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| November 2010 |
| Billie Silvey |
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| Bread of Life |
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| John chapter 6 begins with the account of Jesus feeding 5,000 people who followed him because they'd seen him perform miracles. Jesus is sitting on a mountainside near the Sea of Galilee, watching the crowd. “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” he asks Philip. Jesus cares, not just about our spiritual sustenance, but our physical well-being as well. He knows we need food, and his mind turned to the basic staple of life, bread. Philip was concerned. “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough for each one to have a bite,” he said. Andrew pointed out a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish. “But how far will they go among so many?” Jesus had the people sit down on the grass, took the loaves and gave thanks, then distributed the food to the crowd. Everyone got all they wanted, and there were twelve baskets of leftovers. It was a spectacular demonstration of Jesus’ power to provide. |
| In chapter 6 of the gospel of John, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). |
| At first, it seems that Jesus has said all he has to say on the subject of bread. John 6 continues with the account of his walking some three miles on the rough surface of the stormy lake. When the disciples see him, they are afraid, but he reassures them. As soon as Jesus gets in the boat, it reaches the shore.
When the crowd realizes that Jesus has left, they follow him across the lake. Finding Jesus on the other side, they wonder how he got there. He knows they’re following for the wrong reason. They want physical bread, but he points them to spiritual bread. “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you,” he says. “What must we do to do the work God requires?” they ask. “Believe in the one he has sent,” Jesus says. |
| The people are still stuck on the physical. “What miracle will you do so we can see and believe?” they ask, reminding him of the manna Moses gave the Israelites to eat in the wilderness.
“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 he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." “Sir, from now on give us this bread,” they say. “I am the bread of life,” Jesus tells them. "He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” |
| All too often, we as Christians have our own agendas where God is concerned. We want physical things, when he's offering us so much more--his very self. Our desire should be, in the words of the old hymn: Break Thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me, As Thou didst break the loaves beside the sea; Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord; My spirit pants for Thee, O living Word! Bless Thou the truth, dear Lord, to me, to me, As Thou didst bless the bread by Galilee; Then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall; And I shall find my peace, my all in all. Thou art the bread of life, O Lord, to me, Thy holy Word the truth that saveth me; Give me to eat and live with Thee above; Teach me to love Thy truth, for Thou art love. --Mary A. Lathbury, Alexander Groves |