Today's Lesson

 Jesus continues to confront the people from the multitude of the 5000 He had fed on the mountainside that had followed Him to Capernaum. He has told them that they should not work for the bread that perishes, but that they should work for the bread that leads to eternal life which the Son of Man can give to them. Their first question to Him was "What is the work of God?" In other words, what work do we have to do to get this bread of eternal life? Jesus' answer is that they must believe the one that the Father has sent.

Their next question, beginning here in verse 30, is that Jesus show them a sign that He is the Son of Man that is sent from the Father. Now, these are the same people who had been fed from 5 barley loaves and 2 fishes. They are even considerate enough to suggest a sign that they considered would be appropriate. They suggest that since God had sent Israel manna from the sky during their desert wanderings, Jesus should be able to call forth manna. In this way He would prove that He was a prophet like unto Moses.

But, Jesus tells them that even the manna from the sky was not the bread from heaven that He speaks about. Indeed, though He does not go into this further, manna was far from being the imperishable food about which Jesus is speaking. Manna could not be preserved. It would rot overnight no matter what the people tried to preserve it. Moreover, the manna never satisfied the people. They constantly grumbled about the restrictive diet.

Jesus reminds them that manna was not the "bread out of heaven" that He speaks of and tells them that the Father has already sent the true bread. Again they ask to be given the bread from heaven. But, Jesus knew that their bellies were behind their request, not their hearts. They wanted their stomachs to be filled; they did not want to be obedient to God.

And so, He declares to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But I told you that you have seen me, and yet don't believe. " They wanted to make demands of God and the One whom He sent, but they were not willing to come to Him through faith. In the same way, people today want to blame God for all the problems that occur in their lives but are unwilling to do what God has called them to do.

Jesus Christ is the true bread from heaven. Those who have been accepted by Him will never be hungry. Jesus Christ is the source of the water that wells up to eternal life. Those who have been accepted by Him will never thirst.

It is not enough for us to come before God with our demands and request. God will have mercy and grace on those who approach Him through faith in the One that He has sent. Once we have been accepted into the Beloved, then all things are ours through Christ. We come as beggars before the Lord of Host. We have nothing to offer that is of value to our Lord. We cannot make demands of His grace and mercy.

And yet, when we come as beggars before Jesus Christ, we are accepted as honored Sons before the Father. He knows the hearts of men. Those who approach the Throne of Grace by faith will be accepted. Those who approach through pride and arrogance will never know His mercy and forgiveness. They are judged by their own arrogance.