The True Bread from Heaven

The people were happy with physical food that Jesus provided (He just fed the five thousand with 5 small barley loaves and 2 small fish the previous day). He then tried to teach them the difference between food that perishes and food that endures unto eternal life. While Jesus had spent much time meeting people's physical needs, the real purpose of His coming into the world was to save people's souls. 

"Jesus said to them, 'Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the 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.'" (John 6:32-33)--In order to prevent misunderstanding, Jesus reminded his listeners that it was not Moses but God Who provided the bread (manna) in the desert and Who was giving them the True Bread from Heaven--the perfect food that satisfies humans' deepest need. "Thou has made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it find its rest in Thee." (St. Augustine) Christ identified Himself as the Bread of Life, One Who had actually come down from Heaven to give life to the world. We must come to Him and believe in Him to receive this life (eternal life and abundant life). "Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the Bread of Life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the Bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the Living Bread that came down from Heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:47-51) Jesus gave "This Bread"/His flesh for the life of the world by dying on the cross for our transgressions. Jesus provides spiritual sustenance, in order that all who believe in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life! I'm so thankful for Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life!

For those who come and put their trust in Him, their spiritual hunger and thirst will be fully and forever satisfied. We are complete in Christ. No one else and nothing else will ever make us complete. People, places, and things are never meant to give us life's fulfillment. Christ alone is the Author of a fulfilling life! We eat bread to satisfy our physical hunger and sustain physical life. Only a relationship with Jesus Christ can satisfy our spiritual hunger and sustain spiritual life. He gives us total spiritual nourishment and satisfaction... everything we need to live, grow, and stay strong. He is our Infinite Supply! Feed daily on Jesus, the Bread of Life!

Do you spend much time with God and His Word? The world will try to offer you junk food and thus diminish your appetite for God and His Word. We cannot be spiritually healthy if we keep feeding our mind, hearts, and souls with unhealthy stuff, instead of the necessary nourishment from God's Word. "It is not the ship in the water but the water in the ship that sinks it. So it is not the Christian in the world but the world in the Christian that constitutes the danger. Anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult, is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it." (J. Wilbur Chapman)

Many people in the world are starving spiritually...living without hope and purpose. May we eagerly share the Bread of Life with others so that they also may no longer be hungry! We cannot force people to eat or take the bread, but we can offer them the bread. Pray that they will "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8a).