Jesus is the Bread of Life, The Living Bread
As we mentioned in last week’s bulletin, in John 6:51 we read the words of Jesus, who said, “I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven.” In a previous verse of the same chapter, Jesus said, verse 35, “I am the bread of life.”
As we all know, bread, meaning physical sustenance, food, is essential to continuing to live physically. The Jews understood what Jesus was referring to and so do we. Just as physical bread is necessary to physical life, so, Jesus is necessary for spiritual life. Notice, Jesus says He is the living bread. As one writer put it, “The idea of ‘living bread’ suggests that Jesus is not merely a historical figure or a great teacher, but the embodiment of life itself.” He not only is the sustainer of all physical life, but He is also the giver and sustainer of all spiritual life.
The first two words Jesus uses in these verses are “I Am.” When using this, the Jews would have understood that He is linking Himself with God, who, if we remember, told Moses He was the ‘I Am’ in the book of Exodus. Jesus is giving a powerful statement concerning who He truly was, referring to His divine nature. So, we must recognize this as well, and realize that all spiritual life comes from God, comes from Jesus. He is the source of it all. And then Jesus said that we are to eat this bread. We are to partake of Him. In other words, we are to have an intimate relationship with Him in order to have that eternal life He talks about. We must intentionally partake of Him. That is the condition of having and keeping this life from Him, remembering that He and He alone is the source.
The question to all is, are we depending on temporal, physical, worldly things to bring us the nourishment we need? In the end, for sure, that will be proven to be of no avail. We must have Jesus is the essential and ultimate completion of life.
Let me close with a quote from another writer: “Additionally, this verse encourages us to look beyond our immediate circumstances, seeking the eternal perspective that Christ provides. Life often throws us challenges and uncertainties, but through faith, we can experience joy, hope, and security even in our trials. By focusing on Jesus as our sustenance, we are better equipped to cope with life’s ups and downs.
“This passage can also inspire us to create a deeper spiritual rhythm in our lives. Just like eating daily nourishes our bodies, establishing regular prayer, reading Scripture, and gathering in fellowship nourishes our souls. Let us commit to intentionally seeking spiritual growth and allowing Jesus to be central in our lives. When we actively feast on His presence, we will grow and abide in Him.”