Jesus: The Bread of Life and Eternal Sustenance

 

Summary

In this series, we delve into the profound declarations of Jesus found in the Gospel of John, known as the "I am" statements. These declarations are not just self-revelations but are deeply rooted in the divine identity of Jesus. Today, we focus on the first of these statements: "I am the bread of life." This statement is set against the backdrop of a conversation where Jesus' contemporaries demand a sign, reminiscent of the manna provided to the Israelites in the wilderness. Jesus clarifies that the true bread from heaven is not the manna given by Moses but Himself, sent by the Father to give life to the world.

The phrase "I am" (ego eimi) used by Jesus is significant, echoing the divine name revealed to Moses in the burning bush. This linguistic choice underscores Jesus' divine identity and His unique role as the sustainer of spiritual life. Unlike the manna that temporarily sustained the Israelites, Jesus, as the bread of life, offers eternal sustenance and life to those who believe in Him.

Jesus' discourse also touches on His heavenly origin and mission. He emphasizes that He descended from heaven, sent by the Father, to fulfill a divine purpose. This mission is intricately linked to the doctrine of predestination, where Jesus speaks of those given to Him by the Father, who will inevitably come to Him. This underscores the grace of God in drawing individuals to Christ, highlighting the necessity of divine intervention for salvation.

Furthermore, Jesus' statement about being the bread of life is not merely about physical sustenance but points to a deeper spiritual reality. Those who partake in this bread, who believe in Him, will never hunger or thirst spiritually. This eternal life is a gift from God, secured by Jesus' sacrificial offering of His flesh for the life of the world.

In essence, Jesus presents Himself as the essential source of spiritual nourishment and eternal life, a gift that surpasses any earthly provision. His identity as the bread of life is a call to recognize Him as the divine sustainer and savior, offering a life that transcends the temporal and leads to everlasting communion with God.

Key Takeaways:

1. Divine Identity in "I Am": Jesus' use of "I am" (ego eimi) is a profound declaration of His divine identity, echoing God's self-revelation to Moses. This linguistic choice is not mere redundancy but a deliberate assertion of His deity, inviting us to see Him as the eternal source of life and sustenance. [05:33]

2. Heavenly Origin and Mission: Jesus emphasizes His descent from heaven, highlighting His divine mission to offer eternal life. This underscores the necessity of recognizing His heavenly origin and the divine purpose behind His incarnation, which is to provide spiritual nourishment and salvation. [09:19]

3. The Doctrine of Predestination: Jesus' discourse in John 6 reveals the doctrine of predestination, where those given to Him by the Father will come to Him. This highlights the grace of God in salvation, emphasizing that coming to Christ is a result of divine drawing and not human effort. [14:18]

4. Spiritual Sustenance and Eternal Life: Jesus as the bread of life offers more than physical sustenance; He provides eternal spiritual nourishment. Believing in Him leads to a life that never hungers or thirsts spiritually, pointing to the eternal satisfaction found in a relationship with Him. [21:22]

5. Sacrificial Offering for Eternal Life: Jesus' statement about giving His flesh for the life of the world foreshadows His sacrificial death. This act of giving Himself is the ultimate provision for eternal life, inviting believers to partake in His sacrifice and receive the gift of everlasting life. [22:50]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:24] - The Great Confession
- [01:03] - The "I Am" Statements
- [01:52] - Jesus as the Bread of Life
- [02:36] - Manna and the True Bread
- [03:19] - Jesus' Divine Origin
- [04:45] - The Significance of "Ego Eimi"
- [05:33] - Reference to the Divine Name
- [06:21] - Jesus' Heavenly Identity
- [07:51] - The Source of True Bread
- [09:19] - Jesus' Mission from Heaven
- [10:45] - The Unique Ascension
- [12:20] - Belief and Everlasting Life
- [14:18] - Predestination and Divine Drawing
- [19:49] - The Effectual Drawing of God
- [21:22] - Spiritual Nourishment and Eternal Life
- [22:50] - Sacrificial Offering and Eternal Life

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: "I Am the Bread of Life"

Bible Reading:
- John 6:30-51

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Observation Questions:

1. What was the context in which Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life"? How did His contemporaries respond to this statement? [03:19]

2. How does Jesus differentiate between the manna given to the Israelites and the "true bread from heaven"? [02:36]

3. What is the significance of Jesus using the phrase "ego eimi" in His declaration? How does this relate to the Old Testament? [05:33]

4. According to the sermon, what does Jesus emphasize about His origin and mission? [09:19]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Jesus' claim of being the "bread of life" challenge the understanding of His contemporaries regarding physical and spiritual sustenance? [03:19]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that Jesus' use of "ego eimi" is a declaration of His divine identity? How might this have been perceived by His audience? [05:33]

3. How does the doctrine of predestination, as discussed in the sermon, influence the understanding of who comes to Jesus? [14:18]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between Jesus' heavenly origin and His mission on earth? [09:19]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on the idea of Jesus as the "bread of life." How does this concept influence your understanding of spiritual nourishment in your daily life? [03:19]

2. The sermon discusses the significance of Jesus' divine identity. How does recognizing Jesus as divine impact your personal faith journey? [05:33]

3. Consider the doctrine of predestination mentioned in the sermon. How does this shape your view of God's role in your spiritual journey and the journey of others? [14:18]

4. Jesus emphasizes His heavenly origin and mission. How can this understanding of Jesus' purpose influence the way you live out your faith? [09:19]

5. The sermon highlights the difference between physical and spiritual sustenance. In what ways can you seek spiritual nourishment in your life this week? [03:19]

6. Reflect on the idea that Jesus offers eternal life through His sacrificial offering. How does this shape your understanding of salvation and your relationship with God? [22:50]

7. How can you practically apply the concept of Jesus as the "bread of life" in your interactions with others, especially those who may not share your faith? [03:19]

Devotional

Day 1: The Divine Identity of Jesus
Jesus' declaration "I am the bread of life" is a profound assertion of His divine identity. The phrase "I am" (ego eimi) echoes the divine name revealed to Moses at the burning bush, signifying Jesus' eternal existence and divine nature. This statement invites believers to recognize Jesus as the eternal source of life and sustenance, transcending the temporary provisions of this world. By identifying Himself with the divine name, Jesus calls us to see Him as the ultimate revelation of God, offering a relationship that fulfills our deepest spiritual needs. [05:33]

Exodus 3:14 (ESV): "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And he said, 'Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.'"

Reflection: In what ways do you acknowledge Jesus' divine identity in your daily life, and how does this recognition influence your relationship with Him?


Day 2: Recognizing Jesus' Heavenly Mission
Jesus emphasizes His descent from heaven, highlighting His divine mission to offer eternal life. This mission is not just about providing physical sustenance but about fulfilling a divine purpose that transcends earthly needs. Jesus' incarnation is a testament to His heavenly origin and the divine plan to bring spiritual nourishment and salvation to humanity. By understanding His mission, believers are called to embrace the eternal life He offers and to recognize the significance of His heavenly origin in their spiritual journey. [09:19]

John 6:38-40 (ESV): "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day."

Reflection: How does acknowledging Jesus' heavenly mission change the way you approach your own life's purpose and daily decisions?


Day 3: The Grace of Predestination
The doctrine of predestination is revealed in Jesus' discourse, where He speaks of those given to Him by the Father who will inevitably come to Him. This highlights the grace of God in salvation, emphasizing that coming to Christ is a result of divine drawing rather than human effort. It underscores the necessity of divine intervention for salvation, inviting believers to rest in the assurance of God's sovereign grace and to trust in His plan for their lives. [14:18]

Ephesians 1:4-5 (ESV): "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt drawn to Christ. How can you see God's grace at work in your journey of faith?


Day 4: Spiritual Nourishment and Eternal Satisfaction
Jesus, as the bread of life, offers more than physical sustenance; He provides eternal spiritual nourishment. Those who believe in Him will never hunger or thirst spiritually, pointing to the eternal satisfaction found in a relationship with Him. This promise invites believers to seek fulfillment in Christ rather than in temporary worldly pleasures, encouraging a deeper reliance on Him for spiritual growth and contentment. [21:22]

Isaiah 55:1-2 (ESV): "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?"

Reflection: What are some areas in your life where you seek satisfaction outside of Christ, and how can you turn to Him for true fulfillment?


Day 5: The Sacrificial Offering of Jesus
Jesus' statement about giving His flesh for the life of the world foreshadows His sacrificial death. This act of giving Himself is the ultimate provision for eternal life, inviting believers to partake in His sacrifice and receive the gift of everlasting life. By understanding the depth of His sacrifice, believers are called to live in gratitude and to share the message of His love and redemption with others. [22:50]

Hebrews 10:10 (ESV): "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Reflection: How does Jesus' sacrificial offering inspire you to live a life of gratitude and service to others?

Quotes


In declaring His identity to the people during His earthly ministry He used a very unusual structure to identify characteristics of His person that are recorded for us. These sayings are recorded for us in John's Gospel, and only in John's Gospel. And these sayings are called the "I am's" of Jesus, because He introduces these statements by the words I am—things like I am the bread of life; I am the light of the world; I am the good shepherd; I am the door, and so on. [00:54:47]

Now in this discussion that Jesus is having with His contemporaries, and they're discussing His identity, and they're asking for some sign that will prove to them the truth of the claims that He had been making about Himself. And they hearken back to the pages of the Old Testament where God manifested His presence with the children of Israel by providing for them food to eat supernaturally. It was the manna that God gave in the wilderness, and so they're saying God gave the people of old a sign. Now what sign are you going to give us to indicate your identity? [02:23:48]

And it's against the backdrop of that question that Jesus answers by saying, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Then they said, well "'Lord, give us this bread always.' And Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. And he who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.'" [03:10:49]

Now the thing that we notice that is extraordinary, not only in this I am, but in all of the I am's that are recorded for us in the Gospel of John is the structure of Jesus' statement. Normally in the Greek when somebody wants to say I am, they use the word ego. We get the English word ego, which is our personality or our personal identity. And so that word simply means in Greek, I am. [03:52:49]

But the Greek language has another verb -- form of the verb, to be -- that also can be translated by the English I am. And that is the word eimi. Again, in the Greek, eimi means I am. Now what is strange about this particular statement of Jesus that He doesn't say ego the bread of life, I am the bread of life; nor does He say eimi the bread of life, I am the bread of life, but rather He puts these two verb forms together saying, "Ego, eimi the bread of life." [04:22:49]

So there's a thinly veiled reference back to the sacred name of God when Jesus refers to Himself with this language, ego, eimi. There's something else about the grammar in -- when this structure occurs -- if I were to say I am the bread of life, I am would be the subject or I would be the subject, and bread of life would be the predicate. But when this occurs in the Greek language, that's reversed. So that really, the literal translation then would be the bread of life is I. [06:12:49]

So in any case these statements in the Gospel of John have been used historically to call attention to Jesus' claims for deity, that He self-consciously uses language that is usually associated with divine pronouncements. And, of course, that was not missed by his contemporaries. They were aware of that, and that's what provoked such hostility on many occasions when He talked in this manner. [07:12:49]

And this is the point that is critical for our understanding of Jesus' self-consciousness, that Jesus doesn't say hey, I come from Bethlehem, or I come from Nazareth. Rather, He is saying I come from heaven. I am the one that the Father sent from heaven Himself. I am the true bread, the bread that gives life to all who partake of it. Again, the New Testament is very much concerned about the exaltation of Christ after His death and resurrection, and about His entering into His glory. [09:13:49]

And at the heart of that concept of the exaltation of Christ is His ascension into heaven. And the word ascension does not simply mean going up somewhere, although there are times when the verb to ascend means to go up simply. People ascended to Jerusalem; they went up to Jerusalem. But when the New Testament speaks about the ascension of Jesus, they're not talking simply about a point that's elevated to which Jesus goes. They're talking about His going to a particular place for a particular reason. [09:53:49]

So that His ascension is to go to the right hand of the Father where He then has His coronation as the King of the kings and as the Lord of the lords, and where He enters into the heavenly sanctuary as our great high priest. That's why Jesus can say, "No one ascends into heaven." Now when He says no one ascends into heaven, He's not saying that His people will not follow Him in the resurrection. In fact, we are all promised that sometime we will go up to heaven at the time of our death and so on. [10:26:49]

So when Jesus said no one ascends into heaven, He doesn't mean no one else will go there, He means that no one will ascend in this unique sense that He ascends to that place of cosmic authority. But when He talks about the uniqueness of His ascension what does He say? "No ascends into heaven, except He who has descended from heaven." So that in Jesus' understanding His ascension is linked to His prior descension. When He ascends into heaven, He's merely returning to the place from whence He came in the first place. [11:16:49]

And so here in this discourse, Jesus is calling attention to His heavenly origin, that the place from which He has come is heaven itself. So let's continue then with our examination of the text. When He says "The bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world," they say, "Lord give us this bread." And He said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger. He who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet you do not believe. [12:02:49]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
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