There’s Nothing Like Bread

By Jerry D. Ousley

            Ahhh … that wonderful aroma!  It traveled through the air, up into my nostrils and then hit my brain.  I’m talking about the wonderful smell of Grandma’s homemade bread.  Every so often she would make a couple of loaves; one to use throughout the week and one for her and me to eat while it was fresh and hot.  We’d smear butter all over the piece we had in our hand, allowing it to permeate through the texture of the bread, and I’m telling you, the taste of it in my mouth makes me lick my lips still today, even though she has been in Heaven for twenty-some years now. I’ve eaten homemade bread since but none of it seems as good as my grandma’s.

            The Bible uses the term “bread” quite often.  It is representative of food in general and Jesus used it several times in His stories to illustrate life.  The reason for both of these examples is that bread was, and still is, the most common food.  With nearly every meal, we have bread in some form or another.  Even if it is fast food, a good portion of it is “breaded” – Covered with a coating using some sort of flour, the basic ingredient for bread.  As the most common of foods, it makes sense that, when teaching, everyone from all walks of life can identify with it.

            There were some incidents where Jesus used bread.  It happened twice, first feeding 5000 men besides women and children, and another feeding 4000 men besides women and children.  As a child, it was told from a boy’s point of view.  You see, John tells us that the food came from the lunch brought by a young boy.  He had five barley loaves and two small fish. He gave it to Jesus and our Lord blessed it and multiplied it so that all these people had enough to eat to fill them up and then had twelve baskets full of leftovers.  We aren’t told what happened to all those leftovers, but I like to think that the boy was able to take them home to his thoughtful mother (see John 6:5-13).

            Jesus also said that He was “the bread of life.”  Here’s what He said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.  I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.  This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.  I am the living bread which came 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.” (John 6:47-51 You can read more in the rest of this chapter).  Jesus was, of course, speaking metaphorically.  He didn’t expect people to take up cannibalism and actually eat His flesh.  He was referring to what He taught and His own life-example.  But the people, who had followed Him across the Sea of Galilee, because of the miracle He had done on the other side (feeding the multitude), failed to understand His teaching.  Thinking only with their bellies, when He said these words, they could only think of putting something in their mouths.  Many stopped following Him that day because of His teaching.  But those who truly loved Him, who understood what He was talking about, stayed loyal and faithful.

            Jesus had told them, using the example of the manna God sent down from the sky to feed the Israeli people while they were traveling from Egypt to the Land of Promise, was only temporary food.  They ate it, even though it was a miracle, but they all eventually died.  That was because what we eat sustains us in our physical bodies, but doesn’t give us eternal life.  We will all eventually grow old and die.  Using Himself as an example He was stating that believing in Him, knowing that His words were true, and relying on His teaching, would be a spiritual food that would grant us eternal life.

            When we eat “The Bread of Life,” then we gain spiritual life that will restore us from the death we all died in the original sin of Adam and Eve.  We all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, God’s target of perfection (Romans 3:23).  So, it just isn’t Adam and Eve’s faults.  Had Adam’s name been substituted for mine (Jerry) the result would have been the same.  Our human nature demands that we sin.

            Jesus was telling us that when we hear His words to the point that they become a part of us (eating the Bread of Life) then we revive our spirits that have died because of sin and we become spiritually alive again. Our lives then depend on the “Bread of Life” and grants us eternal life in Jesus Christ.

            If you have never “eaten” this “Bread of Life” then you are in for a treat.  Because you can do it today, right now.  Ask for forgiveness for the sin in your life, and your inability to save yourself.  Acknowledge that Christ, as the “Bread of Life” is your only hope to escape the eternal destruction of hell, and allow Him to change you from top to bottom, from the inside out, and you will be saved.  That means that the eternal death we all deserve because of our sin, has been reversed for us and instead we now have eternal life.

            You don’t have to been in a building we call a church to be saved.  You don’t have to have a pastor or preacher lay hands on you.  You don’t have to say the magic words, you only have to confess your failure – your sin, and believe that God has raised Jesus from the dead and lives to make intercession for you before God.  If you truly believe and you are truly sorry and you truly want to take Jesus as your Savior, then you will be born-again – Made a new creation in Christ Jesus.  It sounds like magic.  It seems too good to be true, and in ourselves it is.  But in Christ Jesus all things are possible to those who believe.  Do you believe?  Do you really believe? Do you believe enough to make the change in your life and your life-style to reflect Him?  Do it now, today and you will be saved. Come on; take a big bite from “The Bread of Life.”

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.?  Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.