Where Does He
Come From?
John 6: 24-35
August 6, 2006
Vs. 24-35
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor
his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to
Capernaum looking for Jesus.
When they found him on the other side of the
sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
Jesus answered them,
“Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw
signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the
food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which
the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set
his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the
works of God?” Jesus
answered them, “This is the work of God, that you
believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign
are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What
work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as
it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then
Jesus said to them,
“Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from
heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For
the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to
the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them,
“I am the bread of life. Whoever
comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be
thirsty.
As children
growing up, we spent many of our summer days playing baseball in the empty
lot in our neighborhood. When we were not playing baseball, we were
exploring the woods and the swamps that bordered our communities or we
rode our bicycles to the river and fished and swam until dark.
It seemed like a miracle would happen every so
often when we would gather together for the day’s activities. By some
miraculous event a stray dog would come up to us and hang around us all
day. Toward the end of the day, we would decide who was going to take the
dog home with him or her. Our parents had to be gracious parents. I think
the harshest question I was ever asked was “where did he come from?” My
response was always the same. I would say: “he just followed me home.” I
forgot to mention that I probably whistle to him, rubbed his head and kept
calling him to me as I made my way back home. Most of the time, the new
found dog would settle in with us for a while and then it would disappear.
As I look back over that part of my life experience, I
realize that we went looking for the dogs just as much as they were
looking for someone to take care of them and love them even if it was just
for a little while.
From the earliest days of life, we start searching for
meaningful events to take place in our lives. A baby cries not long after
entering this world because he or she is hungry. That baby is searching
for nourishment for his or her physical body. As we grow older we look for
other things to enrich our lives. As a child, we look high and low for the
right toy that will make our lives complete. How many of us worshipping in
here remember our first bicycle? I can describe mind right down to its
pedals. As teenagers, we dream about that first car that we will someday
own. I can tell you everything about mine. It was a 1965 Mustang with a
sweet 289 under the hood. It was light gray with blue interior. When the
teenager gets that car – it does not matter if it is new or used – the
teenager experiences an awesome wonderful feeling. As adults, we look for
that right job that will make our lives happy and comfortable. We then
start planning for the future so that someday we will be able to retire
and enjoy all the things that we could not enjoy during our working
careers.
Our life cycle is one with many searching avenues in
them. We seek food to nourish our bodies. We seek work to provide income
for our families and ourselves so that we may live a good and comfortable
life. We seek assurances by investing for our futures. It is natural to
seek those things that will make us happy and fulfilled in life.
Unfortunately, we sometimes place more emphasis on
things and we end up being disappointed with the ways our lives have
turned out. When the crowd realized that Jesus
and his disciples had left them behind. They started looking for him. They
needed to find him. They needed to be fed some more. They looked high and
low and could not find Jesus anywhere so they
got into their boats and went to the other side to look for him.
Listen one more time to that opening conversation as
the evangelist reported it in this passage. “When they found him on the
other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
Jesus answered them,
“Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw
signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the
food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which
the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set
his seal.”
Jesus had just fed the
people physically and spiritually. At that moment in their lives, they
were still seeking physical nourishment. They were looking for food for
their bodies and not food for their souls. They were focused on the
immediate needs of the body. You know what, that is very natural. When we
are hungry, we want to eat so that we may nourish our physical beings.
When we are thirsty, we want to find something to drink to quench that
thirst. Jesus had fed the people. He had
helped them to meet their physical needs and they did not want to lose the
one who had just provided such a great gift to them. They went looking
Jesus for many reasons. They also wondered
where this man had come from and they wondered how he could have fed so
many people.
Jesus informed them that
the food that nourished their bodies also perishes just as their bodies
would perish one day. He let them know that the food that they had just
received met their needs for only the moment. He then challenged them to
discover the food for all life. He challenged them to discover the food
that would last for all eternity.
There is a story about missionary Johnathan
Goforth who lived from1859-1936. He had just spoken in a chapel in
southern China, a man asked to talk to him. The man said, "I have heard
you speak three times, and you always have the same theme. You always
speak of Jesus Christ.
Why?"
The missionary replied, "Sir, before answering your
question, let me ask, 'What did you have for dinner today?'" "Rice,"
replied the man. "What did you have yesterday?" "The same thing."
"And what do you expect to eat tomorrow?" "Rice, of
course. It gives me strength. I could not do without it. Sir, it is --"
the man hesitated as if looking for a strong word. Then he added, "Sir,
it is my very life!" The missionary responded quickly, "What you have
said of rice, Jesus is to our soul! He is
the 'rice' or 'bread of life.'"
Jesus informed the people
that day in that place called Capernaum that he was the true source of
life. He said: “Do
not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for
eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that
God the Father has set his seal.”
That truth rings true today. In our search for
enjoyment and happiness in life, there is one person that can truly grant
us true happiness and fulfillment in life. You have heard it said by many
who have participated in mission trips. You heard it from our folks who
went to Armenia. You heard it from Sam Dixon and Stan Brown when they came
and shared with us about Project Agape. You have heard it from the AUMC
folks who have participated on the mission trips to Jamaica, Asheville,
Tennessee and South Carolina. The folks who seemed to have the least in
life were happy in life. The one common thread that made those situations
so great was the trust and belief that the people had and still have in
Jesus Christ as
their personal savior. By the world’s standards, they did not have a lot.
I guess many would consider them poor. In reality, they were rich because
of their relationship with Christ.
Jesus informed those that were looking for him so that
their bodies could be nourished that He was the bread that sustained life
for all eternity. He informed them as he informs us today that
Jesus the one true Son of
God can provide to all who call upon his name
complete nourishment for eternity. It is not something that starts
tomorrow or in the next life. It is food for the body and soul that starts
today. It gives us the strength to face each new day with great joy in our
hearts and souls even if that day is going to be a tough one.
In verse thirty-five, Jesus
stated: “I am the
bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever
believes in me will never be thirsty.“
There used to be a Merita Bakery in Rocky Mount and I
guess it is still there doing what it did to those of us who used to go by
it years ago. On the days that they baked the bread an aroma would leave
that factory that would drive those passing by wild. The aroma of fresh
baked bread is awesome. It makes one believe that he or she is starving
even if they are not hungry. One was tempted to stop go into that place
and ask for a loaf of bread due to that wonderful aroma that was attacking
the sense of smell.
Jesus is much more than
moments of wonderful aromas. Jesus is much
more than just food for the day. Jesus is the
food for all life. Jesus is indeed the bread
of life. As we come to His table today, may we receive the bread of life
that will be with us for all eternity.
In the name of the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit.
Amen
