Jesus, the bread of life

Jesus, the bread of life
S - John 6:57-69 (NASB)
As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me.58 "This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever."
Words to the Disciples
59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?"61 But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble?62 "What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.64 "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.65 And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father
."
Peter's Confession of Faith
66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.67 So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?"68 Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.69


O - Once again in this Chapter, John is showing us the true divinity of Christ, and should it not be surprising that He is presenting a message, not of the physical world, dominated by satan, but a message of hope, dominated by God's spirit, and things of the Kingdom of God. The message is one that challenges us to understand what Jesus is talking about with regard to the bread of life, and eating Him for eternal life. You can only imagine what that must have been like for the group of disciples (greater than just the 12) to hear this message, if they were only thinking of the physical world and not the spiritual world. In verse 58 Jesus refers to himself as the bread that came from heaven, that people eat and do not die, as opposed to the manna from heaven that came down from heaven that Israelites ate, and were sustained, but all eventually died a physical death. After making this statement that challenged some of Jesus' disciples he didn't let them off the hook but challenged them to continue to understand who he really was, and said if you see me ascending to heaven will that also cause you to stumble. And then the object lesson for us all, Jesus explains God, the spirit, gave life, and therefore it shouldn't be surprising that by partaking of spiritual bread of life, we might have eternal life, but that the flesh is only temporary, and therefore profits nothing, and Jesus explains the "words I speak to you are spirit and life". And there is the revelation confirmed, that in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word became flesh, and now the word, spoke the word of life, which is spirit, and with gives eternal life. And then finally Peter confirms, that man can get the message, understand it, receive it, and have eternal life, when he says to Jesus (paraphrased) - " I am not sure why those guys don't get it (after some of the disciples left), where else are we to go when Jesus you have the words of eternal life and that is all we need.

A - The application for me is simple, deep, and life changing. The word of life, Jesus, has granted me eternal life, through my acceptance of Him into my life. His word alone is enough to sustain, and in fact cause my life to be all that He designed me to be... for eternity. I need to embrace and fall in love with the word of life, drinking frequently from the fountain of His word, as it is the water that I drink from and will not get thirsty again, it is the bread of life from which I eat and will not get hungry again.

P - Lord thank you so much for your word, your life, your spirit, your truth. I pray Lord that you would lead me into a deeper understanding and appreciation for your word of life, and allow it to grown and transform me for your glory. I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.