We are still in Chapter 6 of the book of John! The barley loaves donated by the boy "yesterday" must have been delicious bread! Jesus fed a massive crowd with them and they wanted more! They also clearly paid attention to his whereabouts! They knew he didn't get in the boat with his disciples. They knew there was no other boat but that one. And they set out on what was likely a several mile hike to find him. Jesus didn't tell them he had walked on the water to the boat. He didn't answer their question about when he got to Capernaum. What he did was use 'bread' as a teaching moment, declaring himself to be the bread of life.
In verse 28, they ask him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Verse 29, Jesus answer was "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." and clearly the miracle of the feeding over 5000 the day before wasn't enough for them to believe, so they asked for another sign!
Jesus reiterated that he is the BREAD OF LIFE in verse 35, verse 51, & verse 58. And in between he shared with them - and ultimately with all who read God's Word - the basics of God's wonderful plan of salvation, and that no person comes to Jesus unless the Father draws that person to him.
It is shocking to me that some of the people who pursued Jesus out of curiosity didn't ever accept him, and he knew that even as he spoke to them in the words John records for us in this chapter. That was a turning point for many, and precipitates one of my most cherished responses from impetuous Peter!
After so many turned away from following him, Jesus turned to the twelve and asked, "Do you want to go away from me as well?" And Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."
Thank you, Peter! That is a foundational truth of our faith! Even when things get hard - and they do - there is no one else or nothing else we can turn to but Jesus. He has the words of eternal life! This is just the preparation period before eternity begins!
As the Lord reminded me after 9/11: Keep on keeping on. Occupy until I come! And everything going on in our world points to that being very soon!
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