Jesus, The Bread Of Life Series

INTRODUCTION

We’re doing a series on ‘Titles of Jesus.’ We’ve done two so far. My first talk was on Jesus the Good Shepherd. Then, last week, we looked at Jesus the Rock. It’s wonderful to know that Jesus is our Good Shepherd and our rock.

Both of those descriptions of Jesus have their roots in the Old Testament. Today, we’re going to look another title of Jesus which also has its roots in the Old Testament. We’re going to look at Jesus, the bread of life. As we will see, it is also a wonderful fact.

We’ll start with the Old Testament background. Then we’ll look at Jesus feeding 5,000 people. Then we’ll look at how Jesus used that miracle to teach a greater spiritual truth, that he doesn’t just GIVE bread; he IS the bread of life.

THE OLD TESTAMENT

You know the story of the Exodus. The people of Israel flee slavery in Egypt. They travel across the Red Sea and then across the Sinai Peninsula. There wasn’t a lot of food or water in the Sinai Peninsula, but God provided manna for them to eat. The manna was VERY important to the Israelites. God occasionally provided quail for the Israelites to eat, and I suppose they might have found other food here or there. But the manna was their staple.

That’s the Old Testament background. Let’s go on now to the New Testament.

JESUS GIVES BREAD

The background to Jesus saying ‘I am the bread of life’ is one of his most amazing miracles: the feeding of the 5,000. This is the only miracle that comes in all four gospels so it must be important. But why?

Jesus was teaching a large crowd in a remote place. The people weren’t bored and as far as we know, they hadn’t fallen asleep. But they were getting hungry. Thomas tells Jesus, ‘Jesus, it’s getting late. People here are hungry. You’ve taught them enough for today. We ought to send them away.’

Jesus replies, ‘They don’t need to go away. YOU give them something to eat!’

Jesus’ disciples scratch their heads. It’s a remote place. Where are they going to find food? Then a boy pipes up. ‘I’ve got some food! I’ve got some bread and some fish!’ He shows what he’s got to Andrew.

I can imagine Andrew thinking, ‘Five small barley loaves and two fish. Hmm! That won’t go very far!’ But he takes them to Jesus.

I’m sure you know what happens next. Jesus takes the five loaves and two fish. He thanks God for them and then distributes them. Miraculously, all the people there are fed, and there’s food left over. That’s the background. Jesus hasn’t yet made his claim, ‘I am the bread of life.’ But let’s reflect on the miracle for a moment.

Jesus saw that the people were hungry. He gave them bread and fish. Jesus wasn’t only concerned about the people’s spiritual needs. He was also concerned about their material needs. He provided food. It means that WE can trust Jesus to meet OUR material needs now. Jesus hasn’t changed. He’s the same now as he was 2000 years ago. He sees and understands our material needs, he cares, and he does something about it. That’s good to know!

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE

We’ve set the scene. Now let’s move on. Jesus wraps up. He sends the people home and he sends his disciples off in a boat. Then – as if he hadn’t already done enough amazing things that day! – he walks on water to catch up with them.

The next day, the crowd come chasing after him. Today, if you’re a film star and your new film is just about to come out, or if you’re a top tennis player and you’ve just won Wimbledon, journalists will want to interview you. The people who come to find Jesus have questions. This is the point when we discover why this miracle was SO important. Listen to how the conversation goes. It’s in John 6:25-35.

The Jews: ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’

Jesus: ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. DO NOT LABOUR FOR THE FOOD THAT PERISHES, BUT FOR THE FOOD THAT ENDURES TO ETERNAL LIFE, WHICH THE SON OF MAN WILL GIVE TO YOU. For on him God the Father has set his seal.’

The Jews: ‘What must we do, to be doing the works of God?’

Jesus: ’This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’

The Jews: ‘Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’