Key Verse: Then Jesus
declared: "I am the bread of
life. He who comes to Me will never go
hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty."
John 6:35
"What is it," the Children of Israel asked, when they saw the
little flakes lying on the desert sand.
Similarly, the Jews said, "How can this man give us His flesh to
eat?" They were as puzzled as their
ancestors about this "Bread from Heaven."
First Jesus gave water and now He is bread. He makes the same claim about both: His water and His bread give eternal
life. We don't need to work hard at
drawing an analogy in this case. Jesus
draws it for us. "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live
forever." (John 6:51) He is like the manna that miraculously came
down from heaven and sustained His people for forty years in the
wilderness. This amazing food was
nourishing and complete. It wasn't a
part of a healthy diet as bread is considered today. Nothing else was needed. It was also a gift of grace.
What a testimony it must have been to God's glory as the surrounding
nations observed this miracle taking place.
Most people who crossed the wilderness were known to go alone and well
supplied. Here was a nation of people
surviving, on, what? They weren't
starving, they were healthy and strong.
They weren't deprived and desperate from a lack of resources, they were
able to defend themselves well! I'm sure
that more than one observer must have scratched his head wondering, "How
is this possible?"
Jesus is the same for us. He is
our manna when we take our daily portion, still His gift of grace, from His
hand. In Him, we remain strong, causing
those around us to wonder, "How is it possible?" "Our God shall supply all our needs
according to His riches in glory."
(Phil.
4:19) Accepting what He offers is
our act of trust.
At first, some of the Israelites doubted so they either didn't take, or
took more than needed. In both cases
they were disobedient. In daily
portions, God provided for His people.
It is the same for us today. We
cannot store up grace for the future, but He gives enough for each day. "Praise be to the Lord, to God our
savior, who daily bears our burdens."
(Psa.
68:19) As we ask for daily bread, so
He carries our burdens daily, through grace.
Like the manna, there is just enough for each day.
This is not something that we can see and agree too. Daily, we need to reach out and take from His
hand. Just like the water, to receive
our daily supply, we need to be in contact with the one who is making the
offer. Just as with the foot washing in John
13:1-11, Jesus says here, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the
flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no part in me." (John 6:53)
You have no part in Him if you do not take from Him daily.
Imagine giving a child one meal at birth and then expecting that child
to survive. Now, imagine having one
heavenly meal at the point of your salvation and thinking that you could
survive on that one meal for a lifetime.
Just as the first suggestion is impossible and ridiculous, so is the
second. Yet, Christians try to live as
if they do not need daily, spiritual food.
They look back to the point of salvation and think that's enough. Just like birth is the beginning of a life,
so it is with salvation. It is just the
beginning of a life of possibilities in Christ.
How healthy you remain in Him is dependent upon how closely you remain
with Him to receive the bread and water that He graciously provides as your
daily supply. He has what you need, but
you need to take what is offered. Light
brown or tan, is added to His portrait.
Tan is the color of bread, His body, broken for you.
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