I AM the Bread of Life (Monday)
Week 4 (Monday)
John 6:35
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty."
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty."
Why is it that when you go to a restaurant that serves complimentary bread, that all of a sudden you crave bread? It’s not like we don’t have bread at home, but for some reason the baskets of bread at restaurants are just different. If you’re anything like me, when your entrée finally arrives you are so stuffed from all the bread you've consumed that you can no longer eat anything else. Three baskets of bread later and I am stuffed to the brim, unable to take another bite of anything else.
John chapter six retells the story of Jesus along the coast of the Sea of Galilee as he takes a young boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish and with it feeds five thousand people. God took what seemed like an insufficient amount of food and fed thousands. But the crowds didn’t just eat a small portion, they had eaten enough to be filled. The hungry crowd, after they encountered the life-giving power of Jesus, left being filled and satisfied.
As you continue to read chapter six, Jesus tells the crowd “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endure to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you”, to which the crowd energetically says, “Give us some of that food!”
Jesus’ response was simple yet profound, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
Our lives are filled with all kinds of cravings, not simply for physical food, but for meaning and purpose. Some choose to fill their lives with things that leave them empty and craving more, but Christ promises something different. As the bread of life, Jesus provides all who come to Him in saving faith with meaning, purpose and life. As we approach Christ we find meaning in living as image-bearers of God, we find purpose in reflecting the glory of God throughout our world, and we find eternal life through the death and resurrection of the Son of God.
When we come to Christ in faith we are filled with the bread of life. Now, no other entrée that the world dishes up will ever truly satisfy us because our bread, Christ, fills and satisfies our every desire. As we continue our march toward Resurrection Sunday, remember to cast aside the junk food that our world serves up and daily feed on the Bread of Life, for in Him and through Him we find true satisfaction, contentment, meaning, purpose and ultimately in Christ we find true life.
John chapter six retells the story of Jesus along the coast of the Sea of Galilee as he takes a young boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish and with it feeds five thousand people. God took what seemed like an insufficient amount of food and fed thousands. But the crowds didn’t just eat a small portion, they had eaten enough to be filled. The hungry crowd, after they encountered the life-giving power of Jesus, left being filled and satisfied.
As you continue to read chapter six, Jesus tells the crowd “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endure to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you”, to which the crowd energetically says, “Give us some of that food!”
Jesus’ response was simple yet profound, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
Our lives are filled with all kinds of cravings, not simply for physical food, but for meaning and purpose. Some choose to fill their lives with things that leave them empty and craving more, but Christ promises something different. As the bread of life, Jesus provides all who come to Him in saving faith with meaning, purpose and life. As we approach Christ we find meaning in living as image-bearers of God, we find purpose in reflecting the glory of God throughout our world, and we find eternal life through the death and resurrection of the Son of God.
When we come to Christ in faith we are filled with the bread of life. Now, no other entrée that the world dishes up will ever truly satisfy us because our bread, Christ, fills and satisfies our every desire. As we continue our march toward Resurrection Sunday, remember to cast aside the junk food that our world serves up and daily feed on the Bread of Life, for in Him and through Him we find true satisfaction, contentment, meaning, purpose and ultimately in Christ we find true life.
Reflection and Prayer
What “food” are you tempted to feed on in your life to provide meaning and purpose? Why is this “food” insufficient for your life?
How can you continually feed on Christ during the lead-up to Easter Sunday?
Our Father, we thank You that you sent Your Son to be our bread of life, the one in whom we find fulfillment and restoration for this life. As we go about our days, may be continually feed on Christ, who is our bread, so that we might find life and satisfaction in You and in You alone. Amen.
How can you continually feed on Christ during the lead-up to Easter Sunday?
Our Father, we thank You that you sent Your Son to be our bread of life, the one in whom we find fulfillment and restoration for this life. As we go about our days, may be continually feed on Christ, who is our bread, so that we might find life and satisfaction in You and in You alone. Amen.
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