Latest / Bible in a Year with Jack Graham / The Bread of Life - The Gospels

Transcript

The Bread of Life - The Gospels · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Let us pray. And Jesus said unto them, I am
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: John 6.35 Jesus, I thank you for being the source
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: of healing and redemption to those who are lost. Just
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: like bread was accessible to all people no matter the
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: social economic standing, I thank you that your grace and
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: your forgiveness is available to all, no matter where they
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: are in life. Because you are the bread of life,
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: I thank you for nourishing every part of my being.
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: I thank you for making yourself available to rejuvenate and
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: restore those who are lost. In the same way you
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: offered healing to the Gentile woman in today's reading, use
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: me also to offer your grace and mercy to those
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: who have yet to receive it? Because of what you
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: did on the cross, Jesus, we no longer have to
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: hunger and thirst for a connection to our Heavenly Father,
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: but we have direct access into his kingdom and all
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: that he has laid up for us. Oh, thank you
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: that your word is the bread of life. Thank you
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: that I don't have to settle for crumbs of breakthrough,
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: but I can experience it all. In Jesus' name, amen.
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. Continue listening for
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: an incredible Bible story brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: You know your principles, priorities, and practical healthcare needs better
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: than anyone else. That's why Christian Healthcare Ministries empowers you
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: to personalize your health care. As an alternative to health insurance,
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: you can have freedom over your health care decisions and
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: doctors with affordable programs. And when you join, you're surrounded
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: by fellow believers who share the same values. Learn more
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: by visiting chministries.org.
• 2:30
  Speaker 3: The Bread of Life In our last story, Jesus fed
• 2:34
  Speaker 3: 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish.
• 2:39
  Speaker 3: He fed all the people with more to spare, and
• 2:41
  Speaker 3: everyone awed at him. They wanted him to be made king,
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: so Jesus departed before the crowd became violent. The disciples
• 2:49
  Speaker 3: departed on a boat while Jesus stayed on shore to pray. Then,
• 2:54
  Speaker 3: in power and glory, Jesus walked on the water to
• 2:57
  Speaker 3: return with his disciples. Now we learn about the crowd
• 3:01
  Speaker 3: finding Jesus once again. Instead of feeding them food, he
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: feeds them the truth about who he is. He speaks
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: powerful truths hidden behind awkward metaphors, so awkward that many
• 3:14
  Speaker 3: depart from him, inspired.
• 3:16
  Speaker 4: By the Gospels. Hello, Pastor Jack Graham here with another
• 3:22
  Speaker 4: episode of The Bible in a Year. We're so grateful
• 3:25
  Speaker 4: for so many of you who are listening and engaging
• 3:28
  Speaker 4: with God's Word with us. In our last episode, we
• 3:32
  Speaker 4: heard how Jesus fed a multitude of people with just
• 3:35
  Speaker 4: five loaves of bread and two fish, showing the people
• 3:38
  Speaker 4: that God brings abundance even in the most unlikely of situations.
• 3:44
  Speaker 4: The people were amazed but failed to recognize Jesus' true
• 3:48
  Speaker 4: intent and identity. They tried to make him king according
• 3:51
  Speaker 4: to their own desires, but he retreated to a quiet
• 3:54
  Speaker 4: place to pray. Later, Jesus walked on the water, striking astonishment, awe,
• 4:00
  Speaker 4: and adoration from his disciples as they worshiped him. Today,
• 4:05
  Speaker 4: we'll hear as Jesus teaches about the bread that truly matters,
• 4:08
  Speaker 4: not the kind of bread that temporarily satisfies, but a
• 4:12
  Speaker 4: bread that gives life, eternal life, and abundant satisfaction. Let's
• 4:17
  Speaker 4: listen now to today's reading.
• 4:21
  Speaker 3: The day after Jesus had fed the 5,000, he was
• 4:24
  Speaker 3: on the other side of the sea with his disciples.
• 4:27
  Speaker 3: They sat on the shore and ate together, enjoying the
• 4:30
  Speaker 3: solitude away from the crowds. The people had seen the
• 4:33
  Speaker 3: disciples depart on their boat the day before, but they
• 4:36
  Speaker 3: knew that Jesus had not joined them. They searched all
• 4:39
  Speaker 3: night and day for Jesus, not knowing that he had
• 4:42
  Speaker 3: walked on the sea to join his disciples. The crowds
• 4:45
  Speaker 3: had finally sailed and walked to Capernaum to find Jesus.
• 4:49
  Speaker 3: They saw him on the shore with his friends and
• 4:51
  Speaker 3: ran towards him,' Rabbi!' they exclaimed.' When did you come here?'
• 4:56
  Speaker 3: They were worried that Jesus had left the region. They
• 4:59
  Speaker 3: wanted to be near him to see more signs. Jesus
• 5:03
  Speaker 3: stood on the boat to speak to the whole crowd.
• 5:05
  Speaker 3: He was concerned about why they had followed him. So
• 5:09
  Speaker 3: he spoke clearly, saying,' You are not seeking me because
• 5:12
  Speaker 3: you saw signs or listened to the teachings. You are
• 5:15
  Speaker 3: seeking me because your bellies were filled with bread and fish.' Jesus'
• 5:21
  Speaker 3: words struck a chord with the people. He was right.
• 5:24
  Speaker 3: They were so excited that Jesus was able to feed them,
• 5:27
  Speaker 3: they came in expectation that he would do it again.
• 5:30
  Speaker 3: Jesus raised his voice again, saying, Do not look to
• 5:34
  Speaker 3: fill yourselves with food that perishes. You will be hungry
• 5:38
  Speaker 3: again and again for it. But seek the food that
• 5:41
  Speaker 3: satisfies your soul. Seek eternal life. The crowds were confused
• 5:47
  Speaker 3: and curious at Jesus' words. What shall we do then
• 5:50
  Speaker 3: to inherit eternal life? they asked. Believe in him who
• 5:54
  Speaker 3: God has sent, Jesus responded. He was speaking of himself
• 5:59
  Speaker 3: and the work he would do on the cross. How
• 6:02
  Speaker 3: are we to know that you are the true one
• 6:04
  Speaker 3: that God has sent?
• 6:05
  Speaker 4: They asked.
• 6:06
  Speaker 3: Even Moses gave our ancestors bread from heaven, manna. Jesus
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: shook his head and said, It was not Moses who
• 6:13
  Speaker 3: gave them manna, it was God. God is the provider
• 6:17
  Speaker 3: of all things, and he has provided you with the
• 6:20
  Speaker 3: true bread that gives life to the whole world. The
• 6:23
  Speaker 3: crowds were stirring when Jesus mentioned bread that gives eternal life.
• 6:28
  Speaker 3: They pleaded with Jesus, saying, Where is this bread? Could
• 6:31
  Speaker 3: you give it to us? For they thought that Jesus
• 6:34
  Speaker 3: was speaking of a specific meal. They did not understand
• 6:37
  Speaker 3: the true meaning behind his words. Jesus raised his arms
• 6:41
  Speaker 3: and shouted, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes
• 6:45
  Speaker 3: to me shall never hunger again. They will be satisfied.
• 6:49
  Speaker 3: Whoever comes to me will be taken care of. Whoever
• 6:52
  Speaker 3: comes to me will never be cast away. I have
• 6:56
  Speaker 3: come from heaven to do the will of him who
• 6:59
  Speaker 3: sent me, and I am not going to lose anyone
• 7:02
  Speaker 3: who comes into my arms. For the will of God
• 7:05
  Speaker 3: is this, that whoever looks upon me shall have eternal life.
• 7:11
  Speaker 3: Some people awed at Jesus' words, but others grumbled. Some
• 7:15
  Speaker 3: of them spat on the ground and said, I know
• 7:18
  Speaker 3: this man. He is the son of Joseph the carpenter.
• 7:22
  Speaker 3: Who is he to now say he has come down
• 7:24
  Speaker 3: from heaven? Jesus could see the crowd stirring. They disputed
• 7:29
  Speaker 3: among themselves as to whether Jesus was truly God himself.
• 7:34
  Speaker 3: Jesus watched as they argued. Do not grumble among yourselves,
• 7:38
  Speaker 3: Jesus said. The Father will draw those who come to me.
• 7:42
  Speaker 3: Whoever has seen me has seen God. Your forefathers ate
• 7:46
  Speaker 3: manna in the wilderness and they eventually died. However, whoever
• 7:50
  Speaker 3: eats of my flesh and drinks of my blood will
• 7:53
  Speaker 3: never die. These words repulsed many of the people. They
• 7:58
  Speaker 3: cringed and said, Now he wants us to eat his
• 8:00
  Speaker 3: flesh and drink his blood? The closer followers of Jesus
• 8:04
  Speaker 3: were also disturbed by this. They found it hard to
• 8:07
  Speaker 3: imagine themselves eating Jesus' flesh and drinking his blood. It
• 8:12
  Speaker 3: reminded them of the old pagan rituals of the Canaanites.
• 8:16
  Speaker 3: This is a hard saying, Jesus, the people said. Does
• 8:20
  Speaker 3: this offend you? Jesus asked. I speak in the spirit
• 8:23
  Speaker 3: who gives life. There will be some of you who
• 8:26
  Speaker 3: do not understand and do not believe. It was true,
• 8:30
  Speaker 3: for many of the close followers of Jesus had already
• 8:33
  Speaker 3: been thinking of leaving his side. They did not believe
• 8:36
  Speaker 3: the words of Jesus and were looking for any excuse
• 8:38
  Speaker 3: to leave him. So as Jesus spoke, many of them
• 8:41
  Speaker 3: turned away and left him. Jesus watched as dozens of
• 8:45
  Speaker 3: his close followers left. All that remained were the twelve.
• 8:49
  Speaker 3: Jesus looked at Peter and said, Are you going to
• 8:52
  Speaker 3: leave me as well? Peter shook his head. Where would
• 8:56
  Speaker 3: we go?
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: He asked.
• 8:58
  Speaker 3: You alone have the words of eternal life. Peter gestured
• 9:01
  Speaker 3: to the other disciples and said, Even though you may
• 9:04
  Speaker 3: be hard to understand sometimes, we have come to know
• 9:07
  Speaker 3: that you are the holy ones sent by God. So
• 9:11
  Speaker 3: Jesus and his disciples departed to the district of Tyre
• 9:15
  Speaker 3: and Sidon. The sun was high and hot in the sky.
• 9:19
  Speaker 3: The streets were busy with commerce and children played among themselves.
• 9:23
  Speaker 3: As the disciples were walking, they were approached by a
• 9:25
  Speaker 3: Canaanite woman. She was not a Jew and therefore it
• 9:28
  Speaker 3: was culturally taboo for her to come to Jesus, a rabbi.
• 9:33
  Speaker 3: Please have mercy on me, O Lord. Son of David,
• 9:36
  Speaker 3: have mercy on me, the woman pleaded. My daughter is
• 9:39
  Speaker 3: severely oppressed by a demon. She writhes in pain and
• 9:44
  Speaker 3: is tormented day and night. Jesus did not answer her. However,
• 9:48
  Speaker 3: she persisted and walked with the disciples. Jesus was listening
• 9:52
  Speaker 3: to her incessant cries. He heard her, but he was
• 9:55
  Speaker 3: waiting to see the response of his disciples. Finally, the
• 9:59
  Speaker 3: disciples leaped towards Jesus and said, You should send this
• 10:02
  Speaker 3: woman away. It is not right for us to mingle
• 10:04
  Speaker 3: with her. Jesus turned to the woman and said, You
• 10:08
  Speaker 3: know I have come to shepherd the lost sheep of Israel.
• 10:12
  Speaker 3: His tone was impassive and seemingly out of character. However,
• 10:15
  Speaker 3: the woman did not waver. Please, Lord, help me. It
• 10:20
  Speaker 3: is not right for me to take the children's bread
• 10:22
  Speaker 3: and throw it to puppies, he said. Yes, but even
• 10:26
  Speaker 3: the puppies get scraps from the table, the woman protested. Please,
• 10:30
  Speaker 3: you are my only hope. Jesus smiled. The woman's answer
• 10:34
  Speaker 3: revealed a humble spirit. Although Jesus had always planned to
• 10:38
  Speaker 3: help her, he wanted her heart to be displayed among
• 10:40
  Speaker 3: the disciples. Great is your faith, Jesus said to her.
• 10:45
  Speaker 3: Go home. Your daughter is healed. Thus began the healing
• 10:49
  Speaker 3: power of God extended to the Gentiles and not just
• 10:52
  Speaker 3: the Jews. Soon the whole world would know that Jesus
• 10:56
  Speaker 3: was the source of life and healing. This woman and
• 10:59
  Speaker 3: her daughter were only the beginning.
• 11:12
  Speaker 4: In today's scripture, Jesus and his disciples have sailed to
• 11:15
  Speaker 4: the other side of the Sea of Galilee, away from
• 11:18
  Speaker 4: the crowds. It was a moment of quiet that was
• 11:20
  Speaker 4: growing increasingly rare as the crowds continued to follow Jesus
• 11:25
  Speaker 4: wherever they could find him. And it wasn't long before
• 11:28
  Speaker 4: they found Jesus again on the shores of Capernaum. Jesus
• 11:32
  Speaker 4: knew their motives for seeking him were often misguided and
• 11:36
  Speaker 4: even selfish. They weren't always seeking words of truth or
• 11:40
  Speaker 4: Even seeking miracles, they wanted physical comfort. So Jesus called
• 11:45
  Speaker 4: them out, saying they weren't interested in what he had
• 11:47
  Speaker 4: to say. They wanted to get their bellies full to
• 11:51
  Speaker 4: eat more bread and fish. They were only thinking of today,
• 11:55
  Speaker 4: of here and now, failing to see that Jesus had
• 11:58
  Speaker 4: so much more to give to them. He told them
• 12:01
  Speaker 4: that they should be looking for food that brings life,
• 12:04
  Speaker 4: eternal life, rather than chasing after the food that will
• 12:08
  Speaker 4: not last. To their credit, They asked Jesus what they
• 12:12
  Speaker 4: were to do to get this eternal life. It was
• 12:15
  Speaker 4: a good question, but one rooted in a belief that
• 12:18
  Speaker 4: works could somehow make one right with God. But listen
• 12:22
  Speaker 4: to how Jesus replied in Matthew 6, 29. Jesus answered
• 12:26
  Speaker 4: and said to them, This is the work of God,
• 12:29
  Speaker 4: that you believe in him whom he has sent. This
• 12:33
  Speaker 4: is the ultimate truth that Jesus is communicating to us today.
• 12:38
  Speaker 4: There is nothing we can do to gain or inherit
• 12:41
  Speaker 4: eternal life or salvation except by grace through faith in Him,
• 12:46
  Speaker 4: trusting and believing in Jesus and what He has done
• 12:48
  Speaker 4: for us, His cross, His resurrection. This is the message
• 12:52
  Speaker 4: of the gospel. Our actions, our behavior will certainly flow
• 12:56
  Speaker 4: out of belief, but the work of salvation was done
• 12:59
  Speaker 4: by Christ and Christ alone on the cross. There is
• 13:02
  Speaker 4: nothing that you or I, any of us can do
• 13:05
  Speaker 4: to gain approval or right standing with God on our own.
• 13:09
  Speaker 4: This is why we desperately need Jesus and that he
• 13:12
  Speaker 4: gives eternal life. For it is by grace that we
• 13:16
  Speaker 4: are saved through faith. But as we heard, the people
• 13:19
  Speaker 4: still didn't understand. They asked how they were to know
• 13:22
  Speaker 4: Jesus was the Messiah. After all, Moses gave them manna
• 13:26
  Speaker 4: in the wilderness. Of course, it was not Moses who
• 13:28
  Speaker 4: gave people the manna. And Jesus told this to the
• 13:31
  Speaker 4: people very clearly. It was God who gave the manna.
• 13:35
  Speaker 4: It is God who gives everything. He gives every good
• 13:38
  Speaker 4: and perfect gift that comes down from above according to
• 13:41
  Speaker 4: the scripture. It's a reminder to all of us that
• 13:45
  Speaker 4: God works through people to bring blessings and provision, but
• 13:48
  Speaker 4: we must never forget that it is God who himself
• 13:51
  Speaker 4: provides for us. God is faithful and he never forsakes
• 13:55
  Speaker 4: us and he always provides for us. And now Jesus said,
• 13:59
  Speaker 4: God has provided the true bread of life. Speaking of himself,
• 14:04
  Speaker 4: Jesus is the bread of life. And this bread satisfies
• 14:08
  Speaker 4: the deepest hunger of the human heart, the deepest hunger
• 14:12
  Speaker 4: of the soul. Jesus then told everyone that whoever would
• 14:17
  Speaker 4: come to him and believe in him would have eternal life. Clearly,
• 14:21
  Speaker 4: the people knew Jesus was special, very special. But to
• 14:24
  Speaker 4: hear him say that he came from God and that
• 14:26
  Speaker 4: he alone would give them eternal life was way too
• 14:31
  Speaker 4: much for some. They saw him as a carpenter's son,
• 14:34
  Speaker 4: just a man, just a carpenter. But Jesus went on.
• 14:38
  Speaker 4: It was time for the people to hear the word
• 14:40
  Speaker 4: of truth he came to give them. And when he
• 14:43
  Speaker 4: said that he was different from that man of which
• 14:45
  Speaker 4: their forefathers ate, he then said anyone who ate his
• 14:50
  Speaker 4: flesh and drank his blood would never die. Of course,
• 14:54
  Speaker 4: those aren't the easiest words for us to understand. Jesus
• 14:59
  Speaker 4: knew that this was difficult for many to accept. Some
• 15:02
  Speaker 4: would even be offended. They could not understand. He was
• 15:06
  Speaker 4: speaking a spiritual truth, but their minds were still focused
• 15:09
  Speaker 4: on the physical, on what they could see, what they
• 15:11
  Speaker 4: could taste. How often do we limit God by our
• 15:15
  Speaker 4: own spiritual inadequacy? And so many that day left, and
• 15:20
  Speaker 4: they didn't follow Jesus after that. So looking to his disciples,
• 15:24
  Speaker 4: Jesus saw that they remained. And Peter's words are one
• 15:28
  Speaker 4: of the great confessions of faith that we find in
• 15:31
  Speaker 4: the Bible. Jesus asked them, will you also go away?
• 15:36
  Speaker 4: And Simon Peter said, where would we go? You have
• 15:39
  Speaker 4: the words of eternal life. Such great truth. In Christ
• 15:44
  Speaker 4: and Christ alone, we have eternal life. His words are
• 15:48
  Speaker 4: truth and his words are timeless. He gives eternal life.
• 15:53
  Speaker 4: Peter's words demonstrated why Jesus chose him and the other men.
• 15:57
  Speaker 4: They were far from perfect. They weren't educated men who
• 16:01
  Speaker 4: knew all of the laws of the religious group, but
• 16:04
  Speaker 4: they had faith and they put their trust in Jesus,
• 16:06
  Speaker 4: even though they couldn't quite yet comprehend it all. They
• 16:10
  Speaker 4: followed Jesus because they did believe that he was the
• 16:13
  Speaker 4: one that God had sent. They followed Jesus because he
• 16:16
  Speaker 4: was so compelling and so compassionate. All but one of
• 16:20
  Speaker 4: the men, and Jesus knew which one would betray him,
• 16:24
  Speaker 4: chose to follow him all the way, and to fulfill
• 16:27
  Speaker 4: God's plans and purposes. Our reading closes with another encounter
• 16:31
  Speaker 4: with an outsider, a Gentile woman in need of healing.
• 16:35
  Speaker 4: She pled with Jesus, believing he could make her whole. Jesus'
• 16:39
  Speaker 4: actions and words may seem harsh and uncaring, but they
• 16:42
  Speaker 4: are far from it. He was teaching the disciples that
• 16:45
  Speaker 4: his love, his grace, his healing, ultimately the salvation that
• 16:49
  Speaker 4: he offers was meant for all, not just for Jewish people,
• 16:53
  Speaker 4: not just for people like the disciples. It's a message
• 16:56
  Speaker 4: for the entire world. Let's pray. God, we do thank
• 17:01
  Speaker 4: you for eternal life. Thank you, Jesus, for providing this
• 17:04
  Speaker 4: gift to us. For your love, for your grace, for
• 17:08
  Speaker 4: your help, for your hope, we give you praise. Thank
• 17:12
  Speaker 4: you that you bring the words of eternal life to
• 17:14
  Speaker 4: us every day. May we take those words to the
• 17:17
  Speaker 4: world as well. May we bring the bread of heaven
• 17:20
  Speaker 4: to earth by preaching the gospel and witnessing of your
• 17:23
  Speaker 4: love and power to save In Jesus' name, amen. Thank
• 17:28
  Speaker 4: you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
• 17:32
  Speaker 4: I'm Jack Graham of Dallas, Texas. You can download the
• 17:35
  Speaker 4: Pray.com app and make prayer and Bible study the priority
• 17:38
  Speaker 4: of your life. And if you enjoyed this podcast, tell
• 17:42
  Speaker 4: someone about it. Pass it on. Let others know because
• 17:44
  Speaker 4: it is our desire to get God's Word to as
• 17:47
  Speaker 4: many people as possible as fast as possible. And if
• 17:52
  Speaker 4: you want to know more about what it means to
• 17:54
  Speaker 4: be a Christ follower, what it means to be a
• 17:56
  Speaker 4: disciple of Jesus, then go to jackgraham.org, jackgraham.org. And we
• 18:02
  Speaker 4: have many resources that are available for you there. God
• 18:06
  Speaker 4: bless you.