They ate and were Satisfied Bread from Heaven
They ate and were Satisfied Bread from Heaven
“Man a plan, Gad a wipe!” Proverbs 16: 9 “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. ”(KJV)
Bread from Heaven First Reading • Exodus 16: 2 -4 Psalm • Psalm 78: 23 -29 Gospel Reading • John 6: 24 -35 Revised Common Lectionary
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here? ” Jesus replied, “I assure you that you are looking for me not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate all the food you wanted. Don’t work for the food that doesn’t last but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Human One will give you. God the Father has confirmed him as his agent to give life. ” They asked, “What must we do in order to accomplish what God requires? ”
Jesus replied, “This is what God requires, that you believe in him whom God sent. ” They asked, “What miraculous sign will you do, that we can see and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. ” Jesus told them, “I assure you, it wasn’t Moses who gave the bread from heaven to you, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. The bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. ” They said, “Sir, give us this bread all the time!” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. - John 6: 24 -35 (CEB)
• Similar to earlier chapters in John • Like the Nicodemus/Samaritan Woman (chap. 3, 4) • Interplay between literal and spiritual • Confusion • The value/power of a “sign” (2, 4) • Eternal • Increase in depth of meaning through questions
• You are looking for me not because of he signs… • To draw people and inspire faith • Don’t work for food which doesn’t last…the Human One will give… • Don’t strive/don’t exert yourself Striving and temporary/enternal ØWhat must we do in order to accomplish what God desires? • …God requires that you believe in him who God sent • Still stuck in old way of viewing things
“What miraculous sign will you do, that we can see and believe in you? ”
The whole Israelite community complained against Moses and Aaron in the desert. The Israelites said to them, “Oh, how we wish that the LORD had just put us to death while we were still in the land of Egypt. There we could sit by the pots cooking meat and eat our fill of bread. Instead, you’ve brought us out into this desert to starve this whole assembly to death. ” Then the LORD said to Moses, “I’m going to make bread rain down from the sky for you. The people will go out each day and gather just enough for that day. In this way, I’ll test them to see whether or not they follow my Instruction. - Exodus 16: 2 -4 (CEB)
He called the place Masah and Meribah, because the Israelites argued with and tested the Lord, asking “Is the Lord really with us or not? ” - Exodus 17: 7 (CEB) Masah: Testing Meribah: Quarrelling
God gave orders to the skies above, opened heaven’s doors, and rained manna on them so they could eat. He gave them the very grain of heaven! Each person ate the bread of the powerful ones; God sent provisions to satisfy them. God set the east wind moving across the skies and drove the south wind by his strength. He rained meat on them as if it were dust in the air; he rained as many birds as the sand on the seashore! God brought the birds down in the center of their camp, all around their dwellings. So they ate and were completely satisfied; God gave them exactly what they had craved. - Psalm 78: 23 -29 (CEB)
But they didn’t stop craving— even with the food still in their mouths! - Psalm 78: 30 (CEB)
“What miraculous sign will you do, that we can see and believe in you? ”
“What miraculous sign will you do, that we can see and believe in you? What will you do Our ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, he gave them bread from heaven to eat. ”
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down. ” There was plenty of grass there. They sat down, about five thousand of them. Then Jesus took the bread. When he had given thanks, he distributed it to those who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, each getting as much as they wanted. 12 When they had plenty to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces, so that nothing will be wasted. ” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves that had been left over by those who had eaten. When the people saw that he had done a miraculous sign, they said, “This is truly the prophet who is coming into the world. ” - John 6: 10 -14 (CEB)
Is it possible to completely miss Jesus even when he’s right there in front of us? Can we be satisfied with what God has for us each day? Has Jesus done enough already for us to trust in him? Are their ways we might be missing Jesus in our lives…RIGHT NOW?
But I told you that you have seen me and still don’t believe. Everyone whom the Father gives to me will come to me, and I won’t send away anyone who comes to me. I have come down from heaven not to do my will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of the one who sent me, that I won’t lose anything he has given me, but I will raise it up at the last day. This is my Father’s will: that all who see the Son and believe in him will have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. ” - John 6: 36 -39 (CEB)
- Slides: 18