Seven Signs Revealing His Glory: Session 5 – The Bread of Life

Notes:

The Bread of Life    See Session Slides Here

The feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle mentioned in all 4 gospels. Many had seen Jesus heal the sick and followed Him to see more. Towards evening they were hungry and had nothing to eat. Note:

  • We don’t need to go looking for ministry. God brings it to us. But, just like the disciples we can miss it.
  • Jesus, testing Philip, (from Bethsaida) asked where they could get food.
  • The disciples said, ‘Send them away.’
  • Andrew presented the 5 barley loaves and 2 fishes (pickled sardines)…but what are these?
  • Philip and the others said: ‘I know we can’t do it.’ Andrew said, ‘I don’t know if we can.’ Jesus said, ‘I know we can do it!’ See Jn.6:6. They should have said, ‘Lord, you know.’ That’s the excitement of ministry – we don’t know what He will do – but He knows!
  • Jesus commanded them to sit down in ranks. Then, as He broke them, He distributed them to His disciples and the 5 loaves and 2 fishes became a banquet for 5,000 men + women and children.

This sign shows that He who met our greatest need will meet every other need, Matt.6:33; Rom.8:32.

  • All blessings come to us through the finished work of Christ; not our seed-sowing, Phil.4:19;  2 Cor.8:9.
  • He gives more than enough (12 baskets of fragments over),   2 Cor.9:8.
  • God is glorified in the meeting of material needs,  2 Cor.9:10-13.
  • The sign was intended to teach us to trust Him for all our needs.
  • Mk. 8:19-21. The disciples forgot to bring bread. Jesus wasn’t concerned.
  • We remember much that we should forget – e.g. sins, failures, offences, etc.
  • And we forget what we should remember.

This miracle was a watershed of His ministry. Until now His popularity had been growing in spite of opposition from leaders. But now this miracle brought about a crisis point. Surprisingly, after this miracle many of those who professed to be His disciples walked away from Him.

Jn.6:14-15. At the feast time they looked back to their deliverance from Egypt; now they wanted deliverance from Rome. After this sign they wanted to make Him King. Jesus rejected their effort, sent His disciples away then walked on the water to them. When they saw that He was gone they went to other side too. Note:

  • Jn. 6:26. They followed Him because of the signs (Jn. 6:2). Jesus said they didn’t understand the significance of the sign. Their desire was only for material benefit. If you offer ordinary bread, e.g. charity, healing, etc, i.e. if that is the focus of your ministry, you’ll have a big crowd and no persecution. Vice versa.
  • Jn. 6:27. Don’t labour for the bread that perishes but for living bread that endures eternally. Jesus shocked them by stating that He is that bread, Jn. 6:34-36. The first of the seven ‘I am’s’ in John. Man does not live by bread alone. Bread nourishes the body; but Christ nourishes the soul, Jn.6:48-50.
  • Jn. 6:28-29.What are the works (labour) we need to do? Believe on Me. Even this is a gift by God.
  • Jn. 6:37-40. And those who come will never perish. These ones don’t need coercion, bribery, threatening. They are drawn by God and taught by God. Grace always accomplished what it sets out to achieve.
  • And if we seek His kingdom not only will all our other needs will be met, (Matt. 6:31-33), but also we will never again feel that emptiness that tells us there’s more to life than just material things, Jn.6:35.
  • Matt. 6:30-31. ‘Show us your credentials. Don’t say the feeding of 5,000 because Moses did greater than this. Moses brought bread from heaven; you haven’t. You made more bread from bread’.
  • Jesus replied: 1) It was not Moses but God; 2) That bread was only a symbol of the true, living bread.
  • This bread can do what ordinary bread cannot. Give spiritual life, nourish the soul and even impact the body, i.e. raise it up at the last day never to die again.
  • Without Him one may exist, but not live. Bread can give nourishment; Jesus gives life.
  • Eat His flesh and drink His blood is figurative language. Unless we understand that it by the Spirit it makes no sense. See Jn.3:4,9; 4:11; 6:42; 6:52-57, 63.
  • Many walked away from Him. People will let Jesus be anything, but Lord.
  • Peter: we have tasted this bread of life – we cannot go anywhere else. There is something greater than following Him for the loaves and fishes…it is to give the bread that does not perish to others.


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