I Am The Bread Of Life; John 6:25-35
Moses and the “I AM” revelation (Exodus 3:14) In the book of John 8:58 Jesus shocked His enemies when He said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” The enemies were so furious at Him that they wanted to stone Him. They knew exactly what He was saying when He said “I Am.” They knew these words referred to the almighty God, They knew these words spoke of self-existence.
“Before Abraham was, I AM.” He was saying I AM the eternal God and that made the religious leaders furious. But did you know this was not the only time Jesus spoke these words, actually He used the words, “I AM” to describe Himself on eight different occasions. And we are going to be looking at each of those occasions.
Those words were used to describe Jesus 7 times in the Gospel of John and once in the book of Revelation, which was also written by John. The first time it is found is in John 6:35. Lets look at the background to these words… He feeds the 5000, over Galilee, they came seeking Him - John 6:25-35.
What does that statement mean and how does it apply to us today?
I. Jesus is the Source of Life
John 1:1-4 – The sun, moon, stars, heaven & earth, plant, animal, & human life. Vs.3-4.
Our society doesn’t have a very high regard for human life – Government has made it legal to kill our unborn, many are trying to made it legal to kill our elderly and they call it Euthanasia, which means “good death,” There is nothing good about death – unless you’re a born again believer and then it’s not death, it’s a passing from one form of life to another, from mortal to immortal, from corruption to incorruption, from a natural body to a spiritual body. That is a victorious life in Christ.
Society doesn’t care about human life, but don’t you dare do anything to the environment – animals, then you’ll have a problem. (Not saying we ought to harm… but human life is of more value).
Society may not value human life but God does – In Deuteronomy 30:19, God spoke to the Israelites and to us and said, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live”
How do we choose life? God has made a way for us; He sent His Son, who is the source of life, so that human beings may be born again, who were once dead in their sins – that is not a change in philosophy, belief, opinion, lifestyle – but a new creation.
If anyone wants eternal life they must be born again. We were all born of man, but in Christ we are born of the Spirit. There is a physical life and there is a spiritual life. John 3:5-6… Jesus is not only the source of physical life, He is the source of the Spiritual life.
II. Jesus is the Sustainer of Life
Bread (food) is vital for life… No one can live very long without food… people die every day from starvation… Children digging through the dump just to calm the hunger… God provides food for life for those that call upon His name. He is not only the source of life, but also the sustainer of life.
God sustained the Children of Israel during a famine by sending Joseph ahead to make preparations for the famine… once released from Egyptian captivity God sustained the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness by sending manna from heaven. God sustain a widow and her children by sending Elisha to multiply the last bit of oil she had.
God sustains the birds of the air, the fish in the sea, and the animals in the field… And God sustains us daily by providing for our every need. He gives us food, shelter, clothing… But even more He sustains us Spiritually.
In Christ we are not given Spiritual life and then left alone, He has given us everything we need to keep our Spiritual life. He has given us His indwelling Spirit, His word, sustaining grace, and the promise that we can do all things in His strength.
Don’t misunderstand sustaining grace, GRACE - “Unmerited favor.” We have never nor will ever be good enough to receive God’s forgiveness, but by God’s unmerited favor He forgives us. God gives us physical food to sustain us physically, but if we don’t take it, eat it, digest it we die. God gives us Spiritual food to sustain us but if we do not take it, apply it, live it we die.
In Christ we have everything we need to live, and to live life to it’s fullest.
III. Jesus also Gives Satisfaction in Life
We look in the world today and see many are seeking satisfaction in many different areas of life; Power - Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
Possessions – Jesus told of a man that built bigger barns… “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”
Pleasures – Proverbs 21:17, “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man” Ecclesiastes 2:1, “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.” Solomon had tried it all but nothing satisfied.
Prosperity - Money can buy you a house, but not a home; an education, but not wisdom; a bed, but not sleep; influence, but not respect; medicine, but not health; a spouse, but not love; quiet, but not tranquility.
The things of this world can never satisfy, fill the void in people’s lives – Tennis star Boris Becker was at the very top of the tennis world - yet he was on the brink of suicide. He said, “I had won Wimbledon twice before, once as the youngest player. I was rich. I had all the material possessions I needed. But, I had no inner peace. I was a puppet on a string.”
Many feel that same emptiness, hopelessness, void – because they do not have a relationship with God. But Christ came to satisfy our hunger; He came to fill that void. He is the “BREAD OF LIFE.”
Conclusion: Maybe you are experiencing emptiness inside, a void that you cannot fill; maybe your trying to fill that void with the things of this world, (5000), they cannot satisfy but Christ can.
