Bread of Life

"Then Jesus declared, '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 (NIV)

Step into a bakery, and the first thing that greets you is the aroma—warm, earthy, comforting. Then your eyes scan the shelves: sourdough, rye, challah, ciabatta. Bread is more than food—it’s memory, culture, comfort. It’s what we pass across tables in love and in need. Sharing bread is a gesture of hospitality, reconciliation, and belonging.

Jesus’ words in John 6 come just after the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, where physical hunger was met with divine abundance (John 6:12-13). But now, he speaks of a deeper hunger—a longing not satisfied by daily bread alone. “I am the bread of life,” he says, inviting us into a relationship that nourishes soul and spirit. This invitation echoes not only in the crowd’s abundance, but also in the quiet breaking of bread among friends.

This bread is not earned or hoarded. It is freely given. And it is shared—like at the communion table, where we remember Jesus’ words: “This is my body, broken for you.” In receiving this bread, we receive comfort, connection, and the promise of never being spiritually hungry again.

We all hunger for meaning, for peace, for belonging. Jesus meets us in that hunger, not with scarcity, but with abundance. When we come to him, we are fed—not just for the moment, but for eternity. 

And this nourishment is not meant to end with us. When we share this bread—through kindness, prayer, presence, and justice—we become part of the miracle. The bread of life is not just for our comfort, but for the world’s healing.

There are hungers all around us: loneliness, displacement, despair. To carry the fragrance of grace is to notice these hungers and respond—not with platitudes, but with presence. To offer bread is to offer Christ.

The bread of life is not just for us—it’s for the world. May we receive it with gratitude and share it with joy. 

So let us live as those who have tasted and seen. Just as the scent of bread draws us in, may our lives carry the fragrance of grace—welcoming, nourishing, and unmistakably Christ-shaped.

Bread of Life, thank you for meeting us in our hunger and offering yourself as sustenance. Feed our spirits with your presence and teach us to share your love across every table. May we notice the hungers around us and respond with grace. May we be nourished by your grace and become nourishment for others. Amen.

Peace & Grace,

Pastor Tim