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“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35
Jesus has two major metaphors for himself – Bread and Water: “Bread of Life” and “Living Water.” Stop and think about what makes them living, alive for us? What makes flour (wheat) come alive and turn into a loaf of bread? YEAST! And what makes water (fruit juice) come alive and turn into wine? YEAST!
In our bread (except for unleavened varieties), a tiny one-celled organism permeates through the dough, fermenting and releasing gases so that the bread begins to rise into what we love!
When I was growing up, my mother would sometimes make homemade bread – especially buns. They were so-so good, fresh, warm, especially with some butter melted all over them. Just the smell of home baked bread was so delightful. I could eat the whole pan and be full!
That’s what makes this metaphor so powerful – the image of a soul sustaining food, and the life-giving process that takes place in a rising loaf of bread. Jesus is the Bread of Life, at work in each one of us by divine yeast by the Holy Spirit.
Bread and Water. It’s far from being prison food often associated with that phrase! Rather, this is the “soul food” of Christians. It is the Bread of Life and Living Water of Jesus Christ at work in us that our sin sick souls need. To fully benefit from this Bread of Life, we keep our lives, our spirits, “yeasty” vital and ever growing through hearing his Word and receiving His Sacraments.
Are you hungry? Does your spirit long for God’s love and forgiveness? Come to worship! Receive His promises, and be filled with the Holy Spirit!
In Christ; Pastor Dan
