 Real Life in Messiah: I AM the Bread of Life
The Feast of Passover was approaching. Messiah had just performed the miracle of multiplying five barley loaves and two small fish into enough to feed a crowd of 5,000. The next day the people searched for Him; and after finding Him, engaged in conversation. What He shared was astounding! Parts of His conversation included these statements:
“I am the bread which is life! Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever trusts in me will never be thirsty. 36 I told you that you have seen but still don’t trust. 37 Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will certainly not turn away. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do not my own will but the will of the One who sent me. 39 And this is the will of the One who sent me: that I should not lose any of all those he has given me but should raise them up on the Last Day. 40 Yes, this is the will of my Father: that all who see the Son and trust in him should have eternal life, and that I should raise them up on the Last Day.” (John 6:35-40 JNT)
“Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life — that is, I will raise him up on the Last Day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I live in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live through the Father, so also whoever eats me will live through me.” (John 6:53-57 JNT)
As He continued to share about the kingdom of God, many came to understanding and believed in Him. Yet there were also many who could not comprehend. It became apparent that some could see with spiritual eyes, and therefore, trust—believe; while those who could not see through eyes of faith were bewildered and frustrated. What was He really communicating? Isaiah had spoken something important about God’s covenant that helps us understand!
As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and forevermore." (Isaiah 59:21NKJV)
God’s Word breathed by His Spirit bears LIFE. It is the LIFE of His covenant—and LIFE of Messiah. As we receive Messiah’s words with open hearts by faith, God’s Spirit breaths LIFE within us, watering the seeds of truth that His words bear. In such a way, His Words and Spirit IN US manifest God’s presence in us, causing us to live IN HIM—in UNION with Him. In John 17, Messiah prayed this would become reality!
“I pray not only for these, but also for those who will trust in me because of their word, 21 that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, are united with me and I with you, I pray that they may be united with us, so that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 The glory which you have given to me, I have given to them; so that they may be one, just as we are one —23 I united with them and you with me, so that they may be completely one, and the world thus realize that you sent me, and that you have loved them just as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23 JNT)
In Messiah, we truly see El Shaddai, The All-Sufficient God who is the strength of our sustenance—and true bread of life.
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