesus

amen

this

good

to께서