#DailyDevotion Jesus Gives Us The Bread From Heaven That Gives Eternal Life
John 6:25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
In the Gospel of John, unlike the other Gospels, Jesus does signs so the Jews may come to believe he is their Messiah. The crowd had been part of a sign, the feeding of the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. Yet they come to Jesus on the other side of the sea not because they believed the sign but because they want another free lunch.
Jesus tries to awaken them from this spiritual stupor by telling to make it a priority, to work for, to have the food that endures to eternal life. Well that sounds kind of good, well at least it gets their attention for a moment. He tells them the Son of Man (who happens to be Jesus) will give it to them. Jesus is fulfilling the word of the prophet Isaiah: Isa 55:1-7 “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. (2) 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. (3) Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. (4) Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. (5) Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. (6) “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; (7) let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
The Father has placed his seal on Jesus. He is the witness to the peoples, the leader and commander of peoples. The people wanted to know what the works of God were to do receive this bread. This is the work of God, to believe in the one whom the Father has sent. Believing in Jesus is coming to him. To trust Jesus is to eat and drink wine, milk, waters, bread without cost. Coming to Jesus, believing and trusting in Jesus gives life to our souls. He gives eternal life to all who come in faith. He has compassion and abundantly pardons who listen to him. Listening to Jesus and believing what he says is eating his flesh and drinking his blood. Jesus is the covenant in whom the Father shows his steadfast sure love for David, Israel and the world. He gave his life for us all in sacrificing his flesh and blood upon the cross.
Almighty God and Father, you sent your Son Jesus into the world that the world might believe on him and have eternal life. Grant us faith that we may feed on his word daily that we may eat of the heavenly bread unto eternal life. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.