Sermon Nuggets Fri April 25, 2008
Theme- Miraculous Manna
Verses 52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."
59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. (NIV)
GOD’S PRESENT
God was the giver of the manna in the wilderness. The bread was the gift that led to life. But that gift needed to be received and gathered by the people if it was to make any difference.
The manna was not a seed that was planted. It was not from grain that was cultivated or sown. It was not as a result of any of the work to produce its benefit. It only needed to be harvested. It was there for the taking. But taking it was required. God did not plop it into their stomachs so to keep them from eating or gathering it, like hospital nurses placing an IV solution into one’s veins. The only way it did them any good was to receive this free gift from God. They knew about it first, they saw it secondly; they came to it thirdly, received it fourthly and eat it lastly for the bread to meet their need.
Jesus is the same. As identified as the true manna from heaven he is a gift from the greatest of givers. God did all the work, but for us to receive salvation we must take Him into our lives. The sowing, weeding, watering might be compared to the works that some people think must be done in partnership to the salvation experience. But Jesus says, like the manna of old he must be eaten, his blood is real drink. I we feed on him we will live. Some religious traditions teach that it is in the partaking of the bread and wine that one recieves forgiveness. The verses here and previously keep repeating that is in believing we receive. (see verses 30, 35, 36, 40, 47).
We cannot ever come to Jesus Christ unless first of all we know about Him. That is a job for Moses and leaders and others to tell the Israelites in the desert. I wonder how many died because they didn’t know any bread was out there. I don’t think too many because that good news traveled fast.
What about Jesus Christ’s good news of eternal life? We who have tasted of him and realize his truth, are we letting others know it is God’s free gift of salvation? They can’t respond until they know. They must hear. They must listen. But how can they unless someone tells them?
Previously John 6:45 "It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me." I listen in different way to those with whom I have anger. I don’t listen very well with those I differ. To those whom I do not care about I might listen with politeness, not really listening, but often thinking about other things. To someone I respect and care about I listen with open ears to learn and grow and be helped by what they say.
He who has an ear to hear let him hear. Even if you have been saved there is food available in Jesus Christ for our daily walk with him.
Pastor Dale
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
God's Purpose John 6:51
Sermon nuggets Thurs April 24
Theme- Miraculous Manna
Verses- 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
God’s Purpose
Yesterday we talked about the temporariness of our life compared to the eternal life promised by Jesus, the true bread from heaven. The purpose of the miraculous manna in the desert was to give life to the dying. The purpose of the coming of Jesus Christ is that man may rise again from the dead and give eternal life to those under the curse of spiritual death. Jesus moves from the revelations of His power which changed water to wine, healed the sick, multiplied bread and fish, and walked on water. He kept addressing this coming miracle of raising people from the dead. He will not be affected by the bodily death. “He who eats this living bread will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven, if a man eats of this bread he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
The message that Jesus is telling is that just as bread will feed your bodies and keep you going, so I am the provision of God for the purpose of eternal life that will keep you going forever. God’s purpose of bread is life, that the Israelites might daily trust God and that we daily might trust God not just for things of this world but much more importantly for things of the world to come.
There is so much that the Jew understands from his culture that we do not understand in their symbols. The Passover Seder meal that celebrates the escape from enslavement of Egyptians is likened to the Passover lamb of Jesus who died that we can be free from enslavement of Satan, but there is a practice with unleavened bread in Jewish homes today when they remember the Passover. They have three matzos which is three thin unleavened pieces of bread as part of their ceremony. They leave the top one, take the second one and break it and place it in linen and hide or cover it for awhile and then they will have some of the children find it and the family eats it. It is striped and has holes in it, made only of flour and water.
Jews for Jesus explain the symbol. It is not understood by many Jews who have rejected Jesus but three pieces of bread point to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The middle matzos is broken pointing to Jesus death on the cross for us, whose body was broken without sin. The flour and water reminds them of the two natures of Jesus-God and man. Leaven is symbolic of sin and this bread is without sin. The ceremony has the broken matzos covered with a linen (death and burial). It is striped and has holes in it, thinking of the lashing and piercing of our Lord. And this bread is eaten following their meal.
We will be celebrating the service of Communion this Sunday. Our ritual, though done in different ways than the Seder meal ritual, takes bread and wine and points to the suffering savior. We take the bread and eat it as commanded by our Lord in remembrance of Him. The broken bread symbolizes his brokenness on the cross. The wine symbolizes the blood shed as the grapes are crushed to produce drink. We remind ourselves as He said, we will eat anew with Him in the Kingdom. It points to the death, burial resurrection of Jesus and the life He gives us all who take of Him. We do this with others pointing to the larger family of God.
We take the food and eat it pointing to the food that the world needs. Not simply bread of flour and water, but of spirit and truth.
Pastor Dale
Theme- Miraculous Manna
Verses- 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
God’s Purpose
Yesterday we talked about the temporariness of our life compared to the eternal life promised by Jesus, the true bread from heaven. The purpose of the miraculous manna in the desert was to give life to the dying. The purpose of the coming of Jesus Christ is that man may rise again from the dead and give eternal life to those under the curse of spiritual death. Jesus moves from the revelations of His power which changed water to wine, healed the sick, multiplied bread and fish, and walked on water. He kept addressing this coming miracle of raising people from the dead. He will not be affected by the bodily death. “He who eats this living bread will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven, if a man eats of this bread he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
The message that Jesus is telling is that just as bread will feed your bodies and keep you going, so I am the provision of God for the purpose of eternal life that will keep you going forever. God’s purpose of bread is life, that the Israelites might daily trust God and that we daily might trust God not just for things of this world but much more importantly for things of the world to come.
There is so much that the Jew understands from his culture that we do not understand in their symbols. The Passover Seder meal that celebrates the escape from enslavement of Egyptians is likened to the Passover lamb of Jesus who died that we can be free from enslavement of Satan, but there is a practice with unleavened bread in Jewish homes today when they remember the Passover. They have three matzos which is three thin unleavened pieces of bread as part of their ceremony. They leave the top one, take the second one and break it and place it in linen and hide or cover it for awhile and then they will have some of the children find it and the family eats it. It is striped and has holes in it, made only of flour and water.
Jews for Jesus explain the symbol. It is not understood by many Jews who have rejected Jesus but three pieces of bread point to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The middle matzos is broken pointing to Jesus death on the cross for us, whose body was broken without sin. The flour and water reminds them of the two natures of Jesus-God and man. Leaven is symbolic of sin and this bread is without sin. The ceremony has the broken matzos covered with a linen (death and burial). It is striped and has holes in it, thinking of the lashing and piercing of our Lord. And this bread is eaten following their meal.
We will be celebrating the service of Communion this Sunday. Our ritual, though done in different ways than the Seder meal ritual, takes bread and wine and points to the suffering savior. We take the bread and eat it as commanded by our Lord in remembrance of Him. The broken bread symbolizes his brokenness on the cross. The wine symbolizes the blood shed as the grapes are crushed to produce drink. We remind ourselves as He said, we will eat anew with Him in the Kingdom. It points to the death, burial resurrection of Jesus and the life He gives us all who take of Him. We do this with others pointing to the larger family of God.
We take the food and eat it pointing to the food that the world needs. Not simply bread of flour and water, but of spirit and truth.
Pastor Dale
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
God's Offer John 6:43-51
Sermon nuggets Weds. April 23
Theme- Miraculous Manna
Verses- 43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.
46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
GOD’S OFFER 43-51
Life on this earth is dedicated to keep our bodies alive. The basic pursuit of food, clothing, and shelter takes much work. We add to that other conveniences that help pursue those basics, such as tools, machines, fuel, cars, furniture, various styles of clothing, and things to cook and store food in. After our family receives these, there is the pursuit of pleasures. We love to have fun, recreation, and enjoy hobbies and games. More money is used for books, education, games, sports, restaurants, amusements, social gatherings, art, music, films, and the list is never ending.
When I’m taking a nice warm shower I think of how wealthy I am in experiencing what most of the world had never experienced. Even Solomon with all his wealth never could jump into a shower. Through the invention of cars and airplanes travel is faster and far reaching taking us all over the world and back again in a reasonable period of time. TV, Computers and phones are increasingly taking the communication and information systems and uniting us as a world, family and friends. To be able to press a couple of buttons and have heat and cool air and food cooked in seconds and frozen for months and sometimes years and still be fresh and edible is something our generation experiences as normal.
When I think of the pioneers that built this church and the work the farmers went through sawing by hand the logs and dragged them many distances to dig out by horse and hand the project to build a church building – and months it took for labor. What they wouldn’t give for a bulldozer and chain saws, and tractors and bulk tanks and coolers, and combines, and bailers – man we have it easy compared to those of 75 years ago. Only 75 years ago compared to the 1,000s of years man has lived and toiled mostly for bread, to eat, be sheltered, and at rare leisure times to have fellowship and social contacts.
God has been good for his provisions for us, but why? Bread was the bodies fuel to keep on living because life is sacred. Bread is life. The purpose of the manna in the desert was for life, yet this life always comes to an end. All those provisions for which we are thankful are so temporary. Bread of the desert lasted one day, but they had to trust God everyday.
Jesus has food that will not perish, and life that goes beyond out existence. These things that capture our attention are only a shadow of what is yet to come. He want us to look beyond this temporary life and see what He has to provide of greater life, and what is needed to make that happen.
Pastor Dale
Theme- Miraculous Manna
Verses- 43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.
46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
GOD’S OFFER 43-51
Life on this earth is dedicated to keep our bodies alive. The basic pursuit of food, clothing, and shelter takes much work. We add to that other conveniences that help pursue those basics, such as tools, machines, fuel, cars, furniture, various styles of clothing, and things to cook and store food in. After our family receives these, there is the pursuit of pleasures. We love to have fun, recreation, and enjoy hobbies and games. More money is used for books, education, games, sports, restaurants, amusements, social gatherings, art, music, films, and the list is never ending.
When I’m taking a nice warm shower I think of how wealthy I am in experiencing what most of the world had never experienced. Even Solomon with all his wealth never could jump into a shower. Through the invention of cars and airplanes travel is faster and far reaching taking us all over the world and back again in a reasonable period of time. TV, Computers and phones are increasingly taking the communication and information systems and uniting us as a world, family and friends. To be able to press a couple of buttons and have heat and cool air and food cooked in seconds and frozen for months and sometimes years and still be fresh and edible is something our generation experiences as normal.
When I think of the pioneers that built this church and the work the farmers went through sawing by hand the logs and dragged them many distances to dig out by horse and hand the project to build a church building – and months it took for labor. What they wouldn’t give for a bulldozer and chain saws, and tractors and bulk tanks and coolers, and combines, and bailers – man we have it easy compared to those of 75 years ago. Only 75 years ago compared to the 1,000s of years man has lived and toiled mostly for bread, to eat, be sheltered, and at rare leisure times to have fellowship and social contacts.
God has been good for his provisions for us, but why? Bread was the bodies fuel to keep on living because life is sacred. Bread is life. The purpose of the manna in the desert was for life, yet this life always comes to an end. All those provisions for which we are thankful are so temporary. Bread of the desert lasted one day, but they had to trust God everyday.
Jesus has food that will not perish, and life that goes beyond out existence. These things that capture our attention are only a shadow of what is yet to come. He want us to look beyond this temporary life and see what He has to provide of greater life, and what is needed to make that happen.
Pastor Dale
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
God's Provision John 6:32-42
Sermon nuggets Tues April 22, 2008
Theme- Miraculous Manna
Verses-32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."
42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"
GOD’S PROVISION
The Jews were proud to be the select people of God and experienced the miracle when Moses led them through the wilderness and provided manna for them to eat. Jesus corrected them on the source of the bread. It wasn’t Moses that gave them bread, or manna, but God. Moses prayed and God told them that the next morning in the desert they would go out and find flakes that would be collected and eaten as manna from heaven. They called this sometimes a bread from angels. Could this be the first mention of angel food cakes? They did collect it every day, but the Sabbath when they were to collect the previous day enough for two days, for the Lord would not send bread on the Sabbath. Every day they were to have enough for that day so they were not to store it and keep it, and those that did try to keep too much found it moldy and wormy.
“So give us today our daily bread” is part of the “Lord’s prayer”, recognizing daily that God provides just as he did in the desert. Bread satisfied their hunger and gave them the sustenance they needed.
Some of the quotes from the rabbinical writings were like these “As was the first redeemer so was the final redeemer; as the first redeemer caused the manna to fall from heaven, even so shall the second redeemer cause the manna to fall.” “Ye shall not find the manna in this age, but ye shall find it in the age that is to come.” “For whom has the manna been prepared? For the righteous in the age that is coming. Everyone who believes is worthy and eateth of it.”
God is the provider of the bread from heaven, and Jesus is giving them a teaching they cannot understand that he is the miraculous manna of the New Testament. In fact as God is the first provider so he is the second provider of that which would meet their spiritual need. Jesus was sent from heaven in the Virgin Mary, God’s only son and vs. 35-40 recognizes the fact that he is the provision that will save them. It is only possible through Jesus who gives life. It is a heavenly provision of much greater importance and the Manna was yet another type or picture of Jesus Christ the promised one from heaven.
Vs. 41-42 troubled them for they understood too well what Jesus was saying – that He was a heavenly being. He was God, but they grumbled and said, he is not from heaven for we know him. He is the son of Joseph and of Mary.
Hearts don’t change much. Just as they were looking for physical bread, so today we want God to provide us with things of this world, more than with Himself. Health and wealth, name it and claim it all points to provisions that are temporary. WE praise God it is His grace that desires to meet our physical needs in order that we see our spiritual hunger is satisfied in Him.
I think if God allows us to face unsteady economic times it will be a faith stretcher. But our confidence is the provision today of the true Manna from heaven. His dear son Lord Jesus Christ.
Jeremy Camp sings an old Negro spiritual that is summarized, “In the morning when I rise, Give me Jesus. You can have all this world, Give me Jesus. And when I am alone, give me Jesus. And when I come to die, give me Jesus. You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.” When the slaves had nothing of this world, they had everything in the Manna from Heaven that could not be taken away.
Pastor Dale
Theme- Miraculous Manna
Verses-32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."
42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"
GOD’S PROVISION
The Jews were proud to be the select people of God and experienced the miracle when Moses led them through the wilderness and provided manna for them to eat. Jesus corrected them on the source of the bread. It wasn’t Moses that gave them bread, or manna, but God. Moses prayed and God told them that the next morning in the desert they would go out and find flakes that would be collected and eaten as manna from heaven. They called this sometimes a bread from angels. Could this be the first mention of angel food cakes? They did collect it every day, but the Sabbath when they were to collect the previous day enough for two days, for the Lord would not send bread on the Sabbath. Every day they were to have enough for that day so they were not to store it and keep it, and those that did try to keep too much found it moldy and wormy.
“So give us today our daily bread” is part of the “Lord’s prayer”, recognizing daily that God provides just as he did in the desert. Bread satisfied their hunger and gave them the sustenance they needed.
Some of the quotes from the rabbinical writings were like these “As was the first redeemer so was the final redeemer; as the first redeemer caused the manna to fall from heaven, even so shall the second redeemer cause the manna to fall.” “Ye shall not find the manna in this age, but ye shall find it in the age that is to come.” “For whom has the manna been prepared? For the righteous in the age that is coming. Everyone who believes is worthy and eateth of it.”
God is the provider of the bread from heaven, and Jesus is giving them a teaching they cannot understand that he is the miraculous manna of the New Testament. In fact as God is the first provider so he is the second provider of that which would meet their spiritual need. Jesus was sent from heaven in the Virgin Mary, God’s only son and vs. 35-40 recognizes the fact that he is the provision that will save them. It is only possible through Jesus who gives life. It is a heavenly provision of much greater importance and the Manna was yet another type or picture of Jesus Christ the promised one from heaven.
Vs. 41-42 troubled them for they understood too well what Jesus was saying – that He was a heavenly being. He was God, but they grumbled and said, he is not from heaven for we know him. He is the son of Joseph and of Mary.
Hearts don’t change much. Just as they were looking for physical bread, so today we want God to provide us with things of this world, more than with Himself. Health and wealth, name it and claim it all points to provisions that are temporary. WE praise God it is His grace that desires to meet our physical needs in order that we see our spiritual hunger is satisfied in Him.
I think if God allows us to face unsteady economic times it will be a faith stretcher. But our confidence is the provision today of the true Manna from heaven. His dear son Lord Jesus Christ.
Jeremy Camp sings an old Negro spiritual that is summarized, “In the morning when I rise, Give me Jesus. You can have all this world, Give me Jesus. And when I am alone, give me Jesus. And when I come to die, give me Jesus. You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.” When the slaves had nothing of this world, they had everything in the Manna from Heaven that could not be taken away.
Pastor Dale
Monday, April 21, 2008
Miraculous Manna John 5:25-35
Sermon nugget Mon April 21
Theme Miraculous Manna
Verses John 6:25-31
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"
26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."
28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?
31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
The story is told of by one of my seminary classmates, Karl Smith, that he and his brother were walking down the street of Lebanon. Dr. Bob Smith, their father, was teaching at a university there during his Sabbatical. Suddenly a man jumped from his taxi and began to bawl them out. He was incensed and began chasing them. They ran not knowing what caused this uproar. Their father questioned them closely to see what might have triggered it. When conveying the story to a Lebanese friend it was discovered a piece of bread fell on the ground from a vendor and they kicked it aside off the path.
“Ah, you do not understand Eastern culture. It is good that you had run for you could have easily been physically beaten for such an act. Bread is a symbol of life, it is sacred. Even if it has fallen to the ground, we look upon it with respect and gently move it aside for it is the staff of life, essential for sustenance. For a person to sit together with an enemy and break bread together is like passing the peace pipe among Indians of your country. What would be the reaction among the early Indians to kick a peace pipe if found on the ground? It would mean that you disrespected them and did not want peace. It is the symbol of reconciliation, of trust and responsibility among people.”
Indeed bread is life, and it is the subsistence of every culture in the world. When man first could pound grain into flour and mix it with some liquid and cook, fry or bake it on hot stones, there was food. Every nation and country has breads that are common to their area and known to their nationality, which they bake and provide with pride.
The Jews were blessed with special bread given to them by Moses in the wilderness called Manna from heaven. It was part of their tradition that when the true Messiah will come he will make available this miraculous manna once again for his nation, bread from heaven. When the crowd just experienced the miracle of their lives with the feeding of the 5,000 Jesus said those who come to him will never be hungry, and those who believe in Him will never thirst.
The lesson from Moses giving Manna from heaven was a miracle in the desert. The gift of the Son of God is even a greater miracle. Jesus compares Himself to this bread. It is free to all who receives.
Pastor Dale
Theme Miraculous Manna
Verses John 6:25-31
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"
26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."
28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?
31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
The story is told of by one of my seminary classmates, Karl Smith, that he and his brother were walking down the street of Lebanon. Dr. Bob Smith, their father, was teaching at a university there during his Sabbatical. Suddenly a man jumped from his taxi and began to bawl them out. He was incensed and began chasing them. They ran not knowing what caused this uproar. Their father questioned them closely to see what might have triggered it. When conveying the story to a Lebanese friend it was discovered a piece of bread fell on the ground from a vendor and they kicked it aside off the path.
“Ah, you do not understand Eastern culture. It is good that you had run for you could have easily been physically beaten for such an act. Bread is a symbol of life, it is sacred. Even if it has fallen to the ground, we look upon it with respect and gently move it aside for it is the staff of life, essential for sustenance. For a person to sit together with an enemy and break bread together is like passing the peace pipe among Indians of your country. What would be the reaction among the early Indians to kick a peace pipe if found on the ground? It would mean that you disrespected them and did not want peace. It is the symbol of reconciliation, of trust and responsibility among people.”
Indeed bread is life, and it is the subsistence of every culture in the world. When man first could pound grain into flour and mix it with some liquid and cook, fry or bake it on hot stones, there was food. Every nation and country has breads that are common to their area and known to their nationality, which they bake and provide with pride.
The Jews were blessed with special bread given to them by Moses in the wilderness called Manna from heaven. It was part of their tradition that when the true Messiah will come he will make available this miraculous manna once again for his nation, bread from heaven. When the crowd just experienced the miracle of their lives with the feeding of the 5,000 Jesus said those who come to him will never be hungry, and those who believe in Him will never thirst.
The lesson from Moses giving Manna from heaven was a miracle in the desert. The gift of the Son of God is even a greater miracle. Jesus compares Himself to this bread. It is free to all who receives.
Pastor Dale
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