A Word for Today | John 6:35
Yesterday, we considered what it meant when Jesus called Himself, “The bread of God…who comes down from heaven” (Jn. 6:33). This statement led to the first of Jesus’ great “I am” sayings in the Gospel of John: “I am the bread of life” (Jn. 6:35).
It could not have been an accident that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means, “house of bread.” Those who witnessed His birth were fed in their hearts. The crowd of John 6 was likewise fed. This shows that if Jesus is the “bread of life” we must come to Him. He said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (Jn. 6:35). To come to Jesus, then, is to believe in Him, trusting in His saving work. Earlier, the people asked what is the work that God desires them to do. Jesus answered: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (Jn. 6:29). According to the Bible if we believe in Jesus – confessing our sins and trusting His saving death – we have already received the bread of new life from God (Jn. 6:44).
Jesus joins His call to believe with a great promise: “Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall not thirst.” This means that in coming to Jesus we will always be watered and fed. We are weak, but coming to Jesus will make us strong. In turmoil, we will find peace. In grief, we will gain comfort. In confusion, we will see truth. Coming to Jesus is the answer to all our spiritual needs, and Jesus promises always to provide.
Coming to Jesus starts with realizing the hunger of your soul. Do you realize how unfulfilling life is apart from fellowship with God’s Son? Do you realize that man’s constant need for new experiences, new thrills, and new achievements – while never being satisfied – merely proves that we were made for something higher? God’s provision for our highest, eternal need is in Jesus Christ, the true bread whom God has sent into the world.
On the other hand, if you refuse to come to Jesus – if you do not believe – you will hunger and thirst until your spirit finally dies. But “Whoever will come” invites you to salvation. And if you do come to Jesus, you will not need another Lord and Savior. You may come to Him every day of your life, for unending days in all eternity, and be satisfied again and again. If you come to Jesus, you will say with the Song of Solomon, “He is altogether lovely” (SoS 5:16, KJV). And if you walk with Jesus as a disciple, you will come to realize what Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68).
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Phillips