Speak the Truth in Love, and Equip God’s Saints for Ministry

Message Notes

God of abundance, you long to feed your children, whenever we are hungry, yet we often turn away and seek happiness elsewhere. When we compete with others for status, help us support one another in love. When we measure our worth by our productivity, help us rest in the assurance that we are your children. When we avoid conflict, move us to speak your truth in love. Return us to your ways, Holy One, that our souls may be satisfied, and our hearts may be at peace.

The next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the lake saw that only one boat had been there; and they knew that Jesus had not gotten into the boat with the disciples-that the disciples had set off by themselves.

Other boats, however, had put in from Tiberias, near the place where the bread had been eaten after the Rabbi had given thanks. When the people saw that neither Jesus nor the disciples were there, they got into those boats and crossed to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found Jesus on the other side of the lake, they said, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" Jesus answered them, "The truth of the matter is, you're not looking for me because you've seen signs, but because you've eaten your fill of the bread. You shouldn't be working for perishable food, but for life-giving food that lasts for all eternity; this the Chosen One can give you, for the Chosen One bears the seal of Abba God." At this they said, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" Jesus replied, "This is the work of God: to believe in the one whom God has sent.

So they asked Jesus, "What sign are you going to give to show us that we should believe in you? What will you do? Our ancestors had manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says,

"God gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Jesus said to them, "The truth of the matter is, Moses hasn't given you bread from heaven; yet my Abba gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Teacher," they said, "give us this bread from now on.'" Jesus explained to them, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry; no one who believes in me will be thirsty.'

John 6:22-35