Go! And Never Hunger Again - John 6:35
Introduction: The Hunger of the Human Heart
“Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” — John 6:35 (NLT)
Have you ever noticed how much of our lives revolve around hunger? Not just physical hunger — though we certainly understand that. I’m talking about spiritual hunger — that deep, gnawing emptiness that drives people to chase satisfaction in money, success, relationships, pleasure, or even religion.
We live in a world where people have full stomachs but empty souls. They scroll endlessly on their phones, consume entertainment, pursue careers — and yet, still feel hollow inside. That’s because the hunger of the heart can only be satisfied by the Bread of Life — Jesus Christ.
In John 6:35, Jesus makes one of the most profound statements in all of Scripture. He doesn’t say, “I’ll show you the bread of life,” or “I’ll give you the bread of life.” He says, “I AM the Bread of Life.”
He doesn’t point to something outside of Himself — He points to Himself as the only source of true life, satisfaction, and eternal hope.
This morning, we’re going to explore what that means — not just for the people who heard Him 2,000 years ago, but for us today.
1. The Context: From Full Stomachs to Empty Hearts
In John chapter 6, the crowd had just witnessed one of Jesus’ most famous miracles — the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1–15). Jesus had multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed thousands of hungry people.
But the next day, those same people came looking for Him again — not because they believed in Him, but because they wanted more bread!
“You want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.” — John 6:26 (NLT)
They were satisfied in their stomachs but not in their souls. They wanted another meal, not a Messiah.
Jesus confronts them with a truth that cuts across every generation: physical bread can only fill you for a moment — but the Bread of Life satisfies forever.
The Greek word Jesus uses for “life” here is ??? (zoe) — it means life in its fullest, eternal, God-given sense. It’s not just biological existence (that’s bios in Greek) — it’s spiritual vitality. Jesus isn’t offering existence; He’s offering abundance.
How many today chase after the temporary “bread” of this world — possessions, achievements, popularity — and still find themselves spiritually starving?
The truth is, your heart was made for God, and nothing else will fill it. As Augustine said, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
2. The Declaration: “I AM the Bread of Life”
When Jesus says, “I AM the Bread of Life,” He’s not just making a poetic statement. He’s revealing His divine identity.
In Greek, the phrase is ??? e?µ? (ego eimi) — the same phrase God used in Exodus 3:14 when He revealed Himself to Moses:
“God replied to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.’” — Exodus 3:14 (NLT)
By using this phrase, Jesus was declaring Himself to be Yahweh in the flesh. The eternal, self-existent God had come down to give Himself as the bread that gives life.
John 1:14 (NLT): “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.”
Jesus is not distant; He is present. He didn’t send bread from heaven — He came down as the Bread of Heaven.
R.T. Kendall once wrote, “The Christian faith is not a religion of doing, but of receiving — receiving Christ Himself.”
And that’s the heart of it — we receive Christ as the nourishment of our souls. Religion says, “Do more.” Jesus says, “Come and eat.”
The Empty Banquet Plate
Imagine attending a grand banquet with a table full of food, but never actually eating. You could sit there, smell the aromas, admire the dishes — and still starve to death.
That’s how many people treat Jesus. They attend church, sing the songs, hear the message — but never partake of the Bread of Life.
Jesus isn’t offering an idea to admire; He’s offering Himself to receive.
3. The Promise: “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.”
Notice the promise: “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.”
The phrase “comes to me” in Greek, ???eta? p??? µe (erchetai pros me), implies continuous action — whoever keeps coming, keeps believing.
Faith is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing relationship.
Psalm 107:9 (NLT): “For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
The Psalmist understood that only God could satisfy the hunger of the heart. Jesus fulfils that longing perfectly.
John Piper says, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”
When our souls find their satisfaction in Christ, we glorify God — because we demonstrate to the world that He is enough.
When you come to Jesus, He doesn’t just give you something to live for — He becomes the source of your life. He fills the emptiness that no career, relationship, or possession can fill.
Isaiah 55:1–2 (NLT): “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink — even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk — it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?”
God’s invitation has always been: Come! Not to buy, but to receive freely.
Max Lucado once wrote, “The bread of life is not earned, it’s received. Grace is not a paycheck; it’s a gift.”
We come empty-handed — and that’s exactly how Jesus wants us. The proud can’t receive grace, but the humble can.
The Orphan and the Feast
There’s a story of a young orphan boy in post-war Europe who pressed his nose against the window of a bakery. Inside, fresh bread was steaming on the shelves. A soldier saw him, bought him a loaf, and handed it to him. The boy looked up and asked, “Mister, are you God?”
That’s what the Bread of Life does — He meets the starving with grace, and He satisfies our deepest need.
4. The Fulfilment: The Bread Given for Our Salvation
Later in John 6, Jesus explains what He means even more clearly:
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! … I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” — John 6:47–51 (NLT)
Here Jesus points to the cross. He would offer His own body as the Bread of Life, broken for the salvation of the world.
The Bread of Life was not just given — it was broken.
1 Corinthians 11:23–24 (NLT): “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is given for you.’”
At the cross, Jesus took the punishment our sins deserved. His body was broken, His blood poured out, so that we could be forgiven and made whole.
Charles Stanley said, “At the cross, God treated Jesus as if He had lived your life, so that He could treat you as if you had lived His.”
That’s the Gospel — substitutionary, sacrificial, saving grace.
To “eat” the Bread of Life means to believe — to personally trust in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection as your only hope of salvation.
Bread must be received and consumed to sustain life. So it is with Christ — knowing about Him isn’t enough. You must receive Him by faith.
5. The Invitation: Come, Believe, and Be Satisfied
Jesus’ invitation is both simple and eternal: “Whoever comes to me…”
That’s an open door — for the weary, the sinner, the broken, the searching.
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 (NLT)
Tim Keller once said, “The Gospel is not that we give God a perfect record, but that Jesus gives us His.”
Salvation is not achieved — it’s received. And that invitation is still open today.
Gospel Presentation:
At Calvary, Jesus took our sin upon Himself. He died in our place, was buried, and on the third day rose again — defeating death, sin, and hell forever.
He is alive today, offering eternal life to all who will repent and believe.
Romans 10:9 declares: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
If you come to Him today — hungry, weary, broken — He will not turn you away.
6. The Call to Action: Live as Those Who Are Satisfied in Christ
For those of us who already know Christ, this verse calls us to live as people who are satisfied in Him.
Don’t go back to the stale bread of this world. Don’t feed your soul on things that can’t last. Live in the fullness of His grace, His Word, and His Spirit.
Let’s be people who offer the Bread of Life to a starving world.
“Go therefore and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:19) — because the world is hungry, and we know the Bread that satisfies.
Benediction / Closing Exhortation:
So, church — go, and never hunger again.
Go, and feed on Christ daily through His Word.
Go, and share the Bread of Life with those who are starving for truth.
May you live as people who have tasted and seen that the Lord is good.
And may your life proclaim: Jesus Christ is enough.
