WEBVTT 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:25.120 CCW. 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:33.039 And we are going to take the next seven weeks and be looking at the I am statements from Jesus in Scripture. 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:36.480 You can take your Bible to John chapter six this morning. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:45.840 And as you're doing that, we need to wish a very happy birthday to the United States of America. 00:00:52.480 --> 00:01:05.840 Through wars and victories and revivals and defeats and mountains and valleys, God's hand of grace and mercy has been on this country. 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:22.560 And I am thankful today, and I know with you for the freedoms that being a citizen of the United States has given us, that we could come together and worship today, that we could speak freely the name of Jesus, that the word of God can be read today. 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:32.159 And for those things and many more, I'm so thankful to be an American and praise God for the United States of America. 00:01:32.320 --> 00:01:37.520 Praise God for the people who have fought and fought hard for our freedoms. 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:41.600 Praise God for the stars and stripes. 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:52.880 But I want to say, as we praise God, please, God, continue to go before us and behind us, because it is only the hand of God. 00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:57.680 Scripture said, Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:01:58.640 Amen. 00:01:59.520 --> 00:02:00.159 Amen. 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:07.600 What if I told you this morning, every decision you made this week was driven by hunger? 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:22.079 Not necessarily food hunger, but hunger to matter, hunger to belong, hunger to be secure, hunger to be loved, hunger to be enough. 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:24.159 And here is the truth of the matter. 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:26.400 We are all eating this up. 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:32.240 Jesus stands in John chapter 6 and he says something that is profound. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:37.039 He says, I am the bread of life. 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:39.360 Pray with me. 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:46.640 God, we thank you today to be here gathered together. 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:48.800 Lord, we thank you again, God. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:55.439 We praise God for what you have meant and the founding of this nation. 00:02:55.520 --> 00:03:00.240 And as you have continued, Lord, we just pray and ask for your blessing. 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:05.680 But we don't take for granted to grow up hearing and knowing the gospel. 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:07.920 And we pray for those who have not. 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:13.120 And we pray that you continue to go before the leaders of this country. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:15.520 And God, that your will would be done. 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:17.599 And Lord, allow us a part in that. 00:03:17.920 --> 00:03:24.240 And God, today, as we look at your word, Lord, I know that every person here is hungry. 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:30.560 And Lord, it seems that many, many people can live an entire life and not be satisfied. 00:03:30.640 --> 00:03:34.080 And God, I pray today that you would show us what it means. 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:38.479 Lord, that our hunger would feed on the bread of life. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:40.000 Bless your word. 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:42.800 Bless each person here today in Jesus' name. 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:43.680 Amen. 00:03:43.920 --> 00:03:52.000 John 6.35, if you would turn there, the first thing this morning is this the bread that satisfies. 00:03:52.080 --> 00:04:01.520 We'll go to this main phrase of the I am statements, and then we'll go back through the passage to see how Jesus gets to that point. 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:07.759 But John 6.35 and Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:15.200 He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:22.399 If you look at your points this morning on the outline, I have flipped these two points, so don't hold that against me. 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:23.920 That happens from time to time. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:28.079 But letter A is going to be the craving that is filled. 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:36.800 He says, Whoever comes to me, Spurgeon said that coming means the performance of desire. 00:04:37.039 --> 00:04:46.799 Coming to Jesus is bringing your desire by desire, by prayer, by assent, by consent, by trust and obedience. 00:04:47.119 --> 00:04:48.560 Coming to Jesus. 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:57.599 Jesus Christ, the bread of life, is continually throughout his life and throughout the ages inviting men to come to him. 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:03.919 Now the hunger part is a word pineo, and it means to crave ardently. 00:05:05.119 --> 00:05:05.919 To crave. 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:16.079 By the way, it says, whoever comes, it's not singular, whoever came, it says, whoever comes, that's we're coming to Christ. 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:21.279 Salvation satisfies a need, but because you are saved does not mean you're a fool. 00:05:21.359 --> 00:05:27.519 So it says, but whoever comes, you have to continually find yourself at the table of Jesus Christ. 00:05:28.799 --> 00:05:40.159 The three biggest needs of humanity, if you did any study in psychology, Maslow's, hierarchy, safety, belongingness, and mattering. 00:05:40.799 --> 00:05:44.079 I want you to go to Matthew chapter 6 just for a moment. 00:05:45.039 --> 00:05:51.439 We all have that sort of innately, safety, belongingness, mattering. 00:05:52.799 --> 00:06:00.079 Jesus said in Matthew 6, 31 through 33, therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? 00:06:00.239 --> 00:06:01.359 What shall we drink? 00:06:01.599 --> 00:06:02.799 What shall we wear? 00:06:03.039 --> 00:06:05.279 For all these things the Gentiles seek. 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:18.479 Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. 00:06:18.799 --> 00:06:28.079 You see, Jesus hits the crux of the matter that seeking first the kingdom of God will bring you to all of the hierarchy. 00:06:29.119 --> 00:06:30.639 That's easy to say. 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:33.599 It's hard for us in culture to do. 00:06:33.919 --> 00:06:40.000 See, the root of anxiety and pride is prioritizing world systems over God's kingdom. 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:47.839 And it's hard for us not to prioritize the world system we live in, but doing that creates the need of self-reliance. 00:06:48.079 --> 00:06:51.599 If I put this system first, then I've got to rely on self. 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:55.839 And self-reliance creates incredible pressure. 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:59.279 If I'm self-reliant, I've got to keep up. 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:01.279 I have the fear of scarcity. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:05.279 I have the need to compete with other people when I'm self-reliant. 00:07:05.359 --> 00:07:09.759 I have to arrive first, I have to perform best, I have to keep up with the Joneses. 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:18.879 And once I have kept up with the Joneses, which is never ending, then I have to go further and set the trend and become the trendsetter and setting the trend. 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:22.479 If I back up off of that, then I've lost my status. 00:07:23.679 --> 00:07:25.279 And it's never ending. 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:29.759 A cycle of more and it's temporary gains. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:42.000 And why do temporary gains for you and me always feel so mediocre and you lose the buzz after a day of a new shirt or the buzz off of a bonus from work after a week? 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:45.519 Because you were created for eternity. 00:07:46.159 --> 00:07:48.399 You're not a temporal being. 00:07:48.799 --> 00:07:56.399 Solomon is the greatest example in the Bible, I think, of trying to be filled, never able to be filled with everything. 00:07:56.560 --> 00:08:00.719 Now, you and I may not have access to everything and try. 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:05.919 We try with what we have, but there's a couple of scriptures, just look at what Solomon said. 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:09.679 Ecclesiastes 1, verse 8. 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:14.639 He said, All things are full of labor, man cannot express it. 00:08:14.799 --> 00:08:20.159 But the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 00:08:20.479 --> 00:08:22.719 You could flip over just to a few chapters. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:26.319 Ecclesiastes chapter 5, verse 10. 00:08:26.479 --> 00:08:36.320 He says, This he who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance with increase. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:38.000 It's not satisfying. 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:40.240 It doesn't fill the holes in my life. 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:42.960 Ecclesiastes 6 7, a chapter labor. 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:51.600 All of the labor of a man is for his mouth, and yet his soul is not ever satisfied. 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:57.120 I talked this morning to our serve team about going on a cruise and eating the cruise food. 00:08:57.280 --> 00:08:59.519 And I think I had six meals a day. 00:08:59.680 --> 00:09:11.040 And it's amazing, after six meals or more a day, I woke up the next day and I was sick looking at the food, but I decided to have some anyway, just to give it a whirl, just to see. 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:12.240 And you know what? 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:14.639 I'm not satisfied with eating. 00:09:14.800 --> 00:09:16.320 I'm gonna keep on. 00:09:16.560 --> 00:09:17.680 I'm gonna keep on. 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:18.879 I'm not satisfied. 00:09:19.040 --> 00:09:22.399 We're never able in this temporary sense. 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:28.720 You can't have enough clothes, you can't have enough cars, you can't have enough love, you cannot have enough. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:30.399 There is no enough. 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:32.320 And Solomon tried. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:33.440 You need to look him up. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:35.280 See all that he tried. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:39.200 I want you to think about the sun. 00:09:39.920 --> 00:09:50.080 93 million miles away, and the sun sends out its rays, and when it does, it lands on earth and it causes some things to happen. 00:09:50.160 --> 00:09:55.120 It causes plants to grow, which those of you that have a garden, that is happiness. 00:09:55.280 --> 00:09:57.519 It causes warmth to you with many. 00:09:57.680 --> 00:09:58.560 You love the warmth. 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:01.040 It produces vitamin D, which is a health need. 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:04.240 My wife loves sunshine in that way. 00:10:04.560 --> 00:10:08.080 Most people say that and they'll say, I love what I see from the sun. 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:09.600 I love my skin. 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:12.080 I love the plants that grow. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:23.200 Not many people have I ever heard let their eyes run up the beam to the sun, and rarely have I ever heard somebody, you know, I just love the sun. 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:25.600 I'm fascinated with the sun. 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:28.560 We often love what it produces. 00:10:29.280 --> 00:10:30.399 I'm getting somewhere. 00:10:30.560 --> 00:10:36.000 Verse 26 and 27 of John 6, Jesus is upset. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:46.800 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. 00:10:47.040 --> 00:10:59.840 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal on him. 00:11:00.560 --> 00:11:04.800 He's angry because people are seeking him for worldly gain. 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:08.800 He says, You think I'm useful because I gave you bread. 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:19.519 I gave you bread, but you did not let your eyes run up the beam and see the S-O-N and say, He is my treasure. 00:11:19.680 --> 00:11:22.080 He said, I am the bread of life. 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:24.240 I am satisfactions. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:30.160 Couples today, you can look at each other and say this. 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:33.120 You can look at each other off and say, You are useful. 00:11:35.280 --> 00:11:42.240 But every now and then you need to climb up, look up that beam, and remember why you are in love. 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:50.960 The crowd loved free bread, but they hated the cost of loving the sun. 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:53.120 It was costly. 00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:58.879 And Jesus says to them, You need to look more than just this miracle. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:04.960 Look into the maker of the miracle, the bread of life, and he fills the cravings of our life. 00:12:05.040 --> 00:12:10.240 Look at letter B, the conviction that was found, or is to be found. 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:18.480 Again, in verse 35, first it says, I'm the bread of life, he who comes to me shall never hunger and thirst. 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:22.639 Secondly, and he who believes in me. 00:12:22.800 --> 00:12:25.280 That's where the conviction is found, in the belief. 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:34.879 Whoever believes the word believe is arose, A-R-O-S, and it means like air to lift away, to sail away. 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:36.800 I came across this story again. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:38.240 It's a funny old one to me. 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:58.320 There's a man named Larry Walters in 1982, July of 82, he purchased 42 helium balloons at a uh Army Navy store, um Army grade balloons, and he had this idea that he was going to tie them to his lawn chair. 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:06.480 And he thought that when he did this, that he would blissfully lift off into the air 15 to 30 feet. 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:17.040 And so he set everything in, and there was Larry Waters, packed with a sandwich, a pellet gun, and a six-pack of beer to take flight, and he lifted off. 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:23.440 Except the problem was Larry Walters went 16,000 feet into the sky. 00:13:24.160 --> 00:13:29.680 Air Traffic Command caught sight of this man, and this is what they heard over their radios. 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:36.960 I believe there is a man who is waving a gun, sitting in a lawnchair. 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:50.879 Finally, Larry Walters began slowly shooting the pellets at a few of his balloons, and luckily he arrived safely back down on the ground. 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:58.000 And when asked by a reporter what got into his mind about this idea, this is what Larry Walters said. 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:02.720 He said, When you believe something, you can't just sit there. 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:06.399 And he didn't. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:11.759 When you believe something, church, belief is active. 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:14.399 Is your belief active? 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:15.840 I believe this. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:21.680 John doesn't say whoever agrees with me will be satisfied. 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:27.120 He says, whoever believes, and that word believes, arrows is active tense, it's a verb. 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:31.920 You can stand beside bread today and starve. 00:14:33.040 --> 00:14:38.080 Some people here, you may have stood beside bread your whole life. 00:14:38.560 --> 00:14:50.560 Church, vacation, Bible schools, baptism services, you have Christian parents, all of that, and you still have not partaken of bread. 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:53.360 You can be all around it and starve. 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:56.560 Belief is turning over your life. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:00.160 Belief, like Larry said, just can't sit there. 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:06.320 People are starving spiritually, but are stuffed materially. 00:15:07.040 --> 00:15:12.480 They're materially gluttonous, overflowing for more of the thing that keeps on emptying. 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:16.800 When Jesus said, I am the bread of life. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:24.080 The Holy Spirit will reveal himself to people through the Word of God. 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:26.240 And this is when conviction happens. 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:30.720 When conviction happens to a person, they say, I am empty without him. 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:32.480 I am guilty without him. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:34.399 I cannot carry myself. 00:15:34.560 --> 00:15:35.840 That is conviction. 00:15:36.160 --> 00:15:41.200 And conviction is this God making you hungry enough to come home and eat. 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:44.800 Some people today need some fresh conviction. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:46.240 Maybe you need to pray for it right now. 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:47.200 God, convict me. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:51.759 Maybe you sit here and you say, Spiritually, I'm just stale. 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:55.440 Ask the Holy Spirit, would you give me conviction today? 00:15:55.680 --> 00:15:57.759 It's like the story of the prodigal son. 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:05.280 The prodigal son went off, he went into riotous living, he spent all of the inheritance, he did everything, right? 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:06.720 Everything that he could do. 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:09.600 And then one day it says he came to his senses. 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:11.840 Hopefully we could call that word conviction. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:16.480 And he said, I need to get back to my father's house. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:22.240 Because if I get back there, even the lowliest of people there get fed. 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:30.480 So maybe today would be a day that conviction can be found and you can find yourself feeding. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:34.320 Secondly, this morning is the bread that signifies. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:38.399 Look at the front part of the chapter in John 6. 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:44.879 So we go back and explain this. 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:53.680 This I am statement doesn't come out of anywhere, doesn't come out of no place. 00:16:53.920 --> 00:16:59.519 Jesus, after these things, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 00:16:59.680 --> 00:17:06.559 Then a great multitude followed him because they saw his signs, which he performed on those who were diseased. 00:17:06.639 --> 00:17:10.000 And Jesus went up to the mountain, and there he sat with the disciples. 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:13.119 Now, this is a key component, the Passover. 00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:15.519 A feast of the Jews was near. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:16.879 I would highlight that. 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:25.519 Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and seeing a great multitude coming toward him, he said to Philip, Where shall we buy bread that these may eat? 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:29.119 But this he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:36.000 Philip answered him, Two hundred deneri worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little. 00:17:36.399 --> 00:17:45.439 One of his disciples, Andrew Simon, Peter's brother, said to him, There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish. 00:17:45.679 --> 00:17:47.519 What are they among so many? 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:50.159 Letter A is the miracle of deity. 00:17:51.439 --> 00:18:00.319 This bread signifies something, and this miracle is Jesus is showing himself by this miracle. 00:18:00.639 --> 00:18:01.839 Passover was near. 00:18:01.919 --> 00:18:14.240 That I said highlight is key because the people there, the crowd there, would have been thinking, they would have been considering already the exodus from Egypt, the manna that fell on the land. 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:16.000 They would have been thinking of Moses. 00:18:16.399 --> 00:18:20.000 And the crowd had been expecting another Messiah. 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:26.639 And so they were looking, another Moses, another deliverer, but God sends a greater Moses. 00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:30.399 You talk about preaching and good illustrations. 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:34.799 Well, Jesus says, Here is some bread. 00:18:34.879 --> 00:18:38.720 I want you to look down at verse 42 through 49, this illustration. 00:18:44.639 --> 00:18:49.279 He says in 41, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:54.399 And they said, Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? 00:18:54.639 --> 00:18:56.000 How is it then? 00:18:56.159 --> 00:18:58.399 He says, I've come down from heaven. 00:18:58.639 --> 00:19:07.679 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, Do not murmur among yourselves, no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:10.559 It is written in the prophets, and they shall all be taught by God. 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:14.399 Therefore, everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:18.319 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God. 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:19.439 He has seen the Father. 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:23.839 Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in me has everlasting life. 00:19:24.159 --> 00:19:26.319 I am the bread of life. 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:28.720 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and are dead. 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:33.519 This is the bread which comes down from heaven that one may eat it and not die. 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:38.720 Jesus compares himself to the manna that came down in the wilderness. 00:19:39.199 --> 00:19:40.559 A beautiful example. 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:43.279 He says, I am. 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:46.559 That's deity language. 00:19:46.879 --> 00:19:47.439 I am. 00:19:47.679 --> 00:19:52.000 Remember what was asked, Moses said, Who will I say has sent me? 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:53.439 He says, I am. 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:56.799 And so this is the language of who he is. 00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:00.159 And he says, What is manna? 00:20:00.879 --> 00:20:02.639 Manna physically fell from the sky. 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:03.599 You know what Jesus said? 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:05.199 I came down from heaven. 00:20:05.439 --> 00:20:07.599 Manna had to be collected daily. 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:10.399 You know, we're told, give us this day our daily bread. 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:15.439 There is no day that you and I can go without the daily bread of Jesus. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:20.639 We will not breathe, we will not live, we will not exist without Jesus. 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:22.559 No one could do what Jesus did. 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:24.639 That's the deity of the miracle. 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:27.199 It revealed himself to the masses. 00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:41.359 There's no natural or technological advancement that can tell us how to multiply five loaves and two fishes to feed 5,000 or greater, 5,000 and their people 20,000. 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:45.519 Science would call this the ex nielo creation. 00:20:45.679 --> 00:20:48.000 That is, ready for this science term? 00:20:48.159 --> 00:20:52.559 The rapid generation of biological matter with minimal starting material. 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:56.079 In Christianity, we call that a God thing. 00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:57.599 That's what happened here. 00:20:57.679 --> 00:20:58.639 This was a God thing. 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:01.039 This was deity showing itself. 00:21:02.159 --> 00:21:07.359 Bread for 20,000 signifies one thing: the presence of deity. 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:14.079 None of you are going to go down to Pizza Hut and get pizza for 20,000 people in the next two minutes. 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:17.199 You would say that would be an amazing thing. 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:20.079 He shows the presence of who he is. 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:21.519 Jesus is God. 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:24.159 Jesus was God at creation. 00:21:24.399 --> 00:21:27.919 He's always been making something from nothing. 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:33.439 From nothing, Jesus, God spoke, and abundance appears. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:41.119 And I believe in the source of that miracle, it's not the disciples or the lad or someone's command. 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:42.399 It was Jesus Christ. 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:48.559 The miracle was showing that the bread of life was there, the sustainer of living. 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:51.919 And without the bread of life, there is no deity. 00:21:52.159 --> 00:21:54.559 Without God, there is no living. 00:21:54.959 --> 00:21:59.119 So my question for you without God, there's no living. 00:21:59.199 --> 00:22:01.039 So what are you living for? 00:22:02.879 --> 00:22:09.119 If somebody asked you to give us your purpose statement, what would that look like? 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:13.039 The miracle of deity, let her be the meal distributed. 00:22:13.199 --> 00:22:15.039 I want you to go over to Mark. 00:22:16.639 --> 00:22:22.399 Now John describes it, but I think Mark does a little bit more insightful job of explaining this miracle. 00:22:22.639 --> 00:22:23.519 So go to Mark chapter. 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:30.399 I want you to look at verse 32. 00:22:32.399 --> 00:22:38.959 I know this is a lot of scripture, but it's a lot to share this morning, so I want to go through it. 00:22:42.399 --> 00:22:47.119 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves, Mark 6, 32. 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:52.159 But the multitude saw them departing, many knew him and ran therefore on foot from all cities. 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:55.199 They arrived before them and came together. 00:22:55.359 --> 00:23:02.000 And Jesus, when he caught out, saw a great multitude, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:04.319 So began to teach him many things. 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:11.439 When the day was now far spent, his disciples came to him and said, This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:17.839 Send them away that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat. 00:23:17.919 --> 00:23:21.919 But he answered and said to them, You give them something to eat. 00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:26.639 And they said to him, Shall we go and buy two hundred dinar worth of bread and give them something to eat? 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:28.720 But he said to them, How many loaves do you have? 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:29.439 Go and see. 00:23:29.679 --> 00:23:32.879 When they found out, they found five and two fish. 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:38.000 So I want you to keep that little background because there's some insight there. 00:23:38.159 --> 00:23:39.279 How many of you? 00:23:39.919 --> 00:23:44.319 You ever grow up in church and you had the uh anniversary on the grounds? 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:46.000 Anybody had a service like this? 00:23:46.159 --> 00:23:52.240 You went to church in the morning, they had service, they had a meal afterward, and then they had service again. 00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:53.759 Anybody ever had that? 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:54.319 Okay. 00:23:54.639 --> 00:23:59.439 I had this happen several times as a child, and I thought it would kill me. 00:23:59.679 --> 00:24:02.559 I thought anniversary on the grounds is going to kill me. 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:04.480 Cause of death overchurched. 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:06.399 I was churched to death. 00:24:06.639 --> 00:24:06.959 Okay. 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:12.319 They would go out, we would have all this church, we would eat lunch, and then we're, you know what happens after you eat lunch? 00:24:12.399 --> 00:24:13.759 You need a Sunday nap. 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:15.359 I mean, let's be honest. 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:19.039 And he said, No, we're going right back to more church. 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:21.519 And so we have more church. 00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:25.439 Jesus is giving the people church. 00:24:25.679 --> 00:24:27.039 It's late. 00:24:27.679 --> 00:24:30.480 And the disciples are getting antsy about this. 00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:35.039 Jesus says, the unthinkable to the disciples, not close down the search. 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:37.439 He says, give them some food. 00:24:37.919 --> 00:24:38.799 They're hungry. 00:24:38.959 --> 00:24:40.159 You give them food. 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:43.439 Now, listen, we're Southern Baptist Church here. 00:24:43.679 --> 00:24:46.879 We have a robust legacy of being food sensitive. 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:47.359 Right? 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:51.359 We got two spiritual gifts, casseroles and opinions. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:57.039 The disciples are hangry and they want the service to come to a close. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:58.639 He says, These people are hungry. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:24:59.759 Can you send them away? 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:00.799 It's been great, Jesus. 00:25:00.879 --> 00:25:02.559 But it's time, it's late. 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:03.919 Send them away. 00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:08.879 And the red letters say, give them something to eat. 00:25:09.199 --> 00:25:10.559 So they start looking. 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:12.240 What are we going to do? 00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:14.079 Can you imagine they're talking? 00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:15.919 What is he saying? 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:18.720 Give all these people something to eat. 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:21.919 Who brought 5,000 people food? 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:24.000 And here's this little lad. 00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:26.399 And it seems ridiculous, right? 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:30.559 He comes and says, I've got something. 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:35.599 Five biscuits and two sardines. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:43.919 I wish some of y'all, when school starts back up, would send your kid with five biscuits and two sardines, just to see. 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:47.279 Tell your kid to say, Hey, I got lunch for everybody. 00:25:49.599 --> 00:25:50.879 The Bible says it. 00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:53.759 Here's the thing that you need to get from him. 00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:58.639 Regardless of what you had to give, the lad gave all he had. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:03.839 It was never the size of the gift, but the heart of the giver. 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:06.959 And here's the point for us today: do what you can do. 00:26:07.439 --> 00:26:14.079 Jesus didn't need 5,000 biscuits, he needed one sweet-hearted little lad. 00:26:15.359 --> 00:26:19.039 So Jesus organized them on the green pasture, it says. 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:20.639 Interesting. 00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:22.079 Psalms 23. 00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:24.879 It says, lie down in green pastures. 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:30.319 Jesus specializes in making abundance out of lack. 00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:32.720 So he looks up to heaven in the scripture. 00:26:32.959 --> 00:26:34.240 Jesus does. 00:26:34.639 --> 00:26:38.240 It says, to receive sight from heaven, and he blessed it. 00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:41.279 He's blessing his father. 00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:42.720 So I want to cover that. 00:26:42.879 --> 00:26:45.119 He blesses it, he breaks it, and then he passes out. 00:26:45.199 --> 00:26:47.919 But when he blesses it, the word for blessing, important. 00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:52.559 So when you're looking for God's hand in something, notice what Jesus does. 00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:54.240 He calls out a blessing. 00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:59.919 The word is eulogio, and you means thanks, logos to God. 00:27:00.159 --> 00:27:01.759 He gives the blessing to God. 00:27:01.919 --> 00:27:03.839 He says, thank you to God. 00:27:04.399 --> 00:27:07.359 And the feeding of 5,000 process begins. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:13.279 Eyes to heaven, mouth to praise, in the hands of Jesus. 00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:15.439 I want you not to miss this process. 00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:17.439 The eulogio that Jesus gives for this. 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:21.919 He says, Eyes to heaven, thanks to God, in the hands of Jesus. 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:28.559 I don't know what you're going through today, but eyes to heaven, mouth to praise, and put it in the hands of Jesus. 00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:31.359 You need a work to happen in your life today. 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:37.199 Eyes to heaven, mouth to praise, and put it in the hands of Jesus. 00:27:39.679 --> 00:27:42.319 And he says he put them down in green pastures. 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:46.799 What are you trusting for for provision today, church? 00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:50.319 Jesus showed us. 00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:03.759 In John chapter 6, verse 40. 00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:20.959 And this is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have an everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 00:28:21.359 --> 00:28:24.319 Letter A, we see the requirement of salvation. 00:28:24.639 --> 00:28:28.240 And I want you to go down to verse 53. 00:28:28.559 --> 00:28:30.079 We'll read three verses. 00:28:32.159 --> 00:28:40.959 And Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:49.839 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day, for my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:54.639 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him. 00:28:54.879 --> 00:28:57.439 Now this sounds strange if you've never been in church. 00:28:57.599 --> 00:29:02.000 And if you just read this, you're like, We gotta eat Jesus today. 00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:03.439 I don't understand. 00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:15.039 Everyone, he says there in verse 40, everyone, the Greek word for everyone, anyone know is everyone who sees and believes would have everlasting life. 00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:17.279 It is the will of God, it says. 00:29:17.439 --> 00:29:23.839 John 3, 16 and 17 says God sent his son into the world, that everyone would have eternal life. 00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:27.599 Verse 17, he came not to condemn to the world, but that the world through him might be saved. 00:29:27.679 --> 00:29:29.439 God sent the bread of life. 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:36.480 Jesus comes to this, and salvation, hear me, is not a product, but a person. 00:29:36.879 --> 00:29:40.000 And John 6 is full of all these receiving words. 00:29:40.159 --> 00:29:44.959 He says, Come, believe, receive, eat, and drink. 00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:49.039 None of those are achieve salvation. 00:29:50.079 --> 00:29:52.639 So, what is this process of salvation? 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:54.399 Now, Matthew 4, 4 is important. 00:29:54.480 --> 00:30:00.399 It says, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. 00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:04.559 Faith, the Bible says, comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. 00:30:04.639 --> 00:30:05.919 Why is it so important that you're here? 00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:07.439 You're hearing the Word of God. 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:09.839 It is the Word of God that convicts a heart. 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:11.279 The Word of God is active. 00:30:11.439 --> 00:30:14.319 This is a living thing that does a work. 00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:21.919 So you may be reading today, you may be reading a book by Charles Dickens, and that book is dead, and he is dead, and his words are dead. 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:26.959 Maybe you're reading a book by another author, that book is dead, and their words are dead, and they are dead. 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:29.279 But the word of God is alive. 00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:31.519 And it's powerful. 00:30:31.679 --> 00:30:34.959 It discerns the intents and thoughts of the heart. 00:30:35.279 --> 00:30:43.199 So when you feed on the word of God, it will prompt through the Holy Spirit and convict a sinner of lostness. 00:30:43.439 --> 00:30:48.399