“Who Am I?” Part 5.2
The I AM Statements of Jesus
I Am- The Bread of Life- John 6- Jesus Feeds
So, can Jesus truly provide what we need in such a way that it replaces our appetites for the things of this world? How will He do such a thing?
To answer these questions, let’s look back just before when Jesus reminds His Disciples in John 6 that He is the Bread of Life. What is the context? It was a typical day for the Lord. He was traveling from place to place, town to town, teaching, and as usual, a crowd was gathering. Wherever Jesus went needy, spiritually starving people would gather to be fed. On this particular day though the people that had lingered deep into the day, were also physically hungry. Jesus would take the opportunity to use one of their physical needs, hunger, to teach them about their true, deeper need, spiritual starvation.
The Disciples reported to their Rabbi a problem. There were hundreds gathered (five thousand would have been a head count that only included the men. More than likely the total number would have been ten to fifteen thousand, including the women and children). How would they feed such a vast group? Jesus tells them to gather what food they can but all they are able to bring back to Him was the simple, peasant lunch of a young boy. A tiny meal of a few fishes and some barley loaves! There wouldn’t even be enough for each person to have a morsel of fish or a crumb of bread. But when we are dealing with Jesus, we must see beyond what can be seen.
John tells us what happened next in John 6:10-13. “Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.”
Two things to take note of here. First, see how effortlessly Jesus provides for the people’s needs. He is not limited by time or space or raw materials or possessions, or anything else. He creates what He needs to meet our needs. Nothing is too difficult for Him. So, understand that He does indeed desire to replace your spiritual starvation with satisfying Bread. He longs for you to be satisfied with only Him. And He has the power to change our appetites. Will we run to Him and seek to be fed by Him in this way each and every day?
Second, see how God has provided through the weak and insignificant (this young, poor boy), for the weak and insignificant (those gathered on the hillside). “But the point of the story is that the insufficient from the hands of the insignificant became sufficient and significant when placed in the hands of Jesus.” (Jim Boice’s Commentary on John- pg. 448- This commentary and others form the basis for much of the content of all these devotionals).
Isn’t this true of us as well- we are the ‘insignificant’ and we are the ‘insufficient’, but when called by the Lord and in His hands, we become significant and sufficient. God uses Means, however small and seemingly weak.Might He use you to meet the needs of someone else, as you point them to the Lord, one beggar, showing another beggar, where to find Bread?
So, What Now?
Read and Meditate on these additional passages:
Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
Isaiah 55:1-2 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.”