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[0:00] Good morning. Warm welcome to everyone as we gather on the Lord's Day to worship Him. It's good to see so many of you. It's good to see a few visitors with us and you're all very welcome.

[0:14] Welcome those online as well and with us that they would know the blessing of gathering with us people likewise. There'll be tea after the morning service and I think all the intimations were on the screen so I don't need to run through any of that. So we'll begin our time of worship by singing in Psalm 100.

[0:35] A word should come up on the screen, Psalm 100. All people on earth do dwell. Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice. Himself with mirth is praiseworthy to tell. Come ye before Him and rejoice.

[0:50] I call to each of us to come and sing to the Lord with cheerful voice as we come into His presence. So let us do that as we stand to sing these words. All people on earth do dwell. Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.

[1:05] All people that on earth do dwell. Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.

[1:19] Him serve with mirth is praiseworthy to tell. Come ye before Him and rejoice.

[1:32] Know that the Lord is God indeed. Without our aid He did us make.

[1:48] We are His flock He doth us eat. And for His sheep He doth us take.

[2:03] O enter then His gates with praise. Approach with joy His courts unto.

[2:16] Praise God and bless His name always. For it is simply so to do.

[2:31] For why the Lord and God is good. His mercy is forever sure.

[2:46] His mercy is forever. And shall from it to it endure.

[3:00] Let us join together in prayer. Let us pray together. Our Father in heaven, we give thanks that we can call upon you today.

[3:15] We give thanks that we can gather in your name as your people to worship you together. And Lord, we pray as we do so. And Lord, we pray as we do so. We would find ourselves with humble hearts and approach you.

[3:29] That we would consider what we are doing as we draw together in this place at this hour. That we come under your word. That we draw near to you in prayer. That we rejoice and give thanks to you in song.

[3:41] And Lord, we pray that we would know your blessing over us. We pray that your spirit would accompany us as we gather together. And that we would know what it is to be in the presence of God.

[3:56] To know His voice speaking into the depths of our hearts. To feel Him at work within us. Correcting us, directing us, encouraging and comforting us.

[4:09] And that we may say it is good for us to be here. To be under this word. To gather on your day. And Lord, as we gather here publicly, we pray also.

[4:20] That we would know you in a privacy of our own hearts. In the privacy of our own times. As we think about the world that has been created around us.

[4:31] As we think about the years that we have lived. As we think about the uncertainties of life ahead of us. Cast our minds, Lord, we pray to you. And who has authority over all things.

[4:44] Who is the creator of all things. Who sustains us with every breath. Lord, we pray that we would continually be thinking of you.

[4:55] And that we would direct our minds heavenward at all times. In all circumstances. Lord, we pray as we draw together today. That you would bless us in our time.

[5:08] That we know your spirit accompanying us in each word that we speak. And that we would be blessed in doing so. We are mindful of those who preach your word elsewhere.

[5:22] We think particularly of Stuart in Scalpy. And David in Stornoway. As he and the church gather under the Lord's Supper.

[5:34] We pray that you would bless David. As he does so. And the congregation as they receive that. Supper, Lord, we pray that it would be an encouragement to each person there.

[5:48] We pray your power of the spirit to accompany those who preach your word wherever they are. Across their world and nation we pray. That it may be come with power and great effect.

[5:59] Lord, that you may draw your people unto yourself. That your kingdom may come. That you may draw and call those from the highways and byways.

[6:12] There are many who reject your word this morning. But we pray that you would still send forth your labourers to call. To announce the good news of the king.

[6:23] That he has prepared a banquet for all who will come. A meal for those who will receive it. And so, Lord, we pray. May we know what it is to come into your presence.

[6:37] And receive the goodness of what you have provided for your people. Through Christ Jesus. We thank you for each and everyone that is gathered here.

[6:48] We thank you that you know us greater sense than we know ourselves. And that you know how to speak to us as a loving father. Speak to us as children. You know what is best for us.

[6:59] So, we pray. Give us today what is best for us. Give us a word that we need to hear within our hearts. Give us a word that will direct us. Lord, we pray.

[7:11] We pray for young and old. We thank you for all the activities that take place in this congregation. And we pray that you would bless them all. That you would encourage the elderly in their age.

[7:26] And as they grow in weakness, we pray that you would be with them as their comfort. We pray that you would give them their strength. And that they would look upon you with confidence and hope.

[7:40] Steadfast and faithful. Holding fast to your word and the promises in it. That are there in Christ Jesus. So, as we gather, we pray.

[7:50] Make Jesus true and real to us. Make us promises sure and firm to us to embrace and lay hold of. May you do our work in our hearts, we pray.

[8:03] All in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. So, I'll ask if the younger ones can come down to the front. I think we'll go with this side.

[8:13] We've got a wee different layout. So, we'll stick with this side. We'll see how we get on with that. Look how we're a bit tight. We'll stick with this side today. Let's see how we get on.

[8:26] I think it's quite good. I can see everyone better this way. So, it's quite good. So, right. I've got something for you. I want you. I hope I've got enough cups.

[8:36] I want you all to take a cup, okay? Okay. Okay. Now I want you to imagine, the grown-ups can imagine, I swear, even though they don't have a cup in their hand.

[9:13] I want you to imagine that that cup is you. That is you. That is you. Everything that you add is that cup. And I'm going to give you something here.

[9:28] Now, what do we do in our lives that is bad? What do we call that? What does God call that? Sin. I want you to pretend for the moment that this is sin.

[9:44] The bad things that you do. So hold your cups up. Do you do anything wrong with my cup? You don't. Just do it, it is. Maybe you can send one thing down to you.

[10:05] And Lily, you've got a few more in there. Lily, you've done anything wrong? Yes. Never got angry?

[10:16] Never said something wrong? You felt silly too. You good all the time?

[10:27] No, I don't know. I'm ready. We'll only give you two. There's not much in these packs.

[10:38] I hope I don't know. Be nice to everyone. We say things.

[10:50] I listen every day. Sometimes we go. Always listen. Okay. So what's happened is, every time we do something wrong, it's like sin going into our lives, isn't it?

[11:09] And we say wrong things that we shouldn't say. You know, we want to say good things, we say wrong things. When we want to be good, we do bad things, don't we?

[11:21] Our parents maybe get angry at us sometimes when we don't listen, and we don't do what they say. So we have sin in our lives. We don't listen to what God tells us to do.

[11:32] He tells us to listen to our parents. And we don't. There's sin, sin. When we say bad things. When we think bad things, when we say bad words, all that is sin. Okay.

[11:43] What does Jesus do for us? When he died on the cross, what did Jesus take away from us?

[11:54] Our sin. Our sin. Yeah. And Jesus asks us to believe on him, and he will take away our sin.

[12:05] So at the moment, you've all got sin, don't you? And your cups have lots of sin in it. If we pretend the eggs are sin. I want you to pretend this is Jesus.

[12:17] Okay? So what do you have to do if you want to get rid of your sin? Who do you come to? Jesus. So I want you all to come and put your sin, put your sin in this cup.

[12:37] Okay? You want to come and put it in?

[12:55] Come and put it in. There's times that we do like sin in our lives. And we do enjoy holding on to it.

[13:09] We don't want to give it away. But we know it's not good for us. And the Bible tells us that we've done lots of bad things. But look at your, what you, if you come to Jesus, and you ask him to take away your sin, what's happened to your cups now?

[13:32] Empty. What's not in it? There's no, there's no what in it? No sin. No sin. No sin.

[13:43] No sin. Do you know that God can't look at sin? God is perfect. And God can't bear to look at sin because he is so perfect.

[13:55] And that's why Jesus came. Because we, when we have sin in us, God can't look at us in a sense. We can't come into his presence.

[14:10] Jesus came so that we could. So that all the sin in our lives can be taken away. So that when God looks at us, he looks into your life.

[14:27] And if you've come to Jesus, and if you've tipped your sin into Jesus, and asked him to take away all your sin, God will look at you, and look at your life, and he'll say, there's no sin.

[14:46] Jesus has washed away and taken away all your sin. It's a simple thing. When we see it like this.

[14:57] We come to Jesus, we know we have sin in our cups. We come to Jesus, we tip it in, we ask him to take it away. But what did Jesus have to do to pay for our sin?

[15:09] Die. Die. Where did he have to die? On the cross. On the cross. Jesus had to die on the cross for our sin. Jesus had to pay our price in order to take it.

[15:22] All that sin at the cross was given to Jesus. And he paid for, he got into trouble, in a sense, for the things that we did. So that we wouldn't.

[15:34] Okay. When we come to Jesus, he takes all the wrong that we've done. And when we see our lives in Jesus, when God sees our lives in Jesus, there's no sin in it.

[15:51] Because Jesus washed it out. Okay. So we'll say a short prayer together. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for Jesus. Who we can come to and who he calls us to come to him.

[16:05] Confessing our sins, knowing that we have done lots of wrong things in our lives. But you are one that promises to wash away our sin. Cast it as far away as we cannot see it ever again.

[16:20] And because Jesus has died on the cross for us, we can come and be with God. Because he has washed away all our sin.

[16:32] And we are made righteous in his sin. So be with us, we pray. Watch over us and keep us. In Jesus' name. Amen. So make a wee pile of the cups there. And we'll continue in singing.

[16:46] We'll sing in amazing grace. Word up on the screen. Using this. That one of you there. Thank you.

[16:59] Thank you very much. Now, for one day only, you might see these eggs reappear. And they might appear at the end for you too.

[17:13] So we'll sing in amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I see.

[17:26] And we'll stand to sing. Amazing. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me.

[17:48] I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I see.

[18:05] T'was grace that taught my heart to fear. And grace my fears relieved.

[18:24] How precious did that grace appear. The hour I first believed.

[18:42] Through many dangers, foils and snares. I have already come.

[18:59] And grace will lead me home.

[19:16] When we've been there ten thousand years.

[19:28] Bright shining as the sun. We've no less days.

[19:41] To sing God's praise. Than when we first begun.

[19:55] We'll go off to Sunday school. And pray for the children as they go. We'll turn in our Bibles to.

[20:08] Gospel of John chapter six. Gospel of John chapter six.

[20:23] And we'll read at verse 22. And we'll read down to verse 51. Gospel of John chapter six. Read at verse 22 to 51.

[20:39] Let us hear God's word. On the next day, the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea. Saw that there had been only one boat there.

[20:50] And that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples. But the disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

[21:03] That's the feeding of the five thousand. Which is what happened beforehand. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into boats and went to Capernaum seeking Jesus.

[21:14] When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when did you come here? Jesus answered them, truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

[21:33] Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on whom God the Father has set his seal.

[21:46] Then they said to him, what must we do to be doing the works of God? Jesus answered them, this is the work of God, that you believe in whom he has sent.

[21:59] So they said to him, then what sign do you do that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our Father ate the manna in the wilderness as it is written.

[22:13] He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Jesus then said to them, truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

[22:28] For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. They said to him, sir, give us this bread always. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life.

[22:43] Whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

[22:54] All that the Father gives me will come to me. And whoever comes to me, I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who has sent me.

[23:08] And this is the will of him who has sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the sun and believes in him should have eternal life.

[23:27] And I will raise him up on the last day. So the Jews grumbled about him because he said, I am the bread that came down from heaven. They said, it's not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know.

[23:43] How does he know, how does he now say, I have come down from heaven? Jesus answered them, do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.

[23:58] And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.

[24:11] Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God. He has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

[24:23] I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.

[24:36] I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of this world is my flesh.

[24:50] Amen. We'll stop our reading there. And may it be a blessing to all who have heard it. And we'll continue in praise now in Psalm and Gaelic.

[25:02] Psalm 34, from verse 8 to 10. Psalm 34, verse 8 to 10. O test and see that God is good.

[25:13] Who trusts in him is blessed. And we'll remain seated for this singing. And the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the전 with the Thank you.

[26:21] Thank you.

[26:51] Thank you.

[27:21] Thank you.

[27:51] Thank you.

[28:21] Thank you.

[28:51] Thank you.

[29:21] Thank you.

[29:51] We turn back to our passage that we read in the Gospel of John chapter 6. We look at this passage together and really for a verse to take hold of is verse 33.

[30:05] For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. They said to him, sir, give us this bread, let's just briefly pray.

[30:26] Father in the Father in the Father in the Father, we pray that you would speak to us and we pray that you would open our eyes and unblock our ears to receive this bread that has come from heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ.

[30:44] That we may call out with God, that we may call us and we pray that we may call us and we may gain understanding of the truth of it and that we may lay hold of it as something to live by.

[31:05] So be with us, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray, we pray we're going to look at the passage here that we have that explains to us the bread of life which tells us about the bread that Moses gave to the people the manna bread that the people had in the wilderness but Jesus is saying to him I have a better bread for you to receive rather than the manna but in this passage there's also a call for each of us to come and receive of this bread that's the morning and the evening God willing I hope we'll turn to a passage in Hebrews and that'll speak to us about Moses and drawing the people to a place of rest into the land of Canaan and we'll look at that passage and we'll see that Jesus is a better than Moses figure that provides a better rest for all those who are faithful to him and in that passage we have an exhortation to continue after being called to be faithful to Jesus Christ to hold fast to the bread of life that we have tasted and to continue with him in order to enter into the land of rest that he provides for us so a better bread this morning and firstly as we do so I think a little background on Moses would help us just understand where we are who was Moses why is he so important well you may recall that the children of Israel ended up in Egypt they were under the leadership of Joseph there but no over time evil Pharaoh came to be ruler of the land and he oppressed the Israelites he made them work for him they became slaves for him and they were trapped in Egypt essentially they couldn't escape they were slaves and so God raised up this man Moses to be someone that he would send for them to set them free to lead them out of Egypt he brought them out across the Red Sea he saved them he's going to lead them to the land of Canaan and on the way they walked through the desert Moses led them through the wilderness but they moaned the people moaned to Moses because they didn't have the food that they had in Egypt they were hungry they were starving so God said to Moses I'll provide bread for you and manna came from heaven to feed the people in the wilderness to keep them and sustain them as they walked through this land

[34:17] Israelites received everything through Moses they were saved through Moses they were fed through Moses they had the promise of entering this other land that was flowing with milk and honey through Moses Moses was a fundamental figure for them in their belief and their faith and they were looking for someone else to come like Moses they were looking for the Messiah figure to come and in this chapter the crowds have gathered they're questioning Jesus are you a man like Moses are you going to feed us like Moses did Jesus says then I'll feed you but I'll feed you with a far better bread than Moses ever gave you a bread that lasts for all eternity a bread that will satisfy your soul if you will take it if you will come to me and receive of it and they come to him to begin with the three questions that really shape this passage from the beginning they come to him to come to him they come to that place in verse 23 that's why they're looking for him because he's fed of this multitude free foods always an attractive thing it's always an attraction for us so all these people come looking for this man that is feeding them they come to the place where the miracle happened they can't find him they look for him and they know the disciples crossed on the boat they had seen that take place so after and all finally they go to his disciples and they reach they cross the sea and who do they find on the other side but Jesus and the first question we have here is that in verse 25

[36:37] Rabbi when did you come here essentially asking how did you get here you are on the other side but in between the feeding of the 5,000 you of course have that account where Jesus walks on the water Jesus passes over the water to the other side they didn't understand how he got there now they're looking for Jesus but they're looking for him for the wrong reasons they want more food they want to be fed by this man and as they come to him looking for this food Jesus knows this they're just looking to be fed a piece of hunger they satisfy themselves because if they have food they know they don't have to work for it themselves Jesus comes and says to them essentially what are you doing why are you looking for food from me that will satisfy your belly in a sense what what are you doing why are you chasing after things that perish verse 27 do not work for the food that perishes but for food that endures to eternal life he's telling them

[37:57] I can give you something that's far got far more worth to it than what you are looking for today they're looking to feed their bodies their bellies Jesus is saying to them I'll give you something to chase after I'll give you something to really look for and to seek out something that'll last forever that's the same for us today he's giving us the same message and they respond to him with a second question in verse 28 what must we do to be doing the works of God the people think they must do something to receive this eternal bread the food that does not perish what must we do we need to do something what's the formula what boxes do we need to tick to please you please God so that we receive this bread they know it's worth getting they know it's something worth working for they're willing to do whatever it takes to get it

[39:08] Jesus says it's not really what you do the work that you must do is to believe that's the same message for each of us today what we must do is not x y and z he tells us one thing to believe in him and as they have this conversation with Jesus they realise that it's Jesus is talking about himself here this bread that comes from heaven this man that has been sent from God so they ask him a third question in verse 30 and they say to him what sign do you do that we may see and believe in you there's two questions together but I've taken it as one it's the same thing what work do you perform that we may believe in you essentially what have you done so that we may believe in you what can you show us what can you do to make it clear to us for me to put my trust in you give me something to hold on to that I will not doubt about that I will not question something I can put my trust in and believe in and embrace and trust in we want what you're offering we're willing to believe help me believe what can you do to show me we want this eternal bread we want this eternal life we're looking we're wanting something that lasts

[40:56] Jesus is saying to them you're not going to get this bread by chasing the temporal things of this world you're not going to get this bread by doing x y and z and ticking the boxes of what you can do and have done the only way you can get this bread is by believing by believing and trusting in the man that has been sent from God but they want something they just want something to make it clear to them I wonder if this rings true with you maybe you're looking for food to satisfy your soul not food as such but you're looking for some form of satisfaction in your life you're looking for something that does not leave you with a longing something that will last the body constantly wants food the body constantly hungers and in similar way your soul your heart is wanting to be satisfied with something it wants to be at peace it's longing to fill something that's missing isn't it and ecclesiastes speaks of

[42:25] God having put eternity into man's heart we're longing for something more than we have here but mistakenly we what ecclesiastes also speaks of is that we chase the wind we are people that chase the wind in this world we do not seek after the eternal things we seek after the temporal things the things that we can't grasp we chase after this wind that we think is going to satisfy us our bodies our souls that missing link that's in us that gap that void we work hard to have it to get it we may even grab it at the end of the day it's there's nothing in our hands the devil tempt us with all sorts of things in this world he'll tell you well if you have this thing you'll be happy build this house you'll be satisfied and if you want card you'll get it half of it's true if you want card you'll get it you'll be satisfied in measure it'll only be temporal it won't last the devil will tempt us with these things and we end up chasing the wind we're longing we're grabbing this thing that we think is going to satisfy us it doesn't and it's a pattern that we can fall into each and every one of us tempted by the things of this world we attain this thing

[44:07] I always remember I always remember driving up to town one night at an old Vauxhall Cotter I had done all the wee bits and pieces that I wanted to do to it I thought I want another car now I'll get another car I want to buy another car I want to do all the bits and pieces that I want to do to it and I'll get bored of it and then I want to buy another car I'll do all the bits and the same thing is going to happen with a house probably I'm going to buy a house I'll do all the bits and I'll buy a house I remember vividly going into town probably 19 or something thinking that's going to be the same for everything what's going to last here I don't know I'm going to be stuck in this cycle trying to appease myself with these things that are temporal and never satisfy me I was willing to work for it but I would never fulfill that deep satisfaction in my soul and

[45:10] Jesus is here to ask you if you are chasing the wind if you are chasing the things of the world he's asking you why as he asked these men why are you chasing after these things they do you no good they will not satisfy your soul you're putting all your effort into seeking and working for these things it does not last it will perish work for food that endures for eternal life now that's a question for all of us really because he's calling the non-Christian to come and receive of this bread but he's speaking to each of us here as believers as well where do we put all our efforts where do we put all our time where do we put all our money into what things are we putting ourselves in this life to find satisfaction are we putting our love our time our money into the things that are eternal or are we even as believers to know what we have into things that will perish

[46:29] J.C. Ryle says that if we are to work we are to labour if we are to attain this bread we are to work and labour in reading our bible like men that are digging for treasure expecting to find something we are to work and labour wrestling in prayer like men fighting with a deadly enemy for their life we are to work and labour by drawing ourselves wholeheartedly to the house of God to worship and listen like those who are listening to our will being read out like they are listening for something to be received and listening to our will we must fight daily against the world the flesh and the devil like those who fight for freedom or else become a slave three questions that are set before us three questions that ask a lot of us to work and to do and what are we working and what are we doing what is it for at the end of the day but within each of us we probably say sir give me this bread don't we

[47:54] I want I want something I will satisfy my soul and we have two images here that follow on from the questions three questions more briefly two images and the people there present this image of Moses and the manna Moses gave us the manna Moses was someone to lead us and guide us through this wilderness Moses was someone that would feed us every day can you provide food for us in the same way that Moses did are you going to provide food that's going to last for eternity the funny thing is they couldn't see that Jesus was anything like Moses and the funny thing is Jesus had just fed the 5,000 people with bread and the fish he had just crossed the water as well another image of Moses crossing the Red Sea but they were blind to it they couldn't see that Jesus had done this he had just fed these people from nothing even when you go to that passage of the 5,000 it describes the place where they ate it as a desert a wilderness there was nothing there

[49:04] Jesus speaks to them and says yes Moses this image of Moses and Manah he speaks to them saying truly truly in verse 32 a gentle call to listen to hear to pay attention to what he's going to say it was not Moses that gave you the bread from heaven it was my father the manna is not the greatest sign it was only a temporary satisfaction for them it was merely an image of what would come in a greater sense it was an image of Jesus Christ who would be the one that would provide for them this eternal bread not bread that would make them die as their father stood from the manna they present the first image of Moses and the manna Jesus presents the second image of a far better bread than he is he says

[50:07] I am the bread of life I am greater than Moses sent by God I am greater than the manna that's come down from heaven I am the one that will give life to the world not just Israel and when they hear of Jesus speaking in such a way they say sir give us this bread whatever Jesus has we want it we want to taste this bread that you are offering now if I was to say to you today that I have food that would satisfy your desires your eternal longings satisfy your soul would you take it if I had food that meant you never had to buy food again in the sense take this food and you never have to eat anything else again I think this is kind of what they would understand it they didn't have to toil they didn't have to plant they didn't have to look after animals having food on the table every day given to you huge benefit to them huge benefit to the body not to the soul

[51:15] Jesus is saying stop the temporal things I have eternal things for you now if I had bread to give each and every one of you today I would save you from having to buy food maybe you would take today that offered you more years if your years are short and I had bread to offer you I went round every house I said I've got bread here I can sell it to you it'll give you more years it'll add ten years to your life you probably if you're fit and healthy you might say no but when your years are shorter you'd maybe say yeah if I went round selling life extending bread I'd probably make more money than I do just now probably even if I was completely scamming you I was lying to you

[52:15] I'd probably still make more money even though I wouldn't do anything for you but I'm not selling you that bread I'm selling you a bread speaking of a bread I'm compelling you to consider Jesus as the bread of life at no cost that will give you more years and will give you all your years every single year from now on will be yours if you receive the bread of Jesus Christ not a physical bread as we were saying but a food for your life not for your stomach a satisfaction for your soul and not for your belly something that is eternal and not temporary a food that will cause you to live and not die that's what

[53:24] I'm offering you today through the gospel of Jesus Christ a living bread that means you shall not die but you shall live something that will satisfy the eternal longings of your heart your body your soul and maybe you doubt this gospel maybe you doubt this message maybe you're longing like the people in the passage make it clear to me maybe you're saying in your heart sir I want this bread I think we're all saying that in our hearts if we're honest with ourselves we want to be satisfied and we want to continue to not die sir give us this living bread but often we doubt we wish it was clear we often the gospel would just give us something concrete to lay hold of that's what they're asking us and you think maybe you're thinking yourself well if

[54:41] I was with Jesus if I was there if I was there I'd believe I was fed by the feeding I'd believe if I was at the 5,000 feeding if I was there to see Jesus healing I'd believe so much easier if I could if I was there with Jesus they didn't believe many didn't believe many questioned many doubted him see they didn't have the full picture like we have in many ways we are more privileged we have understanding of everything Jesus has done everything we need to know what Jesus has done we understand the works of God through Jesus Christ we have a greater understanding truly than what they had what the works of God are in Jesus Christ what Jesus has done for us he's not feeding us with manna he's feeding us with bread that will last for all eternity he says to you and each and every one of us here

[55:48] I am the bread of life that will satisfy your wants your longings of your hearts believe in me you shall never hunger you shall never thirst this is the image he has Jesus is the bread of life that will satisfy you for all eternity three questions two images one meaning to it all to come to believe whoever comes whoever believes will not hunger will never thirst and in fact will never be cast out the bread has been offered you today the gospel of Jesus Christ has been pronounced to you he is calling you and compelling you to come and receive of this life giving bread that is not temporal but eternal that is not uncertain but sure and he says he will not cast you out if you do come but you might be reading further on in the passage and saying well it says there in verse 44 that no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him

[57:12] I think well it's there in black and white God must call me and draw me first before I come and in many ways there is truth to that the spirit must be at work in us to help us to see to understand so that we're not blind to the works of God just like the men in the passageway they couldn't see that Jesus was just like Moses the spirit must open her eyes and unblock her ears to see the works of God that has saved us a greater than Moses figure to save us to sustain us to give us a promise of a hope of a better land the spirit must be at work but we must come because if you continue reading it says that they will all be taught by God everyone who has heard and learned from the father comes to me everyone who has heard and learned from the father comes to me we're hearing the gospel many times we've heard the gospel and learned much about the gospel

[58:25] I just want to conclude by saying it's important to come under the word to hear and to learn about Jesus Christ to hear the gospel because if there's anything that we should hear and anything that we should learn is that where the gospel is preached that is where God will draw God will draw his people by the preaching of the word the reading of it yes people experience it out with church without out with the meeting public meetings but you speak to most men women boys girls that have tasted of this bread they will say that yes I was drawn by the spirit but I came as well to learn and it was often in the preaching of the word that the

[59:32] Lord spoke to me encouraged me directed me if you're saying sir give me this bread and you want your soul to be satisfied you want to know that you have life eternal then we come we come to the place where he draws us we come to the place where his word is blessed we seek out him and doing that work of drawing our whole hearts to the place of worship to read our bibles like we're looking for treasure to be praying like we're fighting with an enemy that's going to take our lives away we long for this bread and the bread has been offered today to each and every one of us believe in him it's repeated through this passage verse 29 believe in him verse 35 believe in me verse 40 believe in the son verse 47 the believer has eternal life it's not about what you do it calls each and everyone to believe three questions two images one meaning jesus calls you to come to believe to receive this bread and to receive eternal life a far better bread than this world can offer you bread that will satisfy you for all eternity may jesus christ be a bread for your life and your daily bread that you come to each and every day to be taught by and instructed by and that we may grow in our understanding of him and that we may ultimately believe in him taste that bread and receive eternal life we pray that you will be blessed teaching every one of us here we'll conclude by singing in praise mission praise 201 guide me o thy great jehovah pilgrim through this barren land i am weak but thou art mighty hold me with thy powerful hand bread of heaven feed me now and ever let us stand and sing these words to god's praise guide guide me o thou great jehovah pilgrim to this barren land i am weak but thou art mighty hold me with thy powerful hand bread of heaven bread of heaven feed me now never more feed me now and ever more open now the crystal fountain whence the healing stream doth flow!

[63:21] let the fiery cloudy pillar lead me on my journey through strong deliverer strong deliverer be the strength and shield be the still my strength and shield when I tread the verge of Jordan bid my anxious fears subside death of death and hell's destruction land me still on hidden side songs of praises songs of praises I will ever give to thee I will ever give to thee conclude in a word of prayer our father in heaven we pray that you would watch over us and keep us that we would taste and receive of the bread of heaven that has come down for us that we may find a rest in you and that we may come to you daily that you may feed us and nourish us and keep us in

[64:52]  Jesus name we ask all these things Amen