Read John 6:25-65

Free Food! Whenever we see an opportunity for some free food, we take it! When our children were young, they enjoyed walking around sampling different treats in grocery stores on Saturdays. Well, to be honest, we still enjoy this when the opportunity presents itself!

A phrase I’ve heard over the years will guide our thoughts today:

“You are what you eat!”

This statement has merit and can help us in our physical world but Jesus, in John 6, wants to show His followers who He is. He uses His power over the wind and waves and then multiplies a few loaves of bread and fish to allow all to see His identity.

They saw Jesus as a Rabbi, and then as a Prophet like Moses. Jesus corrects their thinking in verses 32-33 “I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Verse 35 goes on to say, “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.’”  He then addresses their unbelief and says multiple times so very plainly who He is and why He came.

Look at verses 35-65. I know it seems like a lot to read, but so valuable in the conversation of the text. Jesus says to them that He is the One sent from heaven and He is the Bread of Life, the Living Bread that came from heaven. He challenges their diet of religiosity and lays out the opportunity for them to believe and receive this truth. Their response was to immediately argue sharply among themselves and their conclusion in verse 60 was in question form; “This is a hard teaching, Who can accept it?”

This is the best question they could’ve asked! It is our question today!  As a Christ follower, we can say loudly “WE CAN.” May we all acknowledge and then go and share this truth as the disciples did in verses 69-70. “Lord, you have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Let’s feast on this truth and share this truth  so others can  be satisfied by  a relationship to Jesus- the Bread of Life! Our world is malnourished and feasting on the emptiness of self-centeredness.

Celeste Kern

Questions to consider

• What does this name of Jesus mean to you?
• What are some ways that our society tries to find satisfaction? What is the result?
• In what ways have you experienced the satisfaction of Jesus?