Bread Is For Eating!
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Believing in Jesus as the Bread of Life.
Text: John 6:48-51
Date: 01/22/2017, the Contemporary service.
Series: "John: Encountering Love" Part 44
Description:
As the great discourse in the synagogue at Capernaum continues, Jesus turns the conversation back to the metaphor of bread. He first explains why the bread the Jews are clamoring for (the manna their forefathers ate) was in all ways inferior to the true bread of God from heaven. As nutritious as the manna was, it could only sustain the living temporarily-- it could do nothing to reverse the effects of the Fall. The bread Jesus offered, on the other hand was the "Bread of Life" that was not only the living bread with life in itself, but was able to resurrect spiritual life in all who ate it. He then shocked His audience by making the first of several references to this bread as His flesh. We will discuss the graphic images created in this passage and find that just as bread must be eaten and assimilated to have any beneficial effect on the body, Jesus must be truly believed and assimilated spiritually in total surrender for salvation to occur. Ultimately, by means of a simple story, we will be poignantly reminded that this bread is for eating!
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, John 6:48-51.
A. Context
1. The "breads of God", John 6:27,33,35,46,51.
2. The bread of the Passover, John 6:4, Ex. 12:11,20.
3. Old Testament images, John 1:51, 3:13-15.
B. The Living Bread that brings life.
1. Understanding the "Bread of Life", vs. 48.
a. The necessity of assimilation.
b. Necessary associations.
i. With the "breads of God".
ii. With the bread of the Passover.
2. The shortcomings of "manna", vs. 49.
a. A good bread.
b. A temporary bread.
c. A cursed bread.
i. The curse in the wilderness.
ii. The curse in the Garden.
3. A better bread, vs. 50.
a. Bread that gives life, John 5:28-29.
b. Resurrection Bread.
4. A living bread, vs. 51.
a. The bread that is life.
b. A shocking statement.
i. A view of the Crucifixion.
ii. An abhorrent thought.
c. A continuation of the discussion of belief.
i. Jesus must be assimilated.
ii. Jesus cannot be taken away.
III. Application
IV. Conclusion
