John: Bread of Life
By: Oasis Church Birmingham
Tags: Christianity, Life, Faith, Resources, Spirituality

John: Bread of Life

Recordings, talk notes and application questions

Each week, we produce notes, discussion points and application questions for the Sunday talks — helping you go deeper into everything we’re looking at together and resourcing our Small Groups during the week. Use the embedded player to listen to the talk, or click here to visit Soundcloud and download it on a PC. You can also subscribe to Oasis podcasts on Spotify, iTunes or Podbean for listening on the go, and you can find the accompanying Powerpoint presentation for this week’s talk here.

Key Passages

John 6

Isaiah 42:2–3

Deuteronomy 8:3

1 Chronicles 11:10–19

1 Corinthians:23–26

Notes

John 6 narrates events that occurred over Passover time. Passover / Exodus themes permeate this whole chapter as we see Jesus doing what God does for His people — feeding in the wilderness, making a way across the waters, speaking of the true bread from heaven that will be given through sacrifice. Jesus is bringing a new exodus of freedom.

The Sign — Feeding the 5000

God cares for the hungry — He always has. God makes a way were there is no way, usually choosing to involve human frailty in his miraculous provision. A little boy’s lunch. Never despise the littleness of who you are or what you have. God’s power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Cor 12:9)

The Waters — Jesus walks to the disciples

In biblical imagery the raging waves of the seas represent hostile forces of chaos.

Life can often feel chaotic and overwhelming. The disciples had gone from the highs of the day to the lows of night. We too can feel that life is so changeable and uncertain.

Jesus meets His disciples in the storm, walking on the waves.

“In the picture language of scripture we are being taught that Christ treads on the abyss, that He is all over the powers of Chaos.” — Glen Scrivener

He speaks a word to calm their fear, “It is I, do not be afraid”… more literally “I AM, be not afraid.”

I Am — the name by which God identifies Himself to Moses at the burning bush (exodus 3) — is once again making a way through the waters to be with His people and lead them to safety. Jesus is with you. Not far off and uninterested. Stepping into the chaos to command peace.

The Bread

The crowd following Jesus has seen the miracle but missed the point.

Perhaps they thought they could get more ‘stuff’ from Jesus — more prosperity, more goods, an easier life.

Though Jesus absolutely does care for all our needs (He feeds hungry bellies), He knows our deepest and truest need is for Him. In Him is fulness of life. To be with Him is true satisfaction. The miracles of Jesus are signs. Signs point to something. Jesus’ signs point to who He is — God with us, the very source of all life and goodness. He is an abundantly generous, self-giving God. If you have Him, you have everything (and so need hold on to nothing — Philippians 4:11–13).

Jesus is the bread of life. He promises to raise up at the last day all who trust in Him. And on the last day, hunger, pain, injustice, Sin, Evil and Death will be no more.

The Feeding

Jesus will give life to the World by laying down His own life — His body to be broken and blood to be shed.

To “eat the flesh and drink the blood” of the Son of Man, is to profit from the sacrifice of Jesus. To look to Him and trust Him as He says ‘this is for you, take what is yours.’ We can understand this from the story of David and His mighty men in 1 Chronicles 11:10–19.

Faith hears the promises of Jesus and the sacrifice He has made and applies it personally.

On the night before Jesus died, at Passover time again, He took bread and once again gave thanks, broke it and offered it to his disciples saying “this is my body, which is for you.” He also gave them the cup of wine saying, “this is the new covenant in my blood.”

The bread and the cup speak a word to us. That speak of Christ given. Sins forgiven. His Resurrection as our future. Christ with us in every storm.

Application Questions