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Up to John chapter six, look at verse number 51. Christ says, I am the living bread which came down from heaven. The title for the sermon tonight is The Living Bread. The Living Bread, Jesus Christ is that living bread. And now obviously Jesus Christ is not a loaf of bread. All right? What we learn in this chapter is that there are many times that Jesus Christ will use literal truths such as feeding the 5,000 men that we're gonna see in this story, but then he takes a spiritual principle and teaches on that, okay? And you know, we are people that take the Bible literally, you need to understand, when we read the Bible, yes, you know, primarily take it literally, but what you're looking for is the spiritual truth. You're looking for the spiritual application. You know, you wanna be in a church where you understand the facts that's happening within the Bible there, but you want to take away, hey, how does it apply to me? You know, in what way is this spiritual truth, you know, in what way is this literal lesson here to teach me of spiritual truths? And that's what this chapter is all about. You see that there's a lot of people in this chapter that have a very carnal understanding, and when Jesus Christ says that he's a living bread, they're literally thinking, oh, you're saying you're a loaf of bread that we have to eat, literally, okay? Well, let's start there in verse number one, John 6, verse number one. After these things, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberius. Now, just very quickly, we ended with Jesus Christ going into Judea in the previous chapter. So after that, he's returned back, you know, past Samaria into Galilee. But if we pay attention to what it says here, after these things went, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee. So instead of being on the western side of Galilee, sorry, western side of this sea, the Sea of Galilee, he's on the western side. He's gone over to that sea. It says, which is the Sea of Tiberius. Tiberius is on the western side, okay? It's known as the Sea of Tiberius as well, but he's gone over, he's on the other side, all right? He's over on the eastern side of the sea. Let's keep going there, verse number two. It says, and a great multitude followed him, because, why they followed Jesus Christ? Because they saw his miracles, which he did on them that were diseased. They're like, wow, Jesus Christ is a miracle worker. You know, he's helped those that are sick, he's healed the sick, and people are coming along, looking for the show. You know, what is Jesus Christ going to do next? And so you've got this great multitude following Jesus Christ because of his miracles. Verse number three, and Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. Now why does verse number four bring up the Passover here? It just gives us a timeframe of the ministry of Christ. We're there in John chapter six. If you just come back with me to John chapter two, come with me back to John chapter two and look at verse number 13. John chapter two and verse number 13, it says, and the Jews Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. So what we learned then, of course, that's when Jesus Christ drove the merchants out of the temple of God. And so what we learned there is from John chapter two to John chapter six, a year has lapsed, a year in the ministry of Christ. And so we get these little timeframes in the story, so we can just better assess the timeframe, the situation that's taking place there in the ministry of Christ. Okay, come back to chapter six and verse number five. It says, when Jesus then lifted up his eyes and saw a great company come unto him, again, those that are looking for the miracle of Christ, he saith unto Philip, when shall we buy bread that these may eat? He says to Philip, one of his very first disciples. He says, what are we gonna do about it, these people? Where are we gonna get bread from so they can eat? What kind of question is Jesus Christ asking? Is Jesus Christ really concerned about the physical bread here? No, not really, because it says in verse number six, and this is said to prove him or to test Philip, okay, to see how Philip would react to this, for he himself knew what he will do. Jesus Christ already knew, look, I'm gonna be able to feed these 5,000 men. I'm gonna be able to do that. I'm gonna be able to perform a miracle. But he's saying, he's wondering, how is Philip gonna respond to this? And the reason I believe this has been asked of Philip is I believe that Jesus Christ has just seen whether Philip has learned the lesson from before, okay? Jesus Christ's saying, how are we gonna feed all these guys? Where are we gonna get the food from? Where are we gonna get the bread from? You say, in what sense is he testing Philip? Well, again, if you can just backtrack to John 4, come back to John 4, it reminds me of the story of the woman at the will, the Samaritan woman at the well. And remember, when Christ is speaking to the Samaritan woman, she realizes that this is the Christ. She goes into her city and starts to bring people to learn of Christ, and she wins souls, and many come asking about Jesus Christ, and many believe on him. But in John 4, verse 31, after she goes off to a city, it says, in the mean, while his disciples prayed him, saying, master, eat. And he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. He goes, yes, yes, I want to eat. There is something that we need to consume. But you don't know what that is. I'm not concerned about the carnal hunger right now. I'm not concerned about carnal things. And if he keeps going there, it says in verse 33, therefore said the disciples one to another, have any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, my meat, or my food, is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye that there are four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white or ready to harvest. Jesus Christ says, all these people that are coming from this city of Samaria, this is the harvest. This is what we're going to consume. His concern about the spiritual well-being of others. Jesus Christ is teaching a spiritual lesson, but sometimes the disciples were stuck on carnal thoughts. And so that's why I believe, when he gets to John chapter six, he's going to, Philip, hey, you know, we're gonna feed all these guys. What are we gonna do about it? Where are we gonna get the bread from? I suppose the right answer from Philip would have been, well, our food, our meat, is to do the will of God who sent you. You know, Lord, maybe there's something spiritual that we can do in this situation. But Philip, still quite carnal in his thinking, he responds in verse number seven. Philip answered him, 200 penny worth of bread. By the way, a penny worth, just one penny worth, is basically a day's labor, okay? So they've got, you know, in their treasury, in what they've been able to save up through their ministry, you know, I guess people are donating, people are giving to the work of God there. He says 200 penny worth, so 200 days of labor roughly, of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. Because look, maybe we've got enough of them just to have a little bit of bread each, but really we don't have enough to really nourish them, to feed them. And we know this is referring to 5,000 men. I've heard it said that it's 5,000 men, but you're not including the women, the children, possibly. You know, if that's the case, then we might be looking at 10,000, you know, people in total, I'm not sure. Or whether the 5,000 is just numbering every single man, woman, and child. Again, I'm not sure, but the number is great. It's a great number to feed. Imagine us trying to organize. Like, organizing a lunch or dinner for our church, and we're not even that big, is a headache enough. Imagine trying to organize 5,000 people to be fed, okay? It's a big task, obviously. Verse number eight, it says, one of his disciples, Andrew Simon Peter's brother, say unto him, it says, there is a lad here, a lad is a young man, a lad here, which have five barley loaves, that's all right, five barley loaves, and two small fishes, but what are they among so many? There's a young man here, you know, who's willing to give his bread, and to give his two fishes, but how's that gonna, you know, help 5,000 people here? You know, that's not going to do the job, right? It's such a great story, and again, this is one of my, one of the stories that I really just hold onto when I think of the promises of God, that God can take such little amounts of bread, and such little amount of fish, and we'll see a miracle, he's about to feed 5,000 just on that alone, okay? That miracle takes place, all right? Verse number 10, and Jesus said, make the men sit down. I mean, I'm not sure how long this will take to get 5,000 people getting to sit down and organize themselves. It says, now there was much grass in the place, so the men sat down in number about 5,000, and Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, wow, so little, so little to feed these people, and we see the beautiful example of Jesus Christ who gives thanks, even for so little. You know, this just teaches us a lesson that we ought to be thankful for whatever God gives us, even if it's too little. You say, Lord, the income that I'm earning, it's not enough to provide for my family. Lord, this food that we've got in the pantry, in the kitchen, it's not enough to feed us, Lord. Instead of complaining, how about we just thank God for what we have? Okay, that's what Jesus Christ does. He thanks the Father. He says he distributed to the disciples, so it starts to break up that bread, starts to hand it out to these disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down, so now the disciples are giving out to the people sitting down, the 5,000 people, and likewise are the fishers as much as they would. It just keeps going. As much as they need from Jesus, the bread just keeps going. The fish just keeps going, right? All from five loaves and two little fishers. Verse number 12, when they were filled, he said unto his disciples, gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. By the way, kids, you know, Jesus Christ is interested in making sure that the leftovers aren't thrown out, and I strongly encourage kids, especially the kids, learn a good principle, that when you get offered a plate of food, finish it all. Jesus Christ is even concerned about what remains. Okay, he doesn't want it to go to waste. Okay, don't get into the habit of filling up your plates and then just throwing out half of it. Okay, if mom sets a good plate of food on the table, eat it up. Be thankful to God for what he's given you. It says in verse number 13, therefore they gathered them together, and filled 12 baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. I mean, this is a miracle. How, how does this happen, Paul? How does, I can't explain how this happens. This defies the laws of the universe. This, you know, this is supernatural. This cannot happen. We learn that God has the ability to be a multiplier, to multiply. You say, Lord, you know, I don't have enough. We live in a time right now where inflation is out of control. You know, even this pastor has some concerns about what the future might hold as far as provisions for his family and well-being, but we learn something and the Lord has, I've seen this in my life already. I've seen this in my life already. I'm not supposed to be able to look after a family my size on one income. I'm not supposed to be able to. In fact, it's impossible. You know, I look at my budget. I look at what comes in and I say, Lord, this is not going to work for me. It's not enough, Lord. And I look back at previous years of what I earned and I look at what we spent and go, Lord, this doesn't match. How is it that I was able to look after? Well, I know the reason why. I told you, this is a story. This is a promise that I take hold of. I say, God, I learned the lesson. This young lad, he doesn't have much. I want to be like this young lad. Lord, I want to give it to you all. My five loaves, my two fishes, Lord, it belongs to you. Lord, I just want to give you whatever belongs to you. I want to give thanks to you, Lord, and know you can multiply. I know you can make sure the ends meet. I know you can make sure the bills are paid for. I know you can make sure that we're going to have full bellies. We need to remind ourselves, we need to be just like this young lad. Just the faith of a young man. I mean, look, if you're that man, one young lad, right? You brought your lunch. No one else did, right? And like, again, logic will tell you, I'm not going to give this to Jesus. Because by the time he gets given to me, there's going to be nothing left. Surely, I mean, it's going to go like through three or four hands and that's it, done. You know, logic tells you I'm not even going to get a bite. So I'm the one that brought the food. I might as well just have it for myself. Yeah, a young lad would have been fed with his own food, of course, but he would not have seen a miracle take place. He would not have seen the multiplying factor of Jesus Christ. And Jesus is able to do this. I don't know, I don't even know how I've made it to this day. Honestly, I'm not nothing, I'm honestly nothing. A young lad says, Lord, it's all for you. Lord, you just make it happen. You know, it doesn't make sense to me, Lord, but in faith, I'm going to give that to you. And in faith, I'm going to believe I'll be provided for and everyone else will be provided for that's under me and Lord, there'll be leftovers. There'll be 12 baskets left over. We're going to have too much if we just give it to you. You know, the best way that we can practice this today is the tithe. You know, God's asked for the 10%. That 10% belongs to him. And again, it doesn't make sense. But pastor, if I take, I've got 100% of my income. If I take 10%, I'm left with 90%. It doesn't make sense. I'm already struggling, pastor. I can't make ends meet and you want me to take 10%. No, I don't want you to do it. The Lord wants you to do it. The Lord wants you to entrust him with that 10% and you'll be better off for it. The Lord can multiply. You just have to have the faith and say, Lord, it's yours. Thank you. Thank you, Lord. 90% that's left, Lord, I don't think I can make it. I don't think it's going to provide. I don't think it's going to make ends meet, Lord, but I'm going to do what I have to do, Lord, and you can multiply. And I've seen the Lord's hand in this. I don't know how I go year by year. I have no idea. I have no idea, honestly. If I sat down and did a spreadsheet for you, it makes no sense. It makes no sense. And it's hard because it's a constant act of faith. It's a constant act of faith and say, Lord, I'm going to dedicate it to you. I'm going to give it to your work, Lord. And you somehow, Lord, you've just got to make it happen. And he makes it happen. Makes it happen. And so I'm just talking to especially fathers here because times are going to get pretty tight. Like it's going to get harder and harder. You know, inflation is out of control. You know, your pay rises aren't keeping up with inflation. Okay. You know, your kids are growing up. They're eating more. There are greater expenses in all areas of life. And you're going to be like, how are we going to make this happen? Just believe in the miracles of God. He can make it happen. Just trust God to just leave it in his hands. He'll make it happen. He'll make it happen. But it just requires you to take that step of faith. Verse number 14. It says, then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did said, this is of a truth, that prophet, that should come into the world. They're like amazed. Wow. How did this happen? I mean, that's obviously supernatural, a miracle. But look at verse number 15. So they're all excited about Jesus. This is the prophet. Not only that, then they say in verse number 15, when Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. The people are so excited. They say, look, this is the prophet. This is the one that's been prophesied in the scriptures. Let's make him a king. And this immediately destroys a doctrine that I've heard over the years. A doctrine that says that Jesus Christ, when he came the first time, he offered himself to be the king of the Jews, but the Jews rejected him. And so because the Jews rejected him, Jesus Christ needed a plan B, and he died on the cross so the Gentiles could get in. So the Gentiles can be saved. But they rejected him as king. Well, they're offering to make him a king right here and right now. 5,000 men strong, an army of 5,000 ready to make him king. And what does Jesus Christ do? All right, yes, they've accepted me as king. This is why I came in the first place. No, Jesus Christ did not come to be king when he's first coming. He came to die. In fact, as we keep going through this chapter, he starts to tell us about his death, that this must happen. This is not plan B. Plan A is that he would always come and die for the sins of mankind. Hey, at his second coming, yeah, he's coming as a king, king of kings, lord of lords, ruling with a rod of iron. That's gonna happen, don't worry, that's the future. But they're excited. Let's make him king, this is the prophet. And Jesus, he just goes into the mountain. He just takes off alone. Okay, we've had his disciples. Verse number 16, and when even was now come, so the evening, his disciples went down onto the sea. So it's getting late, it's getting dark. Okay, so they go back to the ship where they've traveled from, they go to the sea. Verse number 17, and entered into a ship and went over the sea toward Capernaum. So now that they're on the eastern side, now they're coming back to the western side, they're going back home, they're going back to where they were from. Okay, and entered into the ship and went over the sea toward Capernaum, and it was now dark and Jesus was not come to them. Okay, so Jesus Christ has been on that mountain, Jesus Christ has never come back. They said, well, let's just head back then. It sounds like the disciples are just leaving him there. But if you compare this story with the book of Matthew, Jesus Christ actually told them, hey, go back to Capernaum, go back to the other side. It's just that Jesus Christ was not coming back, so well, let's just do what Jesus Christ said, they went back into the ship, okay. Verse number 18, and the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. And so there's a storm that takes place here as they're on the ship returning back to Capernaum. It says in verse number 19, so when they had rowed about five and 20 or 30 furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea and drawing nigh unto the ship and they were afraid. So this chapter is full of miracles, right. They're on the ship, they're making their way back on the other side. And apparently it's only about 11 kilometers wide, the Sea of Galilee, or the Sea of Tiberius. And yeah, they see Jesus Christ walking on the water. Okay, this is also the famous story where we obviously know the very famous story of Peter who briefly walked on the water. This is the same event, but the book of John doesn't capture the events of Peter, okay. So he's walking, they're afraid, verse number 20, but he's safe unto them, it is I. Be not afraid, be not afraid. Look at verse number 21, it's amazing. Then they willingly received him into the ship. So he walks on the water all the way to the ship, right. The seas are boisterous, there's a storm. In the book of Matthew, we know that when he walked in the ship, the seas are calmed, okay. Obviously that takes place, but we learn some other miracle that takes place here, which for a long time, I did not really pick up on the Bible, okay. There's such an interesting miracle that takes place. I'll read verse number 21 again. Then they willingly received him into the ship, and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. So in the story, you know, when you compare Matthew, Peter walks out on the water, he gets afraid because he sees the winds roaring, he starts to sink, Jesus Christ picks him up, they go into the ship, Jesus Christ calms the storms, but what we learn in the book of John immediately, as soon as that happens, they're on the other side. They're on land, right. They were traveling on the other, toward the other side. Here, Jesus Christ gets in the ship, and somehow, okay, they're on the other side. Jesus Christ just transports them immediately to the other side. Another miracle that just takes place. Again, if you read the Bible fast, you probably don't realize that's what's being said there. It's full of miracles. Jesus Christ is just putting it on now, okay. It's all on show now. Verse number 21, the day following, so you know, it got dark, that's why they went on the other side, so now this is the next day, the day following, when the people which stood on the other side, so the eastern side, where they were first at, of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one where into his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone, okay, that's a long sentence. So they're saying, look, the people that were on the other side, the people that got fed, the 5,000, right? You know, the next day, they look, all right, they remember the disciples going on a ship. They remember Jesus Christ did not go with them, okay, so they're just, that's in their mind. They're kind of wondering, where's Jesus? All right, the disciples left without him, where's Jesus? All right, verse number 23. Howbeit, there came other boats from Tiberius, nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks, so even though that ship is gone, the one that the disciples were in, there are other ships just on the sea, going back and forth, okay? It says in verse number 24, when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, okay, not on the eastern side, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, so they also get into ships, and came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus. They're like, we came all this way for Jesus, where is he? Well, let's just go back, let's also get on a ship and get back on the other side, okay, looking for Jesus. Verse number 25. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when cameest thou hither? Like Jesus, how did you get here? We saw you disciples leave without you, no other ship has gone, but we see you here, how did you get here? Obviously, we know the story, Jesus Christ walked in the water, et cetera, et cetera, okay, but they did not see that miracle. Verse number 26. Jesus answered, this is quite a rebuke, Jesus answered them and said, verily, verily, I sang to you, you seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves and were filled. Jesus Christ says, the only reason you're interested in me is because you've been carnally fed, you've been fed, you don't have to go out and cook, you don't have to go out to the grocery store and buy your own food, all right, you don't have to go out and labor and work hard and provide for your family, you're interested in me because I can feed you, you're interested in me because you can be carnally fed. Jesus Christ is teaching them something interesting here, he goes, you guys are just carnally minded, you guys just wanna be fed, you guys wanna make me king because you're sick of the Roman Empire, no, no, and this is where Jesus Christ starts to teach that there is more to the events of Christ's story and his miracles, there is a greater spiritual truth over everything that he's doing, everything that he's teaching, but these people, they're missing the point, they're only interested in the carnal things. You know, there's a lot of churches on the Sunshine Coast that will satisfy you carnally. There are people, you know, places, I'm sad, I talk to Christians sometimes over the phone and they go into a bad church and they know they shouldn't be going to this or that church, I say, why do you go there? You know they're not teaching the right thing, you know they're not teaching the gospel, why do you keep going there? Oh, because my friends are there. My social gathering is there. You know, when I've had a need, they were there to help me out during that need. I know I'm not getting anything spiritually out of this church, but I'm getting carnal things out of this church. I feel like I belong here. As much as I'd like to get spiritual truth, I just, it satisfies me carnally. They don't say those words, but that's what they mean. Most churches are like that. You wanna grow a church, yeah, quickly? Feed people carnally. This reminds me of, I'm just talking about, you know, feeling like you belong or something like that, but then being taught nothing from the Bible. And this is what these people are like. They got fed, wow, yes, I got food. But they don't want the spiritual teaching. They don't want the deeper truths. This reminds me of Cabramatta Baptist Church, my first Baptist church, it was a Baptist union church. And after the morning service, they would have morning tea. And by the way, the morning tea that we have, that's like a morning tea for kings. And people still complain. You know, the morning tea at Cabramatta Baptist Church was basically honest biscuits and a cup of coffee and it's all tea or something like that, okay? Like nothing special, all right? Because it wasn't about that. It was about the fellowship and the talking and all that kind of stuff, okay? But anyway, my point is this. Obviously that morning tea was for the church members. It's for fellowship, to encourage fellowship, all right? But you would have people, and I don't know if they were homeless or not, okay? But you would have people that turn up to church five minutes before service is over so they can just go outside and eat the biscuits, have a cup of coffee and then disappear. These people, they're not interested in the spiritual truths. They're not interested in learning the Bible. They're not interested in learning about Jesus Christ and what he can do for them. They just wanna get their belly fueled. Again, were they homeless? I'm not sure if they were homeless, okay? But they were like, oh, this church has food. Let's go there. Even though it's just a few biscuits. Jesus Christ is basically rebuking these guys. You only care about carnal things. You only wanna be fed by the belly. You don't wanna actually be fed the truth of God's word. And so they get offended. You'll see how they get offended here. If we keep going, it says there in verse number 27, Jesus Christ says to them, labor not for the meat which perisheth. He goes, the carnal things, it's all gonna perish. Don't put all your efforts on this world and the carnal things that's satisfying. But for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life. He goes, put your attention on the things that matter, the things that matter for eternity, the things that give you everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you. He says, I'm gonna give it to you. For him have God the Father sealed. And brethren, you know, again, we live in a world where obviously we do have to have our attention on carnal things. Obviously we have to go to work and make ends meet as I've been talking about, paying the bills, et cetera, et cetera. But don't forget the greater things, the spiritual things. Don't forget what God can teach you. And the importance of everlasting life. It's quite interesting. Labor not, so don't, labor means to strive or to put great effort in. Don't put great effort for the carnal things of this world. Put your effort in which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you. You know, people get confused about this topic. Labor, that sounds like work. Is Jesus Christ saying you've gotta work for everlasting life? No, you don't have to work for it. We know that. In fact, we'll look at this soon, okay? But to strive is to put the effort in. You see, there's a lot of people that go to churches and they know there's no salvation here. How many Christians do you talk to at the door, brethren? You ask them, are you sure you're going to heaven? I hope so. I'm a good person. I'm doing the works. I'm trying my best. No, these people have to strive. They have to put the effort in and say, you know what? I don't know. My church is not teaching me. So I've got to figure out what is the truth. Lord, can you tell me the truth? Lord, I want to be sure that I'm going to heaven. You've got to put a bit of effort in to find the truth, to find the narrow gates. But again, these people, oh, Jesus Christ said labor. Oh, still thinking carnally. Oh, we have to do works to get that everlasting life. Jesus Christ is definitely teaching works here, surely. Because in verse number 28, it says, then said they unto him, what shall we do that we might work? The works of God. All right, Jesus, you want us to focus on everlasting life? How do we work toward it, Jesus? What's the works that we have to do? What's the works of God? Carnal understanding of salvation. Work, you've got to do the works. You've got to work your way to heaven. You've got to keep the commandments. Do the good works. Turn from your sins. Live a holy life. What do I have to do? People that teach these things, brethren, they're not spiritual. They're not saved. They're carnal minded. They still think salvation is your personal labor, your personal work. They kind of get it. They realize it's the work of God, but they think I have to do, therefore I have to do the work of God in order to be saved. No, it's called the work of God because it's the work of God. It's called the work of God because it's not the work of man. But they still don't get it. How many times do you talk to someone and you tell them that salvation is by grace through faith alone on Christ alone? And they're like, amen, I agree with that. But you still have to. No, there is no but. There is no but, okay? It's Jesus Christ alone and your faith on him alone that saves. There is no but, you have to. You're a carnal minded person. You cannot get saved with this carnal body. You cannot do enough. You can't turn from enough sins to save yourself. It's a spiritual work. It's a work of God. Look how Jesus Christ answers in verse number 29. Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God. So what do they have to do? That ye believe on him whom he have sent. All you have to do is believe on him, believe on Jesus who was sent by the Father. You wanna do works? That's the work of God. What you have to do is just believe on him whom he have sent, believe on Jesus. Jesus Christ is gonna try to start to open their eyes. He fed them with bread, okay? He fed them and there was a spiritual lesson there that God can multiply, but now he's going to take that truth and start to describe himself as that bread, okay? Hey, the bread that I fed the 5,000, I mean, yeah, it fed your bellies, but it's not gonna satisfy. That bread perishes. That bread goes rotten after a period of time. Jesus Christ is going to teach them some eternal truths and using the illustration of bread as he continues. So he says, look, you gotta believe on me. You gotta believe in the one that was sent by the Father. Okay? Now this is where they get offended because Jesus this whole time is telling them, look, you're carnal, you know? And people, do people get offended when you tell them that salvation is not by works? All the time, all the time because you're telling them you're actually not good enough. Your works are not good enough and they get offended. Oh, how can you say that? Yeah, none of us are good enough, right? People get offended. A moment ago, they were saying, oh, this is the prophet. Yesterday, they were saying, let's make him king. They're excited about Jesus. Look how they respond. Verse number 30. They said it therefore unto him. What sign showest thou then that we may see and believe thee? What dost thou work? Jesus, what are you gonna do about it? Like, how are you gonna convince us? What signs are you gonna show us? He just finished feeding them with five loaves and two fishes. He just finished doing a miracle in front of them and they're like, oh, so what are you gonna show us then? How are you gonna prove to us that you're the one that we ought to believe on? What do you mean? A moment ago, you said he's the prophet. A moment ago, you were saying, let's make him king. So these people, they speak out of two sides of their mouth. Flattery, flattery, oh yeah. He's the prophet, he's so amazing. Let's make him king. And now it's like, oh, how are you gonna prove to us? What miracle is he gonna do? What signs are you gonna show us that you're the one that we ought to believe on? You know, this teaches me and I've learned over the years that some of the worst people are those that flatter you the most. Oh, pastor, you're such a great preacher. Oh, you know, you're the only church in Australia teaching the truth. That's rubbish. And at first, I'm like, oh, you know, I don't wanna make people feel uncomfortable. I just wanna welcome people and maybe they'll just stop having their eyes on man and stop putting their eyes on God and prioritize the right things and grow thereby. You know, I don't wanna just think every flatterer is this wicked person. But as soon as they hear something they don't like, as soon as you have something to say and say, look, your eyes are on carnal things and not on spiritual things, they get offended. Oh, why should we listen to you? I mean, you were giving me flattery just a moment ago. You were talking me up just a moment ago and now you heard something you don't like? Please don't be this way. You know, please don't think I'm the greatest, I'm not. Jesus Christ, set your eyes on Christ, on the Lord God, the one that can actually multiply, the one that actually can do miracles. Put your eyes on him. Look what they say to Jesus. They say, what are you gonna do? Like, how are you gonna prove yourself to us? And then they compare Jesus to Moses. They say, verse number 31, our fathers did eat manna in the desert. That's the heavenly bread that came from the Lord. It says, as it is written, he gave them bread from heaven to eat. Now, when they're quoting this passage, he gave them bread from heaven to eat, they mean Moses. They mean the reason we could believe Moses is because Moses gave manna from heaven to them to eat. And the reason that's referring to Moses is because Jesus Christ responds in that same manna, okay? Verse number 32. So it's basically saying this. Why should we believe you? Moses was able to make bread come from heaven and feed the whole, all of Israel, which would have been more than 5,000 men, maybe a million or 2 million people, I don't know. So like, that's what Moses, what are you gonna do about it, Jesus? How are you, you know, are you gonna do something like this to prove to us that you're the one we ought to believe on? Verse number 32. Then Jesus said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven. He says, it wasn't Moses that gave you that bread. But my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. He says once again, you guys are still carnal minded. You guys are praising Moses. Moses is not the one that gave you the bread. It was the Father. It was the Lord God. These people, they have their eyes on man, man worshipers. As good as Moses was, as great as Moses was, you know? And I hope Moses gets great rewards in heaven. I'm sure he will. But our eyes are not to be on men, but on the Lord God. And God will utilize men to do good things for him. They're still carnally minded. Moses, how do you compare to Moses, Jesus? It's not Moses, it's the Lord that gave you that bread. In fact, we learn a further truth that the manna from heaven is actually a picture of Jesus Christ. The manna from heaven is symbolic. It's a shadow, it's a foretelling of Jesus Christ being sent from the Father to be consumed, to be received. Verse number 33, Jesus Christ says, for the bread of God is he, it's a he, the bread is a he, which cometh down from heaven, because just like manna came from heaven, I've come from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Now, as we keep reading, I just want you to notice that it does say he gave life to the world. Jesus Christ is gonna give his life, he's going to die for all of the world, because as we keep reading through some of these verses, the Calvinists, those that teach that Jesus Christ only died for some. Jesus Christ gave his life only for some. They're going to take some of the verses that we're about to read. I don't wanna tackle Calvinism in this chapter, there's just too much in here, okay? But, Jesus Christ is making it very clear that he's coming to give his life to the world, okay? Not to just a few, but to the whole world. Verse number 34, then said they unto him, Lord, evermore, give us this bread. They're like, all right, we want this bread from God. Yes, Lord, give us this bread. All right, it sounds like they're on board. Jesus Christ said, look, this bread will give you everlasting life. They're on board. They want this bread. Verse number 35, and Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life. I mean, he kind of already said that, but now he's been really clear. I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. Jesus Christ has teach us that salvation is available in Christ alone. Once you receive Christ, once you take part of that bread and that, what was I saying, never thirst, and that water of life, you'll never thirst again. Salvation is Christ alone, and not just Christ alone, it's eternal security once again. You'll never hunger, you'll never thirst. You can't add to salvation. Oh yeah, believe in Jesus, but no, there's no buts. Once you have received Christ, you'll never hunger, you'll never thirst. You'll never be like, but I've got to do my, no. Stop, stop hungering, stop thirsting. As soon as someone says to you, but, but you've got to, well, you're still thirsting then. You're still hungering. You're still trying to make it happen. No, it's happened already the moment you receive Christ. And if you're still hungry about it, you're still thirsty, you're still not sure you're going to heaven, then you've not trusted in Christ. See, Christ satisfies. Once you understand it's him and him alone, that he is the bread of life. He is the bread that's come from the Father, that's been sent from heaven and you receive him. That's it, you realize, you understand it. It's all Christ and Christ alone. And what all Jesus Christ said to me is, I have to believe in him. I have to put my faith and trust on him and him alone. Look at verse number 36. But I said unto you that you have, that you have, sorry, that you also have seen me and believe not. He goes, the bread's right here. I've done these miracles. But you still don't believe in me. Verse number 37, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. The Calvinist will say, see, the Father only gives a select few to Jesus Christ. We already saw that Christ has given his life for the whole world, okay? But of course, the Father gets involved. The Holy Spirit is involved in salvation. We need to be born of the Spirit, okay? The Father is the one which sent the Son. The Son is the one that has given his life for us. Salvation invokes the triune nature of God. Verse number 38, for I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which have sent me, that of all which he have given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. Jesus Christ says, to lose nothing means no one loses their salvation. That everyone's going to be risen up, experience that resurrection to come at the last day. That last day is referring to the day of the resurrection. Okay? Verse number 41, the Jews then murmured at him. Wow, I thought they wanted the bread of life. The Jews then murmured at him because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. They don't like that. They don't like that he said, he's the bread that came down from heaven. They don't like that he's comparing himself to the manna, that the manna was symbolic of Jesus Christ. They don't like the thought of this man saying that he's actually from heaven. Why? Verse number 42, and they said, is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? I mean, they know the family. This is the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know. How can you say he's from heaven? When we know his earthly parents, like he's a human being, he's just a man. They think he's just a man. Jesus Christ was 100% man, 100% God. Okay? But they don't, again, carnal, carnal thinking, just thinking about the here and now. He says, how is it then that he sayeth I came down from heaven? How is it? People saw his birth, they've heard about it. His mom and dad, right, earthly parents are here. How is he saying? That's why they don't like it. They don't like, no, we can't accept this. Even though he just finished feeding 5,000. Even though he just finished feeding them five loaves and two fishes. They go, nah, we can't accept this. It's amazing, isn't it? And again, for people that say, oh, I'll believe in Jesus when I see miracles. It's not gonna happen. Okay? You have to receive him in faith. That's how it is. That's why he said believe. It's believe. Salvation is the work of God. Verse number 43, Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me except the Father, which hath sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day. So again, the resurrection. Verse number 45, it is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that have heard and have learned of the Father cometh unto me. He goes, look, if you've believed the scriptures, if you believe the prophets, you would come unto me. Jesus Christ, again, making the point that if you don't believe the scriptures, if you don't receive the word, you will not believe in Jesus. Again, reinforcing the fact that when we go and preach the gospel to the lost, we must use the scriptures. It's the only way for people to come to Christ. Verse number 46, not that any man have seen the Father, save he which is of God, speaking of himself, he have seen the Father, again, speaking of himself in the third person. He says, I've seen the Father. No one else has seen the Father, but I've seen the Father. Verily, verily, or truly, I say unto you, he that believe on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. I mean, Jesus just make it clear, clear as day. If you believe on me, you have everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Jesus Christ already is explaining you don't have to eat Jesus. He's saying you have to believe on me. Okay, the illustration that we can go about eating and consuming Christ is a reference to receiving him in faith. Okay, I mean, I don't know, can Christ make this any clearer, right? That salvation, eternal life is by believing on him and that he's that bread of life. You want the bread that will never hunger? It's Jesus, it's me, not me, Jesus. But that's what Jesus Christ is saying, right? I mean, it's so clear, verse number 49. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. Saying that manna in the wilderness, yeah, it was a miracle from God, but it's just, again, it just satisfies carnally. You're gonna die. That bread that fell from heaven, that manna, does not give you everlasting life, okay? Verse number 50, this is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die. It's been known himself. You eat of this bread, you won't die. Verse number 51, I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. And the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I give for the life of the world. Again, the life of the world, because I give it to all. I give it to the whole world. When Jesus Christ says that the bread is his flesh, what is he referring to? He's gonna start teaching us about his death. Again, that strange teaching that Jesus Christ came and offered himself to be the king and they rejected him and so he died on the cross. Christ is already telling us right here in John 6 that he has to die, that he has to give his life for the whole world. This is plan A. This has always been plan A. This has been the plan since the foundation of the earth. Jesus Christ is that bread. Verse number, what am I up to, brethren, help me out. Verse number 52. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, how can this man give us his flesh to eat? Look how, what's the word I'm looking for? Stubborn? Look how ignorant, I mean, Jesus Christ is making it so clear to consume of him is to believe on him and they're all getting worked up about this. How is this man saying that we've gotta literally eat his flesh? No carnal, no spiritual understanding, just carnal. You know what's amazing about this? The Roman Catholic Church. This is what they believe. They believe when they do mass that that wafer, that cracker turns literally into the flesh of Christ. When they read this passage about eating the flesh of Christ, they actually believe in order to be saved, you have to literally eat the flesh of Jesus. And so when the priest does his routine, whatever it is, with the bread, the bread becomes Christ's flesh. And as you're eating, you're consuming literally the flesh of Jesus Christ is what they believe. Why do they believe that? Because they're not spiritually minded. They don't, all they can understand is the carnal things that Christ speaks of. They've got no spiritual depth. They've got no spiritual truth. Verse number 53, then Jesus said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, look at this, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Why is he talking about his blood now? Because he's talking about his death, that his flesh is gonna be broken, that his blood is going to be shed, okay? So yes, we say we need to believe on Christ, but what is the gospel? The death, the burial, the resurrection. Yes, we believe on Christ, but we believe that he died in our place, that he took on our sins, that he shed his blood for the remission of sins. Speaking about his death, Christ is not interested in being made king. He's come to fulfill the will of the Father, to die for us, to give us his flesh and his blood. How do we receive it? He's really told us so many times, you believe on him, you trust on him. Verse number 55, for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me, this is that bread which came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead, he that eateth of this bread shall live forever. So Jesus Christ is just reinforcing, yep, you can eat of me, you can drink of my blood. Look at verse number 59, these things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum, many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this said, this is a hard saying, who can hear it? Some of the disciples that have been following Jesus, the disciples being referenced here, they're not the 12 disciples, they're not the 12 apostles, they're other disciples, okay? Other people that have been following Jesus Christ, they hear this teaching, they go, man, this is hard, we don't get it, okay? This is a hard saying, who can hear it? Who can understand it? You know, again, there are some churches that teach, in order for you to be saved, you have to become a disciple of Jesus. Well, you got some disciples right here, they don't even get it, they don't get salvation. Say, what must you do to be saved, become a disciple for Jesus? No, even disciples of the city of Jesus don't understand salvation. In fact, we'll keep going, and we'll see that even one of his disciples never believed on him in this chapter. Being a disciple, a disciple comes from discipline. Say, in order for me to be saved, I'm gonna live like Jesus. I'm gonna be disciplined by the life of Jesus. So I'm gonna try to be just like Jesus. That's how I'm gonna be saved. That saves nobody. To be saved, you must partake of his flesh and of his blood. How do I do that, pastor? I mean, Jesus Christ, over and over, how many times did he say it? Believe on me. It's a spiritual lesson, not a carnal thing. Jesus Christ does not expect us to find his body in a grave somewhere and eat it to be saved. These disciples, this is a hard saying. It's still hard for us. Don't like this preaching. Don't like it. Verse number 61. When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, doth this offend you? Are you offended by this preaching? What? And if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before, because what if you saw me ascend to heaven? You have a hard time accepting that I came from heaven? What if you saw me ascend up to heaven? What are you gonna make of that? Verse number 63. Look at these words. Pay attention to these words. Jesus Christ tries to explain it one more time to them. It is the spirit that quickeneth. Quickeneth means to be made alive. He goes, it's a spirit that is made alive. It's a spirit that makes alive, that gives life. Not flesh, like not physical flesh, the spirit. Jesus Christ, again, is teaching spiritual truths. It's a spirit that quickeneth. The flesh profiteth nothing. Even if you could get a piece of Christ's flesh and eat it. Even if the Roman Catholics truly were turning that bread into flesh, Christ says, the flesh profiteth nothing. These are spiritual truths. It is the spirit that quickeneth. The flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. That is the job of every preacher, of every pastor. To take the stories of the Bible and to teach the spiritual truths from that passage. Yes, it's good to understand what's taking place. That's important. But then to draw the application, the spiritual applications so we understand the scriptures or we know what we need to do with the scriptures that we've heard. That's the job of the preacher. You see the Christ is making it quite clear. Guys, it's not the flesh. If you eat, this profits nothing. Spirits, spirit that quickeneth. We saw in John chapter three, it must be born of the spirits, born again. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the spirit is spirit. Verse number 64. But there are some of you that believe not. Oh, but the disciples. Yeah, they don't believe. Some of them. Some of them are finding this a hard thing. Some of them get offended. Some of these don't understand the spiritual truths because they believe not. They see the miracles. Oh, this feeds me. Maybe if I follow Christ, I don't have to work a day of my life because Christ will feed me. But they don't believe in him. They don't trust him. They don't believe he's from heaven. They don't believe he's the Messiah. They don't believe he's the one that offers salvation. They think it's works. We wanna do the works of God. They didn't believe. Again, it proves to us that being a disciple does not save anybody. How many times do people say that? You want it to be saved. You have to become a disciple. It's rubbish. I hope you become a disciple after you're saved. I hope you discipline yourself and live a life that pleases God. But that life that pleases him does not save anybody. You have to believe in Christ. It's the work of God. All you have to do is believe. Verse number 64 again. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believes not and who should betray him. Who betrayed Jesus? Judas. Judas Iscariot. Judas was never saved because he never believed on Christ. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believes not and who should betray him. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot. When I was a child I would read the story of Judas and it made me sad that a man could be with Jesus Christ for three years in ministry and never believe. And I kind of thought that doesn't make a lot of sense. I want to think that Judas went to heaven as a child. And they're like, oh, the story will? Yeah, he betrayed Jesus but then he repented, didn't he? He went back and he realized he betrayed innocent blood and he gave back the silver that he took. Maybe he got right with the Lord, hold on, I hope so. And then you read a passage like this and go, hold on. No, he never believed. He never trusted Christ. He repented from his sin, did he not? He repented. Instead of taking the money for himself, he goes, no, I betrayed innocent blood. And he gets rid of that money. He gets rid of it, he throws it on the floor. I mean, Judas Iscariot is the perfect example. A disciple, not just a disciple, an apostle. He took on an office in the church. He's a religious leader and he repented from his sin. But Jesus Christ says he never believed. He never believed on him. Judas Iscariot did everything that most Christians say they're gonna do to be saved. Most people look at Judas Iscariot and say, that is definitely a saved man, look at his works. Look how great he is. Oh, he's a church leader, he's an apostle of Jesus Christ. But he never believed on Christ. Judas Iscariot died and went to hell. Verse number 65, and he said, therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my father. From that time, many of his disciples, many went back and walked no more with him. Then Jesus, look, and these disciples are not the 12, because then he says in verse number 67, then said Jesus unto the 12, will ye also go away? Are you also offended by this teaching? They have a very different response. In verse number 68, then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. Because where else are we gonna go, Jesus? You're the one that knows about eternal life. He gets it, Peter gets it, you have the words. But it's not your flesh. We don't have to eat your flesh and drink your blood literally. You got the words of eternal life. Where else are we gonna go, Jesus? And then in verse number 69, it says, and we believe, is Peter a saved man? Of course, he says we believe and assure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Look at this declaration. Jesus, you're the Son of the living God. Let me just attack oneness just very quickly. Oneness, denying the Trinity. Oh, Jesus Christ is the Father. Oh, Jesus Christ is the Holy Spirit. No, there is no salvation in that Jesus. Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Look, they've received the words of eternal life. They've believed on Jesus. We see over and over, we saw John the Baptist say, this is the Son of God. We see Peter say, the Son of the living God. Why is this in the Bible? Because the Bible warns us of other Jesuses and other Jesus. Oneness, Trinity deniers, they've got another Jesus. We believe in the Trinity, God the Father sent the Son, the Son of the living God, okay? And we believe in the Holy Spirit. God in three persons. You say, make that, you know, help me make sense of that pastor. It's what the Bible says, have faith. Look, can I understand how five loaves and two fishes can feed the 5,000? I can explain that to you. God is beyond this natural world. I can't use an object to explain to you how God, there is one God in three persons. Because God is above that. God is not a physical creation. God is God. We understand God through his word. And we learn of Jesus, the Son of the living God. That's who we are to believe on in order to be saved. Now, in case you think that I've been harsh on Judas, you say, maybe he was saved, pastor. Okay, let's keep going there, verse number 70. Jesus answered them, have not I chosen you 12? And one of you is a devil? These are the words of Jesus. Because one of you is a devil. You say, maybe he's not talking to Judas, verse number 71. He spake of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for he was that should betray him, being one of the 12. So the one that betrayed him is what? Not a believer. Jesus Christ says, one of you guys is a devil. And again, this must go over the heads of disciples. Because we know at the Last Supper, they're like, is it me, Lord, is it me, is it me? Like, who's gonna betray you? No one, like, no one could tell. Judas was never saved. But he did all the right things that most churches say you have to do. You gotta repent of your sin. You gotta become a disciple. And people look at religious leaders, apostles, and such people that hold such titles, and think, surely that these men are saved. Are you sure? Have they trusted on Jesus Christ alone? Are they trying to do the works of God? Or have they accepted that it's the work of God, and all they have to do is believe in Christ? Reverend, anyone else? They're not saved. I felt sorry for Judas Iscariot as a child. And sometimes there are people out there that you meet, and they're friendly, and they're nice, and they say they're a Christian, and they say they believe in Christ. When you ask them the question, they're like, but you can't just. Just believe. Nah. You've gotta do the works. Look, these people are not saved. They don't get it. They're still carnally minded. They've not been born of the Spirit. If you've been born of the Spirit, then you will understand that salvation is faith on Christ and Christ alone. Okay, when you understand that, you're born of the Spirit. You understand spiritual truths. You understand salvation is a work of God, not a work of man. So, brethren, John chapter six. What a chapter. Amazing miracles done by Christ. And even these people that saw great miracles, they did not receive him. They wanted to do the works. Praise God that salvation is by faith alone. It's something we cannot do. It's a miracle that we cannot do except to put our faith and trust on what Christ has asked us to do, to believe on him, to trust him. And you know what, if you've not done that or you're not sure of your salvation, please talk to me. Please talk to me. All right, brethren, let's pray.