Journeying with Jesus, His 6th Invitation: I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE

To be hungry is to be human and alive.

In our culture, we typically associate hunger with food, “I’m hungry for a good hamburger,” or “I would love a donut right about now.” But there is another hunger, a deeper hunger.  Let’s call it the hunger of your soul. This hunger longs for things like real love, meaningful purpose, and lasting hope.

What are you hungry for?

Jesus and his disciples crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee. A huge crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down with his disciples (John 6:1-4).

Jesus saw a great crowd coming toward him. He asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” Jesus tested Philip to think but already knew what he was going to do.  Andrew, another disciple, pointed Jesus to a boy in the crowd who had two small fish and five small barley loaves (6:5-9).

Jesus had the massive crowd, about 5,000 men, sit down on the grassy hillside. He took the bread, gave thanks and then a miracle happened! The disciples distributed to all as much as they wanted of both the bread and fish. When all the people had had enough to eat, Jesus directed the disciples to gather what was left. They filled twelve baskets with the bread pieces (6:10-15).

The next day the crowd found Jesus and the disciples on the other side of the lake. Jesus said, “You are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.”  Then he adds, “Don’t work for food that spoils, but for food that endures for eternal life which the Son of Man will give you” (6: 25-27).

The people assume that Jesus is talking about manna, which God had supernaturally provided the Israelites during the time of Moses. But Jesus corrects the crowd saying, “It is not Moses who has given bread from heaven, but my Father who 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” (6:32-34).

Then Jesus makes an incredible declaration, “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” (6:35).

What are you to do with Jesus’ statements to the crowd? 

 I am the bread of life;

 He who comes to me will never go hungry;

 He who believes in me will never be thirsty.

These are staggering claims.  Obviously, these are not statements about Jesus’ ability to provide physical food. Instead, Jesus is declaring to the crowd who has come to him for physical food, that they should be looking to him to satisfy the much deeper hunger (longing) of the soul. He is the One who can fill your longing by his presence - with you and in you!

Jesus offers himself as a daily provision to you. This may sound crazy. It did to the crowds who followed Jesus, until they saw and believed. Jesus, the Bread of Life, intends to be our day-to-day source of life. He’s not a secondary provision, a bread of life, but THE bread of life. His resurrection is your miracle, and it invites a response on your part:

1.     What kind of “food” are you eating to satisfy your heart/soul/mind and body?

2.     Is this food fulfilling, reaching into your whole life and satisfying your real hunger?

3.     Have you given serious consideration to Jesus being who he presents himself to be?  Not a Sunday diet only, or a provision for only certain hungers, but the FUNDEMENTAL FOOD for your daily living?

What are you hungry for? Tell Jesus, asking Him to satisfy this deeper hunger. 

If you desire, talk to one of our counselors at the Renewing Life Center! We would enjoy such a conversation with you. We know this deeper hunger. And we are feeding on Jesus as well!