The Bread That Came Down From Heaven

In one paragraph

Ray walked the congregation through John 6, the feeding of the five thousand through to Peter's confession, showing how the whole chapter builds toward a single question: who do you believe Jesus is, and what have you done with that belief? He drew on Dietrich Bonhoeffer's writing on cheap grace and costly grace to sharpen the point, and the message moved directly into communion. Ray opened by...

Read together

1. John 6:1-71 the entire chapter covering the feeding of the 5000, walking on water, and the bread of life discourse, which was the main text of the sermon
2. John 6:14 the crowd recognizing Jesus as the prophet after the feeding of the 5000
3. Deuteronomy 18:15-19 Moses speaking of a coming prophet, which Jewish tradition closely linked to the Messiah
4. John 20:31 John's stated purpose: written so that you may believe and believing have life in his name
5. John 6:22-24 the crowd seeking Jesus the following day, traveling to Capernaum
6. John 6:25-59 Jesus questioning the crowd's motives and delivering the bread of life discourse
7. John 6:41 the Jews grumbling because Jesus said he was the bread which came down from heaven
8. John 6:44-45 no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him, and they shall be taught by God
9. John 6:60-66 defection among disciples, described as some of the saddest verses in John
10. John 6:66 many disciples went back and walked with Jesus no more
11. John 6:68-69 Peter's declaration that Jesus has the words of eternal life and is the Christ, the son of the living God
12. 1 John 1:9 God is faithful to forgive sins that we confess, referenced before communion

Talk about it

1. Ray talked about John retelling a miracle that Matthew, Mark, and Luke had already recorded, saying John felt something significant might be missed if people did not pay close attention. What do you think John saw being missed in how people were receiving the story of Jesus?
2. Ray pointed out that when the crowd found Jesus in Capernaum, they were seeking him, but Jesus immediately questioned their motives and said they came because their bellies were filled, not because they understood the sign. How do you think you would have responded to that kind of direct challenge to your motives?
3. Ray read Bonhoeffer's distinction between cheap grace and costly grace. Which description do you think better fits the way grace is generally understood in the church today, and why?
4. Verse 66 describes many disciples walking away from Jesus after the bread of life teaching, and Ray called it one of the saddest verses in John. What do you think made that teaching so difficult to accept, and are there things Jesus says that are still hard for people to stay with today?
5. Peter answered Jesus by saying 'to whom shall we go, you have the words of eternal life,' speaking for the group. Ray said a congregation can make that same declaration together. What does it look like in practice for a church to live out that kind of collective confession?