Jesus Says, "I Am the Bread of Life"

Scripture: John 6:22-40 (NIV)

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

Devotional

After feeding 5000 families, walking on water, and healing all who touched Him, the demand for Jesus escalated. The synagogue in Capernaum was no doubt overflowing with people who wanted more miraculous signs. When they realized that Jesus was not going to comply, they said, ““We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” (John 6:38, NLT). If Jesus wouldn’t become their continual bread factory, they wanted the secret formula to his powers.

Jesus simply told them that they have one job: “believe in the one [God] has sent” (v. 29). They pushed back, comparing Jesus’ single event feeding with bread to their ancestors eating the bread like substance called manna that fell from the sky for forty years, feeding their ancestors during the time of Moses some 1500 years earlier. Jesus upped the ante, declaring, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry” (v. 35).

I am the bread of life.

I AM.

On Day 1 of this week we looked at this phrase “I AM” from the Greek “ego eimi.” It is a clear reference to God’s self-revealed name given to that same Moses who was their ancestral hero. When Moses was in charge, the people got bread from God every day for forty years. That’s nothing. Jesus was offering bread for all eternity! Here is how He put it: “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day” (v. 40).

Jesus is the Great I AM. He is God in the flesh. He is the bread which eliminates spiritual hunger brings eternal life. Will you feast on Him?

Poem

Spiritual Diet

Some foods go right through you
Delicious
Don't last
Their saccharine will tempt you
Your hunger
To dash
They call to you, "Eat me!"
Fill up on
Me so
But this promise empty
Again you
Will go
Right back to the source of
The cookie
Jar plenty
Only to discover its
Pledges
Are empty
My bread is the kind that will
Stick to
Your ribs
My bread is the kind that the
Spirit
Will give
You can't find it hiding in
Comforts
You know
This nourishment different will
Cause faith
To grow
You start with the milk then
Move on
To steak
The will of My Father your
Hunger
Abate

Podcast: Week 21

Sermon: Week 21

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