A Series on the “I Am” statements of Jesus
(Click
on the link below to read the verses.)
John 6:22-59
[Moses encountered God at the burning bush where the Lord gave His name as “I Am”. Jesus used that same name for himself, thus claiming to BE God. In this series, we’re looking at the “I Am” statements of Jesus to learn about him and about God.]
The good old days... Back when they knew how to build a solid house out of oak instead of pine and pressed wood. Back when they knew how to build a car out of metal instead of preformed plastic. Those were the good old days.
After Jesus fed
the 5000, the disingenuous Jews followed him across the Sea of Galilee to
Capernaum. In the synagogue, they pretended to be interested in what Jesus had
to say, finally asking him for him a sign. A sign like the good old days when
their ancestors ate manna for forty years while wandering in the wilderness.
They didn’t care
anything about a sign, or the good old days. They just wanted to get their
bellies fed. However, Jesus must have learned some fishing tricks from his
disciples. Because it’s at this point that he hooked the Jews by talking about “bread from heaven that gives life”. They
bit hard, asking to receive this bread every day!
35 Jesus
replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will
never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. NLT
He followed this
statement by ramping up his rhetoric with this highly inflammatory comment.
48 Yes,
I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna
in the wilderness, but they all died. 50 Anyone who
eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51 I
am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will
live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my
flesh.” NLT
Generally
speaking, the Jews were an impoverished people, oppressed by the Romans. They
lived day to day, barely making ends meet. Jesus promised them bread from
heaven so they would never be hungry; never be thirsty. Not only that, but the bread
would bring them eternal life!
Wow! I want that
bread! Don’t you? The Bread of Life.
I go through my
daily routine without worrying about food or housing or clothing. All my basic
needs are met. I have no idea what it’s like to need something so badly that it
hurts. But the Jews did, and they had the Bread of Life standing right there in
front of them... so do you, and so do I.
28 Then
they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus
answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has
sent.” NIV
Just like the
Jews, I get sidetracked by all those things that I think I have to have; that I
think I need. When all I really need, is to believe in him… the Bread of Life. It’s way better than the good old days.
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