Message Notes

INTRODUCTION

1. Beginning a new series about the seven “I Am” statements of Jesus

a. In preparation for the celebration of Easter

b. Discovering more about the Lord Jesus

c. Jesus made seven “I Am” statements concerning Himself

d. This week, we will consider Jesus as the bread of life

2. The problem of looking for the physical things of life

a. Our inclination to turn to the physical things of life

b. Looking for physical satisfaction through things such as eating

c. The multitude sought the Lord Jesus for physical satisfaction

d. The Lord dealt with this problem by presenting Himself as the bread of life

REALISE OUR NEED FOR THE BREAD OF LIFE

1. Jesus taught that He was the bread of life   (John 6:35)

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

2. The spiritual need for the bread of life

a. Bread is a physical necessity

b. Jesus as the bread of life must be seen as a spiritual necessity

3. The spiritual satisfaction that the bread of life gives   (John 6:35)

a. Never hunger spiritually

b. Never thirst spiritually

REASONS FOR THE LORD TEACHING ABOUT BEING THE BREAD OF LIFE

1. Correcting the wrong focus of the multitudes

a. The wrong focus on physical things

i. They sought Jesus because they were fed bread and were filled   (John 6:26)

“Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.”

ii. They had focused on Moses and how he provided manna in the wilderness   (John 6:31)

iii. This was a wrong understanding as it was God who provided manna for Israel   (John 6:32)

iv. They had the wrong focus on physical food

b. The correct focus on Jesus as the true bread of heaven

i. It was God who gave them the bread from heaven

ii. Jesus introduced Himself as the true bread of heaven

iii. He was the spiritual bread who came down from heaven   (John 6:33)

“For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

2. Addressing the problem of unbelief

a. Jesus saw the unbelief of the multitudes

i. The multitudes still asked for the bread from heaven   (John 6:34)

ii. They were seeking for physical bread

iii. Jesus lamented

“But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.”   John 6:36

b. Encouraged faith in Him as the bread of life   (John 6:35)

i. Those who come to Him will never hunger

ii. Those who believe in Him will never thirst

iii. Those who come to the Lord should have genuine faith in Him

3. Addressing the unreasonable complaints of the multitude

a. Unreasonable complaining

i. The Jews were grumbling about the Lord Jesus   (John 6:41)

“The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven”

ii. They did not accept what the Lord declared

iii. They saw Jesus as a human being with physical parents   (John 6:42)

b. The assurance of the Lord Jesus

“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.”   John 6:48

i. Compare and contrast

ii. Physical bread vs the spiritual bread from Heaven

iii. Death vs everlasting life

RESPONSES FOR OUR BILINGUAL BRETHREN

1. Focus

a. Not on the physical things of life

b. Focus on our spiritual need for the bread of life

2. Feed

a. Feed on the Lord by understanding more about Him

b. To be spiritually fed and satisfied

3. Faith

a. A genuine faith in the Lord Jesus

b. Faith to overcome doubts and uncertainties