John 6:26-40

“26 Jesus 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 will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” 30 So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so 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.’ ” 32 Jesus then 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.” 34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.” 35 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. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:26–40, NASB 95)

On Sunday, we launched a six-week series called "FREE" exploring God's grace through Jesus's "I Am" statements in John's Gospel. While we know that grace is FREE, we often approach God's grace with a "fine print mindset," questioning whether it's truly free or something we need to earn. John 6:22-40 recounts how the crowd seeks Jesus after the feeding of the 5,000, but Jesus points out they're after physical bread instead of spiritual truth. He contrasts perishable food with eternal spiritual nourishment, declaring "I am the bread of life." The main message emphasizes that salvation is an entirely free gift that only requires belief—trusting that Jesus, as the Son of God, offers eternal life through His death, burial, and resurrection. There are no conditions, works, or fine print—just the simple act of accepting what God gives freely.