Imagine yourself in the sandals of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus had just concluded a lengthy lecture. A large crowd was gathered in the remote hills of Galilea. And they were hungry. But there was no bread to feed them, let alone money to buy some. Then came the miraculous multiplication of five loaves and two fish, enough to feed five thousand!
This was the only miracle of Jesus recorded in all four Gospel accounts. However, John is the only writer to record Jesus’ lengthy lecture about the significance of Himself as the Bread of Life. This is the first of seven “I am” statements made by Jesus in the book of John (Bread of life, 6:35; Light of the world, 8:12; Door, 10:9; Good Shepherd, 10:11; Resurrection and Life, 11:25; Way, Truth, Life, 14:6); True Vine, 15:1).
D. A. Carson suggests that John’s Gospel is “complexity wrapped in simplicity”. This is true of Jonn 6, to be sure where we find complex truth about Jesus expressed by the simplicity of bread. As a picture of Jesus’ lifegiving nature, bread is an extremely effective metaphor. In His discourse, Jesus expressed the profound difference between true spiritual bread which endures and physical bread which perishes. But this was not just informational – it is also invitational! Do you want to feast upon the Bread of Life and be satisfied? Or are you content to remain famished, having only a superficial taste of a life in Christ?
Three sermons will explore Jesus’ discourse...
John 6:26-40 “Living Bread” addressing the issue of superficial spirituality
John 6:41-51 “True Bread” addressing the issue of separated spirituality
John 6:26-40 “Living Bread” addressing the issue of sustained spirituality
