Now John chapter 6, in these
earlier verses, our Lord fed a group of people. It was a large multitude. There were 5,000 men alone. He fed them with five barley
loaves and two small fishes. Verse 10, Jesus said, make the
men sit down. There was much grass in that
place, so the men sat down and numbered about 5,000. And Jesus
took the five loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed
to the disciples and the disciples to them that were sat down, and
likewise of the fishers as much as they would. And when they
were filled, he said to his disciples, Gather up the fragments that
remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them
together and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five
barley loaves which remained over and above unto them that
had eaten." Now these people were so impressed with that miracle
that they wanted to make our Lord a king. He says in verse
14, then those men when they had seen the miracle that Jesus
did, they said, this is of a truth. That prophet, I've dealt with
that so often, I won't do it again, that prophet Moses wrote
about, that should come into the world. When therefore Jesus
perceived that they would come and take him by force to make
him a king, he departed again into a mountain alone, himself
alone. Now, when our Lord had left them,
he left his disciples there too. he departed alone. So verse 16,
and when the evening was now come, his disciples went down
into the sea. And they entered into a ship,
and they went over the sea towards Capernaum. It was now dark, and
Jesus was not come to them, but they were sailing from this place
over to Capernaum. And the sea arose by reason of
a great wind that blew, and When they had rowed about five and
twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea
and drawing nigh unto the ship, coming toward the ship. And they
were afraid. But he said to them, It is I,
be not afraid. Then they willingly received
him into the ship, and immediately the ship was at the land whither
they went. Now the next day, these people whom he had fed,
these 5,000 men and more, when the people which stood on the
other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there
save the one, that one whereunto his disciples were entered. And
Jesus was not with his disciples when they went into the boat,
but the disciples had gone away alone, albeit there came other
boats from Tiberias now into the place where they did eat
bread. and after that the Lord had given thanks. When the people
therefore saw that Jesus was not there and his disciples were
not there, they wanted to find him. So they also took shipping
and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. And when they found
him on the other side of the sea, they were baffled. They said, Rabbi, when did you
come over here? And Jesus answered them, now
listen carefully, Truly, truly, I say unto you, you seek me, not because you saw the miracles.
Turn to John 2. These are the people over here
in John 2 that sought Him because of the miracles. You see, these
people were attracted to Christ not because He was the Savior,
not because He was the Redeemer, not because He was the Christ,
but they sought Him for one purpose, physical and material blessings.
That's why they sought Him. physical and material, but health
and wealth. John chapter 2 verse 23, now
when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast days, many
believed in his name, or said they did, or clamored after him,
or saw him like these people. When they saw the miracles which
he did. Well, Nicodemus said that, he said, you've got to
be from God, no man could do these things except God be with
him. Another crowd said his You ever known anybody give sight
to the blind before? Make the lame to walk? Verse
24. But Jesus did not commit himself
to them. He didn't reveal himself to them.
They had a bad motive. They had a bad goal. They weren't concerned with a
relationship with God, to know the living God, to be forgiven
of sin, to have life everlasting. They were interested in this
world, materialism, physical blessing, health and wealth.
And Christ did not commit himself to these people. He knew them. He knew them. And needed not
that any should testify what's in a man. He knew what was in
them. He knew their motive. He knew why they followed him.
He knew why they were there. He knew why they were seeking
him. They wanted something from him. that they couldn't supply
for themselves, and that's materialism and physical blessings. And these
folks here, now let's read where I left off there in verse 26. Jesus answered and said, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, you seek me not because you saw the miracles.
That other crowd is interested in that. You seek me because
you did either the loathe and were failed. That's why you seek
because I fed you." And then he said to them, I tell you,
labor not, work not, endeavor not for meat that perisheth. The things of this earth are
temporary. They're gone after they're used. But labor for that
meat which endureth unto everlasting life. This is why Christ came. I'm come that they might have
life. I'm come that they might have a righteousness. That's
why I'm coming. Labor for that meat which endureth,
which is not typical or temporary, but is eternal unto everlasting
life, which the Son of Man shall give you. Not sell to you, but
give you, give unto you. The Son of Man will give you
life, give you righteousness, give you holiness, give you a
union with God. For him hath the Father sealed.
God the Father hath sealed. What says sealed? God's designated
him. There's none other name under
heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Other foundation
can no man lay than that which is Christ Jesus the Lord. Him
hath the Father designated. Him hath the Father appointed.
Him hath the Father authorized. Him hath the Father revealed
and manifested. Hold that place and turn to Romans
3. There's one God, there's one mediator between God and men,
and that's the man, Christ Jesus. In Romans 3, verse 25, listen
to this. Well, let's read verse 24. Being
justified freely, he said, which the Son of Man will give you,
being justified freely by his grace, not by our works, by his
grace, through his work, the redemption that's in Christ Jesus,
whom God hath set forth. Whom God, that's what Christ
said here, whom the Father hath seen, whom the Father hath set
forth. God hath set him forth in promise,
in prophecy, in the Old Testament pictures now in person, to be
a propitiation through faith in his blood, To declare God's
righteousness, that can only be seen in Christ and can only
be received in Christ. For the remission of sins, even
those that have passed, the Old Testament people, through the
long-suffering of God. To declare, I say, at this time,
God's righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier
of him which believeth in Jesus. Don't labor for those things
that are just passing fancies. The fashion of this world fadeth
away. Change and decay, and all around
me I see, oh, thou who changest not, abide with me. Then they said in verse 28, then
said they unto him, well, what shall we do? What shall we do?
Give us something to do. What shall we do? Now they're
seeking for a relationship with God by doing something. They're seeking for righteousness
in life, not by faith, not as a gift, not by Christ, but by
works. So tell us what we can do that
we might work the works of God. What can we do that's agreeable
to God? What can we do that's acceptable
to God? What can we do that will merit
eternal life? What can we do that will get
the attention of the Almighty? Give us something to do. And Jesus answered. This is the
work of God. This is the work of God. This
is what's well-pleasing in God's sight, that you believe on him
whom God has sent, on Christ. This is the work of God. This
is what is well-pleasing to God. Without faith, it's impossible
to please God. This is what is well-pleasing
in His sight. This is that without which no man can please God.
But you believe on me, Christ said. This is that without which
no work is a good work. This is that without which no
work is a good work. No man can please God doing anything. I give my body to be burned.
I bestow my goods to feed the poor. That's a good work. Not
unless it's done in faith. Not unless it's done for the
glory of Christ. This is that which is pleasing to God. This
is the work of God. This is that without which no
work is a good work. It's a self-promoting work. It's
a self-righteous work. It will help somebody along the
way. But God does not recognize it
as being a good work. I'll tell you a proof of that.
Many will say unto me in the day of judgment, Lord, we preached
in your name. We cast out devils in your name.
We did many wonderful works in your name. But I shall say unto
them, Depart from me, I never knew you, you that work iniquity."
That's right. Without faith it's impossible
to please God. Anybody in this congregation
is not a believer in Christ, cannot please God no matter what
you do. You are denying his son. You
are crucifying his son over again. We'll not have this man reign
over us. You're making God a liar by not
believing the record he had given concerning his son. You cannot
do anything. You may die for your country.
You may die rescuing a baby from the hands of a kidnapper. God
is not pleased. Don't question me on that, that's
so. It's impossible to please God without faith in Christ. You're a nobody in God's sight
if you're not in Christ. I hate to be so hard, but that's
the only language people understand. People don't understand this
tiptoe and do the tulips. They understand one thing, tell
them like it is. That's right. This is the work of God. This
is the work of God. that you believe. You know what
he's saying? This is God's work to enable
you to believe. It's God that worketh in you
to will and to do his good pleasure. You can't do his will and good
pleasure unless he enables you. For by grace are you saved through
faith, that not of yourselves. It's the gift of God. It's not
of works, lest any man should boast with. Here is workmanship
created in Christ Jesus. It's God who worketh in you both
to will and to do his good pleasure. It's given to you, not only to
suffer for him, but to believe on him. Honesty. Faith is the
gift of God. This is the work of God that
you believe. This is work that pleases God
because this is God's work. That's right. God's the giver of faith. Christ
is the object of faith. God's word's the foundation of
faith. Eternal life's the end of faith. That's the reason the disciples
prayed, Lord, increase my faith. The reason the man said, Lord,
I believe, help my unbelief. Don't let me be an unbeliever. Well, they didn't understand.
Listen to verse 30. Then they said to him, well, what sign
do you show? You see, the people of Israel
were always requiring a sign and wonders. They wanted to see
a sign. Well, when they saw one, they sought for another. They
were never satisfied. Show us a sign. What sign do
you show that we may see and believe thee? What do you work?
What sign? He just fed 5,000 of them. They said in verse 31, Our fathers
did eat manna in the desert. You remember the manna called
manna? What is it? But he said, tell us what it
is. Well, that's what it's called. What is it? That's what the word
manna means. What is it? They'd get up in the morning
and there'd be this white bread over the ground, like coriander
seed. Sweet, wonderful taste, like
honey. And they'd go out and gather
enough for each day. You couldn't gather enough for the next day
or week ahead. It'd rot. You had to get it sufficient
for the day. Give us this day our daily bread. And that went
on for 40 years. God fed them with manna. Manna. And they said, they reminded
the Lord Jesus, they said, our fathers did eat manna in the
desert. It's written he gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Now listen. Listen carefully. Here's the
most vital point in my message. This message is entitled, The
Bread of God. Our Lord said, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven. That
bread didn't come from heaven. That manna did not come from
the third heaven. There is more than one heaven.
There is a third heaven. That's the throne of God. That's
the dwelling of God. That's where Christ said to the
feet, Today you will be with me in paradise. That's where
our Mediator is, at the right hand of God. intercedes. Well, this bread didn't come
from that place, the throne of God. It came from this heaven
where the clouds are. That's right. That's where it
came from. See, there's a heaven where the
clouds are, and there's a heaven where the planets are, and there's
a heaven where God is, where God dwells in the heavens. Well, they said he gave them
bread from heaven. Christ said he didn't give you that bread
from heaven. God created that bread, it's
not celestial bread or it wouldn't have rotted. And if they'd eaten
it, they'd live forever if it came from heaven. But he said,
Moses didn't give you that bread from heaven, my Father gives
you the true bread from heaven. This bread I'm talking about
came from that third heaven. The lamb in the midst of the
throne. This bread is God himself. the life of God, the son of God,
the Christ of God, the bread, the living bread, the living
water. This bread came from heaven itself. This is the true bread. That little word, true, really
from heaven, really from the throne. God was in Christ. God left his throne in Christ,
though he never left it. Can't explain that. He never
left the bosom of the Father, but he came down here. He's the
bread, the true bread. What's this word, true? Turn
to John 1, verse 9. There's a lot of light, but this,
John 1, 9, says, this was the true light, which lighteth every man that
cometh into the world. This is the true light. He was
in the world, and the world knew him not. Look at John 15.1. He uses this
frequently, our Lord does. John 15.1, I'm the true vine.
My father's a husbandman. This is the true bread, the true
life, the true vine. Look at Ephesians 4, verse 24. Ephesians 4, 24. Listen. And Paul writes, put on the new
man. which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness, not just feigned holiness, but
holiness which has its expression in things I do, this is true
holiness. Look at Hebrews 8 verse 2, the
true life, the true bond, true holiness, and Hebrews Verse 2
says, a minister of the sanctuary and
of the true tabernacle, the true temple of God, which God pitched,
not man. Oh, where our interest ought
to be, the true tabernacle. A couple more, Hebrews 10, look
at this. And let's approach God with what? Well, it's time to go to church.
I need to go to church because it's the proper thing to do and
it's what gives an example for my children and hear what Mahan
has to say. Hebrews 10.22, let us draw near
with a true heart. This is no place to be out of
habit. Honestly, this is no place to
be to play church, to seek social contact, to improve my business
or my reputation. This is the place where you approach
the true God. He won't fool with anything else. And then 1 John 5, listen to
this, this is a word that that our Lord uses, 1 John 5, verse
20, frequently. And we know that the Son of God
is come and has given us an understanding that we may know him that is
true. Lots of religion, lots of messiahs,
lots of preachers, lots of prophets, lots of gods today, but we may
know him that is true, and we're in him that is true. Even in
his Son, Jesus Christ, this is the true God. This is the true God. This is
life eternal. Now, let's go back to my text. Moses didn't give you bread from
heaven. My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he, the
bread of God is not it, the bread of God is not man, the bread
of God is he. The water of God is he, the life of God is he,
which cometh down from heaven himself and gives his life unto
the world. Well, they still didn't understand.
Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore continually give us
this bread. That's what the woman at the
well said. Give me this water so I won't come back here to
draw water. I won't have to draw water anymore." He said, woman,
you can drink of this water and you'll thirst again. But if you
drink of the water I'm talking about, the true water of life,
you'll never thirst again. And Jesus said to them again,
I am the bread of life. That's what he said to Martha,
I am the resurrection. The resurrection is not a doctrine. The resurrection is not a creed. The resurrection is not an act.
It's a person. Because I live, you live. Because
you're in me, you'll never die. I'm life. Life can't die. Eternal
life can't die. You can sleep, but you can't
die. You can't cease to exist. He
that believeth on me shall never die. And he that cometh, listen, he
that cometh to me shall never hunger. He that believeth on
me shall never thirst. You eat this bread, you'll never
hunger, never thirst again. You'll never seek another religion.
You'll never seek another hope. You'll never seek another peace. You'll never seek another rest.
You'll never hunger for a knowledge of God. You'll know God. He that cometh to me shall never
hunger, never again. Not in this vein. You keep having
to feed this old body here, but this soul is fed on Christ. Look
at verse 50. This is the bread that comes
down from heaven, if a man eat thou, he'll never die. You receive me, you'll never
hunger again, and you'll never die. Look at verse 51. I'm the living bread which came
down from heaven, if any man eat this bread, he'll live forever. He'll live forever. He'll never
hunger, never thirst, never die, and live forever. Look at verse
54. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh
my blood hath everlasting life, and I'll raise him up at the
last day. I'll raise him up. Look at verse 56. And he that
eats my flesh and drinks my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him."
God dwells in you. I'm the bread. I'm the life. I'm the life. I'm the true tabernacle. I'm the true God. And he that
eateth my flesh, that's coming to Christ. I'm the bread of life, he that
cometh to me," that's what it says, he that cometh to me will
never hunger, he that cometh to me will never die, he that
cometh to me will live forever, he that cometh to me, I'll raise
him up at the last day, he that cometh to me, God dwells in him. God dwells in him. Well, there's
the conclusion. Verse 36, I said this to you. You've seen me. You've heard
me. You've witnessed the miracles,
and yet you don't believe. But I'm comforted, and is his
mission a failure? Is his promise of non-effect?
Oh, no. Listen. All that my Father giveth
me, they'll come to me. They shall. And him that cometh
out of no wise cast out. You see, I didn't come down from
heaven to do my will, but the will of him that sent And this
is my Father's will, which is sent me, that of all which he
hath given me, I won't lose a one. I raise them up at the last day.
This is the will of him that sent me, every one that seeth
the Son, seeth what I'm saying, seeth what he preaches. He's
the bread, the true bread, the true temple, the true life, the
true God, and believes it. He sees that and believes it.
I have everlasting life. I'm going to raise him up with
the rest. I have to believe God.