John 6:22–35

²²The next day the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. ²³There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. ²⁵And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?" ²⁶Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. ²⁷"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal." ²⁸They said therefore to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" ²⁹Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." ³⁰They said therefore to Him, "What then do You do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? ³¹"Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.'" ³²Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. ³³"For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." ³⁴They said therefore to Him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread." ³⁵Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

Where was Jesus? Yesterday evening he prepared and served dinner for 5000 people in the wilderness. Now, this morning, the sun was just coming up over the hills, there was still fog over the lake, the ground damp from dew and the people, yawning and stretching as they rolled out of bed began looking around to find Jesus. But he was nowhere in sight. One-by-one they gathered in the open area where just a few hours ago they lay on the grass eating supper. But no Jesus. They started wandering around looking for him. It was breakfast time and they were hungry. Where was He who had fed them last night? Wasn't he preparing breakfast yet? But he was nowhere in sight. The most important question in life is, "Where is Jesus?"

They were looking for Jesus, but he was not there. Many people today look for Jesus but can't find him. They can't find him because they are looking in the wrong places. Where do people look for Jesus today? Some look for him inside themselves. They look for him in their emotions, in a sense of excitement, in feeling that they have the Spirit in them. So they look for him in "pop-culture" styles of worship which play to making us feel good.

Or, they look for him in a mystical experience, expecting to find him deep down in our inner self. While still others look for him in nature, in forests, streams, mountains and the beauty and solitude of a forest or golf course. Others look for him in success, fortune, wealth and prosperity thinking that these things are signs of his favor and presence.

However, the most insidious and dangerous place to look for him is in our own goodness. Especially we who are active and involved in church; we who are good people; we are NOT law violators, drug addicts, drunks, womanizers, prostitutes, and so forth, so we begin to feel like we are better than others, more holy, more religious because we do good things. We serve on boards and committees. We are here every day busy with the business of the church. We help our neighbor in need, we help the poor, we give to charities, and champion all sorts of causes to save the planet, save the whales, fight for justice, to stop racism. Though these are good things to do, remember the Pharisees also did all these things, but Jesus said, "Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall by no means enter into heaven." No, Jesus is not there in our works and good deeds! They do not earn God's favor for us.

Finally, the crowds figured out they should look for him in Capernaum. After all, that was where he lived, perhaps they would find him at home. Indeed, he was there.

They ran up to him all excited, "Teacher, how did you get here?" But Jesus just poured a bucket of cold water on their heads. "You are looking for me for the wrong reasons!... You are looking for me because I fed you last night, but now you are hungry and want me to feed you again. Sorry, that's not what I came for." They had the wrong motives. They were looking for the wrong Jesus! They wanted a Jesus who would pander to them, make them feel good, give them the "good life" without any toil, suffering or pain.

Why are you looking for Jesus? Are you looking for the wrong Jesus? Like those crowds, you think you have found him in the church, but what Jesus are you looking for?

You too may be looking for Jesus for the wrong Jesus. Are you here today because it has become a custom to gather here with your friends and relatives every Sunday morning? Is it really just a weekly family reunion? Are you here just to make a good show before your friends and relatives? Are you here to impress others with how faithful you are? Are you here because you think that by being active and involved, attend every meeting, serving on every committee and board Jesus will be pleased with you? Or, are you here so the Jesus will see how good you are and see that you, of all people, deserve to go to heaven when you die. Are you here, because you want to get something back; a reciprocity mentality, like, "I'll pat your back if you pat my back"? Is your Jesus like an insurance policy that you keep in your pocket and pull out only when disaster strikes?

Are you looking for the wrong Jesus? Are you looking for a feel good Jesus, one who does not condemn sin, but just wants us to feel good about ourselves without making any demands or expecting us to live changed lives? Do you want a Jesus who gives you the good life now, who makes you happy and successful without bearing any crosses, or having any pain? Something like, "Follow my revolutionary new diet plan and you will lose 50 pounds in the first week eating all you want without ever being hungry." Or, "Dial this number if you want to earn $50,000 a month from home without ever having to work another day in your life."

Do you seek a Jesus who is just a success coach? A cheerleader, a motivator, a self-help book? Are you looking for a Jesus who is only a role model for you to follow and so you ask, "What would Jesus do?"

Jesus rebuked the crowds. "You are not seeking me because I am the Son of God." That is why when they found him they greeted him only as "teacher" not as "Lord." They were not looking for a Savior. They were not looking for the mercy of God, or for forgiveness of their sins. They only wanted a Jesus who could make them feel good about themselves and give them the good life now.

"No," says Jesus, "I'm not the Jesus you are looking for. I give you the food that endures forever, not temporal food. Eat my bread and you won't get hungry again. Believe in the one whom God has sent." Jesus invites us to believe in him, to eat the better bread: the bread of life. He himself is that bread which the Father sends. "I am that bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst," says Jesus. For the bread of God is that which comes down from of heaven and gives life to the world.

The Jesus we confess is the Jesus: "Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven." Why? "To be incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, made man, to be crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, to suffer and be buried and on the third day rise again according to the Scriptures and ascend into heaven." He came down from heaven, he was abased and humiliated by becoming a man and absorbing into himself all of our sins. He took our sin and became sin for us! Though he never committed a single sin, he bore the guilt of all our sins and descended to the lowest depths of hell to pay for them. He paid our debt. He forgave our debt. We look for Jesus out of selfish, self-interest. He forgave our selfish, self-interest. He forgave our love for the things of this world. He forgave our lack of love for God's kingdom. He gave himself to receive the punishment from God, his Father, in order to reconcile us to his Father.

Look for that Jesus. He is the one who came down from heaven to redeem us from our sin and reconcile us to God. He paid all our debts to God by dying on a cross and suffering our punishment. The real Jesus is not just an example for us to follow so that God will be pleased with us. He lived that life of holiness and sinlessnes for us. He is our substitute who already did all the good works and deeds of holiness that God demands from us.

He is not just a success coach for us weak and unsuccessful people. He is the one who became weak and was an apparent failure as he hung on the cross so that we might share in the success and victory of his resurrection. He didn't come just to give us the good life without any work, suffering or pain. He is the one who suffered for us and bled for us and gave his life for us so that we might be reconciled to God. He is the one who was victorious over death so that we might have eternal life.

He not only helps us in every need and sustains our life with daily bread, he gives us the full and complete satisfaction of everlasting life so that we will never hunger or thirst again. He restores our weak and decaying bodies and gives us new, incorruptible bodies like his glorious body which gleamed on the mount of Transfiguration.

He is the one who became poor and humble to lift us up out of our poverty and give us the riches of heaven; who comforts our sorrow with the assurance of resurrection. He was wounded in order to bind up our wounds. He was hated and despised and rejected by men in order to fix our broken relationships. He is the one who became sin for us to free us from the shackles of sin and release us from the power of our addictions and dependencies.

The unbelieving crowds not only looked for Jesus in the wrong places, but they were looking for the wrong Jesus. So Jesus invited them to come to believe in him. Therefore, renounce all the wrong reasons for seeking Jesus; renounce your selfish wants and desires. Seek the Jesus who gives us his righteousness. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all your needs for this life will be supplied." Jesus is that righteousness. He fulfilled all righteousness; he fulfilled the Law and the Prophets and all that was written about him in Scripture. He became the righteousness of God for us. "Blessed is he who hungers and thirsts for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Jesus invites us to eat the bread from heaven so that we will be satisfied and never hunger or thirst again.

Jesus, our true righteousness, is the true bread that gives life; he is the bread we eat in Communion and he is the wine we drink, they are his very own body and blood. That is where we find Jesus, in his word and Sacrament. There he is, and there he gives us new life, a renewed and restored life, full of the righteousness of God himself. A life full of love and mercy and compassion for one another. A life of forgiveness and blessings. A life of reconciliation with God. A life restored to communion with God and the joy of his love and the peace of his presence. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit." That is why we seek Jesus.

And we know where Jesus is: He is where his word is proclaimed and his sacraments administered. He is found here, in the worship of his people as they gather to study his word and break the bread and drink the cup of his salvation and forgiveness. It is here that we get a new life; a new hope; a new love for one another for all eternity.

Amen.