The Bread of Life (John 6:41-59)(01/21/2025)

The Bread of Life (John 6:41-59) Living Life 01/21/2025 Daily Devotional Bible Study

 

The Bread of Life

 

 

welcome to living life the setting for today's passage is ceram which is near Jesus's hometown. 

Many people there knew his family and had seen him grow up 

Yet Jesus claims to be the bread that came down from heaven 

and he goes on to say that whoever it is his flesh and drinks his blood will live forever.

He also calls God his father.

All these statements deeply offended the people there 

as we see in verse 41 they began to grumble probably saying things like 

I know Jesus's father and mother I watched him grow up

How can he say his bread that came down from heaven or why is he calling God his father?

Even without their disbelief and complaints understanding Jesus's word is not easy.

What does it mean that to eat his flash and drink his blood?

For someone who has never been to Church 

these words would sound incomprehensible 

even for us who believe in Jesus. It's not a simple concept.

If we understand this only as whoever believes in the cross Jesus will leave 

or whoever believes in his bloodshed and body broken for our sin will live 

then we've only understood half of his meaning.

We must strive to fully understand this teaching.

When we do we will experience Jesus's love drawing closer to us.

Let's take a deeper look at today's passage

 

 

The Bread of Life

 

 

The Bread of Life

 

 

John Chapter 6 verses 41 to 59

41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?" 43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

 

To better understand this complex metaphor let's add John Chapter 1, verse 1 to the picture.

This first gives us insight into today's passage.

In the beginning was the word 

and the word was with God and the word was God.

We already know that this word refers to Jesus 

therefore Jesus is actually saying I am the word and you must eat the word.

With this perspective today's passage becomes much clearer.

In verse 49 Jesus says that all the ancestors who ate Mana in the wilderness died

then he declares that he is the bread of life.

Why does Jesus compare himself to manna?

Manna was also a miracle provided by God. However 

since manna is merely a simple nutrition so it is natural that those who eat eventually die 

Jjus's main point is this Before today's passage we read about the feeding of 5000 men with five loaves of bread and two fish.

After witnessing the miracle many began to follow Jesus not for who he was but for the food he provided.

To be clear the miracle

Jesus warns that if people follow him merely for the miracle and provisions they will not experience the eternal life he offers which is his word The feeding of 5000 was indeed a miracle but there's more.

For 40 years the Israelites lived in a wilderness receiving manna from heaven water from rocks and clothes and shoes that never were out yet.

Despite experiencing such wonders the first generation of Israelites perished in the wilderness.

They rebelled against God, tried to kill Moses and even wished to return to slavery.

They died because of their lack of faith.

This is what Jesus is teaching us.

No matter how many miracles we've experienced they do not become our source of life source of faith we must clearly distinguish this truth.

Many of you may have experienced amazing miracles in your faith journey 

like healing from illness impossible problems resolved or financial needs met down to the last penny.

However these miracles are signs pointing us to continue our faith journey.

They are not the essence of our faith.

What truly matters is how we interpret these signs.

If we fixate on the signs themselves we may mistake them for God.

We might begin to believe that God is a vending machine to just answer our prayers 

and if that's so we might feel our faith shaken when we don't see God is working.

Imagine sharing our stories of miracle with non believers.

Some might believe in Jesus but others might say such things happened outside of church too.

Show me something more convincing 

all the people interpret the same events differently we know that same for us.

This signs must be understood as God's calling to us.

We can live without the miracle but we cannot without the word 

those signs are saying to us The almighty God is here Your father who knows every detail of your life and loves you
is guiding you with his power towards salvation come beyond what you see and come to God.

In this we encounter the word of God and we must consume this word 

although we are already saved It's not done yet.

Living a life of obedience to God's word complete our salvation as Philippian says we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

This is about living a life of obedience to his word.

There may be times in your life when signs are abundant and you feel God's presence in every moment but there maybe also be times when no signs are visible yet That doesn't matter because we have the word of God 

even in hardships or silence God's love remains unchanging.

Histus governs every moment of our lives whether we feel it or not.

 

 

Reflect on the fact that God has Offered you the gracious gift of eternal life.

 

 

So today what should we do in our current situations?

If you're in a season without signs trust in God and stay firm 

he is still leading you on the path of life.

If you are in a season where signs are abundant, 

look beyond them study his word and grow as someone who loves God.

May the love of Jesus, the bread of Life, overflow in your lives.

Let us pray 

 

 

The more we come to eat and drink of Christ, the more of His life we will see demonstrated in us.

 

 

Heavenly Father even if you don't see your working today 
and even if you don't answer to our prayer It doesn't matter
because you already gave us your salvation 
and as a child of God, we want to live this world following your word. Today. 
Please help us and give us strength.
Be love you Lord in Jesus name We pray 
Amen.