The Bread of Life

Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Joh 6:26

This passage reveals something, by which we must examine ourselves. Jesus has just fed the multitude and because of it they followed him. They had had their natural hunger temporarily satified and they wanted more. Because of this they began to seek him. But Jesus admonishes them by exposing their misdirected desires.

This problem has not ceased to exist. Many in the church seek him because of the social status they can gain, or because of the earthly prosperity with which he has blessed them. Without a doubt this is a problem that plagues us all in some degree, but praise God he did not state the problem without offering the corrective.

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Joh 6:27

Jesus here sets out a contrast for us. If we seek Christ only to fill our earthly desires then we are seeking things that will perish, and will never find ourselves truly filled. But our real need is of him. Though we realize it or not all men need the meat which endureth unto everlasting life.

Our unrighteousness leads to death, making everything we have or desire perishable. But Christ offers himself for us in order that we can have the righteousness that is found in him. Jesus is the bread of life if any man comes to him they will never hunger again. Jesus is not speaking of physical food for all Christians continually get physically hungry, but he is the true food.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Mat 5:6

All mankind is starved of righteousness. We have nothing that commends us before God, but for those who believe, Christ on the cross pays our debt and imputes to us his righteousness. And for those who believe, this bread and wine broken for us on the cross eternally meets our need and will never perish.

It is true that Christ cares for our earthly needs, for if he cares for the sparrow how much more will he care for us. But let us not forget that Christ in his sovereignty will one day let one or more of our earthly needs go unmet. He holds the issues of death in his hand and will one day move his hand of providence to withhold one of our bodily needs, letting us pass from this world to the next. But there is one need that will never go unmet, for it will never be withheld from those who believe, and that is his righteousness, which opens the way for us to be his children eternally.

Praise God for the bread he sent from heaven, for only in him can our true need be met.

Because of Christ,

Doug