I pray you have been reflecting upon the passage from John. This is the first of seven “I am” statements from Jesus from our fourth Gospel. Time and again our fourth Gospel we call John reminds us about the “signs” of Jesus. Not miracles…but signs. Miracles are some act or circumstances that operate outside of what is normally possible. Jesus is the bread of life Sunday School lesson. It exists not for itself, but for the thing it points to. Jesus does eight signs in John. Jesus gives seven “I am” statements which point to his identity. The sign isn’t about the sign itself, but something about Jesus that it points to. So often Jesus has to go ahead and tell us what it is…BUT, by the end of the writing, you come across the 8th sign and it isn’t even labeled as a sign. We’re supposed to just see it. Anyway, our passage is the first saying after one of the signs of Jesus—the feeding of the 5,000 (the only miracle/sign found in all 4 Gospels) People follow Jesus seeking more bread, but it’s really about more than the bread even for them. They want to know WHO and WHAT he is. They are hoping he is the great promised anointed king. Our word for this is Messiah which is translated Christ in Greek. Jesus IS a king, but not the kind of king they are looking for. They are so sure of what they are looking for that they miss seeing it when it stands in front of them because they had different expectations which blind them from seeing the real deal in Jesus. But Jesus spells it out anyway. I am the bread of life — that which comes from God to give life to the world. Whoever comes to Jesus will no longer be hungry, but don’t come to him seeking bread. Jesus is so funny. I am the bread, but not the bread you seek, but…actually…the bread you do seek just not in the way you are seeking or expecting it. ________________ Why do you follow Jesus, friend? Why do you minister? What do you hope to gain from it all? It’s okay to gain from it. You hopefully gain a paycheck. You gain satisfaction and fulfillment. You gain the contentment and joy of living a life in service for Jesus. Keep going though: what else do you gain? I learn SO much from ministry. I have a deep and seemingly unquenchable desire to learn and grow and discover what this whole life is about. It’s not about one particular result or thing. The whole process is a part of what it offers. These people following Jesus are so focused on their own stuff that they miss what is right in front of them. The truth is, they’ll need to follow him for a while before they start to understand what and who he really is. They will need to follow him for a while before they are able to let go of their own preconceived notions and expectations. It’s only after a while that we start to catch a glimpse of something beyond our wildest imaginations. I think that’s why we get a lifetime of faith—because it takes a while. If those people hadn’t been so blinded and in such a hurry that day, they might have been able to actually hear what Jesus said. They might have been able to actually understand enough to follow and see what came next.  . May we slow down and look enough to begin to understand…to follow…and be eager to see just what happens next in this beautiful life of faith and service to Jesus Christ. Message brought to you by Rev. Joseph Sanford of Sanford Curriculum (Student ministry resources available on The Sunday School Store written by he and Lauren Sanford). Music by The Muse Maker

John 6:25-35 REFLECTION - "I am the bread of life" Kids Ministry Coffee Break 95: Jesus is what we seek, but also not what we think we are seeking; He's so much more. Be open to being led to/by Him.