The Bread of Life (John 6:35)

Introduction:

The Scriptures contain many teachings on the subject of both physical and spiritual bread. Let’s first notice how important bread is to our lives.

In the Bible, bread usually refers to a variety of grain products such as we think of today.

-As a food, bread is most wholesome and filling.

-Bread satisfies our hunger better than most other foods.

-Bread supplies the nourishment and nutrition that our bodies need.

-it contains what is needed to sustain our physical life.

In the Bible, bread also refers to that spiritual food that gives life to our souls and nourishes our inward man as believers.

1. God is the Creator and Giver of Bread:

-God is the Creator & Giver of physical bread…(Gen. 1:11-12; Ps. 104:13-15).

-God is the Creator of the grains and herbs from which bread is made.

-God sends and controls all natural processes that makes the vegetation grow.

-God gives human intelligence, and the skills and the means to make bread.

-God gives us the will to make bread. Where did the human will come from?

-God also gives us the means to buy bread.

-God also gives us spiritual bread…

Isaiah 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

-God gave us His Word, which is food for the soul…

-Jesus said in Matt. 4:4, quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3

“man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God“

-And God sent us his Son, Who is the living Word! (John 1:14)

-In our text in John 6, Jesus is the living bread; or the bread of life.

-God also gives wisdom to all men liberally and upbraideth not (James 1:5). God does

not rebuke men who desire godly wisdom!!!

-Wisdom, we are told in Proverbs 1:21, cries in the streets and in the chief place of concourse, and in the opening of the gates.

-Men don’t perish because wisdom isn’t available, but because they won’t hear it.

-Jesus is made to us wisdom. He is the wisdom of God incarnate!

-The gospel of Jesus is the means by which we receive Jesus, the wisdom of God

2. God is the Sovereign Dispenser of Bread (Ruth 1:1, 6):

Ruth 1:1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.

-God is sovereign and He withholds and He gives bread as it pleases Him.

-Much of the world is hungry today, and many starve to death every day. Why?

-God gives America bread…Why? Because she was founded on godly principles; and

because she has been a friend of Israel.

-God gives His chosen people bread.

-Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 6:25-34, not to worry about what we will eat or drink because our Father in Heaven will provide for us.

-Now when we rebel against Him and are unfaithful to Him, He may send a famine into our lives to get our attention. He may send a famine.

of literal bread, or a famine of hearing the Word of God! (Amos 8:11). The Lord sends famine to try, and to chasten His people.

-The righteous, we are told in Psalms 35:25, are never forsaken, and his seed are never seen begging bread. God, beloved, provides special care for those who live righteously before Him.

-God wants His children to ask for daily bread

-Jesus told us to pray “Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11

-God wants us His children to see and to acknowledge our dependence on Him…

-May we not think that, because we have a pantry full of food, that we don’t need

to ask for daily bread!

3. Sometimes the Lord provides bread miraculously:

-God gave His people manna in the wilderness.

-God used ravens to feed bread to Elijah.

-Jesus fed the 5,000 men plus women and children with 5 loaves and 2 small fishes.

-The greatest miracle of all was how that Jesus, the true bread from Heaven, by one

offering of His body for sin, gives spiritual life to all His people.

(John 6:32-35, 47-51, 58)

-Jesus was the seed of the woman promised in Genesis 3:15.

-He was planted, as it were, by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary.

-He sprang up as the root of Jessie in stable in Bethlehem.

-He grew up as a tender plant (Isaiah 53:2).

-Like the grain of wheat, He was reaped, as it were, by the hands of wicked men.

-And Like dough, He was kneaded by the hands of His adversaries.

-Then He was baked in the fiery oven of God’s righteous wrath for our sins.

-Now He is served to His elect people by the Holy Spirit and the grace of God.

-He is received into our souls through faith in the gospel.

-And as a result of eating the Bread of life, we never hunger or thirst again for

salvation (John 6:35).

-But not all men are able to eat of this bread (John 6:37, 39, 44-45).

-This is a hard saying!!! (vs. 66).

4. Sometimes men labor for that which is not bread (Isaiah 55:2):

-Consider the people of the world, who spend their entire lives laboring for vanity.

-Consider the people in religion who labor for the bread of good works, and keeping the

law of Moses, and religious rights and rituals. This is even a greater vanity!

5. We are to cast our bread upon the water:

Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

-We are to sow the gospel seed in the field of lost humanity.

-Who knows but what it will prosper this or that.

-God’s Word will not return void; it will prosper whereunto God sends it!

Conclusion:

-May we as God’s people understand and appreciate that all good things, including our

daily bread, come down from our Father in Heaven

-May we thank and praise God for providing us our daily bread; both physical, and

especially the spiritual bread.

-thank God for His Word and His Son the Lord Jesus, who is the true bread of life

-Lost sinner, have you tasted of the true bread that came down from Heaven?

-Have you received Jesus by faith in the gospel.

-He is the bread of life. All who partake of Him by faith shall live forever, and shall never hunger for salvation again!

-Will you believe in Jesus as your Savior today?

-And if you truly believe in Jesus, will you confess Him as your Lord and Savior even today?