I Am the Bread of Life

Good evening from the Panhandle. I got back from Boy's Mission Camp this past Thursday. What a great experience, I look forward to my time at camp. This year was my 13^th year to go and as always I was blessed. 

Well I think I have got out of order on my “I AM” post. It looks like I forgot to post about the Bread of Life. Beginning in John 6 and through John 15, you will find the seven statements that tell you who Christ Jesus is. Christ Jesus wanted the disciples and the many people who were following Him to understand who He was and what was available to them. These statements are assurances of God's provision for us through Christ Jesus.

Every need we have in life is covered by these seven statements that Christ Jesus made about Himself. He is the bread of life and brings light to us in a dark world. Christ Jesus is the gate through which we enter to obtain everlasting life. He cares for us as our good shepherd. Christ Jesus is the resurrection and the life; He died and rose again that we might have life everlasting. He is the way, the truth, and the life. As the vine, Christ Jesus is our source of strength and we must stay connected to Him if we are to produce fruit for Him.

By choosing the words, “I AM” Christ Jesus was pointing his hearers to something special about himself – His claim to divinity. When He said, “Before Abraham was “I am” (John 8:58) – the Jews picked up stones to kill Him for blasphemy because He claimed to be God with that statement. By the use of the term “I AM” Christ Jesus' hearers would have been pointed back to the story in the book of Exodus where Moses asked God – “Who shall I say sent me” and God replied “Tell them “I AM“ sent you.

“I am the Bread of Life.” What responses would Christ Jesus’ words have triggered in you? What would you have understood by His words “I am the Bread of Life” ?

Aubrey Vaughan (A Baptist pastor and writer) relates this story. There is nothing quite like fresh bread as its being baked in the oven (10 years I was a baker). As it comes out of the oven you can see its golden brown colour, you can smell the freshness, your taste buds start to salivate, your tummy starts to rumble (and mine did many times) and not until you bite into the bread and eat do you truly experience the benefits inside.

Friends this morning I am saying to you that Jesus Christ is the one who can bring real permanent lasting satisfaction into your life…. Today he is being brought out to you not out of the oven but the Word of God. You might be seeing and listening this morning and even moved by what you heard ... But that’s not enough you need to experience, you need to taste and see that the Lord is good.

To be really satisfied you need to come to the one who said in John 6:35. 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. Bread is common to us all, we all eat it friends; we all need Jesus to experience lasting satisfaction. - Aubrey Vaughan on Sep 30, 2007

John 6:32-35

32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.

33 "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."

34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread."

35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

1. Introduction – Who, Where, When

Let's start with the where: Christ Jesus was speaking in Galilee, one of the trouble spots of the Roman Empire. (vs. 24-25). Feelings against the Roman rulers ran high in these northern hills of Galilee. It was prime terrorist country – where bands of zealots planned their raids. It was the “Helmand” province of Israel.

Now the when: When was Christ Jesus speaking? John tells us in John 6:4 that this all happened at Passover time. Passover was a time of a fiercely nationalist flavor. It was the time of year when the Israelites remembered God’s deliverance of HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.

Earlier in the Chapter we read of Christ Jesus feeding the five thousand from a little boy’s lunch box of five loaves and two little fishes. If that happened today I can imagine the News of the World reporting this with the headline: “Preacher steals little boy’s food and gives it away.” 

 

You gotta know that the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand had sparked the interest of all those present- most of whom were looking for Christ Jesus as a possible “political Saviour.” (vs. 15)

 

Now to the who: I can't be 100% sure but I think that probably in this group were some people we might call:

• Nationalist – these are the people who were looking for another Moses to lead the people in a revolt to throw off Roman oppression.
• Materialist – those who simply wanted to be fed and no more.
• The Sensationalist – those who wanted to see more miracles
• The Eternalist – Those were His true Disciples.

But Christ Jesus did not come to meet earthly needs. Yes, He did meet them during His ministry. But His true ministry was to make known the kingdom of heaven and to make it available to all. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 4:17.

Because of this many turned away when Christ Jesus came up with hard sayings –but His true disciples stood by Him. Peter summed it up very well when asked by Christ Jesus asked if even the inner circle - His 12 too would leave:Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God (John 6:68-69).

When Britain was a “Christian “country many came to church on Sunday – because it was good for business to be seen in church! But that isn’t the level of commitment that Christ Jesus is looking for. Did the 12 apostles really understand Christ Jesus’ mission by this stage. Probably not – but they stuck with Christ Jesus. Will you stand by Christ Jesus? Or will you, like many of those early followers say, “Good-bye” to Him when things get hard?

2. “I AM” - A Declaration of Divinity

The gospel of John has been called a “gospel of declaration.” And the most stunning declaration comes when Christ Jesus speaks the words Ego eime, “I AM.” This sacred name spoken by Christ Jesus is stunning. And the response would either be one of stunned disbelief and rejection, or breathtaking insight and embracement. 

 

Christ Jesus makes a bold and undeniable claim of His identity in this verse. He is not just a prophet, or a mere miracle worker. The food He provides is not the stuff of magic. Christ Jesus deceleration is made in such a way that you and everyone else who hears knows that He is Messiah. He is the Son of God, the full revelation of God, the Redeemer of the world. 

He is God. It was so for those who heard it that day He spoke to the the crowd in Capernaum. It is so for those who hear it today.

3. “I AM” - the bread

Bread is a staple food in most countries of the world. Bread is a food that gives nourishment to the human body. Here in U.S. we eat a lot of yeast breads that are usually light, fluffy. In Russia folks eat a dark brown bread that is course in texture. The people in Malawi eat a white yeast bread with no preservatives. The bread is rather heavy, and rough in texture. This bread is not a staple food for most Malawians, but is instead a special treat for them. And as we know corn and flour tortillas are a staple with our Hispanic friends and neighbors. Throughout the Bible it tells of people eating unleavened bread or bread without yeast.

In a world where the tangible, the physical, or the visible represent reality for so many, bread can mean nourishment on an otherwise empty belly. Christ Jesus is the bread that fills a spiritually empty person. Are you hungry for more than this world has to offer? Turn to Christ Jesus, the bread of eternal life.

4. “I AM” - the bread of life (vs. 46-48)

"If only you would open your eyes," Christ Jesus was saying, "that supernatural bread you are looking for is staring you in the face.” But for many this bread was and is just too hard to swallow. If Christ Jesus had said that eternal life is a matter of giving to charity, there would be plenty who would go out and buy their spiritual insurance. If Christ Jesus had said that eternal life is a matter of practicing yoga in your bedroom three times a day, there would be thousands who would be willing to participate in that discipline. 

But Christ Jesus didn’t. He said that eternal life was not a possession but a gift. This gift is a gift received through a personal relationship with Him. It is a gift that was made possible by His death on the cross. The cross is not just a pretty piece of jewelry. The Cross isn’t just a beautiful symbol of heroism and self sacrifice. It was a cruel, shameful death – and it reminds us that Christ Jesus took the punishment and death that should have been ours. 

Christ Jesus died a cruel, shameful death so that you could have life. Eternal Life with the Father. 

Conclusion: The message of Christ Jesus is simply this. If you want to be right with God, if you want to the have assurance of sins forgiven, and if you want eternal security, then Christ Jesus is that Bread of Life for you. As John records – all you have to do is to receive Him into your life - But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12) It really is a simple as that.

Want you call on Him today and find eternal security in the “I AM,” the Bread of Life? Won't you ask Christ Jesus to be your LORD and Saviour now.