"John 6:25-59
Faith and emptiness
Jesus taught about the centrality of faith. When asked ‘“What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” ’ (vv.28–29).
When they asked for bread from heaven, Jesus says, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’ (v.35). As Joyce Meyer points out, we are called, primarily, ‘believers’, not ‘achievers’. The way we achieve is by first believing.
When we are physically hungry we crave food. But as well as physical needs we have spiritual needs and a spiritual hunger. Faith in Jesus fills the emptiness we experience and satisfies our spiritual hunger for purpose, permanence and pardon.
Purpose
Physical bread is not enough. Material things alone do not satisfy. Money, homes, cars, success and even human relationships do not satisfy our desire for ultimate purpose in life.
The bread that does satisfy is the ‘bread of life’. This is not a commodity that Jesus supplies. He is the gift and the giver. The words, ‘I’ or ‘me’ appear thirty-five times in this discussion. ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’ (v.35).
It is easy, even once we have put our faith in Jesus, to get caught up either in material things or the trappings of religion. This passage reminds us that it is actually only a relationship with Jesus that satisfies our spiritual hunger.
The expressions, ‘Believe in me’ (v.29), ‘Come to me’ (v.35), ‘Look to the Son’ (v.40), ‘Eat my flesh and drink my blood’ (v.53 onwards) describe living in an intimately close relationship with Jesus.
Permanence
We are all going to die. Death is the great unmentionable reality. Jesus says this life is not the end: ‘I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever ... I will raise them up on the last day’ (vv.51,54).
Jesus promises to raise you up at the last day and that you will live forever. You can have absolute assurance that your relationship with Jesus will outlast death.
There is both a present and a future dimension to this eternal life. They said, ‘From now on give us this bread’ (v.34). Jesus says it can be received immediately (v.35 onwards). Yet he also made clear that it will last forever (vv.50–51).
Pardon
Forgiveness is actually our greatest need. The atheist philosopher, Marghanita Laski, said, ‘What I envy most about you Christians is your forgiveness. I have no one to forgive me.’ We all want to know that we are pardoned for all that we have done wrong.
Jesus said, ‘This bread is my flesh, which I give for the life of the world’ (v.51). His blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins. Every time we receive communion, among other things, we are reminded that Jesus gave his life so that we could be forgiven.
How do we receive this bread? Jesus says, ‘I tell you the truth, whoever believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life’ (vv.47–48).
In John’s Gospel, there is no separate account of the institution of the Eucharist (as there is in the other Gospels). Rather, we see Jesus’ teaching on the Eucharist set in the context of faith. The Eucharist is a visible sign that helps us receive Christ by faith (vv.53–58). For example, it is striking to compare verses 40 and 54.
Lord, thank you that through faith in you I have found a lasting purpose in my life, forgiveness for my sins and the promise of eternal life. Help me today to walk in a close, intimate relationship with you."
1. Hallelujah for giving that purpose in my life. Thank You for calling.
2. Thank You for a wonderful dinner with new-found friends.
3. No matter how long the time spent together, thank You for those moments.
