Sermon Devotional: I AM the Bread of Life
Sermon Title: I Am the Bread of Life
Scripture: John 6:25-59 (NIV)
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35
Today, let’s talk about Bread. Bread is everywhere in the scriptures. During the first Passover, Israel was told to baked unleavened bread in preparation of their escape from slavery. Then, in the desert wanderings, Israel was hungry. They longed for the “pots of meat” (Exod 16:3) and the plenty that they enjoyed in Egypt. Moses brought their grumbling to the Lord. “The Lord said to Moses, ‘I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, at twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God’” (Exo 16:11-12). Later, Jeremiah tells us that when there was no grain for bread, Israel was in despair and desolation (Jer 25:10).
Daily bread, like gathering the manna each morning during the desert wanderings, is a daily chore. Then and now, bread is a daily necessity. Grain is ground and bread is mixed, kneaded and baked every morning. When Jesus tells us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread,” (Mat 6:11) we are challenged to trust God for this and for all the daily necessities of life so that we “will know that I am the Lord your God” (Exo 16:12). This is the backdrop for Jesus’ I Am statement: “I Am the Bread of Life.”
In John 6, Jesus is followed up a hillside along the Sea of Galilee. His disciples are with him and also a great crowd of people who were eager to experience the thrill of more miracles. There were five thousand men plus women and children–the crowd may have exceeded 20,000 hungry mouths. A boy’s lunch of five small loaves and two small fish was a ludicrous supply for such a crowd. But Jesus feeds them all to the full with plenty leftover.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (Jo 6:35). Fresh baked bread is one of life’s earthly delights. But like the people on the hillside, once a few hours have passed hunger returns and the body needs to be fed again. But Jesus tells us, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (Jo 6:51). He himself is the bread of life.
Jesus is the Living Bread who feeds the soul, once and for always. Jesus is the Bread who sustains those who will believe in Him, today and every day. And, Jesus is the Bread of Life who came from the throne room of heaven to rescue and redeem those who believe that Jesus is who he says he is. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.
Ann Voskamp wrote, “If you have little appetite for God, it may be because you’ve filled yourself up on the empty calories of this world’s all-you-can-eat buffet. Steal nibbles of the cheap sweets of this world long enough, and you ruin your appetite for God. When we aren’t hungry for God, is that a sign that we’ve feasted for too long on the fluff of this world?” (Voskamp, 81).
Lord, increase our hunger for the Living Bread, Jesus the Christ.
Consider—
╬ Jesus, the Bread of Life, gives us our daily bread. Do you come to Jesus for daily bread? Or just when you are hungry?
╬ Jesus is the Bread of Life who meets us in our every need. Has there been a time in your life when God clearly provided for you giving you the daily bread that you most needed? Remember and tell the story to anyone who needs to hear that Jesus is the Bread of Life.
╬ Jesus, Bread of Life, feed me ‘til I want no more. In your name we pray. Amen.
Scripture: John 6:25-59 (NIV)
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35
Today, let’s talk about Bread. Bread is everywhere in the scriptures. During the first Passover, Israel was told to baked unleavened bread in preparation of their escape from slavery. Then, in the desert wanderings, Israel was hungry. They longed for the “pots of meat” (Exod 16:3) and the plenty that they enjoyed in Egypt. Moses brought their grumbling to the Lord. “The Lord said to Moses, ‘I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, at twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God’” (Exo 16:11-12). Later, Jeremiah tells us that when there was no grain for bread, Israel was in despair and desolation (Jer 25:10).
Daily bread, like gathering the manna each morning during the desert wanderings, is a daily chore. Then and now, bread is a daily necessity. Grain is ground and bread is mixed, kneaded and baked every morning. When Jesus tells us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread,” (Mat 6:11) we are challenged to trust God for this and for all the daily necessities of life so that we “will know that I am the Lord your God” (Exo 16:12). This is the backdrop for Jesus’ I Am statement: “I Am the Bread of Life.”
In John 6, Jesus is followed up a hillside along the Sea of Galilee. His disciples are with him and also a great crowd of people who were eager to experience the thrill of more miracles. There were five thousand men plus women and children–the crowd may have exceeded 20,000 hungry mouths. A boy’s lunch of five small loaves and two small fish was a ludicrous supply for such a crowd. But Jesus feeds them all to the full with plenty leftover.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (Jo 6:35). Fresh baked bread is one of life’s earthly delights. But like the people on the hillside, once a few hours have passed hunger returns and the body needs to be fed again. But Jesus tells us, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (Jo 6:51). He himself is the bread of life.
Jesus is the Living Bread who feeds the soul, once and for always. Jesus is the Bread who sustains those who will believe in Him, today and every day. And, Jesus is the Bread of Life who came from the throne room of heaven to rescue and redeem those who believe that Jesus is who he says he is. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.
Ann Voskamp wrote, “If you have little appetite for God, it may be because you’ve filled yourself up on the empty calories of this world’s all-you-can-eat buffet. Steal nibbles of the cheap sweets of this world long enough, and you ruin your appetite for God. When we aren’t hungry for God, is that a sign that we’ve feasted for too long on the fluff of this world?” (Voskamp, 81).
Lord, increase our hunger for the Living Bread, Jesus the Christ.
Consider—
╬ Jesus, the Bread of Life, gives us our daily bread. Do you come to Jesus for daily bread? Or just when you are hungry?
╬ Jesus is the Bread of Life who meets us in our every need. Has there been a time in your life when God clearly provided for you giving you the daily bread that you most needed? Remember and tell the story to anyone who needs to hear that Jesus is the Bread of Life.
╬ Jesus, Bread of Life, feed me ‘til I want no more. In your name we pray. Amen.