Jesus The Bread Of Life Good Friday Sermon John 6:24-71

Christ Unite Jesus Christ Cross CHRIST UNITE

 Hi there, my name is Janice founder of Christ Unite. Today is Good Friday. I am going to preach on John Chapter 6 verse 24 to 71 which is about how to have eternal life through Jesus Christ Death & Life. Before I begin, let’s pray. Dearest heavenly Father & Lord Jesus Christ, today is Good Friday, help us to know what you did and the significance of today. Enable me to preach well today. In your name Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Please turn your Bible to John Chapter 6 verse 24 to 71. I will be using the NIV 1984 version.

24Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

25When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"

26Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.

27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

28Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

29Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

30So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?

31Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "

32Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, 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.

33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

34"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."

35Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.

37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.

40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

41At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."

42They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

43"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered.

44"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

45It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

46No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.

47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.

48I am the bread of life.

49Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.

50But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.

51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

52Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

53Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.

56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.

57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.

58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."

59He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

60On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you?

62What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!

63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

64Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.

65He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."

66From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.

68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

69We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

70Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!"

71(He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

In my last Valentine’s Day sermon, I talked about food from God that satisfy. Today I am going to talk further on this.

In today’s passage we see that people were trying to find Jesus after Jesus fed them and left them in verse 24. Earlier in John Chapter 6, Jesus had fed them 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. He had miraculously multiple the 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and manage to feed all of them and still have some left over.

When these crowd saw this miracle, they said that Jesus is the prophet that was said to come to the world and help them. Jesus knew they had plan to make him king by force. He withdrew from them leaving them with his disciples. The disciples later left them and went to Capernaum by boat. Jesus later met his disciples at the lake walking on water to them.

The crowd next day after seeing the disciples left and Jesus not around, they find it strange that the only boat left was not used by Jesus. He didn’t leave with the left behind boat. The people decided to go to Capernaum to look for Jesus and so they set off by boats that came from Tiberias.

When they found Jesus and asked him when did he get there, Jesus didn’t answer their question. Instead he told them they were looking for him because they had ate the loaves and were full not because they believe in Jesus. He told them not to work for food that spoil instead have food that endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give them. Notice that Jesus didn’t told the crowd about his miraculous walking on the lake to his disciples, how he came to Capernaum without the left behind boat. Jesus is not after fame, popularity. He didn’t boast. His reply is for the people good that they may know him and have eternal life. Probably you might be the same as the crowd not understanding what Jesus meant. Let me continue which I will explain further.

The crowd then asked him what works they need to do that God requires. Jesus answered “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

The people after hearing from Jesus still didn’t believe in him, they asked him for miraculous sign for them to believe in him. They mentioned to Jesus about the manna from heaven that their forefathers ate in the desert. They had expected Jesus to be like Moses showing miraculous signs of bread coming down from heaven.

Jesus then told them that it is not Moses that gave the bread from heaven, it is his Father who gives them bread from heaven who comes down from heaven and gives life to people. When Jesus said this, he had acknowledged that God is his Father and his Father gave bread from heaven that gives life to people. He was actually referring himself as the bread that God the Father gave to the people which can bring life to people. Moses didn’t gave the bread from heaven. It is God the Father.

When the people heard this, they asked Jesus for this bread. The people still didn’t understand what this bread is. Jesus then said He is the bread of life, he who comes to him will never go hungry and he who believes in him will never be thirsty.

He added that though they had seen him but they did not believe in him. They were after him only for the physical food. They didn’t believe that he is the bread that God the Father gave. They did not understand why he can be bread that can satisfy them with food that will not make them hungry and drink not thirsty. Even though they asked Jesus how to have this bread that gives life to people.

Let me explain what’s the meaning when Jesus said anyone that believes in him will not go hungry and not go thirsty. This is actually referring to spiritual food and spring of living water that Jesus is giving for all who believe in him. Spiritual food is the word of God that satisfy. Spring of living water is referring to the Holy Spirit that will be given to all believers. This is found in John 7:38-39. Let me read the verse. John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." Verse 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. Let me explain the last sentence what it mean. This is referring to before Jesus died at the Cross, the Holy Spirit was not given. It is only after his death and resurrection on the 3rd day, Jesus being glorify then believers will receive the Holy Spirit. For those of you who are not Christian, probably this is the first time you hear Holy Spirit. You may be wondering what is Holy Spirit? Holy Spirit is also God, he is the 3rd person in Trinity of God. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of His promises to us. The Holy Spirit lives in believer’s heart. He helps us to understand God’s word, to have discernment. He knows what we are doing, our thoughts, our mind. He guides us in our path. He lives in our heart. You might be thinking isn’t there only 1 God you Christian have being telling us? Why there is God the Father and Holy Spirit? I thought there is only Jesus Christ you might be wondering. Let me explain. Yes we only believe in 1 God. God the Father, Jesus Christ son of God and the Holy Spirit they are 1. Hence 1 God.

Hope you understand now.

Now let’s go back and look at John Chapter 6 verse 37 to 40, Jesus declared he had come down from heaven as he was sent by God the Father. He will do the Father’s will. Those the Father has given to him, he will not drive them away. He will not lose any that the Father has given to him. He said that God the Father’s will is for people to look for his son which is himself and believe that he Jesus is his son, those who believe Jesus is the son will have eternal life and be raise up at the last day. What is the last day you might be wondering? The last day is mentioned in Revelation which is when Jesus will return to earth for judgement day and those who believe in him will be resurrected to life. He will not forsake anyone who believes in him. Anyone who believes in Jesus are saved.

When the Jews heard Jesus said he is the bread of life that comes down from heaven, they didn’t believe in him. They see him as an ordinary carpentry man Joseph & Mary’s son. Is no one special.

Jesus knew their grumbling. He told them to stop grumbling and believe in him. He said he is the one that has access to God the Father for he has seen Him, for he is from God. It is the Father that draws people to him. Everyone that listens to the Father will learn from him about Jesus and comes to Jesus. Anyone that believes in Jesus will have eternal life. Jesus reminded the Jews that he is the bread of life that never die versus their forefathers that ate manna from heaven and died. He explained why he is the bread of life.  He said his flesh is the bread that gives life for the world. Anyone that eats his flesh and drink his blood has eternal life. He will raise him up on the last day. Jesus will abide in those who eat his flesh and drinks his blood. When the Jews heard this, they were astonished. They did not understand. They didn’t understand how can he be bread that gives life to people? What Jesus was telling the Jews is that only by his own sacrifice his own flesh and blood, his death that will atone for people sins that they can have eternal life. He being God, son of God is the only suitable sacrifice for people sins. He will never die. He lives. Anyone that believes in Jesus will have eternal life. This is a better sacrifice than their practice of sacrificing lamb for atoning of sins which can never take away sins completely.

When Jesus talked about eating his flesh and drinking his blood, he is telling us to accept his sacrifice for us and believe that it is through his sacrifice, our sins can be forgiven we are saved by him. Jesus want us believers to partake the Holy Communion taking bread to represent his body sacrifice for us and wine or grape juice to represent his blood at the Cross a new covenant in his blood, to remember his sacrifice for us. This can be found in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. Let me read the verse. For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Let’s look at what is the new covenant in Jesus blood? The new covenant replaces the old covenant in a new way. The old covenant is God telling the Jews to obey the 12 commandments and he will bless those who obey them. The old covenant can be found in the bible in Exodus 20:1-17. 1And God spoke all these words:

2"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3"You shall have no other gods before me.

4"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

6but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

8"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

9Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.

11For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

13"You shall not murder.

14"You shall not commit adultery.

15"You shall not steal.

16"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Jesus is the one that gave this old covenant law and he is the promise one that was mentioned in the old testament that will save the people. This can be found in Luke 24:44 Jesus said everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.

The new covenant didn’t abolish the old covenant which some pastors teach. This is wrong. The new covenant is actually still having the laws. Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. The difference in the new and the old is that the laws are now in our hearts for Christian. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to live in our heart. We will have the law in our heart and mind. Jesus said this in his new covenant in Jeremiah 31:33 This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the Lord . "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. With this new covenant, God lives in us. The Holy Spirit who dwells in our heart will remind us about God’s law and be obedient to him. The old covenant there is a barrier between God and man. The new covenant, the barrier is gone. The temple curtain is torn. It is through Christ body, his sacrifice that we can go to God directly and pray to him. We have direct access to him. Christ has unite us to him and God the Father. He lives in us.

Now let’s look at what happened to the disciples when Jesus talked about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. Many of Jesus disciples actually did not understand him. They didn’t believe in him just like the Jews. Jesus knew who they are. He knew about their grumbling. After talking about his death, he then told them he is going to be ascended to where he come from. He was talking about his resurrection from death to life and he will be going back to heaven to where God the Father is. He mentioned his word is Spirit that gives life. The flesh counts for nothing. What does it mean by spirit that gives life? What does it mean by flesh counts for nothing? Spirit is referring to God’s word and the Holy Spirit. Jesus word is God own word that can bring life to people. Earlier I mentioned every believer upon believing Jesus will receive the Holy Spirit that helps us to understand God’s word and help us to direct our path, our words. Jesus promise us that we will have the Holy Spirit that dwells in us which is a deposit guarantee what is to come in 2 Corinthians 1:22. The flesh is referring to human own effort. Human own effort counts for nothing. Human own effort to understand God, trying to achieve eternal life by themself will account to nothing. It will not achieve salvation. Can’t save life. It is only through Jesus that saves. It is by believing in Jesus, receiving the Holy Spirit that helps us to understand God’s word. I can testify that as when I was not a believer, although I listen to sermon when I visited church and read the Bible I totally do not understand God’s word. I didn’t understand because I didn’t believe in Jesus that time. Only after I become Christian believing in Jesus, then I start to understand the Bible. It is through the Holy Spirit that helps me to understand God’s word and have spiritual life. Jesus said in John 3:6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. What this means is that human can only have human life that is weak sinful versus the Holy Spirit that gives spiritual life, holy life. The flesh is weak but the Spirit gives life. 

What were Jesus disciples reactions after hearing Jesus? Many of his disciples left him after hearing his teaching. Jesus asked his 12 disciples do they want to leave too? Simon Peter said they won’t leave for Jesus word is to eternal life. They believe Jesus is the Holy One of God. However Jesus said one of the 12 disciples will betray him for he is a devil. He knew who that disciple is which is Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon Iscariot.

Looking at this passage I like to ask you some questions. Are you Christian? If you are, do you understand today’s passage what Jesus said that he is bread of life? Or are you like many of the disciples who left Jesus? Are you like Peter who said will not leave Jesus? Are you able to keep this promise not to leave Jesus? Or are you like Judas betraying Jesus?

I hope if you are Christian after reading this sermon, you will remain in your faith and not be like Judas. Remember that Jesus died for your sins, your sins are forgiven. If you are doubting your faith in Jesus, pray to Jesus. Seek him. If you have fallen, come back to Jesus. Seek him, repent. Ask him for forgiveness. Don’t harm yourself. Judas did the wrong thing when he hanged himself when he realized his mistake. He didn’t go to Jesus and ask for forgiveness. If Judas understood Jesus teaching about repentance and forgiveness of sins for those who believe in him, Judas will be forgiven and he will live. Today, if you read this sermon and committed some grave sins that you feel bad about, please turn to Jesus and pray to him asking him for forgiveness. Don’t fall further. Turn to God. Talk to him. He will forgive you if you truly repent and seek him with all your heart. Remember Jesus loves you. He died at the Cross for your sins so you can be forgiven. Remember also He defeated death, He rose on the 3rd day and ascended to heaven after 40 days from his resurrection. Only God can live, defeat death & evil and have eternal life. Only He can forgive sins that we can have life.

For those of you who are not Christian, I hope you realize what Jesus has done for you. His sacrifice for you that you can have life. Eternal life if you believe in him that he died at the Cross for your sins. He died and rose from the dead defeating death that we can have life.

Let’s pray. Dearest Heavenly Father, you are our loving Father that loves us a lot. Thank you for your love and grace for sending your one and only beloved Son Jesus Christ to come to earth, telling us about you, showing your presence, sacrificing him to die at the Cross for our sins. Is your love for us that we can live and not die. Thank you for your mercy and grace. How wonderful, marvelous your love for us that our sins can be forgiven. We can spend eternity with you. May we remember Jesus sacrifice for us and not sin against you. Help us to live a holy life with Holy Spirit guidance that we can glory you. Looking forward to Jesus return. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.     

I leave you now to listen to this song We Remember to reflect, remember what Jesus has done for you.

 

We Remember Lyrics

I remember You and all Your pain And all Your love for me

O lamb of God my sacrifice You died upon the tree

As we drink this cup we worship You

As we eat this bread we honor You

And we offer You our lives

As You have offered Yours for us

We remember all You've done for us

We remember Your covenant with us

We remember and worship You O Lord

We remember all You've done for us

We remember Your covenant with us

We remember and worship You O Lord

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