GOSPEL: John 6: 24 - 35
John 6:24 (NRSV) So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Caper'naum looking for Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." 28 Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30 So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Notes

1. This lake was a center of Jewish life.
It is Israel’s largest fresh water lake, 8 miles by 13 miles, also known as the Gennesaret, after a nearby plain. The lake, part of the Jordan Valley rift, is on the edge of the Africa and Asia plates. It is the lowest fresh water lake in the world. The Dead Sea , the lowest lake, is salt water.

2. The lake was a center of commerce and trade. We think of a lake as a country retreat, but this was on the trade route from Egypt to the great civilizations of Asia, and had much trade. It is listed in Isaiah as ‘Via Maris’

3. This was the locus of Jesus’ ministry, including miracles ‘feeding the five thousand’, source of apostles, Simon, Andrew, John, and James, and teaching ‘sermon on the mount’. The apostle Paul spent more time in salt water, and had many storm stories as well.

4. The crowd follows in order to get more bread.

5. Jesus counters that they should search for eternal life.

6. The crowd demands more bread (manna) miracles in order to believe.

7. Jesus persuades them that he is the bread of life. The crowd agrees.

Keep your eye and heart on Jesus. Accept him as your savior. His miracles establish him as the Savior.