SUNDAY LESSON, 3/12/23
I AM…THE BREAD OF LIFE
John 6:25-70
Starting this Sunday, I will be preaching on the “I AM” STATEMENTS OF JESUS as recorded in the Gospel of John. There are seven in all:
- “I AM the bread of life” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51).
- “I AM the light of the world” (John 8:12).
- “I AM the gate of the sheep” (John 10:7, 9).
- “I AM the good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14).
- “I AM the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
- “I AM the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
- “I AM the true vine” (John 15:1, 5).
We are beginning this sermon series with Jesus’ statement: “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE” from John 6. This chapter opens with Jesus miraculously feeding thousands of people with just five small loaves of bread and two small fish. This miracle so amazed the people that many of them went to great effort to find Jesus the next day. Why? Because they were hungry. The problem was, they were looking for the wrong bread.
Human beings have an inborn hunger that can never be satisfied with the physical things of the world; whether it be money, sex, food, etc.. The inner craving of our soul and hunger of our heart can only be satisfied by that which is spiritual provided only by God—the bread that comes from heaven. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35).
JOHN 6:35, 41, 48, 51:
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
48 I am the bread of life.
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
