I am the bread of life

Jesus’ first “I am” identifies him as the “bread of life.”

Literally, the phrase means “the bread that gives and sustains life” (Word Biblical Commentary).

Clearly, he means spiritual rather than physical life since he claims that “whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

He explained further: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever” (John 6:51).

How do we eat this “bread”?

Billy Graham said, “This bread satisfies the inner longings and hungers of the human heart. Have you taken of that bread? You must repent of your sins, change your mind, turn your back on sin and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.”

When we do this, we will never hunger or thirst for salvation again. Once we have eaten this bread, we never need to eat it again (although we should regularly remember Christ’s body broken for us like bread by observing communion). Once we have experienced salvation, there is nothing we can do to lose it.

Have you eaten this bread?

Maybe you’re unsure because you don’t feel close to God right now.

Well, Jesus didn’t tell us how it feels to eat the “bread of life.” The Bible doesn’t say how it feels to become a Christian at any given moment. That’s because our feelings are such unreliable indicators of reality. They can be affected by the weather outside, the latest headlines, or the pizza we had for dinner.

What if you’re not sure that you trusted in Jesus?

You'd know if you chose to eat a piece of bread for breakfast today. Entering salvation is like getting married: I’ve met thousands of married couples over the years, but not one was unsure of their marital status.

If you have ever asked Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and become your Lord, he answered your prayer and you ate the “bread of life.” If you’re unsure whether you’ve made this decision, the best advice is to become sure today by trusting Jesus today.

How should you respond if you have eaten the “bread of life”?

One: Share it with others.

My favorite definition of evangelism is “beggars telling beggars where they found bread.” We did nothing to earn or deserve what we have been given. But we can share with others what we have received.

Two: Serve in gratitude for grace.

He literally made his body our spiritual bread. How can we not serve him in gratitude for such grace? Expect to face doubts about your salvation.

Reflect on the good news that Jesus gives us sustenance for eternal life—himself.

Thank him in prayer for the free gift of salvation and ask for the opportunity to share the bread with other beggars.

Remind yourself often that salvation is found in Christ alone, and you no longer need to hunger for it.