John 6: 47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
How long can we go without eating? It depends on our size and the “storehouse” we carry. We can’t go long without drink and eventually without eating we die of hunger. We’re here because of physical laws. We’ve eaten and drank today. We nourished our body.
As children of God we need continual nourishment. We’re nourished and grow in his grace and knowledge by eating the nutrients that only come from God. Jesus had just fed thousands with five loaves of bread and two fish. He gave thanks for it and the disciples distributed food until everyone was full. A buffet was provided for the people who came to hear Jesus. There were twelve baskets of leftovers.
We’ll have a snack when we go home tonight. Holding off eating will eventually make the immune system go down. You don’t think or feel right. Your body will feed on its fat. If you continue not eating then it will begin to feed on muscles. Then you die. How long do we last without Jesus and the fellowship of his presence and his Word? We get victory over sin and this world through Jesus. He gives comfort and strength to overcome the devil, but he’s also the Bread of Life. Jesus told us that when we pray we are to say Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. There will always be bread. Pray for it. That’s what Jesus taught. Not only do we need it for our bodies, we need it spiritually. There is no reason for a Christian to go hungry and die of spiritual malnutrition. Jesus said I am that bread of life. He provides for us each day. Give thanks for it.
You cannot supply your own physical needs; neither can you supply your spiritual needs. If you don’t look to God each and every day, you’ll starve to death. Jesus said your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. Why did they die? They got sick of the perfect food God supplied; they complained about it. That’s what people do now. Same old church. Same old preacher. Same old choir. Same old…. Complain. Complain. Israel wanted the onions and leeks they had in Egypt. Food like that would have given indigestion. This manna from God wouldn’t, yet they complained. The manna didn’t need improvement. God doesn’t either. Be thankful for the same old Bible. Things may be the same old but I’m glad. We need the Word. The devil tells us church is boring. I’d rather take the same old than all this new stuff that’s sending people to hell.
Israel asked for something different than what God gave. He gave them quail and it spoiled before they could get it chewed up. We need the same old ways. The church is not a television set; it’s the house of God. Don’t forget where the bread comes from—Jesus! He said I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. He’s the reason we’re still here.
Later Jesus told the crowd except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. They found that hard to take and many left him from following him. Jesus asked the twelve will ye also go away? Peter answered by saying Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
The prodigal son finally came to himself. He realized his father’s servants had plenty of food and to spare and there he perished with hunger. He missed the bread of home. There is no bread like the home food. There is no one to compare to Jesus Christ. He said to himself that he’d return home and beg to be forgiven and become a hired servant. His father met him and embraced him. The first thing he did was prepare a feast for his son. I’m hungry for that bread. The Bible tells us that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled.
In Psalm 23 we find the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. A sheep loves green pastures. Jesus is the shepherd. If we let him lead us, we’ll be filled. Always be satisfied with what the Lord provides.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 