To the gospel according to John. Okay? Gospel according to John. And I say that with emphasis because as you may know, we've been in, well, you tell me where have we been this year? In Mark.
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Right? So we've been in the gospel of Mark and in particular for the past three weeks we've been in mark six. And so now we jump over, the lectionary readings have us jumping over to John chapter six. And interestingly, we are going to be in John six for five weeks. Okay?
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Now, it is a long chapter and it is a pivotal chapter. It is really ground zero for our faith, all right? And it's ground zero for why we have the sanctuary set up in the way that we do, all right? It is the central, maybe if we could say it this way. Miracle and remembrance and command of Jesus.
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It is the exact way that we are told to remember him. And he tells us to remember him in this way. And so once you found, and if you would just. I'm encouraging here the past couple weeks just to grab a Bible. There should be one better.
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There's some behind you there, buddy, if somebody can hand you. But there should be one in the basket, one of the baskets there. Pull it up on your phone, whatever. I'd like for you to look at this with me. This is John, chapter six.
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And when you found that, go ahead and stand. So John, chapter six. And we're going to begin here at the beginning of the chapter. Notice these words. This is the word of God.
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Jesus went to the other side of the sea of Galilee also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the passover, the festival of the Jews, was near when he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him Jesus said to Philip, where are we to buy bread for these people to eat? He said this to test him for he himself knew what he was going to do.
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Philip answered him, six months wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, there is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people? Jesus said, make the people sit down. Now, there was a great deal of grass in the place so they all sat down, about 5000.
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Then jesus took the loaves. When he had given thanks he distributed them to those who were seated so also the fish as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied. He told his disciples, gather up the fragments left over so that nothing may be lost. So they gathered them up and from the fragments of the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten they filled twelve baskets.
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When the people saw the sign that he had done they began to say, this is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world. When jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea got into a boat and started across the sea of Capernaum. Sorry, across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark and jesus had not yet come to them.
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The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they rode about three or 4 miles they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat. And they were terrified. But he said to them, it is I, do not be afraid. Then they wanted to take him into the boat.
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And immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going. Jesus, thank you for your word. We pray now that the same spirit that inspired these words from the apostle John to us this morning as your holy, inerrant word, Lord, may that same