Akin to the words of Isaiah in chapter 55, Jesus asks the crowd why they labour for food which perishes. He then declared Himself to be the bread of life. In His exhortation He explained the necessity of feeding on Him. His words were spirit and offended the listeners who thought in fleshly terms. When Jesus arrived as a baby, He was sent by God, to be the bread which gives eternal life.
Sent by God
Jesus was sent from heaven by God the Father. It was all God’s will. Unlike the manna in their stories of Moses, Jesus was the true bread of life. While those who ate manna died, those who believed in Jesus receive life abundant and eternal.
Bread of Life
“I am the bread of life,” Jesus said. “I am the living bread … I come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever, and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” His words were hard to understand and many quit following Him.
Life: Abundant and Eternal
Heavenly truths are spiritually understood. “It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The words I speak to you are spirit and they are life.” Peter summed it up. “You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
This Christmas may we feed on the Lord Jesus Christ that our souls may live.