I Am The Bread Of Life

John 6:48-51 &57-58 “I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” 

57 “Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” 

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 was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. We have heard these verses many times over the years. They point us directly towards Jesus. In Him was life and in Him is life. The Disciple John eloquently explains the divinity of Jesus. Jesus was there at the beginning. Jesus, the Word was with God and is God. As Jesus shares with His Disciples in John 6:48-51 & 57-58 above, not all can fully grasp the meaning of Jesus being the bread that comes down from heaven. We know from John 60-64 that many of his Disciples left. John 6:60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?  What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” Today, just as back the days of Jesus’ time on this earth many cannot accept what He has to say. Often our world does not want to accept His truth because it goes counter to the sinful desires of this world. Often our world wants to determine it’s own destiny and reject what God has told all is the path to salvation. In the words of the departing disciples, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it.” Jesus reminds us in the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 7:1 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” Sadly many in our world today just will not accept they must fully rely on Jesus for their salvation. Many will try a path of works, or salvation through committing unspeakable violence. Some will even try to buy their way into heaven. Many will follow a false gospel and faulty doctrine that leads to their death. Still others will not even consider the need to pursue a life in Christ and will even shun God altogether. If only they would hear the words you and I hold dear. We can pray for a change of heart for those who are lost. We can reach out in love to the lost. And we can share the importance of holding onto the bread that comes down from heaven. Jesus is that bread of life. He was yesterday, is today, and will be tomorrow.

PRAYER: Almighty and Everlasting God, You gave the bread of life to all mankind. Your Son, that very bread, gives hope and life to all mankind who partake of that bread. And yet many in our world reject that premise. Many will chose to follow the path that leads to death and destruction. Help us Father to boldly share Your love. Soften the hearts of the lost. Open the eyes of those blind to the truth we find in Your Word. Give us the words to share that reach deep into the hearts of the lost. All this we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.