Bread

Today I thought I would talk about the bread of life.  Bread, as everyone knows, is food that will sustain the body and the same was true in Jesus’ day when He walked the earth.  When Jesus fed the 4,ooo and 5,ooo plus women and children, what did He feed them?  He fed them fish and bread and they ate and were filled.  This was a good thing, but it was also where a problem began and this was the problem, because Jesus fed them they were looking for more food, or what you might call a hand out.  Jesus wasn’t happy with these people because they were seeking a physical fulfillment instead of a spiritual fulfillment.

It says this in John 6:25-26, “And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, ‘Rabbi, when did You come here?’ Jesus answered them and said, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.’”

After saying these things to the people, Jesus went on and said this about Himself in John 6:27-40, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.

Then they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’

Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’

Therefore they said to Him, ‘What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’

Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’

Then they said to Him, ‘Lord, give us this bread always.’

And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.’”

Jesus was truly the bread that came down from heaven and, like I said, bread gives physical life but the bread from heaven gives spiritual life and that only comes through Jesus, God’s only begotten Son.  John said this about Jesus in John 1:1-4, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

Then, while Jesus was teaching them He said some things that they would not accept, in John 6:53-60, “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.’

These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’”

It seems that these people may have been blinded to spiritual truths.  Jesus was not saying this about His personal body and blood, but that His life and theirs, would have to become one, as in a personal relationship. 

Later Paul spoke of the body and blood in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”

After Jesus said these things a sad thing happened, it says this in John 6:66, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.”

It is a sad thing when people hear some things they don’t like or they don’t understand about Jesus so they decide to forsake Him and walk away, which still happens today.  Instead of seeking the truth and finding it and being set free, they continue in their un-belief and never experience real true freedom.  If you are a skeptic and you are reading this, don’t walk away discouraged, seek the answers you need to hear.  Get your hands on the Word of God and start in the New Testament with the book of John and before you finish that book, you will find the truth which is Jesus and if you will let Him, He will set you free.  Seek Him with all your heart and you will find Him.  Something to think about!  God bless and may you have a super day!!  PS don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord!!