Every Saturday, Pastor Mike and Sherry write our congregation a letter of encouragement as well an introduction for the sermon topic he will preach the following morning. Below you will find the letter from May 5th, 2024. To watch this sermon, follow this link: The Bread Of Heaven
Not long ago I read an illustration that paints a wonderful picture of how to be truly and fully satisfied in your life. The illustration went like this:
“There is nothing quite like fresh bread as its being baked in the oven, As it comes out of the oven you can see its golden brown color, you can smell the freshness, and your taste buds start to salivate, your stomach starts to rumble. But, not until you bite into the bread and eat it that you truly experience the benefits and satisfaction found inside.”
This fits perfectly with our text tomorrow in John 6. Jesus is explaining the meaning of the miracle to a very large crowd that had just participated in the feeding of 5,000 (more like 15 or 20 thousand). They wanted to make Him king so they would always have their bellies full of food that they didn’t have to work for, so Jesus is explaining to them the truth and the lesson behind the miracle. He said that to be truly satisfied you need to come to the one who is Himself the “Bread that came down from Heaven” (John 6:58. “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst” (John 6:35).
We spend a lot of time attempting to satisfy our various cravings, don’t we? We go from one kind of “junk food” to another; we run after one fad and when it proves to be unsatisfying we are off to the “next great new thing.” And when we take a moment to pause and reflect, we are left wondering, "Why am I never satisfied with anything?" As true as this is physically, it’s even more of a spiritual reality. Why is it we spend so much time on “spiritual junk food” or the latest, greatest “new thing” that always leaves us feeling unsatisfied and empty? The simplest and most direct answer is that these things cannot satisfy because we were made to find satisfaction in one place - In Christ, God’s “Bread of life”.
Solomon said it best, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart,” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Man is born with a hunger for heaven - a hunger that only “The Bread That Came Down From Heaven” can satisfy. Once you take Christ as your own you will never seek spiritual fulfillment anywhere else; this spiritual “junk food” will simply loose its appeal. When Jesus becomes your everything you will find that He completely satisfies your mind, your heart, and your conscience.
I look forward to seeing as many as possible tomorrow as we share together the Word of God and come to the Lord’s Supper Table and celebrate Christ through the Bread and The cup and rejoice in what He has done for us. So, come with your hearts prepared to worship and to proclaim the “Lord’s Death.”
Also, join us in the HBBC Classrooms for our Bible Study hour, (Sunday School) that begins at 9:45 am. It’s a great time of fellowship and community, all round the Word. I would also encourage you to tune into “Gospel Gleanings” every weekday morning. You’ll find us streaming live on our Facebook page starting a 9:00 am PST every morning Monday through Friday, and then later in the day will be uploaded to our YouTube Channel, where everything is organized into playlists. Last Monday we began the Book of Acts. This makes it our 20th book study since we started in April of 2020. It is your participation, and your involvement in inviting others, and your generosity that has helped to make this a far reaching ministry. May God bless each of you abundantly.
In Love and Service,
Mike and Sherry
Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the NASB.
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