Dear Christian friends:

If we have a church dinner and announce and publish it we always have a good crowd. But if we only have a church meeting without a dinner then the crowd is small. Why? By nature we love food for the body more than food for the soul.

When Jesus took five loaves and two small fishes and multiplied that to give food for 5,000 people, they were very glad and tried to force Jesus to become their King, so they could always have plenty of food without much work. So Jesus told them, "Labor not for the bread which perishes, but labor (seek) the bread which gives everlasting life."

Then Jesus added, "My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. I am the Bread of Life. If a man eats my bread he will never hunger or thirst." Unbelievers seek bread for their body. They don't care about the bread of heaven for their souls nor do they care about Jesus, Son of God and Savior of the world. They live to eat. But true Christians eat to live. True Christians seek the Bread of Life.

Our text shows that. So let us attend to our sermon text and by God's Holy Spirit to be reminded that:

In our text we see how many people about 4,000 men and perhaps 4 or 5 thousand more women and children came to hear Jesus preach about the Kingdom of God. They were very eager and stayed three days until all their food was gone, and there were no stores in place. Perhaps they came with enough food for one day, but after they arrived they were so eager to hear Jesus they stayed longer.

In their eagerness to hear God's Word they forgot about food for their body. They sacrificed earthly things to get heavenly things. They gave up earthly bread to get heavenly bread. Christians do like that. They will give up money, pleasure, food, comforts so they can have a church and a minister and hear God's holy Word regularly. We cannot have a church and pastor if we do not give up earthly things and then use our mind, our money and our time for church.

A few days ago I asked a young man to come to church this Sunday. He said, "No, during the summertime on Sunday I go swimming. In the wintertime I will come to church." He doesn't want to give up swimming for church. He likes earthly bread better than heavenly bread. He is more interested in his body than his soul. He is proud of his strong body and beautiful tan and likes to look at the beautiful girls on the beach. But his soul is dead or sick and weak. He is not eating Jesus the Bread of Life.

That is how the unbelievers live and do. And they think we Christians are crazy and foolish to give up earthly things so we can have the heavenly things. But one day they will be surprised and sorry.

Also we Christians have our old flesh that always tempts us to love earthly bread more than heavenly bread. That is why half of our members are gone most Sundays. That is why we get behind in supporting our home church and missions. We spend too much of our time and money seeking earthly bread and pleasures and then are broke or too tired to seek heavenly bread.

We must fight against that strong temptation every day. Agree with me that we sin in this way. Confess your past sins, don't hide them or excuse them. Confess and be sorry and ask God's mercy in Jesus crucified for your forgiveness. Ask God to help you give up earthly things so you can seek the heavenly things.

If you do this daily you will not be sorry at last. But if you seek only earthly things and despise the heavenly and spiritual things you will one day be surprised and sorry.

Our text shows how God blesses those people who seek Him. Jesus called to his disciples: "I have compassion on the many people." Jesus saw how they sacrificed for His sake and He showed mercy to them and helped them. He multiplies the seven loaves and few fishes and gives them all they need for their body.

Another time Jesus said: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these (earthly) things shall be added unto you." (Mathew 6:33)

Jesus said, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)

Jesus said to the Jews: "I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:35)

By giving up earthly things to get heavenly things we receive all of God's precious wonderful blessings in Christ Jesus, forgiveness of sins, peace with God; hope of resurrection of the body and glory with God in heaven.

Paul says: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9) And Jesus says: "Great is your Reward in heaven." (Matthew 5:12) And Paul also says in Galatians 6:8 "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

So you mockers, be warned. You faithful continue faithful and find much courage!

Amen.