Thoughts from Pastor Stan

INTRO

Today is World Communion Sunday. Look at this altar table that Joan has covered with a variety of breads.

QUESTION: Do you like bread?

PASSING OF THE PEACE

Scripture: John 6:35 Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life”

Question: What does it mean to you when Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life”?

INTRO TO SCRIPTURE

Jesus just fed the five thousand with a couple loaves of bread and fish on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee (John 6:1ff).

LET IT GROWL (30 hours of fasting concluded with communion)

(physical/spiritual hunger)

POINT: Jesus finished satisfying the physical hunger & now it’s spiritual hunger

That evening, his disciples boarded a boat headed west toward Capernaum without Jesus (6:17). Jesus had departed from the disciples earlier in the day and went up on the mountain to be alone (6:150. Later that evening, while the disciples were still in the boat headed toward Capernaum, in the midst of a storm; Jesus came to the disciples 6:21). When the people became aware that neither Jesus nor the disciples were no longer on the eastern shore, they jumped in their boats and went west to Capernaum.

SCRIPTURE: John 6: 25 - 58

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. 27Do 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."

POINT: Focus not on the gift, but the giver

28Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

29Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to BELIEVE IN THE ONE HE HAS SENT."

30So they asked him, "What miraculous SIGN then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

32Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not MOSES who has given you the bread from heaven,

NOTE: Biblical Model of Evangelism: Begin with the listener. It’s Passover (6:4). Moses led the people out of bondage in Egypt to the Promised Land (freedom). They were fed bread from Heaven (Exodus 16:4). Also, it will once again rain down bread from heaven (as a sign) when the Messiah arrives (2 Bar 29:9 & Midrash Rabbah Ecclesiastes 1:9).

32b but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For 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.

NOTE: Jesus using the bread analogy from the Passover/Exodus and is now reinterpreting it as he who comes to give life. Somewhat similar to the living water analogy with the woman at the well (John 4).

NOTE: This is the first of the 7 “I am” statements (bread, light, gate, good shepherd, resurrection, way and the truth, true vine). All echoing God’s statement in Exodus(3:14), “I am, I am”

NOTE: JOHN 8:58"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" 59At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

NOTE: the response indicates they considered Jesus’ statement blasphemy.

NOTE: Jesus once again responds to the needs of the people.’

POINT: Bread was the sustenance of the people Now Jesus is the sustenance of the people. We connect with God and Jesus and each other through the Bread of LIfe. Bread of life gives life, it gives Jesus, and we connect with God and each other through this meal

35b He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

NOTE: Just like the woman at the well, who will never be thirsty again (John 4:14)

36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.

NOTE: To often we are giving the solution, but we want it our way and do not follow the truth. Not all are wiling to admit their huger/thirst (Augustine’s idea of vacuum to be filled by God). The people are in darkness (John 6: 59 - 66). Let’s fill it with something else.

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'?"

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. 45It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.'^[d^] Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51I 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."

52Then 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, YOUHAVE NOLIFE IN YOU. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just 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. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." 59He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

PROBLEM IN EARLY CHURCH (over CANNIBALISM)

Non Christians in the Roman Empire were beginning to suspect that Christians were Cannibals because of the Eucharist. Early Church Father, Athanasius wrote an APOLOGY to defend the Christian practice of the Eucharist.

INTRO TO I CORINTHIANS 10: 16 - 17

Which gets us to today, World Communion Sunday. churches around the world are celebrating this sacred meal.

SCRIPTURE: I CORINTHIANS 10:

16Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

PROBLEM

Some people don’t want bread, I can live without it. They do not pray “Give us this day our Daily Bread” (Lord’s Prayer) They are not interested in bread, they an live without it. So, they choose to fill their lives up with other things besides the Bread of Life.

CHALLENGE