Jesus is the Bread of Life; He is essential to our lives.

 We’re examining Scriptures where God makes many “I AM” statements. Today, we come the first of seven I AM statements made by Jesus and recorded in the gospel of John: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).

I AM God (v.35)  “Jesus said to them, “I AM…”

There is a precedent to this statement – Exodus 3:14) God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” He is eternal, immutable, self-existent, Emmanuel. Jesus is making another claim to deity. The phrase “I AM” is the covenant name of God (Yahweh), revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14), and this phrase speaks of self- existence – which is an attribute only God possesses. It is also a phrase the Jews who were listening would have automatically understood as a claim to deity.

So, WHY does this matter? Only God can do what needs to be done to save wretched sinners from their just punishment which is eternal separation from God – eternal death.

(Rom. 6:23) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus’ work – His death on the cross would satisfy the Father’s wrath against sin – a once and for all transaction. When Jesus uses the “I AM” He is expressing His saving relationship toward the world. Jesus is God Incarnate, and He IS the LORD (Yahweh) of Exodus 3. Only God can execute a salvation plan, and Jesus is God’s Lamb – perfect, spotless, without sin. The Lamb would be killed, God accepts it as atonement for sin; All who believe in the Person and Work of the Divine Son are saved.

I AM essential for life “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

After Jesus performed this creative miracle – feeding 20,000 people from 5 fish and 2 loaves, He retreated with His disciples to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The crowds followed – Jesus knows why, and He intends to teach a lesson. All the crowd really wanted from Jesus was bread to eat so, Jesus shows the difference between physical bread and spiritual bread.

The crowds of people were so enthralled with the food, they were missing out on the fact that their Messiah had come. So, the Jews ask Jesus for a sign that He was sent from God (as if the miraculous feeding and the walking across the water weren’t enough). They tell Jesus that God gave them manna during the desert wandering. Jesus responds by telling them that they need to ask for the true bread from heaven that gives life. When they ask Jesus for this bread, Jesus startles them by saying, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” By equating Himself with bread, Jesus is saying he is essential for life – eternal life.

Notice, “come” and “believe”. Coming to Jesus involves forsaking the world and following Him. (John 6:44) No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. No one goes, unless the Father draws. It is therefore necessary that the Father draw, and imperative that the obedient sinner GO. Believing in Jesus means placing our faith in Him – One must believe (trust) that He is who He says He is – that He will do what He says He will do, and that He is the only one who can. In order to believe one must exercise faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

I satisfy  “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

Many restaurants provide a baguette or some sort of bread shortly after seating and before taking your order. Why? It satisfies a hunger craving. Jesus is our spiritual bread. He says, “I am the bread of life.” I satisfy. We already unpacked the significance of “comes” and “believes” – the Father draws, the obedient sinner comes and believes. See the result of coming and believing:

(1) “whoever comes to me shall not hunger,”
(2) “whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:11) He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

There is a yearning in our hearts for eternity. When Jesus says He is “the bread of life” He is saying that He will satisfy our “hunger” and “thirst” (our yearning) to be made righteous in the sight of God.

(Matthew. 5:6) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed – happy – joyful are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; this is RIGHT seeking – God-ordained seeking. Those who genuinely hunger and thirst for righteousness, and those who look to Jesus – the One – the Bread of Life – will be satisfied.

(Hebrews 12:2) “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

He’s the founder of our faith because He did the work of redemption; He went to the cross. He is the perfecter of our faith because He completes us, finishes His work in us!

Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.” With this spiritual bread – you’ll never hunger again. You’ll never thirst again. I satisfy your yearning.

(John 6:35) Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.