# 117 The Bread of Life

 

# 117 The Bread of Life

 

Joh 6:30 Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

 32 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.

 33 "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." 35 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.

 

 

What’s wrong with these people? Jesus just fed 5000 plus of them with 5 loaves of bread and two fish, how much more of a sign do they want? At this point we need to say something about Messianic expectations of many of the Jews. Many felt that the Messiah would come and renew the daily sending of manna. So this crowd felt that the one time feeding of the 5000 was no big deal.  I mean Moses fed the entire nation every single day for years!

 

Moses served up bread from heaven, but Jesus served up ordinary fish and bread. But Jesus reminds the people that while Moses bread may have seemed heavenly, in reality, it was just a “type” of bread to come. The true bread given by the Father is in the form of the One who came down from heaven, and was now standing before them and speaking to them!

 

He is superior to manna in every way. This Bread (Jesus) was not meant solely for the nation of Israel, but for the whole world! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. (Jn 3:16)

 

The people still didn’t get it and they respond in physical terms.  “Lord give us this bread always!” Let it always be there like that manna was!

 

All right then, no more beating around the bush, Jesus flat out tells them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

 

 

This statement ought to connect with the audiences Old Testament line of thinking. For while the people were in the wilderness, God miraculously provided water and bread! No one hungered and no one thirsted. Now Jesus promises the same to those who come to Him. The difference is now it is a spiritual satisfaction.

 

Whereas the water and bread of Moses sustained life physically, the water and bread of Jesus sustains life spiritually! Moses satisfied the body; Jesus satisfies the soul! Listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah: Isa 55:1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. 3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live.”

 

Isn’t that what you and I really need? Isn’t that what our heart really desires? Come to Jesus and “let your soul delight itself in abundance.” Stop looking for delight in all the wrong places, come to Jesus who promises to provide abundantly!