The Bread of Life...Feast, Fellowship, Feed
“Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” John 6
Bread is considered a staple food, a basic dietary item. Bread is such a basic food it becomes synonymous for food in general. We even use the phrase “breaking bread together” to indicate the sharing of a meal with someone. Bread also plays an integral part of the Jewish Passover meal. The Jews were to eat unleavened bread during the Passover feast and then for seven days following as a celebration of the exodus from Egypt. When the Jews were wandering in the desert for 40 years, God rained down “bread from heaven” to sustain the nation. This becomes the backdrop of Jesus’ teachings in John 6, “bread from heaven.”
The crowd asks Jesus for a sign that He was sent from God. They tell Jesus that God gave them manna during the desert wandering. Jesus responds by telling them that they need to ask for the true bread from heaven that gives life. When they ask Jesus for this bread, Jesus startles them by saying, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” This is a phenomenal statement! By equating Himself with bread, Jesus is saying he is essential for life.
As we gather for Connection Sunday, August 25th, 2019, we will launch our Stewardship Theme for the fall season:
The Bread of Life…a generous God
We serve a generous God pouring into our lives the gift of life. We see evidence of abundant life in the joy all around us and the provisions that daily come our way. It is a blessing and privilege to give generously to God. When we lavish our gifts of time, talents and financial support upon God, we worship more fully in the acknowledgement of our source of living. Jesus is our bread, that resource of spiritual nourishment that is essential to abundant living.
Join me as we begin this journey of feasting on the Bread of Life - Rick
