2.22.2007

What kind of bread are you working for?

I teach Sunday School and enjoy every moment of it. This spring in Sunday School we are talking about Jesus, as described in the book of The Gospel of John.
Last week we talked about when Jesus performed a miracle by feeding 5,000 people with five loaves of barley bread and two small fish. In Sunday School we got to try some barley/other stuff bread (couldn't find any "just barley" bread) and sardines (which are bigger than I thought, but definitely small). All but two kids tried the bread and maybe eight tried the fish (a couple also came back for seconds :D). After everyone had their fill Jesus told His followers to "Gather up the leftovers so that nothing will be lost." (John 6:12). Verse thirteen, "So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were loft over by those who had eaten." I think it's interesting that the bread was leftover and not the fish... fish spoils very quickly and bread can be saved at least until the next day. Because of this "sign which He had performed, they (the people) said, 'This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world'" (vs. 14).
Then His followers go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus walks on water, in the middle of high winds, to meet them (John 6:15-25). They arrive in Capernaum. Jesus crossed in secret, so the crowd, not knowing where He went, figures He probably went with His disciples and goes across to Capernaum also.
Then the people ask Him "Rabbi, when did You get here?" (Verse 25)
Jesus answers, but He doesn't tell them when He got there, instead He answers their motive for following Him.
I have always thought that the crowd followed Jesus because of the signs and wonders. In this case, Jesus tells us that they followed because they wanted more food (verse 26).
Then He says, "Do not work for food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life..."
They ask, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"
What works do you do that you think are the works of God?
Are you good enough to get to heaven?
What kind of bread do you long for, do you work for?
The Bible says in Romans 3:23-24 "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus."
John 6:29 "Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."
Just believe!?!
That's it?!
John 6:40 "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I myself will raise him up on the last day."

1 comment:

Janel said...

That sounds like a really neat lesson. It is so neat to see God's Word come alive and allow kids (and ourselves) to think about what it must have been like to see Jesus in human form.