The True Bread of Life

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Video: Daily Bread

Introduction

One of my fondest memories is coming home from school to the aroma of fresh baked bread and buns. I could hardly wait to put my school stuff away and quickly inhale a couple of buns with homemade raspberry jam or have a couple slices of bread with butter on them. Or how many of you enjoy the aroma of fresh baked bread when you walked into the local bakery or Bun Masters?
Imagine life without bread. It seems unimaginable, right? Bread is often at the center of meals and celebrations. In Scripture, bread is a recurring theme, representing God’s provision and grace.
As we continue our series Hunger &Thirst, today we look at a passage from John’s Gospel in which Jesus describes himself as the bread of life. But what does that truly mean for us?

Setting the Stage

The day before we pick reading in John 6, Jesus had miraculously fed 5,000 men (which was probably more only the men were counted) and the disciples had experienced a storm while crossing the lake in which they thought they were going to die. However, Jesus came to them walking on the water and all was good.

John 6:22-35

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. 23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. 24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. 25 They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

30 They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? 31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

32 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty

I find it fascinating that the people start by asking Jesus to perform another miracle so they can believe in HIm; keep in mind the events of the day before. I think it hits at the heart of human nature, we seek physical proof of God’s presence. Jesus refocuses their vision from past miracles to a present faith in Him.

Bruce Milne, The Message of John

The bread of life also points to the satisfying nature of Jesus. This is drawn out in “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again” and “Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” All other breads, like the manna in the wilderness, leave a sense of dissatisfaction. The inner ache is not permanently assuaged; we hunger again. By contrast Jesus, once tasted, obviates the need for further satisfaction. As Jesus had said to the woman in 4:14, ‘whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst’, so now he says to the Galileans, he who believes in me will never be thirsty. Jesus alone can satisfy the heart. In a society which has experimented to the point of satiation with every form of material, physical and spiritual palliative to fill the inner emptiness of its heart, Jesus’ invitation comes with wonderful relevance - He who comes to me will never go hungry…will never be thirsty
I once read a powerful story of a missionary who travelled to a remote village. The villagers had never tasted bread; they lived only on roots and fruits. When the missionary shared bread and the Gospel, it transformed the community. Much like those villagers, we can often live on limited spiritual nourishment. Yet Christ, the true Bread, invites us into a fuller life filled with hope and abundance.

Food and Sustenance

Food and drink are requirements to nourish and sustain the human body. A lot of life’s big events include food and drink. Weddings. Funerals. Christmas. Thanksgiving. Easter. Meetings. Even in the church, my personal favorite - the church potluck. Church potlucks often offer a variety of foods, some questionable and some unpredictable. However, it is a chance to meet with other believers to celebrate and experience life together. As I said, so many of our life’s events revolve around meals with other people. We forget that feasts and suppers are how God’s people relate to one another, whether at the Last Supper or the marriage supper of the Lamb.
I was raised in the Lutheran tradition of weekly potluck soup supper often practiced during Lent or Advent.

Rebecca Florence Miller describes

There is a holy hovering around the sacramentally bubbling soups, an anticipation of the sustenance, laughter, and fellowship to come. After repeatedly being urged to get this party started, the pastor lifts his voice and leads a table prayer, even as a few sneaky folks slide over a wee bit closer to the table. ‘Amen!’ Everyone falls into formation in two lines, one on each side of the table - mothers, dads, gray-haired ladies, bald old fellows, the proper and coiffed, the off-the-cuff and blue-jeaned. Laughing, smiling, anticipating. We, the church.
In my own life, I have often thought about how essential bread is to our diet. Just as bread feeds our physical bodies, Jesus referred to Himself as the 'Bread of Life.' In John 6:35, He teaches us that when we hunger for spiritual nourishment, only He can truly satisfy. This comparison reminds us to seek Him daily for strength and sustenance in our lives.

What does this all mean for you and I?

In a stressful work environment where you may feel overwhelmed or unfulfilled, remind yourself that Jesus is the 'bread of life' who sustains us. Make it a practice to take short breaks for prayer or reflection every hour. During these moments, bring your frustrations and hopes to God. You might even establish a 'prayer buddy' at work for accountability, where you can encourage each other to rely on Christ for daily sustenance amid workplace challenges.
If you feel your spiritual life growing stagnant at home, incorporate a 'spiritual meal' into your routine. Host a monthly potluck where each family member brings a dish and a scripture passage related to sustenance, sharing how Jesus has fed them spiritually this past month. This idea not only makes your home a hub of fellowship and fun but also allows for intentional sharing and growth based on Jesus, the ultimate 'bread of life'.
When our world is going sideways and we aren’t sure what it is we need, we can turn to God and in Jesus’ own words pray, give us this daily bread.

Bread

At the time of Jesus, bread and water were not high-end meals for only a few but a common meal for everyone, even the least in society.
Jesus is for everyone. The feasts and meals during the holiday season are not just tables filled with food but also tables filled with people. Meals are better when the tables are full of food and everyone has a place to sit.

Video: God’s Provision

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