In Bread of Life, Part 1, we saw that Jesus wants us to desire time with Him for more than just to have our needs met. He wants to help us understand things from a spiritual plane:
“Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” (John 6:27 NKJV)
But the people don’t get it. They continue to think on the physical level: “What must we do to do the works God requires?” (John 6:28 NIV)
Jesus tries again to bring them to this level of understanding: “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” (John 6:29 NIV)
Let’s remember that the people of Jesus’ day lived in a works-based religious system. It was all about circumcision, keeping the sabbaths, offering the required sacrifices, etc., and they had many rules for achieving these things. The mentality of the day was this: If only we do the right things, God will see us as perfect. This is clear in their question: “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
But Jesus came to open the door to Grace, to Salvation by Faith.
This isn’t a new concept, for the Bible tells us that Abraham, long before Moses and the law, was saved by faith (see Heb. 11:8-12). But it was one that had been so long lost that the people didn’t understand. So Jesus tries to make it simple: “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
You see, Jesus knows they needed to feel like they were “doing” something, so He gives them something to do: To believe in Him!
But it is more than they can accept. In fact, they completely ignore the idea, jumping instead to the whole argument of Jesus being God’s Son, sent from God: “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?” (John 6:30)
Wait a minute. These people have not only seen Jesus feed the 5000, then have eaten of the miracle bread and fish that He produced! Yet they have the audacity to say, “What miraculous sign then will you give…?” Are they blind, or what?
And as if that isn’t enough, they continue: “Our forefathers ate manna in the desert; as it is written: He gave them bread from Heaven to eat.” (John 6:31 NIV)
Jesus is our model for patience. He unwearyingly replies, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from Heaven, but it is my Father who gave you the true bread from Heaven.” (John 6:32 NIV)
But their faces must have still registered confusion, for Jesus continues: “For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:33 NKJV).
And the people’s response? “Lord, give us this bread always.” (John 6:34b NKJV)
Hey! Maybe they finally understand! At least Jesus has succeeded in perking their interest enough that they begin to desire what He speaks of!
But they really don’t get it yet, do they? They are asking Jesus to give them this bread; but meanwhile Jesus is telling them that He, the one standing before them, is the Bread of God!
Obviously they haven’t yet put it all together, so Jesus patiently repeats Himself: “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35-36 NKJV).
Friends, though we may grow weary of a steady diet of bread and water, we can survive on it. Not only is it the minimum needed to sustain life, but it was also the staple of the diet in Jesus’ day. What Jesus is saying here is this: If you have Jesus, you have everything you need to survive-not just in this World, but for life everlasting!
But more than this. Let’s remember that Jesus didn’t just give the people bread when He fed the 5000. He also gave them fish! Protein! Something with flavor!
Friends, if we believe accept Jesus’ gift of Salvation, we have our Bread of Life, to sustain us forever. But there is oh, so much more! Jesus also offers us “fish”!
How so, you ask?
Take a look at this list of “fish” that Jesus offers us:
1. Freedom from addictions: “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36 NKJV)
2. Freedom from worry: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28-29 NKJV)
3. Power over sickness and death, over unclean spirits: “And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.” (Matt 10:1-2 NKJV)
4. And Jesus offers us peace: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27-28 NKJV)
That’s the “fish”, friends! When we accept Jesus as our Bread of Life, as our Lord and Savior, we open the door for Him to fulfill our every need!
Now that is a loaf of bread worth buying!
But sadly, the people of Jesus’ day still didn’t get it. What does their lack of understanding have to teach us? Join us next Saturday for Bread of Life, Part 3: The Dangers of Lack of Understanding.
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.
(To access the rest of the “Bread of Life, a Study on True Christianity” mini-series, please click here.)