I Am The Bread Of Life Series

I AM…the Bread of Life

John 6:22-51

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church

9-19-2020

I’m Stuffed!

I remember the first time I visited Maxine's grandma in Leesville, Louisiana for Thanksgiving. We ate for what it seemed like for hours - multiple courses and several desserts that we were strongly encouraged to eat our fill.

After lunch, we retired to the living room to watch football. Not more than a hour after the meal, her grandmother came in with a plate full of food for me.

I was absolutely stuffed. I didn’t think I could eat one more bite. But I was Mickie’s new husband and wanted everyone to like me so I smiled and ate the sandwich and tried hard not to throw up!

I think they were trying to kill me!

After that meal I didn’t eat again for six months!

Is that true? Of course not.

No matter how “stuffed” I felt, I was hungry before the sun went down.

That’s the nature of hunger. It’s never satisfied.

New Series

Today, we began a new series entitled “I AM’ and we will be going through the “I am” statements in the book of John:

“I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51) As bread sustains physical life, so Christ offers and sustains spiritual life.

 “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12) To a world lost in darkness, Christ offers Himself as a guide.

“I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7,9) Jesus protects His followers as shepherds protect their flocks from predators.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) Death is not the final word for those in Christ.

“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11, 14) Jesus is committed to caring and watching over those who are His.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) Jesus is the source of all truth and knowledge about God.

“I am the true vine.” (John 15:1, 5) By attached ourselves to Christ, we enable His life to flow in and through us. Then we cannot help but bear fruit that will honor the Father.

By the way, we are studying the Gospel of John verse-by-verse in the Wednesday morning Bible study and would love for you to join us.

I AM

Let me start with a question? Why did the religious leaders want to kill Jesus?

Is it because He did miracles?

Is it because He taught in parables?

Is it because people followed Him?

Not exactly. The Jewish leaders wanted to kill Him because of these two words - I AM.

In order to understand the meaning of these words we need to go back to the middle of nowhere and a burning bush.

Moses had blown it. He grew up in the palace of Pharaoh and had it all. But something didn’t feel right.

He knew he was an Israelite and it hurt him to see his brothers and sisters in bondage. He witnessed a Egyptian beating a man and he killed him and hid him the sand.

The word got out and he became a wanted man. He fled to the far side of the desert and spent the next 40 years raising and tending sheep. He thought that was all there was.

Until God showed up In the form of a bush that burned but was never consumed.

God told Moses that He had chosen him to lead His people out of Egypt and out of slavery. Moses spends the next few minutes arguing with God!

“Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13)

God responds with a mind shattering revelation:

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14)

One of the study Bibles I consulted this week tries to explain the staggering truth of God’s name:

I AM is the ultimate statement of self-sufficiency, self-existence, and immediate presence. God’s existence is not contingent upon anyone else. His plans are not contingent upon any circumstances. He promises that He will be what He will be; that is, He will be the eternally constant God. He stands, ever-present and unchangeable, completely sufficient in Himself to do what He wills to do and to accomplish what He wills to accomplish.

Fast forward to Jesus. In a heated exchange with the religious leaders of His day, they call Him a Samaritan and accuse Him of being demon possessed. They make it clear that they follow Abraham and that he is their north star.

Jesus replies,“before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58)