John 6:35–51 - 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36 “But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” 41 Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 “I am the bread of life. 49 “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 “This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”
What does today’s passage say?
In today's passage, Jesus makes a bold statement that He provides complete spiritual nourishment, declaring that those who follow Him will never experience spiritual emptiness (v. 35). Though some people saw His miracles yet refused to believe, Jesus explains that He will not reject a single person who approaches Him in faith. His mission focuses on carrying out God's plan to secure eternal life for believers (vv. 36-40). Some Jews object because they know Jesus' earthly family, but He explains that He will raise up all those the Father draws to Him (vv. 41-46). Jesus then makes an incredible promise: faith in Him brings eternal life. He identifies Himself as spiritual food sent from heaven, offering His body to give life to the world (vv. 47-51).
How can I apply John 6:35-51 to my life?
Jesus had just fed more than 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. The crowd followed Him, wanting more miraculous food. Instead, Jesus offered them something far better - Himself as the bread of life. People spend their lives trying to satisfy deep spiritual longings. They chase after wealth, chase the latest trends, or stuff their schedules with activities. None of these things can fill the God-shaped emptiness inside. Jesus spoke directly to this universal human need. He declared that He alone could truly satisfy the hunger in human hearts. His words still challenge us today. We battle the same tendency to focus on physical needs while missing our desperate spiritual condition. Our souls need nourishment that only Jesus can provide. The good news is that Jesus stands ready to fill that inner void. He promises to receive everyone who comes to Him in faith. He offers eternal life to all who believe. His invitation extends beyond just existing forever - He wants to transform our lives right now by becoming our source of spiritual sustenance. Here are some basic principles from this passage that we should apply to our lives:
1. Trust In Jesus to Satisfy Your Spiritual Hunger and Thirst (v. 35): Jesus declared Himself to be the bread of life who satisfies both spiritual hunger and thirst. Think about how famished you feel after skipping several meals - that intense physical craving for food. Our souls can experience an even deeper hunger. We chase after success, wealth, and popularity, stuffing ourselves with worldly achievements that leave us feeling hollow inside. Some days we feast on entertainment or social media. Other times, we binge on relationships or career goals. Yet that nagging emptiness persists. Jesus offers something completely different. When we come to Him in faith, accepting Him as our Savior, He fills those deep places in our hearts that nothing else can touch. It is like sitting down to the most satisfying meal imaginable - except this satisfaction lasts forever. Following Jesus means making Him our primary source of spiritual nourishment through prayer and time in His Word. On busy days when everything seems to be falling apart, or in seasons of life when nothing makes sense, Jesus provides the spiritual food we need. His presence becomes our sustenance. His truth becomes our daily bread. His Spirit becomes our living water. While life will still have its struggles and disappointments, Jesus promises that everyone who feeds on Him spiritually will find their souls truly satisfied. We do not have to keep searching for meaning or fulfillment in things that cannot last. In Jesus, we find everything our hearts have been hungry for all along (Psalm 63:1-5, Isaiah 55:1-3, Matthew 5:6).
Food for Thought: What things besides Jesus have you looked to for satisfaction in life, and how have they fallen short? In what specific ways can you "feed on Jesus" more consistently in your daily life?
2. Rest in Jesus' Promise to Receive All Who Come to Him (vv. 36-40): Jesus made a powerful declaration that He will never turn away anyone who comes to Him in faith. Some days our past mistakes loom large, making us feel unworthy to approach God. Other times, we wrestle with current failures that leave us wondering if Jesus could really want anything to do with us. These doubts can paralyze us spiritually. Yet Jesus speaks a clear message of acceptance that cuts through our fears. God has given believers to His Son as a gift, and Jesus stands ready to welcome every single person who approaches Him in genuine faith. Think about that - the Creator of the universe promises to accept you! Not because you earned it or deserved it, but because He chose to love you. Coming to Jesus means dropping our attempts to clean ourselves up first. It means acknowledging that we cannot fix ourselves and that Jesus is our only real hope for eternal life. On those dark days when Satan whispers that we have gone too far or failed too many times, we can plant our feet firmly on Jesus' promise. He did not attach conditions or list exceptions. He simply said He would receive everyone who comes to Him believing. This rock-solid commitment extends beyond just accepting us - Jesus pledges to keep us secure in His care through this life and into eternity. He will raise up all believers in the resurrection, completing the work He started in us. Our security does not depend on our performance; it is based entirely on Jesus' faithful promise to receive and preserve all who trust in Him (Romans 10:9-13, Hebrews 7:25, John 10:27-29).
Food for Thought: How does knowing Jesus will never reject those who come to Him in faith change the way you think about the Lord? What fears or doubts about your acceptance by God do you need to surrender today?
3. Look Past the Physical to See Jesus' Divine Nature (vv. 41-46): The Jews struggled to accept Jesus' divine claims because they focused only on His human origins. Life bombards us with distractions that keep our eyes fixed on the physical world around us. We get caught up in schedules, deadlines, and daily pressures. Some days, paying bills and managing responsibilities consume our thoughts. Other moments find us scrolling through social media or chasing the next exciting thing. Yet behind all these surface-level activities, Jesus calls us to see Him for who He really is - the divine Son sent from heaven. This takes more than just physical sight. Only God can open our spiritual eyes to grasp this life-changing truth. That is why prayer becomes so vital - asking God to help us look past temporary things to see Jesus clearly. When problems pile up at work, or family conflicts drain our energy, or health issues create uncertainty, we need this deeper vision. Jesus is not just another historical figure or religious teacher. He stands ready to show Himself as our divine Lord who came down from heaven to give us life. His human nature lets Him understand our daily struggles. His divine nature gives Him the power to transform our lives from the inside out. Rather than getting stuck on surface-level questions or doubts, we can ask God to draw us to Jesus in a deeper way. The more clearly we see Jesus' true identity, the more our trust in Him will grow. Our daily choices and priorities will start shifting as we grasp that the divine Son of God walks with us through every moment (Colossians 1:15-17, Hebrews 1:1-3, Philippians 2:5-11).
Food for Thought: What earthly distractions most often keep you from seeing Jesus as He truly is? How would your daily life look different if you consistently viewed Jesus as the divine Son of God who came from heaven?
4. Receive Eternal Life by Believing in Jesus as the Bread of Life (vv. 47-51): Jesus promised that believing in Him brings eternal life, declaring Himself to be the living bread from heaven. Life hits us with tough situations that shake our faith - maybe it is the death of someone we love, a devastating health diagnosis, or watching our children walk away from God. In those moments, we might wonder if our faith is enough. The beautiful truth stands firm: believing in Jesus gives us life that never ends. Not just existence, but real life that starts now and continues forever. Some days faith feels like moving mountains, while other days we barely hang on. Jesus knows this about us. That is what makes His gift so amazing - He does not demand perfect faith, just genuine trust in Him. When news headlines breed fear, or job losses threaten security, or relationships crumble, we can nourish our souls on this truth: Jesus gave His life so we could live ours for Him. Following Him means taking our eyes off temporary solutions and latching onto His permanent one. Our part is believing - really believing - that Jesus is who He said He is. His part is giving us eternal life. On ordinary Tuesdays when work feels meaningless, or during sleepless nights when anxiety strikes, or in those quiet moments when death feels too close, we can feed our faith on this reality. Jesus offers Himself as our source of eternal life. Not a self-help program or religious system, but His very life given for us. This truth changes how we face both the big crises and small frustrations of daily living (1 John 5:11-13, Romans 6:23, John 3:36).
Food for Thought: What keeps you from fully trusting Jesus' promise of eternal life through faith in Him? How would your response to daily challenges change if you lived with complete certainty about your eternal life in Christ?
The bread of life discourse shows Jesus addressing our deepest spiritual needs with four life-changing truths. First, our souls need spiritual food that only Jesus provides. Our attempts to fill that void with success, entertainment, or achievements will always leave us hungry for more. Second, Jesus extends an open invitation backed by His unchanging promise - He will never turn away anyone who comes to Him in faith. This gives us rock-solid security no matter what life throws at us. Third, God wants us to look beyond surface appearances to grasp Jesus' true identity as the divine Son from heaven. This spiritual sight transforms how we handle daily challenges. Fourth, believing in Jesus brings eternal life that starts now and continues forever. No religious system or self-improvement plan can match this gift. Together, these truths paint a clear picture: Jesus offers Himself as the answer to humanity's deepest needs. The choice stands before each person - will you keep chasing temporary satisfaction, or will you trust Jesus as your bread of life? His invitation remains open, His promises stay firm, and His life-giving power stands ready to transform everyone who believes in Him.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that You would open my spiritual eyes to see Jesus more clearly as the bread of life. Thank You for sending Your Son to satisfy the deep hunger in my soul that nothing else can fill. I confess that at times, I have chase after worldly things looking for satisfaction instead of coming to Jesus. I pray that You would help me stop trying to feed my spirit with things that cannot truly nourish it.
I pray that You would build my faith in Jesus' promise to receive all who come to Him. When doubts creep in or past failures make me feel unworthy, help me trust His words completely. Thank You that my acceptance depends on His faithfulness, not my performance.
I pray that You would lift my eyes above physical distractions to see Jesus' divine nature. In the middle of daily pressures and problems, help me grasp that the Son of God walks with me. Give me spiritual vision to look past temporary things and focus on eternal truth.
I pray that You would deepen my trust in Jesus' promise of eternal life. When circumstances shake my faith or death feels close, help me feed on the truth that Jesus gave His life so I could live forever. Guide me to draw my daily strength and hope from Him as my bread of life.
I pray these things in the most precious name of Jesus, Amen.
John 6:35 - Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”
With His Blessings,
Pastor Corby
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