Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will not be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35 WEB
Jesus makes the first of many “I am” statements in this passage. The words “I am” refer to Jesus’ divinity as the Son of God. When the Lord spoke to Moses on his sacred mountain, God used this same language. When Moses asked who he should say sent him to deliver the Israelites, the Lord answered in Exodus 3:14, “And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you. KJV”
The bible teaches that the wages of sin is death. But, the word of God is life. Jesus is the source of a godly spiritual life. As food is necessary for life in the flesh, Jesus, the bread of life, is essential to our salvation and eternal life in heaven. In Christ, we are forever satisfied. The word of God is food for the soul here on earth and in eternity. For this reason, Solomon wrote in Proverbs 3:7-8, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. NIV”
Live by the Word
When we eat bread, we accept it inside of our bodies for nourishment. It becomes part of who we are, our flesh. Accepting Jesus is similar. We do not just hear of the Lord, but we accept him deep down on the inside of our being. Accepting the word of God by faith transforms us, giving eternal life to our souls. We live by the word of God. As Jesus said to Satan in Matthew 4:4, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.’ WEB”
This Is My Body
Jesus continues in John 6:48-51 saying, “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. WEB”
When we accept the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for our sins, we receive eternal life. In remembrance of Christ we share the bread of life in communion. Jesus taught this practice in Luke 22:19 saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me. WEB”
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for the truth of your holy word. Thank you for the bread of life, Jesus Christ. Lead me away from temptation and evil. Guide me to do your will. In Jesus name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: By the Holy Spirit
