I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE

“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.” – John 6.35

Jesus had just fed the 5000 plus. His disciples had located a little boy whose mother had packed him a lunch - five loaves and two fish. Jesus miraculously multiplied that into more food than the crowd could eat. Yet the crowd merely hungered for more from Jesus. They wanted to keep their connection with this miracle worker to keep getting what they desired.
Jesus knew this was not the hunger he wanted to foster, so he disappeared from them. They went in search of Jesus. "Where did you go?" was their question when they finally caught up with him. They wanted the handout from heaven to continue.

Yet Jesus knew that they needed more than manna, the daily bread provided in the wilderness that had sustained the Israelites in the exodus, It was journey bread. It had a half life of 24 hours and then it spoiled. Jesus knew that they needed "bread" that would sustain them. In saying, "I am the bread of life" he is telling all os that he provides more than manna for the moment. He gives us bread for eternity.

Note: This is my text and message for Sunday, Marchy 22, 2009 at the Church of God of Landisville. You can hear a fuller discussion at 8.15 and 10.45.