I Am The Bread Of Life Series

DEFINING JESUS

THE “I AM” STATEMENTS IN THE BIBLE

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE

JOHN 6:35-51 (NIV)

35 THEN JESUS DECLARED, "I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. HE WHO COMES TO ME WILL NEVER GO HUNGRY, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME WILL NEVER BE THIRSTY. 36 BUT AS I TOLD YOU, YOU HAVE SEEN ME AND STILL YOU DO NOT BELIEVE. 37 ALL THAT THE FATHER GIVES ME WILL COME TO ME, AND WHOEVER COMES TO ME I WILL NEVER DRIVE AWAY. 38 FOR I HAVE COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN NOT TO DO MY WILL BUT TO DO THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME. 39 AND THIS IS THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME, THAT I SHALL LOSE NONE OF ALL THAT HE HAS GIVEN ME, BUT RAISE THEM UP AT THE LAST DAY. 40 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 HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY." 41 AT THIS THE JEWS BEGAN TO GRUMBLE ABOUT HIM BECAUSE HE SAID, "I AM THE BREAD THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN." 42 THEY SAID, "IS THIS NOT JESUS, THE SON OF JOSEPH, WHOSE FATHER AND MOTHER WE KNOW? HOW CAN HE NOW SAY, 'I CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN'?" 43 "STOP GRUMBLING AMONG YOURSELVES," JESUS ANSWERED. 44 "NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS THE FATHER WHO SENT ME DRAWS HIM, AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY. 45 IT IS WRITTEN IN THE PROPHETS: 'THEY WILL ALL BE TAUGHT BY GOD.' EVERYONE WHO LISTENS TO THE FATHER AND LEARNS FROM HIM COMES TO ME. 46 NO ONE HAS SEEN THE FATHER EXCEPT THE ONE WHO IS FROM GOD; ONLY HE HAS SEEN THE FATHER. 47 I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, HE WHO BELIEVES HAS EVERLASTING LIFE. 48 I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. 49 YOUR FOREFATHERS ATE THE MANNA IN THE DESERT, YET THEY DIED. 50 BUT HERE IS THE BREAD THAT COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN, WHICH A MAN MAY EAT AND NOT DIE. 51 I AM THE LIVING BREAD THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN. IF ANYONE EATS OF THIS BREAD, HE WILL LIVE FOREVER. THIS BREAD IS MY FLESH, WHICH I WILL GIVE FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD."

INTRODUCTION: THEOLOGY PROPER IS THE STUDY OF GOD. WHEN ONE DWELLS IN THIS THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH, WE ARE EXPOSED TO WHO GOD IS REGARDING HIS NATURE AND ATTRIBUTES. YET, JESUS, AS RECORDED IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN TELLS US SO MUCH ABOUT HIMSELF BY DEFINITION THROUGH THE “I AM” STATEMENTS. IT IS THOSE “I AM” STATEMENTS WE WILL BE LOOKING AT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS.

TRANSITION: THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE”.

AS YOU AND I BEGIN THIS STUDY, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT NAMES MEAN SOMETHING. FOR JESUS, EACH “I AM” SPEAKS ABOUT SOME SPECIAL ROLE HE IS ABOUT TO FULFILL.

7 ITEMS OF SIGNIFICANCE ABOUT BREAD

1. THE NAME OF THE BREAD DESCRIBES IT'S NATURE

a. WHEAT BREAD IS MADE OF WHEAT, RYE BREAD IS MADE OF RYE, ETC.

b. THE NAME OF THE BREAD DESCRIBES ITS CHARACTER

c. THE NATURE OF JESUS IS LIFE

i. JOHN 1:4 (NIV) IN HIM WAS LIFE, AND THAT LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN.

JOHN 10:10 (NIV) THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY; I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL.

JOHN 11:25 (NIV) JESUS SAID TO HER, "I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME WILL LIVE, EVEN THOUGH HE DIES;

d. THIS DESCRIPTION OF THE PERSON OF CHRIST IS ALSO A REFERENCE BACK TO THE DAYS OF MOSES WHEN GOD SENT MANNA FROM HEAVEN

i. THE MANNA PROVIDED BY GOD WAS TO PROVIDE FOR PHYSICAL LIFE – THAT THE NATION OF ISRAEL WOULD NOT STARVE

ii. JESUS AS THE BREAD OF LIFE IS PROVIDING FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE – SO THAT WE WOULD NOT BE SEPARATED FROM GOD

e. WHO IS JESUS, HE IS THE ONE WHO GIVES US LIFE

i. REMEMBER, DEATH IS SEPARATION FROM GOD, AND LIFE IS A RECONNECTION WITH GOD THAT WE LOST AT THE FALL

f. WHAT ALSO NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED IS THAT JESUS IS SPEAKING ABOUT SATISFACTION

i. THERE WILL NEVER BE A SPIRITUAL THIRST OR HUNGER FOR THE PERSON WHO COMES TO KNOW CHRIST THROUGH REDEMPTION

ii. JESUS WAS THERE TO PROVIDE EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR THEIR SPIRITUAL IDENTITY

2. BREAD WAS NECESSARY

i. IN OUR CULTURE BREAD AT A MEAL IS OPTIONAL. IN FACT, MANY PLACES TO EAT DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY PUT A BASKET OR PLATE OF BREAD AT YOUR TABLE

ii. THE CULTURE OF JESUS’ TIME – BREAD WAS NECESSARY