MESSAGE NOTES/SCRIPTURE

John 6:31-71(SEL)

33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” 41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

God made the way for us to have eternal life.

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11).

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:29).

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

The only way to receive eternal life is to EAT. Spiritual mystery.

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.

We have to decide what to do with Jesus…

“Crede et manducasti….’believe’ — or, rather, trust — ‘and thou hast eaten.’”

- Augustine

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

The why of our following is revealed when our ideals are confronted.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

Confession leads to commitment.

Isaiah 55:1-3

“Come, all you who are thirsty,

come to the waters;

and you who have no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without cost.

2

Why spend money on what is not bread,

and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,

and you will delight in the richest of fare.

3

Give ear and come to me;

listen, that you may live.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you,

my faithful love promised to David.

“Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

SMALL GROUP Q’s

SHARE

What are some odd things you have wondered about? What do you wonder the

most about (space, aliens, miracles)?

READ

Read: John 6:31-71… (Divide it up amongst the group). Listen carefully and

follow along in your bible.

BREAD

Q: What are some things we try to “feed on” in the natural that will never really

satisfy spiritually? What’s one thing you turn to for comfort or satisfaction that

doesn’t actually fill you? What does it mean to “eat” spiritually—not just once,

but continually?

SAVED

Read: John 6:40 & 47…Q: What does Jesus say is God’s will? What does this

tell you about God’s heart? Who has eternal life?

HIS TERMS

Read Ephesians 2:8-9…Q: How are we saved?

HIS WAY

Q: How do you respond when God confronts something in your heart? What is

something in your life that you sensed God inviting you to bring into alignment

with His Word?

PATIENT PRAYERS

Name & pray for the people in our lives that we desire to come to receive eternal

life.