I Am the Bread of Life

Food is a big deal in every culture, and as a society progresses it is elevated in different ways. For example, in today’s culture organic foods, specialty grocery stores, and even worldwide food competitions are en vogue. In 2017, Chicago was voted as the best restaurant city in the world. Yet, it seems to be that we are very similar to the Romans in the first century, of whom it was said, “The Romans will try anything for a new thrill, they are appallingly rich and appallingly hungry.” As we move into the first of Jesus’ “I Am” statements in John 6:35-40, Jesus is emphatic about declaring that He is the spiritual food of life and that this spiritual food is more important than any other type of food.

Questions for Meditation 

1. Everyone needs to be nourished and satisfied in four areas: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. But what happens when we try to address our need for spiritual food with non-spiritual food? 
2. What happens when we are well fed spiritually? 
3. In John 6:39, Jesus says, “I should lose none of these He has given me.” What is Jesus saying about our nourishment? What happens when we are nourished from Him, and what happens when we don’t get our nourishment from Him? 
4. Jesus finished John 6:39 by saying, He “should raise them up on the last day.” What is Jesus saying about our satisfaction? What happens when we are satisfied by Him, and what happens when we try to find satisfaction from substitutes? 
5. Read John 6:41, and then 49-59. What is the significance of communion, and taking in His flesh and blood? 
6. As we pray about what taking Him “all in” means, how can we judge whether something is a complement to our lives or the Source of our lives?