Sat Inspiration

Morning Inspiration with Pastor Merritt

As you are about to see, Jesus went far beyond physical bread to illustrate what He really is to your heart, and your soul, and your very life. You have to remember the background of the story. Jesus had just finished feeding 5000 people with a few loaves of bread and a few fish. He and his disciples have left the crowds and gone across the Sea of Galilee to a place where they thought they could get some rest, but instead the crowds followed them. Jesus knew exactly why they came.

“Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.’” (John 6:26)

Jesus not only knows what we do, but He always knows why we do it. Jesus wants you to follow Him, but He wants you to follow Him for the right reasons and this crowd wasn’t. You see, they thought they had hit the mother load with Jesus. He was going to be their bread maker and their fish breaker. He was the meal ticket. They didn’t see Jesus as a Savior. They saw Him as a baker. They didn’t see Him as the Christ. They saw Him as the cook. Think about it. You only need three things to survive: shelter, clothing and food. They had shelter. They didn’t need any clothing, but they needed food and Jesus could give it to them.

They thought then what so many people think now – that all there is to life is the material and the physical (what you can hold in your hand, what you can put into your stomach, what you can wear and where you can live). Then Jesus, says something that would drive the marketers on Madison Avenue and the stock brokers on Wall Street absolutely crazy.

“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” (John 6:27)

To put it simply, Jesus said you will never find security, and significance, and satisfaction in the empty calories of the food this world has to offer. You will only find it in Jesus who is the bread of life that satisfies forever.