Bread that Satisfies

Bread.  I imagine a delicious bun, crusty on the outside, soft and delicious on the inside, slathered with butter.  My mouth waters when I think of it.  Celiac disease has taken away the pleasure of biting into a bun or a bagel, but I remember.


That's what the crowd was thinking about when Jesus fed the Five Thousand men, plus women and children.  They wanted more of this bread.  They challenged Jesus, asking Him "Who do you think you are?  Do you think you're better than our forefathers, who ate manna in the wilderness?"


Yes.  I am.  I am the Bread of Life.  Those forefathers who ate the manna died.  


Read John 6 to get the whole story. 


Jesus' Words give me life.

• Don't waste your life looking for bread - labour for eternal food, given by God.
• Believe in the One (Jesus!) Whom the Father sent.
• The Father gave the True Bread from heaven (Jesus!)
• The True Bread gives LIFE.
• Jesus always does the will of the Father.
• Jesus will lose none of those given Him by the Father.
• Jesus will raise each one on the last day!
• Nobody comes to Jesus, unless the Father draws him.
• Whoever believes has been taught by the Father.
• Whoever believes has eternal life.
• Jesus is the Living Bread.  He gave His flesh for our life.
• We must feed on His flesh, metaphorically.
• We must drink His blood, metaphorically.

John 6:53 Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood cannot be intended literally, for no one ever did that. As Jesus has done frequently in this Gospel, he is speaking in terms of physical items in this world to teach about spiritual realities. Here, to “eat” Jesus’ flesh has the spiritual meaning of trusting or believing in him, especially in his death for the sins of mankind. (See also v. 35, where Jesus speaks of coming to him as satisfying “hunger” and believing in him as satisfying “thirst.”) Similarly, to “drink his blood” means to trust in his atoning death, which is represented by the shedding of his blood.~ESVBible.org notes.

It's all about Jesus.  In Him is life, a life that satisfies.  

An old friend of mine is fast approaching the end of his journey.  I have been thinking a lot about Jim today.  God used him in our lives as an instrument of grace many years ago.  His wife Ruby taught me much about faith and about prayer.  

Jim will soon be dancing in heaven, having been drawn by the Father into eternal life.  He will see Jesus, and he will be satisfied.  Jesus is enough.  Jesus is everything.

One day, I will, too.

I can't wait.