WHAT DID JESUS MEAN? (5)
'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
Jesus has just fed over 5,000 people from 5 loaves and two small fish. He has shown that He is able to create material substance. There were 12 baskets full left over after everyone had eaten! Who can do that unless they are divine - God Himself?
Questioned later by some people Jesus said 'Do not work for food that spoils, but work for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.' ('Son of Man' is His name for Himself) They did not understand Him. He goes on to say 'I am the bread of life' meaning that He is the source of of true spiritual life and the daily sustenance for that life. He gives and maintains in us a life that is greater than mere human life. It is a life of supernatural dimension which He calls 'eternal life'. It is life lived in contact with God Himself. It is like food and drink. He goes on to say 'For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.' (v.40) He presses it home again 'I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life'.
So how do we 'look' to Jesus Christ? We do this by recognising that we need a Saviour; that Jesus Christ is that Saviour we need; by admitting our guilt before the Holy God; and by personally asking Him to save us, to come into our lives as we seek to serve him from now on as the Lord of our life. We must not look to our own good deeds and achievements; to see that we can never live a life acceptable to God. he must do it for us in Jesus Christ.
Earlier (v.28) the people asked him 'What must we do to do the works God requires? Jesus replied 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent' - by whom he meant Himself.