God’s Calling to Govern the Earth:

The Environment and its Restoration and Preservation

God declared in the beginning of His Word that He was the Creator of the Universe. He was pleased with His creation and commanded mankind to take care of the earth and its inhabitants (Genesis 1:28). 

As Children of God, Christians should take seriously God’s command to take care of His creation. God desires that we govern His creation with the same mercy and grace He has ruled over us. We show the rest of the world the face of God when we take care of animals, for the “…godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel” (Proverbs 12:10, NLT).

Why are we on the sideline when it comes to the preservation and/or restoration of the planet? Have we focused so much on the Cross of Calvary that we have forgotten that God is the Creator of the Universe? Are we so focused on God’s redemptive plan that we have neglected His command to govern our planet?

We cannot neglect God’s command for us to govern responsibly His creation. He tells us in Revelation 11:18, that on the Day of Judgment everyone will be held accountable for their actions, including the way they treated the earth and its inhabitants. Will we be found guilty of destroying the earth?

Steven Bouma-Prediger quotes Wendell Berry in Moral Landscape of Creation. “Christian organizations, to this day, remain largely indifferent to the rape and plunder of the world and its traditional cultures. It is hardly too much to say that most Christian organizations are as happily indifferent to the ecological, cultural, and religious implications of industrial economies as are most industrial organizations” (Bouma-Prediger, 2001). 

We have stepped away from the public arena when it comes to the environmental issues we are facing today. We have allowed the environmentalist extremists to take control of the topic of preservation and/or restoration of the earth. Because of our silence, the environmentalists have been able to claim without much debate that humans are destroying the rainforest and depleting all of the forests throughout the world.

“Healthy forests are a critical part of the web of life. Yet more than half of the earth's original forest cover has been destroyed due to human activity such as agriculture, development and logging. Much of the loss has occurred within the past three decades. Protecting the earth's remaining forest cover is now an urgent task” (Good Wood, 2011).

When you look at their claim, truth is not on their side. According to J. Donald Hughes, “The consensus of historians, geographers, and other scholars from the mid-nineteenth century through the first three quarters of the twentieth century was that human activities had depleted the forests to a major extent and caused severe erosion” (Hughes, 2011). In other words, deforestation is not a new problem. Environmentalists want us to believe that we have caused most of the problems when it comes to our environment in the last thirty years, but that is not the case. How have Christians responded to environmentalist? Silence (Good Wood, 2011).

Environmentalists always focus on the rainforest, believing that their destruction is increasing, and the earth will be destroyed because of it. Environmentalists do not want to talk about the fact that new forests are sprouting throughout “Latin America, Asia and other tropical regions at such a fast pace that the trend has set off a serious debate about whether saving primeval rain forest—an iconic environmental cause—may be less urgent than once thought. By one estimate, for every acre of rain forest cut down each year, more than 50 acres of new forest are growing in the tropics on land that was once farmed, logged or ravaged by natural disaster” (Rosenthal, 2009).

Environmentalists claimed in 2009 that there are only seventy-five-million acres of forest in the world. They also claimed that the earth was losing eighty-thousand acres of rainforest a day, while another eighty-thousand acres are degrading every day (Measuring the Daily, 2009). Not even taking into account their claimed daily degradation of forests; it would take only nine-hundred-thirty-seven-and-a-half days for the rainforest to be destroyed. That is approximately two-and-a-half years. It has been five years since they have made that claim and the rainforest are still on earth. We as Christians continue to stay silent.

Good news concerning deforestation does not eliminate the need for a more balanced approach to governing the planet. Christians need to look at the beauty of God’s creation differently than others. He is our Father, therefore; we should be leading the cause in saving as much of the beauty of His creation as we can. In the United States, we have become more responsible. Loggers in Washington State are now being regulated. On average, loggers plant three trees for every tree they cut down. Things are getting better, but, as Christians, we should have been the ones crying out for responsibility in the logging industry, not the government (Timber Facts, 2011).

The environmentalists are also global warming alarmists. They cry out that the earth is burning and the icebergs are melting. George Henson, staff writer for The Baptist Standard, wrote an article about climate change. He quoted Katherine Hayhoe, a climate scientist at the University of Texas, who had urged students at Hardin Simmons to change their lifestyles for the sake of our planet. In her speech, she stated “a Gallup Poll asked a question concerning doubt about the evidence for climate change…In answer to the question, ‘Is there evidence that the earth is warming?,’ 66 percent of Americans polled said ‘No.’…‘Sixty-six percent say that there is no evidence—essentially that the earth is lying to us, that it is making stuff up that is not true’” (Henson, 2012).

The problem with her question is that the earth is not lying to us. The earth’s temperature has been fluctuating throughout its existence. It was warmer in the 1930s and began the process of cooling off in the 1940s. The cooling temperatures did not end until the late 1970s. The rising temperatures of the late 1970s ended in 1998. We are now cooling again. Katherine Hayhoe, like so many other alarmists, is misrepresenting the truth by trying to persuade her audience that we are destroying our planet. Facts still matter (Ferrara, 2009).       

Though the environmentalist is guilty of inflating the numbers and causing mass hysteria concerning deforestation and global warming, we are just as guilty by pretending that the problem does not exist. We are guilty of turning our back on the first command God gave mankind. God commanded that we multiply the earth and also govern the earth and its inhabitants. We have failed by turning a blind eye, or in some cases; joining the mass hysteria as if that is the responsible way of responding to the issue.

We as believers must begin to take all of God’s commands seriously, not just the ones we like. Yes, we are living in the Age of Grace, but that does not eliminate our responsibility to govern our planet. We need to be responsible children of the God of the Universe. We need to take the lead in the issue of preservation and restoration of our planet, using facts, not inflated numbers. We need to be a Shining Light of God’s Amazing Grace to our planet and its inhabitants.

As Christians, God is our Creator, and we are His creation. God is our Father, and we are His children. God is our King, and we are His servants. Let us stand up and become the responsible environmentalists that He has called us to be. Let us preserve and restore the beauty of God’s wonderful creation.

References:

Kruschwitz, R., Garland, D., Hornik, H., Wirzba, N., York, T., & Author Bouma-Prediger, S. (2001). Moral Landscape of Creation. Christian Reflection: A Series in faith and Ethics. Baylor University. Retrieved from http://www.baylor.edu/ifl/christianreflection/Creation.pdf 

Good Wood: How Forest Certification Helps the Environment (2011). Natural Resources Defense Council. Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/land/ forests/qcert.asp 

Hughes, Donald, (2011). Ancient Deforestation Revisited. Journal of the History of Biology: Special Issue: Environment History. DOI 10.1007/s10739-010-9247-3. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/ 858128023?pq-origsite=Summon 

Good Wood: How Forest Certification Helps the Environment (2011). Natural Resources Defense Council. Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/land/ forests/qcert.asp 

Rosenthal, E. (2009). New Jungles Prompt a Debate on Rain Forests. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/science /earth/ 30forest.html?pagewanted=all&r=0 

Measuring the Daily Destruction of the World’s Rainforest (2009). Scientific America. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earth-talks-daily-destruction/ 

Timber Facts and Figures: Washington Forestland (2011). Washington Contract Loggers Association, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.loggers. com/timber _facts.htm 

Henson, G. (2012). Students Urged to Consider Others when Thinking of Global Warming. The Baptist Standard. Retrieved from https://www.baptiststandard.com/ news/texas/13688-students-urged-to-consider-others-when-thinking-of-global-warming?highlight=YTo5OntpOjA7czo4OiJzdHVkZW50cyI7aToxO3M6NT oidXJnZWQiO2k6MjtzOjI6InRvIjtpOjM7czo4OiJjb25zaWRlciI7aTo0O3M6 MTQ6InN0dWRlbnRzIHVyZ2VkIjtpOjU7czoxNzoic3R1ZGVudHMgdXJn ZWQgdG8iO2k6NjtzOjg6InVyZ2VkIHRvIjtpOjc7czoxNzoidXJn ZWQgdG8gY 29uc2lkZXIiO2k6ODtzOjExOiJ0byBjb25zaWRlciI7fQ== 

Ferrara, P. (2009). Why the World is Getting Warmer, Even Though it is Getting Colder. The American Spectator. Retrieved from http://spectator.org/articles/ 41975/why-world-getting-warmer-even-though-it-getting-colder

Abraham

Two Lies, Jealousy, and Favoritism:

Three Generations of Dysfunction

Genesis 20:5b

I would like to share with you the story of Abraham’s Calling from one of the chapters from my novel. Afterwards, I will share with you how a man of faith, can cause dysfunction in his family for generations to come because of two lies, favoritism, and jealousy.

My novel is through the eyes of Michael the Archangel. Listen as Michael shares with you the story of Abraham’s Calling:

God stood from His throne, as we fell down worshiping Him. “Stand, My friends. Today I am going to Abram from the land of Ur. I am going to make him the father of a nation I will call My own.”

I looked at God, confused. “What do You mean, a nation You’ll call Your own? Are You abandoning the rest of mankind?”

“No, Michael. Abram has been a faithful follower of Mine since his youth. Through him, I will show the rest of the world how I will bless those who follow and worship Me. Come with Me and watch.”

When we arrived, Abram was walking through a field grabbing some of the grain that was flowing like waves of the ocean, as an eastern wind softly blew through the valley. When he got to the edge of the field, he sat down against one of the old olive trees that meandered through the land.

With a gentle voice, God called him.

Abram lifted his eyes, and with a smile, answered. “Yes, my God.”

“I want you to leave the home you have known your whole life. I am going to make you the father of a great nation. You will be a blessing to the whole world.

Those who bless you, I will bless, and those who curse you, I will curse.” 

Abram stood up with a puzzled look. He slowly looked across the field as if he was contemplating what he needed to do. After a few moments, Abram looked up. “I’m Your servant. I’ll do whatever You ask me to do, for You are, my God.”

“Go now, and tell your family. I will bless you beyond what you can imagine.”

I followed Abram as he walked home. He was looking all around as if it would be the last time he saw the land he was born and raised in. Tears were slowly streaming down his cheeks. 

When he got home, Abram called his wife, and his nephew, Lot. He sat them down and shared with them everything God had told him.

“Abram,” Sarai, his wife interrupted. “Are you sure God wants us to leave our home? We’ve lived here all our lives. That means we’ll be leaving our friends, as well. I don’t know if I can do that.”

Abram got up and put his hands on her shoulders. “I know this won’t be easy, but God wants us to go. He said that I would be the father of a great nation.”

“How are you going to be the father of a great nation?” Sarai asked sarcastically. “We don’t even have children.”

“Sarai, we have to go where God wants us to go. Our people no longer serve the God of the Universe. They serve many gods and have built the Ziggurat in honor of Nanna, the moon god. God wants us to start a new nation where the people only serve Him. We have to obey Him. He has blessed us our whole lives, and we know His promises are always true.”

Sarai sat there with sadness in her eyes. After a few moments, she finally responded. “I will go wherever you want me to go, Abram, but let me at least say goodbye to our friends.”

“Of course you can. We will leave tomorrow. You can even invite our friends to come and help us pack,” Abram said with a smile.”

“Will you go with us, Lot?”

“Uncle, you’ve always been good to my family, and me, and I know that God speaks to you. Yes, my family and I will go with you.”

In Hell, I could see a confused look on Paymon, one of Satan’s generals. “Satan, what’s God up to now? He said that He’ll make Abram the father of a great nation.”

“I do not know, Paymon, but I will stop Him.”

“You’ll stop Him? How can you say that? You haven’t been able to stop God before. How do you think you can stop Him now? We couldn’t destroy Adam and Eve’s relationship with God! We couldn’t kill Noah! We couldn’t break Job! No matter what we do, God always wins!”

“God always wins?” Satan shouted in anger as he sprang from his throne. “Who do you think you are, questioning me? I will stop God. You will see. He has won the battles so far, but I will win the war. I will have my rightful place in Heaven. I will be God! Are you listening, God? I do not know what You are up to, but I will stop You.” Satan shouted with his fists in the air.

The next morning, Abram and his family said their goodbye’s, and left the only place they’ve ever known.

“Where are we going, Abram?” Sarai asked.

“I don’t know. God told me He would let us know when we got there. He wants us to travel up the Euphrates.”

The journey was long, but the scenery was breathtaking. The Euphrates River is absolutely beautiful this time of year. They traveled up the river, making their way through Babylon. The oak trees stood tall and strong, as if they were reaching towards God’s throne. The marshes were filled with all kinds of wildlife.

We even saw a wild boar running through the water chasing an otter through the reeds. I laughed to myself when the boar tumbled through the reeds after the otter made an abrupt turn, disappearing under a log that lay across the marsh. 

“Are you sure we’re going the right way, my Uncle?”

Abram laughed as he put his arm around Lot’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. God will protect us.”

When Abram and his family finally made it to Canaan, God was there. I walked up to Him and bowed down.

“Stand up, Michael. This is the land I will give to Abram’s descendants. This will be My people’s land.”

God turned from me and called, Abram.

Falling to his knees, Abram bowed, “Yes my, God.”

“This is the land I have promised you.”

For a moment, Abram turned to look at the barren land. The rivers and creeks were dry. The trees didn’t even have a leaf on them. Where there used to be fields, were now dry ground, not even a blade of grass.

Abram had a puzzled look. “I don’t understand, God. How can this be the land You promised? It’s a desert. How will we survive?”

“Have faith, Abram. I had cursed the land because of the people who live here now. They have chosen not to worship Me. I will prepare this land for you and your descendants. This is the place My people will live. You will travel to Egypt until the famine is over. Have faith in Me, for My promises are always true.”

“You have blessed me my whole life, my God. I am Your servant, and I will trust in You for I do know that Your promises are always true.”

Abram got up and prepared a sacrifice from some of his livestock and worshipped Him there. 

With confidence in his eyes, Abram turned to his wife. “Sarai, this is our new home. This is the land that God has promised us.”

With a bewildered look, Sarai studied the land. “My husband, the creeks are dry, and the fig trees are barren. How can this be the land God has promised us?”

Lot also walked over to Abram with confusion in his eyes. “Uncle, there’s a famine in the land. We walked over 900 miles through the most beautiful land I have ever seen, and now we’re in the middle of a desert. There’s neither water nor grass for the livestock. We’ve no food. I haven’t seen any animals since we got here. How are we going to survive?”

“Listen everyone. I know this land is barren, but God has promised He will prepare this land for us. He will make it new. We’ll travel to Egypt and stay there until the famine is over. God will provide, for His promises are always true!” So Abram, his family, his servants, and his livestock headed for Egypt.

"Sarai my wife, when we get to Egypt, I’m going to tell them that you’re my sister. They’ll see how beautiful you are and want to kill me because I’m your husband.”

“Abram, you’ve told us that we’re to trust God. Will He not spare your life if you’re to be the father of a great nation? Why do we have to lie?”

“Please just do what I ask, Sarai.”

When they got to Egypt, they stopped and took in the beauty of the vast wealth of the kingdom. I have to admit, the statues of their false gods were beautiful, and their pyramids were very impressive, but I felt evil in the city. I thought I was going to see Satan every corner I turned.

After living in Egypt for a while, God told Abram to go back to the land He had promised, for it was now ready for His people. 

When Abram returned, the land was lush and beautiful. He knelt down and worshipped God. “You are, my God. Thank You for Your promises.”

Weeks later, I watched as disputes began to erupt between Lot’s servants and Abram’s. Abram decided the best thing to do was to divide the land between the two of them.

“Lot, there’s no reason for us to fight. We’re family. Look at all of this land that God has given us. You decide what half you want.”

Lot looked in the direction of the Jordan Valley. It was beautiful and had plenty of grass and water for his livestock. His wife walked up to him and whispered in his ear. “Pick the side of the Jordan Valley. We can feed our livestock and still live in Sodom. I love it there, Lot. Please do it for me.”

“I’ll take this side, Uncle.”

I looked up to God. “Why is Lot being so selfish? They could’ve easily split the Jordan Valley in half.”

“Michael, Lot has put his trust in the land more than in Me. His wife has also been begging him to move to Sodom, as well.”

“But, God, Sodom is a wicked city. No one worships You there.”

“I know, Michael. Lot and his family have made their choice, but I have not given up on him. Just watch and see.”

Abraham’s Family

I love the story of Abraham’s Calling. What an incredible leap of faith. Abraham had everything. He was wealthy and had a loving wife. He could have stayed right where he was, and continued worshiping God the rest of his life.

But, God had plans for Abraham, and Abraham responded. He listened to the call of God, and because of his obedience, he became Father Abraham to millions of Jews throughout the centuries.

For the remainder of our time together, I would like to briefly discuss the effects of two lies, jealousy, and favoritism in Abraham’s family.

As a parent, this part of Abraham’s story should produce caution in our lives. Not only are our children watching us, but they tend to make the same mistakes we make.

God has even warned us in Exodus 20:5b:

“…I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.”

Now, of course, Abraham did not reject God, but there were times in his life he did not trust God. There were times in his life he did not live up to his name; Father Abraham.

As incredible as Abraham was, he was still human. He made mistakes, and I love the fact that God never hid the sins of His people. God does not sugar-coat the lives of His servants, for we are all sinners saved by grace.

Abraham Lied About Sarah

In our story tonight, I had already mentioned Abraham’s first lie. He lied to the Pharaoh about his relationship with Sarai. He was afraid that the Pharaoh would kill him if he found out that Sarai was his wife. He trusted God enough to move to a new land, but not enough to spare his life from the hand of Pharaoh.

This was not the only time Abraham lied about his relationship with Sarai. Abraham also lied to King Abimelech.

In both instances, Abraham did not trust that God would take care of him, and did what too many of us would’ve done under the same circumstance; lie.

We cannot be like that. We cannot choose the easy way out of our situation. We must always do the right thing. Abraham chose the easy way out, instead of telling the truth and trusting that God would take care of him.

Abraham’s son, Isaac, did the same thing. He also told another King Abimelech that Rebekah was his sister (Genesis 26:1-10). The sins of the father will carry over from generation to generation.

We must live a godly life in front of our children. We must be the Light of Jesus primarily in our homes, and then continue to shine His Light throughout the world. We must be the Light of Jesus to our children.

Abraham and Sarah’s Favoritism of Isaac over Ishmael

We also find in Abraham’s story, he and Sarah favored their son Isaac over Ishmael, the one born from their servant. What a domino effect that produced.

In Isaac’s life, he favored his son Esau, and Rebekah favored their son Jacob.

Jacob was married to two women, but he favored Rachel and they favored their son Joseph over all the other children in their family.

In each generation, one of the sons were sent away:

In Abraham’s family, Ishmael was sent away because of Sarah’s jealousy of Hagar.

In Isaac’s family, Jacob was sent away due to his mother’s fear that Esau would kill him.

In Jacob’s family, Joseph was sent away by his brothers, who at first meant to murder him.

There was a progression of intensity with each generation as well for:

Ishmael was sent away due to jealousy.

Jacob was sent away due to fear.

And Joseph was sent away through a hatred that almost led to his murder.

Our children are watching us, and if we do not live right, the consequences in our lives and in the lives of our children can be catastrophic.

Every moment of every day we must live for God.

Every moment of every day we must be an example to our family.

Every moment of every day, we must be a Shining Light of Jesus Christ.

Joseph Shines

If it wasn’t for Joseph, who knows how long the effects of the lies, favoritisms, and jealousies would have continued. But, God found a man of integrity, a man who trusted Him no matter what, in Joseph.

Joseph became the one who stopped the dysfunctional pattern in the fourth generation of Abraham’s family. He also, through his actions, maintained the hope of the Promised One to come.

As parents, I pray that we will be more like Joseph; a man who never lost hope, never gave in, never doubted, never sought revenge, always shined, and always trusted.

If you are struggling from this kind of generational dysfunction in your family, you too can be a Joseph, rebuilding the hope and trust in our Savior in your family. You can be the difference. It only takes one person.

Let the Light of Jesus shine in your life, never compromising, always trusting, and always revealing His love.

Do Not be Afraid. I AM Here!

John 6:16–21

The disciples struggled to keep the crowds from following Jesus. “Where is He going?” Thomas asked.

“He needs to spend time with the Father.” John responded over the noise of the crowd.

Peter lifted his hands, calming the crowd. “It is getting dark. If you want to talk to Jesus, you can go to Capernaum tomorrow. He will be teaching in the synagogue.”

The crowd looked dejected. Many were complaining. “We need to take Him now. He can free us from the Romans” an old man in the crowd roared.

“If He can bring the dead back to life, He can free us from our bondage” another shouted.

“Please, listen to me” Peter shouted over them. “It’s too late tonight. It’s time for you to go. You can see Him tomorrow.”

The crowd finally began walking away, leaving the disciples alone. The night air was cool and crisp, and the quietness of the night was almost deafening. You could hear the orchestra of crickets in the distance, singing their songs of praise to the God of the Universe.

When the last of the crowd was only a shadow in the horizon, Peter sighed. “Let’s go to the beach. Maybe Jesus is waiting for us there.”

The disciples looked exhausted. Walking through the same field they saw the feeding of the 5,000, not a word was spoken. Their heads hung low, as if they were too tired to even lift them. Their feet dragged across the ground, creating a small dust storm behind them.

When they finally made it to the edge of the sea, Peter softly spoke to John as he rinsed his feet in the water. “I thought He’d be here.”

“We should cross the sea, Peter.” John answered. “You know how He likes to pray all night with the Father. He will find us in the morning.”

“I’m too tired to even row, John.”

“Don’t worry old man.” John responded with a smile. “We will row for you. Do I need to help you in the boat, too?”

Peter looked at John for a moment, before a grin slowly formed. They both laughed as they got into the boat.

The boat had seen better days, but it was still sea-worthy. The surface of the water was calm tonight. Small ripples of water gently slapped against the boat as they rowed across the sea. Peter sat against the bow, as his eyes grew heavy.

Suddenly a gust of wind shook the boat. The disciples froze with a look of fear as Peter shot up. Peter looked across the sea, studying the night air. Just as quickly as the wind burst across the sea, calm hovered over the surface of the water.

“It’s okay, my friends,” Peter reassured the other disciples, as he sat back down, closing his eyes once again. Just as the disciples began rowing again, a gust of wind nearly capsized the boat, as the calmness of the surface became a torrent of waves crashing into the boat.

Peter once again jumped from his slumber as he barked orders to the disciples. Water quickly filled the boat as they struggled to keep the boat from sinking. Shouts of fear filled the night air, as they struggled to stay alive.

“Keep rowing,” Peter shouted over the storm, before being thrown down by a gust of wind that nearly sank them. Peter continued shouting orders, though I doubt any of them could hear him over the storm that mercilessly beat against them.

From a distance, John saw a figure on the surface of the water. “What is that?” John shouted.

“Keep rowing,” Peter howled over the cacophony that surrounded them. “Row with all your might.”

In the midst of the storm, a soothing voice called out to them. “Do not fear. I am here. I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

John reached out as Jesus took his hand. Just as quickly and violently as the storm burst into their lives, calm filled the night air. The weary disciples looked up and saw the Face of Peace. “Do not fear when you face the storms of life,” Jesus calmly declared. “I am always with you, even in the midst of your storms. I will never leave you alone.”

When the disciples looked up, they were safely on the shore. They fell at Jesus’ feet and worshiped Him.

Jesus does the same for us today. When we are struggling in our lives, Jesus reminds us, “…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The storms of life may seem to get the best of us at times, but, through the storm, Jesus cries out, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!”

Sermon:
Who Am I in Christ?

2 Corinthians 5:17-19

I was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Throughout my years, I knew my parents loved me, but they never said it. When I was a teenager, I searched for love in all the wrong places (I know that was a song). At the age of thirteen, I experienced everything that I was not supposed to experience. Drugs, alcohol, and so much more became part of my teenage life.

No matter what I tried to do to be happy in my life, I failed. My life was a disaster, but I did not know what else to do. When I was nineteen, my parents moved me to Dallas, Texas; because there were no jobs available up north at the time.

I got a job at a box company on the third day there. Billy Rose was the operator of the machine I worked on. For a full year, he pestered me about my relationship with Christ. I told him I believed Jesus was God, died on the cross for my sins, and rose from the grave. I knew all of that, but he told me head knowledge was not what God was desiring. He wanted a relationship with me, instead.

I blew him off for a whole year. During that year, he went through situations in his life that would have made me give up, but he continued to have joy in his life. One day I finally told him I wanted what he had. Instead of leading me in a prayer of salvation, he asked me to go home and read the book of John.

That seemed kind of strange, but I did. I went home that night and read the book of John. I read the book of John every night for several nights, until one day; it was like a light finally turned on. Jesus told His disciples He was preparing a place for them because He wanted them with Him for eternity.

I finally understood what Jesus wanted. He didn’t want head knowledge of who He was. He wanted to have a relationship with me. He wanted to be with ME for eternity. Wow! That blew me away. That night I asked Jesus to forgive me for all the things I had done in my life, and to please save me from myself.

The next day I told Billy what I did, and we rejoiced together. I did ask him why he did not share with me how to be saved. His answer has stuck with me all of my life. He told me he did not want anyone to say I was saved because of a Baptist or any other denomination. He wanted my testimony to be about what God said in His Word. I was saved through the testimony of God’s Word.

I wish I could tell you my walk with Christ has only brought happiness in my life, but I can’t. I have experienced my share of valleys. But, when I look back at those valleys, what I have realized is Jesus was always there, carrying me along the way. I am never alone!

My valleys have prepared me for the mountain top experiences as God shines His Light in my life, working through me to reveal His mercy and grace to the broken hearted.

Life can be hard. Whether through our actions or not, sometimes life can get the best of us. The question is, “What do you do when life gets the best of you? What do you do when it seems God is so far away, that you can’t even feel His presence?

If you have ever felt that way, you are not alone. During the valleys of life, hold on to God’s promises, for His promises are always true.

You see, God does not walk away from you. When you are struggling through life, He is always there. When you have walked away from Him, He is there with His arms open wide waiting for your return. God is always with you.

No matter how many times I may stumble in my life, God will pick me up out of my sinfulness and brush off everything that keeps me from living my life for Him. He will never reject me because I am His Child.

We say that a lot in our churches don’t we? “I am God’s Child.” But, what does it mean to be a Child of God? What is the joy of salvation the Bible speaks about? Who are we in Christ and what is His desire for us?

We are a New Creation

2 Corinthians 5:17-19:

“…Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new creation. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him.”

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Before we gave our lives to Jesus Christ, we were far away from His loving grace. But now in Christ Jesus, we are a new creation. We are no longer condemned, for we have been set free by the blood of the Lamb.

Our Old Person is Now Gone!

No longer do we have to worry about our past, because Jesus died for our past, our present, and our future. Our old nature is gone. It has lost its power over us. Our old nature has been transformed into a new creation. We can now cry out, “Death, where is your victory? Oh Death, where is your sting?”

Even before the creation of the world, God had already prepared His redemptive plan for us. He showed His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us. We are a new creation. We have been set free. Oh Death, where is your sting?

Through Jesus Christ, we are victorious! We have been crucified with Christ. Therefore, we no longer live, for Jesus Christ now lives in us. Oh Death, where is your sting?

Our New Life Has Begun!

Jesus has anointed us and set His seal of ownership on us. He has put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing our future with Him in Heaven. Oh Death, where is your sting?

We are sons and daughters of God through our faith in Jesus Christ, being baptized in Him. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave, Lazarus was alive, but he was bound by his grave clothes.

That is why Jesus told the crowd to help Lazarus take off the grave clothes. Jesus wanted Lazarus to fully experience his new life in Him.

We have to do the same thing when we hear the call of Jesus. He made us a new creation. We became alive in Him, but, we have to take away our old nature; our grave clothes, and clothe ourselves in Jesus Christ to experience the joy of our new life in Him. When we clothe ourselves in Jesus Christ, we will be able to cry out, Oh Death, where is your sting?

We need to shout to the world Jesus is Lord. We need to praise Him for not only saving us from our sins but for being in our heart. He is with us. He is not sitting on His throne in Heaven waiting for time to expire. He is actively working in our lives, revealing to us the joy of His salvation every moment of every day.

We need to praise Him in the valleys and the mountaintops of our lives, for He has promised He will lift us up from the struggles of life, and rest us in His righteous right hand.

Our Heavenly Father has blessed us with all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ. We should rejoice for we no longer have to worry about our future, for our future is secure in Him.

Let us continually give our Savior praise, in the good times and the bad, for we are Heaven bound. He will raise us up, and we will be with Him for eternity. No more sorrows! No more goodbyes! No more death! Oh Death, where is your sting?

Until our time on earth is over, we need to live for our Savior. Too often we live our life in defeat. Too often we live as if Jesus is not with us. We need to stop living in defeat and start living the victorious life He has already given us.

We do not have to worry about what life brings, for Jesus is our Champion. He has already won the battle for us. We are victorious in Jesus Christ.

Satan can no longer control us. He has already been defeated. He is like a roaring lion traveling throughout the world trying to tear the joy of our salvation away from us, but we are serving the Lion of Judah, and Jesus has already taken the bite away from our enemy.

When we call on the name of Jesus Christ, we can command Satan to leave us alone, and he has too. We belong to Jesus now. Jesus took Satan’s power away on the Cross of Calvary. Satan is nothing but a loud roaring, defeated foe. Oh Death, where is your sting?

We need to stop worrying about what life may bring our way, for we are children of God. We are no longer children of this world. We have been bought at a price. Jesus claimed us with His sacrifice. Oh Death, where is your sting?

It is time for us to start living for Him. We need to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us Heavenward in Christ. We need to reach out to our community, letting them know only through Jesus is there victory. Only through Jesus is there hope. Only through Jesus is there peace. I pray they too will be able to cry out with us, Oh Death, where is your sting?

Live in the victory of Jesus, and do not be ashamed to share the Good News of God’s forgiving grace. It is through His power He has saved us, and not our own. It is only through His grace we have been set free.

Let us hide in the shadow of the cross, living in the power of Jesus Christ. Because of His death on the cross, we have a destiny. At the end of our life, our destiny will be in Heaven with our Loving Savior for eternity, but our destiny in Christ began when we gave our lives to Him.

Jesus is in our hearts, and He has promised He will never leave us, nor forsake us. And because we have a destiny with our Lord and Savior, we can cry out every day of our lives, Oh Death, where is your sting?

Dennis Jernigan wrote a song a few years ago, called, This is My Destiny. Listen carefully to the words, and rejoice in who you are in Christ, and how He already sees you.

All I was I lay aside now dead to sin to God alive!

Born again into a new identity!
Once asleep to God in sin, now wakened by the blood and cleansed!
Born again to be who He called me to be!

All I have I lay aside, run the race to gain the prize for the sake of knowing Jesus Christ in me!
I cannot yet fully see all I'm truly called to be, but knowing Christ reveals my hope and destiny!

He calls me child! He calls me to His side eternally!
He calls what once was lost now found, once bound to sin - now free!
He calls me holy! Calls me righteous! By the blood redeemed!
He calls me overcomer, crowned with victory!
This is my destiny!

What once bound me is no more! What was stolen is restored, by the resurrection power of my King!
What was old has been made new; lies and doubts replaced by truth!
What was silent now resounds, "I am redeemed!"

He calls me child! He calls me to His side eternally!
He calls what once was lost now found, once bound to sin - now free!
He calls me holy! Calls me righteous! By the blood redeemed!
He calls me overcomer, crowned with victory!
This is my destiny!

He calls me servant, calls me warrior; calls me royalty!
He calls me resurrected one! He calls me His redeemed!
He calls me higher, calls me for beyond my wildest dream!
He calls my heart to come and be all He can see!
This is my destiny!

He calls me chosen! New creation! Trophy of His grace!
He gives me strength to fight the fight and run to win the race!
He tells me He delights in me while singing over me.
Accepting me as His beloved bride-to-be! This is my destiny! My destiny!

Our Eternal Hope

That is our destiny. The very moment we gave our lives to Jesus; that is how He sees us.

He already sees us as perfect in Him.

We are already victorious in Jesus Christ.

Jesus will never leave us, nor forsake us.

We are a new creation in Him.

We are the Trophy of His grace.

Even during the struggles of life, Jesus calls out to us, “Do not worry! I am here!”

When you find your refrigerator empty and don’t know what to do, Jesus calls out to you, “Do not worry! I am here!”

When you cannot find a job, and the bills continue to pile up, Jesus calls out to you, “Do not worry! I am here!”

When the doors of your life continue to close on you, and there seems to be no relief in sight, Jesus calls out to you, “Do not worry! I am here!”

As the lilies of the fields are clothed, and as the birds in the air are fed, Jesus has promised He will take care of us. Why? Because we are more important to Him than plants and animals. We are His children, and He has promised He will always take care of us.

Trust in Him, for He, is worthy. He has promised He will provide for all of our needs, and His promises are always true.

Jesus is in our heart, always counseling, always comforting, always securing, and always speaking to us with His still small voice. He is always with us, even to the end of the ages.

When the end of the ages come, we will rise in the air to meet Jesus face to face. For He will come down from Heaven, and with a shout of victory from the archangel, “Behold, the Bridegroom has come!”, and with the trumpet call of God, we will be with Him for eternity.

But, until then, He wants us to soar on wings as eagles, declaring His loving grace to all the world. We can soar above the struggles of life, revealing the Light of Jesus to everyone we meet.

Let His Light shine brightly in your life as you shout His praises no matter what you are going through, for you are a child of the King. Oh Death, where is your sting?

I AM the Bread of Life
John 6

“After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.)”

Chapter six of John is the longest chapter in his gospel. In it, we find the most popular story of Jesus; The Feeding of the 5,000. Every gospel recorded this story, drawing on the significance of Jesus’ miracle of feeding the 5,000.

Chapter six covers a 24 hour period that saw the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus walking on water, Jesus teaching in the synagogue on the bread of life, the multitudes trying to make Him their king, and in the end; the multitudes rejecting Him.

The feeding of the 5,000 sets the background for Jesus’ sermon on Him being the Bread of Life. Jesus did not feed the 5,000 because they were hungry. Fasting was the religious thing to do during the Passover Feast, but Jesus wanted to show the crowd the difference between the simplicity of a relationship with God with the rituals of the Jewish faith, especially in the Temple.

Jesus’ focus in His ministry was primarily a relationship with God; a relationship with Him. He wanted the crowd, and He wants us today, to understand that our relationship with Him has nothing to do with rituals, but with our reliance on Him being our Savior. He chose us, we did not choose Him. We are drawn to a relationship with Jesus Christ, not because of what we are able to do for Him, but because He loves us. He wants to have a loving relationship with us.

That is why Jesus performed signs and miracles. He wanted to show the world that He was the True and Living God, sent to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He came to fulfill the redemptive plan that was announced at the garden when the Father declared to the serpent that the seed of the woman would crush him. Jesus came to set us free.

When Jesus saw the crowd, He saw an opportunity to reveal to them who He was, and what He came to do for them. Look at verses 5-9:

The need identified (John 6:5–9). 

“Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

“Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”

“Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

Jesus not only was revealing to the 5,000 who He was, but, He was also testing Philip and the rest of the disciples. You would think at this point Philip would understand and trust that Jesus could feed the 5,000 without any resources. Philip’s response reveals his inner doubt. He still was faithfully serving Jesus, but at this point, he did not completely trust that Jesus was the Son of God.

Jesus was looking for faith from Philip. Instead, all He got were facts. Philip told Jesus, not only do we not have enough money to take care of the 5,000, but even if they worked for months, they still would not have enough money to feed them. I am sure at this point, Jesus was shaking His head.

At this point, Philip had seen Jesus: Turn water into wine, the nobleman’s son healed, a leper healed, centurion’s son healed, widow’s son brought back to life, demonic healed, Peter’s mother-in-law healed, paralytic healed, impotent man healed, man with withered hand healed, blind and dumb demonic healed, demons cast out, Jarius’ daughter brought back to life, issue of blood healed, two blind man given sight, and many more I’m sure that the authors of the gospels did not record.

Why did Philip not believe Jesus could feed 5,000? I could also ask us the same question: Why do we doubt that Jesus can take care of our needs, when He not only proved through actions that He is able to, but He also promised that He will take care of our needs:

In Matthew 6:25-33, Jesus said:

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

Just like Philip, we need to trust Jesus more. We like to think we can do everything on our own, especially in America, with the rugged individual mentality we have. We pride ourselves in our accomplishments, thinking that everything we have is because of what we have done, but Jesus is the reason for all that we have. He is the supplier of all our needs. Philip did not understand that, and too often, nor do we.

Andrew to the rescue? Andrew throughout his time with Jesus and after the resurrection was known for bringing people to Jesus. While Philip was questioning Jesus, Andrew found a boy with five barley loaves and two fish. Andrew took action, Philip asked questions.

Which one are you? Are you Philip, who doubted Jesus’ abilities, or are you Andrew, who heard the call of Jesus, and answered the call? I pray in my own life that I will be more like Andrew.

The miracle accomplished (John 6:10–13). 

Look at verses 10-13:

“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.”

“Jesus took the five loaves and thanked God for providing. The customary Jewish blessing before every meal is, “Blessed are You, Jehovah our God, King of the World, who causes to come forth bread from the earth.”

Those five loaves and two fish fed the 5,000. Jesus revealed to the crowd that He was their Provider. He was the One they can count on to provide for all their needs.

Jesus also taught His disciples a lesson. When the 5,000 were full, Jesus told His disciples to gather what was left. After the disciples had gathered what was left over, it filled twelve baskets. The baskets that are being referred to here are traveling baskets. Each of the disciples had a traveling basket. Twelve disciples, twelve baskets, God provides.

The life lesson? Take care of others first, and God will bless you with what you need. The disciples took care of the 5,000; God blessed them with their needs.

The response of the multitude (John 6:14–15). 

Now let us look at the response from the crowd in verses 14-15:

“When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.”

Some believe that the crowd saw Jesus as the prophet like Moses. Deuteronomy 18:15:

“Moses continued, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.”

Others believed Jesus was Jeremiah. They believed Jeremiah would be the one who would find the Ark of the Covenant and give the people of Israel manna from the pot that was stored in the Ark.

I personally believe, as many scholars do, they saw Jesus as the coming Messiah, the One who would save them from their oppressors. That is why they formed a group, ready to force Jesus to be their king.

They were looking for the Conquering Messiah found in Zechariah 14:4, 16-17:

“On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south…In the end, the enemies of Jerusalem who survive the plague will go up to Jerusalem each year to worship the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and to celebrate the Festival of Shelters. Any nation in the world that refuses to come to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will have no rain.”

Also, Daniel 7:13-14:

“As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.”

The crowd was looking for the Conquering Messiah. They failed to pay attention to the other prophecies concerning the Messiah. Prophecies found in Psalm 22:14-16:

“My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet.”

Look at Isaiah 53:3,8:

“He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care… Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.”

Of course, there are many more, but we do not have the time to read them all. Unfortunately for the crowd, they closed their eyes to Who the Messiah truly was. He will be the Conquering Messiah, but first He had to suffer for our sins. Jesus came first as the Suffering Messiah.

When Jesus saw they were going to try to force Him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by Himself. You cannot force Jesus to be what you desire Him to be.

Jesus came first as the Suffering Messiah to die for our sins. In the future, Jesus will reveal Himself as the Conquering Messiah. The point is; we cannot put Jesus in a box. He is the God of the Universe. He is the Creator of all things. He is the Savior of the World, and He will come again as the Conquering Messiah.

We cannot, nor should not even try to make Him only what we desire Him to be. When we open our eyes to Jesus Christ, we will instead, find out that He is all that we need. Look at verses 16-21:

The Protection of Jesus (John 6:16–21)

“That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the sea toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!”

When it was evening, the disciples went to the shore. They had no idea where Jesus was. They waited for Him until it was dark and decided to cross the sea toward Capernaum. A strong wind whipped across the sea, making it difficult for the disciples to row to the other side.

As they struggled, they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them. They responded like any of us would under the circumstance; they were terrified. But, Jesus called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” The disciple’s fears went away as Jesus stepped into the boat, and they immediately found themselves on the shore of Capernaum.

He does the same for us today. When we are struggling in our lives, Jesus reminds us, “…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The storms of life may seem to get the best of us at times, but, through the storm, Jesus cries out, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” Read verses 22-24:

Christ – The Bread of Life (John 6:22–34)

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him.

When the crowd could not find Jesus, they also crossed the sea to Capernaum. The remainder of this chapter contrasts the people’s desire for physical bread and Christ’s offer of the Bread of Life. Verses 25-31:

Jesus answers questions from the crowd (John 6:25–31). 

“They found him on the other side of the sea and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

“They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

“Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

“They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

When the crowds found Jesus in the synagogue, they asked Him first of all, “How did You get here?” Jesus did not tell them how. Instead, He told them the only reason they wanted to be with Him is because He fed them. In other words, Jesus was saying, “All you want from Me is a free lunch, but I have come to offer so much more.”

I have come to offer you eternal life, and God the Father has put a seal on Me, revealing My authority to conquer sin and death through My sacrifice. I have come to give you life.

The crowd was still blind to who Jesus was. Instead of asking Jesus how they can receive this new life He had to offer, they wanted to know how they could perform the same miracles He did. I love Jesus’ response, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

When we strive to do things for God, we are failing to understand what He desires from us. In John 15:5, Jesus tells us, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

It is not through our desires or abilities. It is only as we believe in the One, God has sent, that we are able to accomplish anything. When we remain in Jesus, we are doing the work of God.

The crowd still did not get it, so they pleaded, “Give us a sign that we may believe.”  He had already fed them, which was a sign, but they were not satisfied. They wanted Jesus to perform more miracles, as if that would persuade them, He was the Messiah.

The crowd even reminded Jesus that their ancestors ate manna while in the wilderness. They even tried to convince Him that it was Moses who gave them bread in the wilderness. In other words, they were telling Jesus He had to do more than just feed 5,000 people to convince them He was their Messiah. Jesus responded to them in verses 32-34:

The Bread of Everlasting Life (John 6:32–34). 

“Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

The crowd was not satisfied with the miracle He performed the day before. They wanted more. They were telling Jesus, “So what. Moses fed our ancestors in the wilderness. It is not a big deal that you fed us also. You need to show us a lot more than that.”

Do you find yourself saying the same thing? Jesus has promised He will provide for all of your needs. He has shown you in the past that His promises are always true. He has performed several miracles in your life, given you the things that you needed, yet, when you are facing a struggle, you question Him. “You know we need this, Jesus. You know we do not have enough food to feed our family. You know we do not have enough money to pay all of our bills. When will it happen, Jesus? Will it happen, Jesus? We need a miracle. Please help us!”

Have you ever prayed like that? I have many times. I prayed that way this week. When we do that, are we sincerely seeking His help, or are we testing Him, asking Him to prove once again that He cares for us that He loves us, that His promises are always true? Do we truly trust Him?

The crowd did not trust Jesus. They were acting like the woman at the well. Jesus told her that He had living water that would never run out. She was only thinking of her physical needs, when she asked Jesus for this living water so she would not have to go to the well every day to draw water. Jesus opened her eyes, and she did receive the living water of Jesus Christ.

After correcting the crowd, reminding them that it was God who fed their ancestors in the wilderness, Jesus told them that He was the True Bread from Heaven, for He had come to give life to the world. The crowd responded by asking Jesus to give them this bread. Verses 35-36:

The Bread of Life (John 6:35–36). 

“Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me.”

Jesus said, I am the Bread of Life. I am the Bread that you are truly seeking. When you eat from this Bread, you will never be hungry again. He went on to say that if you believe in Him, you will also never be thirsty again. Jesus is not only the Provider of our physical needs, but He is also the Provider of our spiritual needs. He is the Provider of all our needs.

Jesus said, “I AM.” Jesus is the “I AM” of the Old Testament. Jesus is the “I AM” of the New Testament. Jesus is the “I AM” for you and me. Jesus is the “I AM” for all eternity.

In our passage, we find the first of the seven “I AM’s” of Jesus. Jesus said, “I AM the Bread of Life.” 1 John 1:2, John wrote:

“This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us.”

Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is the Bread of Satisfying Life. When you give your life to Jesus, not only has He promised that He would provide for all of your needs, but He also promised that the life He gives will be a satisfying life. Jesus, later told His disciples that His purpose was to give His sheep a “rich and satisfying life.” Jesus wants us to have a life filled with joy because of the blessings and promises He has given us. He just simply ask that we believe. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, will be satisfied.

Are you satisfied today? Look at verses 37-47:

The Bread of Resurrection Life (John 6:37–47). 

“However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

“Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

“But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. As it is written in the Scriptures. ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life.

Three times in this passage, Jesus said that He would raise up those who belong to Him. Not only did He declare that He would not lose or reject those who believe in Him, but that He will raise them up in the last days. Those of us who have believed in Jesus Christ will be raised up to be with Him for eternity. What a promise. What a blessing. What a Savior. He is the Bread of Life. Jesus is also the Bread of Indwelling Life. Look at verses 48-59:

The Bread of Indwelling Life (John 6: 48–59). 

“Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

“Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.

So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”

“He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.”

One thing you can say about Jesus. He knows how to draw a crowd, but He also knows how to disperse the crowd. Jesus declared at the end of His message, “I AM the Bread of Eternal Life.”

Jesus told them that the bread their ancestors received only satisfied them physically, for they in the end; died. But, Jesus said that the Bread that He offers, the Bread that came down from Heaven, is Bread that will satisfy them spiritually, and will give them eternal life.

Jesus took it a step further: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

Not shockingly, the crowd was confused. Who is this man? How can He give us His flesh to eat?

Jesus responded, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.”

Jesus is the Bread of Life. By believing in Jesus, we can have the Living Bread and the Living Blood that gives us life eternal. His flesh that was sacrificed for us, and His blood that cleansed us of all our sins is all that we need. God’s redemptive plan was fulfilled when Jesus died on the cross. Our belief in Him gives us the Bread sent down from Heaven, fulfilling all our needs, both physical and spiritual. He is all we need.

That reminded me of the song Steve Camp wrote many years ago. He is All You Need:

When you're alone, your heart is torn, He is all you need.
When you're confused, your soul is bruised, He is all you need.
He's the rock of your soul, He's the anchor that holds
Through your desperate time.
When your way is unsure His love will endure, a peace you will find.
Through all your years, the joy, the tears, He is all you need.

When you give into that familiar sin, He is all you need.
Guilt has you paralyzed, it slowly it eats you alive.
He is all you need.
He'll be faithful to you though your heart is untrue.
And your love's grown cold.
His forgiveness is real, it'll comfort and heal your sin-weary soul.
Well, God loves you so, He'll never let you go.
He is all you need.

Jesus is all you need. He is the Bread of Life. He is the Sustainer of Life. He is the One who can fill an empty soul. His forgiveness is real. He will comfort and heal you, even through your desperate times. Never doubt His love for you.

The crowd doubted Him and turned away. Verses 60-66:

Responses to Jesus (John 6:60–71)

“Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”

“Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

“At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

“Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

“Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.”

The crowds would not accept His message. Jesus gave them words of spirit and life, but all they desired was to have their physical needs met. Jesus turned to His disciples when the crowds left. “Are you going to leave me, too?” Peter responded, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

Jesus’ words give eternal life. He is the Holy One of God. Jesus is the Bread of Life. Jesus is the I AM. Who else can we turn to? He is all we need.