In John 6: 31-38 Jesus teaches how He was the bread of life. This teaching makes the parable of the bread of life easy to understand.
First of all, now I think it’s good to put things in context. So, to give a bit of context, this is what happened the day before this parable began when Jesus told this parable.
The day before he was teaching, the people were hungry and Jesus said, “Don’t send them away.” And he said, “What do we have?” And they had a couple of loaves and some fish and he fed 5,000 men plus women plus children. Approximately 12,000 to 15,000 people were fed a couple of fish and five loaves of bread. And then feel people walk away. He dismissed his disciples and went up the hill, wept a little, and talked to his Father about how John the Baptist had just died.
Then he told his disciples to go back for him and they were whipped by the winds. So he got out in the water and walked on the water and Peter said, “I hope it’s really you. Let me walk.” So Peter went walking on the water. Jesus got into the boat and they reached the other shore. So that’s what happens.
When he got to shore, people said, “How did you get here?” Because they realized that Jesus did not get into the boat with the disciples and Jesus said to them: “Truly, truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were satisfied. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that remains for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has sealed him. “
Now, many of us still work food that perishes. Today, many people are filling their stomachs with food, the Internet, DVD, MP3 and all kinds of things that happen. We all have to have the latest cell phone and we just spend money, then more money and mother’s money after that. Our desire for all new things is insatiable.
Jesus says: “Do not go for things that perish and pass away, but look for something eternal which is Jesus Christ.” Then they said to him, “What shall we do to do the works of God?” Jesus answered them: “This is the work of God: that you believe in the one sent.” Then they said to him: What sign then will you do, that we may see it and believe you? What work will you do?
Now I don’t know about you, but Jesus had just walked on water. He had helped Peter walk on water. He had fed 12,000 to 15,000 people with some loads of fish and some bread and I believe that Jesus had done some powerful signs before. He fed the 12,000 people, healed all the sick among those people. Jesus the day before had done some mighty signs and wonders and they are still looking for a sign.
Today nothing has changed. Some of the world’s most gifted evangelists are constantly asked for signs. They want proof from the doctor that the cancer has been cured and proof that diseases are cured and proof that the person was officially dead and is now alive. They want all these kinds of X-rays and tests. They are not happy with a person’s testimony of a healing. Today’s people haven’t changed and they still want a sign.
Jesus said: “Truly, truly, I tell you that Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. Because the bread of God is what came down from heaven and gives life to the world. “Then they said,” Lord, give us this bread always. ” Jesus said to them: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I told them that they have seen me and yet they do not believe.” All that the Father who gives me will come to me, and all that comes to me, I will not cast out. Because I have come down from heaven, not to do my will, but to do the will of those who sent me. “
Did you hear that statement there, “All who believe that he can lose their salvation. All who believe that they can commit certain sins as a Christian and not go to heaven.” Did you hear that statement that Jesus said in verse 37? “All that the Father gives me will come to me; and whoever comes to me I will not cast out.” Doesn’t that mean that if you are a Christian, you will not be cast out by Jesus? People who say that you can lose your salvation should consider this verse.
By saying “he who comes to me will never be hungry”, Jesus is saying that one day you will be hungry, the next day you will be hungry, the next day you will be hungry, but if you eat the true bread from heaven, you will no longer be hungry.
So how does that work in practice? How can we take this parable and apply it to our lives?
It is very interesting. What does this parable have to do with our lives? I’ve often sat in churches and heard them share Jesus’ parables and they don’t seem to preach them in a way that means anything to me.
For 10 years, I have been thinking about writing a book on the parables of Jesus and I have been researching the parables of Jesus, simply to answer other people’s questions. Questions I’ve always had.
Did you know that when you know Jesus, when you know his heart, when you know how he loves, when you know his compassion, when you know his mercy, when your heart beats with the heart of Jesus, you see that he loves God and loving your neighbor is the only purpose of life. When you find your purpose in doing what you created for, when you find your joy in serving and helping other people, when your life consists of serving other people, helping other people, bandaging other people’s wounds, having an effect on World Evangelism, saving people from eternal hell and damnation, bringing people to the Kingdom of God, only then are you satisfied in this world. Jesus has organized our spirits to hunger for him and for his will in life. When we find his will, when we are completely in union with him and his will, then peace reigns in our hearts.
When what you do with your simple money and your simple time changes lives, when you have an impact on lives; When you are living such a life, it is a full and full life.
People are looking for a new car, a new house, a new MP3 player, a new digital television, a new this, a new that. When you buy things, there is always a little joy as soon as you buy them. Everyone is looking for that little burst of joy. But what kind of joy is left? What kind of joy is like this bread of life that Jesus talks about here? Where can you find the joy that will last for days? What can you do in this world where you are not spiritually hungry the next day? How can you consume this bread of life? What is Jesus talking about?
Did you know that if your money finances an evangelist, it is costing him an average of $ 20 to save every person in Africa on campaigns? Do you know that there are twelve lifetimes that go to heaven that change eternally because of your money every year? Did you know that you may have problems in your life, but as soon as the Gospel reaches an African person, who is steeped in Muslim tradition or witchcraft, that transformation of their life is a joyous experience for them? It is a total revolution in your life. And you, simply by giving $ 20 a month, are their benefactor. You are the one who made all these people go to heaven. You could work a couple of hours a week and with that money you could be saving one person a month. Imagine that?
Imagine giving twenty dollars to a homeless man. Imagine taking a homeless person out for a twenty dollar steak for dinner and he never stops thanking you for such a treat. Imagine how far twenty would go for a single mother in your church. Imagine buying twenty worth baby formula for a single mother. There are so many things you can do when you focus your eyes on other people. When you have your eyes focused on God. You know that God owns the cattle in the thousand hills. God doesn’t need your money. You need to give your money to God and the Kingdom of God. You need to put your love and your security in God.
Jesus spent the entire day each day giving himself up. The only time Jesus was giving himself to others was early in the morning when he was in prayer. When Jesus went out to breakfast after prayer, He was always serving other people. If he wasn’t healing people and casting out demons, he was teaching people a new way of life. When he finished speaking, people flooded him with questions and for a few more hours he answered them. Jesus was always giving, always serving, always being available to all people to meet their spiritual and physical needs. So too, the bread of life can be properly accessed in a life of service and generosity.
You see, whenever you strive for food, as long as you strive for something new after another, you will never be satisfied. The reason we put up with television and all the commercials among all the television shows is because we love the commercials as much as we love the shows. We love to shop, shop, shop. We just buy, we buy, we buy. We are addicted to the rush to buy. Instead, get addicted to the rush of doing Kingdom business.
Many people live in this life without a real direction and purpose. Few Christians really know their purpose and why they are on earth. Most people just live and wander aimlessly. One must do a study and ask God what their purpose is and must discover what God has equipped them spiritually to do with their life. Only by living on your purpose can you truly be fully satisfied. Only by walking in God’s will every day can we truly stop being hungry.
A survey in the United States found that only 10% of Christians knew what their spiritual gifts were. Of the 10% who knew what their spiritual gifts were, only 10% of them actually walked and used their spiritual gifts. That means 99% of Christians in the United States are not doing what you have called them to do. And sadly, only 1% of Christians in the US were really satisfied with life.
Find out what your spiritual gifts are. Spend your time and money making those gifts. Do this and you will find satisfaction in your life. Look, when you find your life purpose, when you find your reason for living, when you read this book or participate and watch all the videos in this series, you will see what the perfect will of God is. You will see what Jesus was talking about. You will see the basics of his Kingdom and how to live in that Kingdom.
You know that Jesus always taught in parables and parables were a way for people to investigate things more deeply. Have you always wondered what is the bread of life? Are you a Christian and you are not sustained? Are you a Christian living a life where you are sad, depressed, depressed, feeling that the Christian life does not have all that it was believed to be? Are you living with self-condemnation? Is your life steeped in sin? Do you have addictions? Do you have sins that you can’t stop committing?
There is more to the Christian life than this. There is more to the Christian life than living a depressing life, being busy spending all your time, being consumed by life full of lust. There is more to life than lusting after the things of the world. You can live in the world but not be of the world. You can live in the world without coveting all things in the world. You can live a life in which you are living the perfect will of God.
Living is God’s will for your life, it is the only place where you will stop being hungry. Find out what that will is for you. Discover your spiritual gifts and get busy using them and you will find a joy that cannot be compared to what you have now.