Today we are going to talk about Jesus, the Bread of Life. Have you ever wondered why Jesus used the term, “I am the bread of life?”  I think one reason is because bread has been a most important staple food of humans since prehistoric times, and He always related spiritual truths to natural truths in His teachings. Natural food is needed for our natural bodies but we are a spirit who lives in a natural body, and therefore our spirit needs to be fed too.

In contrast to the manna that God provided for the physical bodies of the Hebrews who were in the wilderness, and the physical food we eat today, that only nourishes the physical body – Jesus is the Bread of Life that nourishes our spirit and thereby also nourishes our physical body. Most of us have some form of bread each day, perhaps even at each meal, whether a slice of toast or a bun with a sandwich, or dinner roll, etc. This is because bread is easily paired with other nutritious foods, but natural food only supplies nutrients for our natural bodies. When we read and study the Bible, we are feeding our spirit which strengthens our spirit to be strong and grow in HIS likeness and overflows into our physical body, strengthening it to receive the nutrients it needs from the physical food we eat. Without Jesus even the natural food we eat would not do us any good!

Jesus said in John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes on me has everlasting life.”  In verse 48 He says, “I am that bread of life.” Then again in verse 51 He says, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”

We can easily see why Jesus is called the Bread of Life: He is Life, and the giver of life.

John 1:1-4 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made. In Him was life.” Romans 6:23 teaches that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When Jesus is the main substance or priority in our lives, He gives balance to all our wellbeing: spirit, soul, and body. Most of us eat three meals a day, I encourage you to spend time with Jesus at least the same amount of time each day to keep spiritually strong in your faith, in your commitment to God, and in obedience to complete the plan and purpose of your life IN HIM.