John 6:22-29

Our focus today will be on verse 27 where Jesus says, “Do not labor 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 him God the Father has set his seal.” What does Jesus mean that God has set his seal on the Son of Man? What does he mean that we should labor for the food that endures to eternal life? What does he mean that we should not work for the bread that perishes?

Those are the three main questions for today, and they relate directly to your situation in life. What are you doing so that you have eternal life? How are you going about your daily work—at the office, at home, at school—so that it won’t be said of you that you labored for the food that perishes?

A Public and Personal Message

But, first, let’s get the setting clearly in mind. The day before, in verses 1-15, Jesus had crossed to the eastern side of Sea of Galilee and fed over five thousand people with five barley loaves and a few fish. It was a sign that pointed to himself as the Bread of Life.

• Verse 35: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger.”
• Verse 41: “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
• Verse 48: “I am the bread of life.”
• Verse 51: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”
• Verse 55: “My flesh is true food.”

That’s what the miracle of the loaves and fishes was pointing to. It was also pointing very specifically to the fact that Jesus will always be there for his disciples to take care of them personally. He shows this by seeing to it that twelve basketfuls are left over—one for each apostle. So the miracle had a public message for all, and a personal lesson for the apostles.

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John 6:16-29

What does wind have to do with hunger? One answer is: If you have enough of either of them, they can kill you. If you are in the wilderness and have no access to food, hunger can kill you. And if you are on the sea and have no access to land, wind can kill you.

I recall deep-sea fishing in Florida with my father when I was a teenager. We went out in a trawler—the kind that has four seats at the back with fixed rigs so that if you hook a big one, the pole won’t be jerked out of your hand. We were out of sight of land, and it started to rain. It rained heavier and heavier. As we were huddled under the canopy and the rain was pouring over the floor of the boat, I asked the captain: Is this dangerous?

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