I Am the Bread of Life
I AM Statements of Jesus • Sermon • Submitted
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In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes seven statements beginning with the words I am. Each of these “I am” proclamations furthers our understanding of Jesus’ ministry in the world. They also link Jesus to the Old Testament revelation of God.
In the Old Testament, God revealed His name to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (). Thus, in Judaism, “I AM” is unquestionably understood as a name for God. Whenever Jesus made an “I am” statement in which He claimed attributes of deity, He was identifying Himself as God.
In the Old Testament, God revealed His name to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (). Thus, in Judaism, “I AM” is unquestionably understood as a name for God. Whenever Jesus made an “I am” statement in which He claimed attributes of deity, He was identifying Himself as God.
Seven times in this Gospel John recorded Jesus’ announcements about himself, introduced by the words, “I am.” Here is the first of these “I am” statement found in John’s gospel: —I am the bread of life.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. ()
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Gangel, K. O. (2000). John (Vol. 4, p. 124). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers. “I am” statement found in John’s gospel:
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.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. ()
The day before, Jesus had fed 5,000 people with a few loaves and fish. Then that night he walked miles across the Sea of Galilee before catching up with his disciples in their boat. The crowd had seen him send his disciples away in the only boat available. So the next day, when they found him in Capernaum, they knew he could have only got there miraculously. They wanted him to be their king.
As for our thirst, remember how Jesus told the woman at the well that the water He offered would cure her thirst forever. Pointing to Jacob’s well, before which they were standing, He said, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” ()
And then on the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. ()
The day before, Jesus had fed 5,000 people with a few loaves and fish. Then that night he walked miles across the Sea of Galilee before catching up with his disciples in their boat. The crowd had seen him send his disciples away in the only boat available. So the next day, when they found him in Capernaum, they knew he could have only got there miraculously. They wanted him to be their king.
The Psalmist wrote, As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. () In Jesus, our spiritual hunger is satisfied, and our spiritual thirst is quenched. Once we have the Holy Spirit, our search for spiritual fulfillment comes to an end, and we never need any other sustenance. The God-shaped hole in our heart is finally filled.
Holman New Testament Commentary: John C. Faith Is Eternal Choice (6:25–33)
These half-hearted seekers had no penetrating theological question to ask the one they called Rabbi. They only wanted to know when he had arrived. But the Lord cut through all the sham of their pretended interest. As he did with Nicodemus, he answered a question they did not ask. Like many modern North Americans, they displayed materialistic and greedy attitudes, working for food that spoils but not for food that endures to eternal life. Their words and their behavior portrayed a misunderstanding of God’s plan. Like some believers today, they followed Jesus for what they could get out of him—to justify their own prejudice, to support their own politics, to confirm their own culture.
How common in our day to see Christians attempting to substitute spiritual power with some false and useless modern ideal. We look for spiritual power in politics, signs and wonders, size and influence, spiritual warfare, or even the popularity of celebrities. John points us to the cross and to the one who died there, of whom he says, On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.
The day before, Jesus had fed 5,000 people with a few loaves and fish. Then that night he walked miles across the Sea of Galilee before catching up with his disciples in their boat. The crowd had seen him send his disciples away in the only boat available. So the next day, when they found him in Capernaum, they knew he could have only got there miraculously. They wanted him to be their king.
These half-hearted seekers had no penetrating theological question to ask the one they called Rabbi. They only wanted to know when he had arrived. But the Lord cut through all the sham of their pretended interest. As he did with Nicodemus, he answered a question they did not ask. Like many modern North Americans, they displayed materialistic and greedy attitudes, working for food that spoils but not for food that endures to eternal life. Their words and their behavior portrayed a misunderstanding of God’s plan. Like some believers today, they followed Jesus for what they could get out of him—to justify their own prejudice, to support their own politics, to confirm their own culture.
Then he went and ruined everything. To his adoring fans Jesus said,
26 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.
27 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.”
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Confused, they asked him how they could work to please God. He replied,
Confused, they asked him how they could work to please God. He replied, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (). (God isn’t looking for workers. He’s looking for believers.)
Confused, they asked him how they could work to please God. He replied,
Confused, they asked him how they could work to please God. He replied, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (). (God isn’t looking for workers. He’s looking for believers.)
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
). (God isn’t looking for workers. He’s looking for believers.)
Jesus’ response to their question was a flat contradiction of their thinking. They could not please God by doing good works. There is only one work of God, that is, one thing God requires. They need to put their trust in the One the Father has sent. Because of their sin people cannot please God by doing good works for salvation (Eph. 2:8–9; Titus 3:5). God demands that people recognize their inability to save themselves and receive His gift (Rom. 6:23).
(God isn’t looking for workers. He’s looking for believers.)
Jesus was a hero to the crowd because he had fed them. But Jesus discerned something very wrong about their enthusiasm. They wanted more “bread from heaven” ().
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.
In a solemn revelation (I tell you the truth; cf. vv. 26, 47, 53) Jesus corrected their ideas in three ways. (1) The Father, not Moses, gave the manna. (2) The Father, was still giving “manna” then, not merely in the past. (3) The true Bread from heaven is Jesus, not the manna. Thus the supposed superiorities of Moses and his sign vanish. Manna was food for the body, and it was useful. But Jesus is God’s full provision for people in their whole existence. Jesus repeatedly said He had come down from heaven (vv. 32–33, 38, 41–42, 50–51, 58).
More Than Bread
More Than Bread
But wanting the blessings Jesus provides is not the same thing as believing in him. Indeed, Jesus had come to give them bread from heaven. But not that kind of bread.
So, to test them, he began to make statements that sounded very strange. He told them that he was the true bread from heaven that gives life to the world, and whoever eats this bread would live forever.
“Jesus had come to give them bread from heaven. But not the kind of bread they were looking for.” Tweet Share on Facebook
Then he said, “And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” ().
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
This sounded like cannibalism. His listeners balked. He pressed it even further:
This sounded like cannibalism. His listeners balked. He pressed it even further:
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53 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.
54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
John 6:53-
The “Jesus for King” campaign evaporated. The people walked away, shaking their heads. The crazy man wants us to eat his flesh! They completely misunderstood what Jesus was saying.
The “Jesus for King” campaign evaporated. The people walked away, shaking their heads. The crazy man wants us to eat his flesh! They completely misunderstood what Jesus was saying.
So what did he mean? Here are the clues:
How do you labor for the food that endures to eternal life? Believe in me! (, )
27 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.”
John
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
John 6:
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me [in faith] shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” ()
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.
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me [in faith] shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” () “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” ()
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” ()
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” ()
40 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.”
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.” ()
47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.” ()
John
Eating Is Believing
Eating Is Believing
For Jesus, eating is believing; drinking is believing. He promises eternal life to those who believe in him. Believe what?
Believe that his death — the breaking of his body and spilling of his blood — pays in full the penalty for our sin, and that his perfect righteousness is freely given to us in exchange for our unrighteousness.
“Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper because he did not want us to forget the very core of what we believe.” Tweet Share on Facebook
Believing this is how we “eat” Jesus’s flesh and “drink” his blood. This is why he instituted the Lord’s Supper: he did not want us to forget the very core of what we believe.
When the crowd took offense at his gruesome talk, Jesus exposed their unbelief: “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe” ().
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.
John
Let’s you and I be like Peter. He didn’t walk away, but instead said to Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” ().
Let’s you and I be like Peter. He didn’t walk away, but instead said to Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” ().
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”