Jesus is the Bread of Life

I used to have a friend who spent a couple of summers as a park ranger up in Colorado. He told me a fascinating story. He said that after his first year an incident occurred at the national park which bewildered all the park rangers.

He said that some of the bears began to die and upon an initial investigation there was no clear reason why the bears had died. There were no wounds in the bears so they didn't die from an attack but they had died nonetheless. As other bears died it was a great mystery at that particular national park until one day it was revealed that the bears had died of starvation.

They had grown so accustomed to being fed by tourists that they had forgotten to feed themselves and one by one they died off. After that the park rangers put up more warning signs not to feed the bears. That story is significant to me friends because it is similar to our Christian life.

If we rely too much on others to teach us the word of God we won't make the time to read God's word for ourselves. We must feed on the bread of life daily in our devotional time as we walk with Jesus along the narrow way. In the gospel of John we have the miraculous account of Jesus feeding the five thousand with a few loaves of bread and two small fishes.

After this incident some of Jesus' followers pigeonholed him and asked him what shall we do that we might work the works of God. Jesus answered and said unto them this is the work of God that he believe on him whom he has sent. Then some of the Jews standing there made an interesting comment to Jesus.

They said our fathers did eat man in the desert as it is written he gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus goes on to speak about the true bread from heaven and in John 6 32 we read then Jesus said unto them verily verily I say unto you Moses gave you not that bread from heaven but my father giveth you the true bread from heaven for the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world. Then they said unto him Lord evermore give us this bread.

Then Jesus makes a remarkable series of statements regarding salvation and faith and his reception of sinners. Beginning in verse 35 we read 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. Meaning that the gospel is for the hungry the weary and the thirsty.

Then Jesus says in so many words I'm standing right in front of you and you have seen me and believe not. Here he was pressing the Pharisees for their unbelief that God himself was in their very midst yet they refused to acknowledge him and believe on him. Then Jesus makes a pure gospel promise to all who come to him all that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Jesus is the bread of life friend but you must feel your need of him. Jesus is not for the self-satisfied but for the hungry of heart. Over in Isaiah we see an invitation of God's mercy towards sinners in need of a savior from sin.

Isaiah 55 once states oh everyone that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Jesus is the bread of life friend. Are you hungry for him? He declares he that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

I am that bread of life. Come to Christ friend and believe on him. Feast on him.

He is the bread of life.