Day 25—John 6:35-40
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Jesus declares to the crowd that He is the bread of life! They have come looking for another free meal to fill their stomachs, but Jesus zeros in on their real need. He says: “Come to me…look to me…believe in me.” He says, “Put your trust in me and I will give you life. I’ll be like bread to you—the staff of life! I’ll satisfy your hunger and quench your thirst.”
Is there any food more universal throughout the world and throughout history than bread? Is there anything more appealing than the aroma of fresh baked bread, straight from the oven? Jesus tells us in this chapter that He is the real thing; He is the bread of life. He has come to satisfy the deepest desires of every living thing. (Psalm 145:15-16)
Back in the Garden of Eden, man ate food that had been forbidden…and died. He didn’t immediately die physically, but he did die spiritually. He was cut off from the intimate life-giving fellowship he had enjoyed with God as they walked together in the garden. That was dead and gone. But now Jesus has come, the Word made flesh, and He offers Himself as broken bread—as food to eat that will reverse the curse of Eden—He is the bread of life!
As we come to Him, look to Him, believe in Him, and receive Him into our lives, He enters us and becomes our life. He satisfies and nourishes us and lives out His life within us, doing everything His Father sent Him to do. As we feed on Him, and “on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (see Matthew 4:4), He will fill us with life and keep us safe and secure forever.
Dig Deeper
Are you hungry for Jesus, the bread of life? What kind of spiritual junk food do you crave that can spoil your appetite for life-giving bread?
Family Talk
Why do you think Jesus says that He is “the bread of life” (vs. 35)? What does bread do for us? Can you think of any other Bible stories that have to do with bread (Exodus 16; 1 Samuel 21:1-6; 1 Kings 17:1-16; John 6:1-15)? How is Jesus like bread? How is He “the bread of life”?
Chosen Words 