The Bread Of Life

Q: What does the Bible say about Jesus as the Bread of Life?

The Bible, particularly in John 6:35, describes Jesus as the Bread of Life, emphasizing that He satisfies both hunger and thirst spiritually. In John 6:35, Jesus declares, 'I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.' This scripture underscores the sufficiency of Christ for our spiritual needs. He not only satisfies our deepest longings but also offers eternal life to those who believe in Him. This metaphor of bread signifies that just as bread is essential for physical sustenance, so is Christ vital for spiritual nourishment and life. His body and blood, offered for us, provide the foundation for our relationship with God and fulfill our spiritual desires.

Q: How do we know that all the Father gives to Jesus will be saved?

John 6:37 assures us that all the Father gives to Jesus will come to Him, and He will not cast them out. In John 6:37, Jesus states, 'All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.' This passage provides a profound assurance of God's sovereignty in salvation. It highlights the divine initiative in redemption, asserting that those whom the Father has chosen will respond to Christ’s call and come to Him. Importantly, this encompasses God's unyielding commitment to preserve and secure the salvation of His elect. The unwavering promise that Christ will never cast out those who come to Him showcases both His power and His compassion. Therefore, the certainty of salvation rests not on human decision but on God's sovereign will.

Q: Why is it important to hear and believe the Word of God?

Hearing and believing the Word of God is essential because faith comes from hearing, as noted in Romans 10:17. The importance of hearing and believing the Word of God can be seen in Romans 10:17: 'So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.' The Word is the means through which God reveals Himself, imparts faith, and brings about transformation in the believer's life. Without the active engagement with Scripture, one cannot comprehend the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Furthermore, belief in the Word leads to a relationship with Christ, the ultimate source of life and righteousness. Thus, hearing is not merely passive; it is an active reception that carries profound implications for our spiritual health and eternal destiny.

Q: What does it mean to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ?

To eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ means to accept and believe in Him as the source of eternal life. In John 6:53, Jesus says, 'Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.' This vivid imagery signifies the necessity of a deep, abiding faith in Christ. It is not a literal act but a spiritual one—an acknowledgment of His sacrificial death and the acceptance of His atoning work. This participation through faith is crucial for receiving the spiritual sustenance necessary for eternal life. It speaks to the intimate communion believers have with Christ, where His life becomes our life. Thus, eating His flesh and drinking His blood symbolizes believing in His work and remaining in fellowship with Him.

Turn with me to John six, John six. It'll be very familiar passage to you. We got nothing new. We're just gonna talk about those glorious things that are spoken. John chapter six. And we're just gonna read verses 35 through 40. John 6, verse 35. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you that ye also have seen me, and believe not.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which He hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life.

And I will raise Him up at the last day. And we start out here where Christ himself tells us he is the bread of life. And this bread, it satisfies both hunger and thirst. Everything about him is satisfying. He gave his body and shed his blood. And that's what we feast off of. He did this that we might have life, as it says there. We read in Matthew 5, 6, it says, blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Who is righteous? Jesus Christ. We read it in Romans 3, 21 and 22. multiple times here, but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ. Who he is and what he has done, all of it is righteousness.

He goes on to say in John six of our text here in verse 53, he says, then Jesus said unto them, barely, barely, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. What is it to eat and drink his blood?

It is to hear the gospel and believe it, to keep it, like I said last week, keep it right here. Keep it close. But let's just kind of go down through these verses and talk about some of the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I want to concentrate on his word. That's really what I'm going to talk about, but we're going to look at some of these passages and go through them. What does his word tell us?

Some see him, but do not believe. All those given of the father will come and Christ will not lose one of those given. So some see him but do not believe. There were those here in this passage that actually seen him physically. But there are also those who see him in scripture. They know about Jesus from reading this book. Yet they do not believe. If we see him, it will be in his word for us. We see him in his word. We do that by his spirit. Some who do see him in the scripture don't really see, though.

Matthew 6, 22 and 23, we read, the light of the body is the eye. If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, the whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness. If your eyes braided together is what the word means, if your eyes braided together in one thing or one person, and that one person is Jesus Christ the Lord, if you see by the eye of faith, Jesus Christ the Lord says you are full of light. Not you see the light, although that's true, it says you are full of light. Something outside of you, which is now inside of you, and it lightens the whole body. But if your eye is evil, you will be full of darkness, even though you think it to be light.

And if that light is darkness, it is great, and this flesh loves darkness. If what you see is Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone for everything, then you have a single life. But if you see something other than Jesus Christ or Jesus Christ and something else, how great is that darkness in you? Faith does not see what man can do. It sees what Christ has done. We see a picture of some who cannot see him in the peril of the sea, and so we're not gonna turn over there. Mark 4, Mark 4. We could have turned to some of the other ones, but Mark 4. And I'm not gonna go through this whole parable, I just wanna read this parable, especially for one verse here. But let me read verses 14 through 20, Mark 4.

The sower soweth the word, and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown. But when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground, who when they have heard the word immediately receive it with gladness, and have no root in themselves, and so endure for a time afterward when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. These are they which are sown among thorns, such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground, such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some 30 fold, some 60, and some 100. You all know that parable very well here.

But verse 17, as it concerns his word, it uses the word persecution. And that word simply means persecution when you look it up in the scripture, in Schofield, in Strong's. But persecution, when you look up that word, it means harassed or annoyed. This can be physical. That is someone else that's persecuting you outside and doing something to you. But I don't think that's not what all it's saying here. There may not be anyone else involved in this persecution but the person themselves. It is the word itself that persecutes them.

Hebrews 4.12, it says, For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints of marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Those who do not believe Jesus Christ, His words will persecute because they do not love it. Your conscience can make you feel guilty. Just like those did when Christ said, he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And then it goes on to say, and they which heard it being convicted by their own conscience went out one by one. So Christ's words can even convict the conscience of those who do not believe.

But there can also be outside persecution or influences as well. We read where Peter denied the Lord because of a little child who was questioning who he was, and he was told this would happen. But we know his faith failed not, even though he denied the Lord outwardly to some.

I just looked up the word persecution in Webster's just to see what it meant. But here's the basic meaning of it. It depends on your search on exactly what you get, but it says this, the act or practice of persecuting especially those who differ in origin, religion, or social outlook. Does the word not do this to us?

Even if we do not believe his word, we know all men know what his word says. They know what it says. The word tells us you did not create yourself, you belong to the creator. The word teaches us that God is sovereign and does as he wills. The word tells us bow down and kiss the sun. By nature man is for self, not God. Man is for his choice, not God's. Man is about if it feels good, do it. Man would rather bow down to man rather than God. Whatever is totally opposite of what God says is what man loves by nature.

But at least this one particular kind of ground, though, gives in to what their flesh desires, what they want to do instead of bowing down to the word. They receive it at first, but because of this persecution inside and out, they don't last. The first ground does not receive it at all. The third ground receives it, but they are right away taken away by many things, all these things that they want to do more than listen to the word or hear the word.

If his word comes to you, the message of this bread of life we're talking about, his word will cut you. It will take you down to nothing. It will show you your real self-worth just like we read in Job 9, 30, and 31. If I wash myself with snow water and make my hands never so clean, yet shall thou plunge me in the ditch and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

This word does not speak of man by nature. It does not speak well of man by nature because there's nothing good to speak about. We are told we are as the small dust of the balance. We don't move the scales one way or the other. These first three grounds are no worse than the other. Each of those are no worse than the other. They have no lasting fruit. But only one ground, that last ground, which is called good ground, but it's not good on its own. and I'm talking about the word.

That's what we're talking about here, the word. The word is sown and it has to be sown. This one ground in particular, the stony ground that says it is offended by the word. The word of God is vital. You can say the scriptures. The scriptures are who Christ is, but let me just turn over to Mark. You don't have to turn to this. I just want to read these couple of verses in Mark 2. Mark 2, 1 and 2. And again he entered into Capernaum, this is Jesus Christ, after some days, and it was noise that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door.

And what did he do? He preached the word unto them. This is Jesus Christ. He preached the word to people. I think if he preached the word, then preaching his word is very important. His word, as Walter mentioned last week, is what births us, it brings us forth. Just as a baby in its mother's womb is brought forth, the child of God is brought forth, born of God. What is their food? the body and blood of Christ, the bread of life. This is God translating us into the kingdom of his dear son. He sends us his word.

If you never hear his word, you will not believe. Romans 10 teaches that very thing, we read it. Romans 10, 13 through 15, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things. If you do not hear his word, if you do not believe his word, if you do not call on his name, You will not be saved.

God will send you a preacher in whatever medium he is pleased to send him. But this is mainly speaking about someone doing what I'm doing right now. That's what it's mainly talking about. The one sent will preach. They will proclaim his word. They will declare Jesus Christ and him crucified. And those that hear his word, if God sends them someone to them for them to hear this word, they will believe on him. They will call on him. And I said, if God does this, if any of those things do not happen, they will not be saved according to what the word says. But if God is the one working this, all of these things will happen and must happen.

It's not about how much they know. It's not about what they know. As had been said here before plenty of times, salvation is not in a what, it's in a who. Romans 7 24, oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this day? It is not do I know enough to be saved. It is not knowledge that saves us, it's Jesus Christ that saves us. Have you called on his name? When we call on his name, having heard the word, he lets us know that he has saved us by that word we hear. He lets us know we've been saved.

And don't get me wrong, we do know some things. I'm not saying we don't know anything, but how much we know is up to him. But what we know will be a person. We're told in several places in scripture, and just a couple of them will give you, come unto me, all ye that labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Then we read in Hebrews 12 too, it says, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. Hearing his word, we will know who he is in some way. And because we see him with that single eye, we will see who we are. We will know of the utter uselessness toward God that we are. But seeing him, we will know of his utter power that he has to save us, if he wills. His word, if he is pleased, comes to us in power.

The same power that has seen him raising, Christ being raised from the dead, It's that same power, you know, that you see giving sight to the blind and healing the lame. We read that in Matthew 11, 4 through 6. It says, disciples. Go and show John again those things which you do hear and see. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk. The lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear. The dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them.

And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me." If you hear his word and are not offended at his word, you are blessed, it says. I was offended at one time, and thank God He didn't leave me there. This says, whoever is not offended by Jesus Christ is blessed of God.

We see Jesus Christ in His Word. If you've been made good ground, that is, you've been given life by His Spirit, and He sent you His Word, and you, unlike others who hear, are not offended, When you hear things like, oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me? You will know you can't save yourself because you know who can.

The word that we hear has always been, men wrote it down, but it's always been. We read it as history. We see it a lot that way a lot of times, that it's history, and it is history. But His Word has always been. God never changes. His Word never changes. His Word is His Son.

When I say His Word, I mean the scripture. Jesus Christ tells us, they are they which testify of me. We read in John 1, in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. But then we also read in verse 14 of John 1, and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. The word of God is from eternity. It was in the mind of God always to glorify his son.

There's nothing more sure than his word. And I'm gonna turn over to 2 Peter 1 and read that. Walker mentioned it last week, but I might get on his message a little bit. I don't know, I hope not. I'm going to read that because I like that passage. 2 Peter 1 and verse 16. 2 Peter 1 starting in verse 16.

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy, wherein, too, you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts, knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. We also read all scriptures given by inspiration of God. So everything in scripture God had men write it down.

I hear about so many people where there's places in scriptures that they want to take out that shouldn't really be in there. I think God can fend for himself. If God did not want something to come to us in his word, he would not allow it to be in there. There's also some who want to add to his word. They want to say this book over here should really be a part of it. God can fend for himself. If he wanted it there, he would have it in his word.

Also, if you hear the word, and you don't see Jesus Christ, but rather you see things for us to do, rather than what he has done, you do not hear his word, because that's not what his word is about. He said, it's about me. And don't get me wrong, there are things for us to do in his word. But the cry of every believer is, Lord, help me. Because we know we cannot do it without God working in us to do these things. If you do not see his word, you do not see or know the bread of life.

But God is sovereign and it is He that will cause those He loves, those who were given to the Son, to come to Him that they might have life. So next, all those given of the Father will come. It says in our text, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. Not because they have some special sense in and of themselves to know His word, He will draw them by His Spirit and His Word.

2 Thessalonians 2, 13, you're all very familiar with it. But we are bound to give thanks all the way to God for you, brethren and beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. It takes both, the Spirit and belief, by God's decree right there.

And we lift this whole statement up together. In fact, I need to include that other verse here, whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We lift all of that up. The spirit, belief, and gospel all go together. Without any of them, a person is not saved. If you don't have one of these, what do you have?

Verse 36 of John 6, what does it say? 36 of John 6. But I said unto you that you also have seen me and believe not. You might see him, but you will not believe. You might know about Jesus. But those who father gave to Jesus Christ, all of those will come to Christ because he will see to it that they come.

This says when they do, he will absolutely not cast them out. Knowing the God that we serve, that is very comforting to me. He has all power, all power. This world likes to talk about their will, which they call free. It is up to will. It's certainly up to will, but it's not fallen, sinful, wicked man's will. It is his will that it's all about. Our will is bent toward evil because our heart by nature is evil. So we will do the wrong thing every single time. We will make the wrong choice every single time. We know what the will of the Father is because we're told right here in this passage.

And not only that, but Jesus Christ came to do that will, and he did. It's done. So because of that, what else do we see? Christ will not lose a one of those given. God's will is that he will not lose not one of those for whom Christ died. Christ did not die for every individual that has ever been born on this earth. He did this for all those the father gave to him. That's what scripture says. That's what his word says.

You may not know all this to begin with, but you will believe it. It is all who see the sun and believes. There are those who just see some of those that just see the, there are some that in our text that seen this. They may see Jesus Christ in scripture, but they do not see him. His word has no place in them. Remember that? They still think they have some part of this thing of salvation. God tells us in this passage, we will not and we cannot come to God on our own. They do not see that Jesus Christ did the will of the Father.

It is what He did on that tree that secured the covenant. God made the covenant and God secured the covenant. He also reveals the covenant by His Spirit through His Word. And let me say it this way, God the Father decreed it, God the Son secured it, and the Holy Spirit applies it.

And I know there could be a better way to say that, I understand that. My point is this, he does it all, he has done it all, and he shall ever do it all. So how is it concluded? If you believe on him, you will have everlasting life. Your flesh may die, but you won't. Everlasting life, as we read it here, is had by all those who believe.

Again, I have to say, because God's word said so. Do you desire to eat his body and drink his blood? Do you desire to hear his gospel every opportunity he gives? It is the one thing we have in this world that gives us comfort, to hear of what Christ has done in his word. Because of what he has done, all of it, decreeing this in his word, securing or carrying out God's will, and then applying that to his people, we have eternal life.

We will be raised in the last day, is what he said. It's what we look for. To actually see him face to face. But we still have to say, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. Amen. Dear old God, we're such poor, simple creatures, dear Lord. Weak. We have no strength without you, dear Lord. We can't do anything without you. Dear Lord, give us your word. Cause us to desire and keep and hold your word close, dear Lord. Guard it, guard it. Because we can't even do that if it's not you that works it in us, dear Lord. All these things we ask in Christ's name, amen.

The Bread Of Life

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Jesus as the Bread of Life?

How do we know that all the Father gives to Jesus will be saved?

Why is it important to hear and believe the Word of God?

What does it mean to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ?

Sermon Transcript

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The Bread Of Life

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Jesus as the Bread of Life?

How do we know that all the Father gives to Jesus will be saved?

Why is it important to hear and believe the Word of God?

What does it mean to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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