John6:25-40 I AM: the Bread of Life

## I AM: the
# Bread of Life
## John 6:25-40

[James Coleman](https://unsplash.com/photos/_HzRfyw7BuA "caption")

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+ starving, learning to cook 
+ fasting reminds us we are not so strong

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## Jesus is the I AM

+ **Bread** of Life (Jn6)
+ **Light** of the World (Jn8)
+ **Door** for the Sheep (Jn10)
+ Good **Shepherd** (Jn10)
+ Resurrection and the **Life** (Jn11)
+ **Way**, the Truth, and the Life (Jn14)
+ True **Vine** (Jn15)

[pxhere](https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1094065 "caption")

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+ John unique amongst **gospels**:
  + **monologues** of Jesus (red letter)
  + focus on time w/**disciples**
  + focus on **passion week**
+ **I AM** statements:
  + not intended to be **overview of Jn**
  + **lens** to view incarnation
+ How Jesus **self-identifies**
  + reveal **charac** of God
  + I AM: Ex3:14
+ Each one also an **invitation**: CTA

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## Bread of Life (Jn6)
1. Seeking (v25-26)
1. Working (v27-29)
1. Believing (v30-33)
1. Receiving (v34-40)

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+ Context (v1): Galilee, fed 5k
+ response: Prophet/Messiah, but
  + to **overthrow** Romans
+ Jesus withdrew across lake to Capernaum
  + crowds followed
+ "I am": who do **people** say He is?
  + teacher/rabbi, prophet/messiah,
  + rebel/king of ascendant military power
+ "I am": **revealed** self
  + walking on water, to discip:
  + "It is I; fear not"

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When they **found** him on the 
other side of the sea, they said to him, 
“Rabbi, when did you **come** here?”

Jesus answered them, 
“Truly, truly, I say to you, 
you are **seeking** me, not because you saw **signs**, 
but because you ate your **fill** of the loaves.

[John 6:25-26 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Toa Heftiba](https://unsplash.com/photos/uhlTPoH2Eb0 "caption")

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+ e.g., habitual prayer only at meals: for food
+ about necessities of life
+ "fill": satisfied, met need, crisis averted

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# Do I seek Jesus only in times of **crisis**?

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## Bread of Life (Jn6)
1. Seeking (v25-26)
1. **Working** (v27-29)
1. Believing (v30-33)
1. Receiving (v34-40)

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Do not **work** for the food that **perishes**, 
but for the food that **endures** to eternal life, 
which the Son of Man will give to you. 
For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

Then they said to him, “What must we **do**, 
to be doing the works of God?”

Jesus answered them, “This is the **work of God**, 
that you **believe in** him whom he has sent.”

[John 6:27-29 (ESV)](# "ref")
[udit saptarshi](https://unsplash.com/photos/mYT03hytMcU "caption")

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+ work || bread: earning a living
+ transactional: if I work hard enough to please God,
  + then He will bless me
+ work || faith: trust + obey
  + not vain faith, but with action (Jam)

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... which the **Son** of Man will give to you. 
For on him God the **Father** has set his **seal**.”

[John 6:27 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Tel Aviv-Yafo. Joseph Barrientos](https://unsplash.com/photos/oQl0eVYd_n8 "caption")

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+ **seal** of Father on Son: baptism, transfiguration
+ cf gnosticism:
 + not that health, school, work not important 
 + need these to live 
+ but we are more than just biological machines
 + so our needs are not only physical but emotional, relational, spiritual
+ "give us this day our daily bread":
 + manna: enough for 1 day
 + what we need to survive
+ not just needs of the flesh!
 + give me enough patience for today
 + enough grace toward the unlovables 
 + enough humility under God's authority
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# Have I been working hard **for** God, not doing the **work of God**?

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+ work hard on my own life/agenda
+ just prefaced w/"dedication" to God
+ "work of God": faith/belief

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## Bread of Life (Jn6)
1. Seeking (v25-26)
1. Working (v27-29)
1. **Believing** (v30-33)
1. Receiving (v34-40)

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So they said to him, 
“Then what **sign** do you do, 
that we may see and **believe** you? 
What **work** do you perform?

Our fathers ate the **manna** in the wilderness; 
as it is written, 
‘He gave them **bread from heaven** to eat.’”

[John 6:30-31 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Brad Helmink](https://unsplash.com/photos/8EFA86nI6yg "caption")

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+ "what sign will you do?": needs to be big enough
  + benchmark: manna from heaven (Ex16)
+ what convinces me? fake news, AI slop
  + prior **experience**, tradition / culture

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Jesus then said to them, 
“Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not **Moses** 
who gave you the bread from heaven, 
but my **Father** gives you 
the true bread from heaven.

For the **bread of God** is 
he who comes **down** from heaven 
and gives **life** to the world.”

[John 6:30-31 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Hans Ott](https://unsplash.com/photos/Tun6jr3D0Jg "caption")

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+ God **does** provide for daily needs
  + but it **points** to our deeper need
+ CTA: seek not only **blessings**
  + but person of Christ Himself
+ **manna** from heaven, sustains life

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# What **convinces** me? How do I **know** that Jesus is the one I should follow?

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+ faith journey diff for everyone

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## Bread of Life (Jn6)
1. Seeking (v25-26)
1. Working (v27-29)
1. Believing (v30-33)
1. **Receiving** (v34-40)

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They said to him, 
“Sir, **give us** this bread always.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the **bread of life**; 
whoever **comes** to me shall not hunger, 
and whoever **believes** in me shall never thirst.

But I said to you that 
you have **seen** me and yet do **not believe**.

[John 6:34-36 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Ales Krivec](https://unsplash.com/photos/QnNqGoCnBg0 "caption")

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+ "give us this bread": but 
  + "you have seen me and yet do not believe"
+ still thinking of a blessing that Jesus gives
  + Jesus only **intermediary** to blessing

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All that the **Father gives** me will come to me, 
and **whoever comes** to me I will never **cast out**.

For I have come down from heaven, not to do 
my **own will** but the will of him who **sent me**.

And this is the will of him who sent me, that 
I should **lose** nothing of all that he has 
given me, but **raise** it up on the last day.

[John 6:37-39 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Aaron Burden](https://unsplash.com/photos/o--lefJNe0w "caption")

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+ Father **gives**, we **come** (look, believe), Son **receives**
  + not **cast out**, not **lost**, but **raise**
+ look + believe: cf Moses + bronze snake

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For this is the will of my Father, 
that everyone who **looks** on the Son 
and **believes** in him should have eternal life, 
and I will **raise** him up on the last day.”

[John 6:40 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Geetanjal Khanna](https://unsplash.com/photos/8CwoHpZe3qE "caption")

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+ v35: nor **hunger** nor **thirst**
+ cf ch10, no one snatches them out of My hand

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# How does Jesus' **promise** in this passage bring me **comfort**?

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