LIVING ON BREAD & WATER

“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.”
John 6:35
(New American Standard Bible)

Immediately after Jesus feeds the five thousand he begins his discourse about being the true bread. When the word spreads of Jesus’ miracle, the people began to look for Jesus and even boarded a ship to follow him from Tiberias to Capernaum. However, Jesus knew the true intent of their hearts and said they were not really interested in seeing a miracle. They followed only because they had gotten a good meal and were satisfied for the moment. They only wanted more bread to satisfy their natural hunger. They were aware of the manna their fathers received in the wilderness and wanted more of the same and even wanted to make him a king. Jesus reminds them that although their fathers ate manna, they still died. The people always confused the natural food that would perish with the spiritual food Jesus offered that would last for eternity. The people were so spiritually blind, they could not perceive that not only could Jesus feed 5,000 effortlessly, he was the bread of life that could feed the entire world. Jesus told them that it is not enough to come, but believing in Him was also a necessity to end hunger and thirst.
There is a price and many who followed walked away in disgust. But, those who remained knew he ‘had the words of eternal life.’ He continually tried to shift their perspective from a temporal view to eternity. One of the major problems the people had, and we still have today, is that many people are only concerned with satisfying their immediate desires. Again, Jesus was trying to get them to think in light of eternity. By eating and drinking of Him, the promise of eternal life in His presence is a reality.
Jesus deals with two of the most basic and important needs of man: the need for food and water. Without either, man will cease to exist. Jesus provides both, not only for a short time, but for eternity. To eat of the bread of life and drink of living water means to realize that without God, we will cease to exist spiritually. Completely rely, cleave and trust in Jesus Christ. There is no other way to experience abundant, eternal life.
Don’t follow Jesus for the fish and loaves (temporal satisfaction). Eternity is calling. Be sure to feed on the bread of life and drink the living water today! You will never hunger or thirst again.