The physical dietary value of bread is well understood, but did you know there is a Better Bread that we should partake? THE Bread OF Life. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1561/29?v=20251111
are you looking to be filled are you looking for fulfillment in life well dear friend the best bread to partake is just what you need and we’re going to talk about that today from the international gospel hour it’s coming up it’s time for our broadcast from the international gospel hour
SPEAKER 02 :
I’m Jay Webb, and welcome to our study today as we embrace God’s Word to help us meet the challenges of today. Let’s open our Bibles and open our heart for this time of Bible study with our speaker Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. Here’s Jeff.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, thank you always to our J-Web. Greetings to all of you. Great having you with us today. And we’re going to consider our lesson text from John 6, 22-35. A little bit of a lengthy text, but that’s alright. It’s Bible study here on the International Gospel Hour. Beginning with John 6 and verse 22, On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there except that one which his disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but his disciples had gone away alone. However, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks. When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when did you come here? Jesus answered them and said, Most assuredly I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal on him. Or rather, because God the Father has set his seal on him. Then they said to him, What shall we do that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe in him who he sent. Therefore they said to him, What sign will you perform then, that we may see it and believe you? What work will you do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert, as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Jesus said to them, Most assuredly I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Then they said to him, Lord, give us this bread always. And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger. He who believes in me shall never thirst. Jesus’ teaching of the bread of life is found only here in John 6. And if we were to give this chapter a heading of study, we could simply use the word bread. I mean, think about it. In chapter 6, as we look at all of these examples, verses 3 and 4, the inquiry of the bread to eat the Passover. In verses 6 through 13, the feeding of the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish. how Jesus took literal bread to teach the true bread from heaven, and for man to partake of the spiritual bread, the bread of life, that being Christ. And folks, do you notice we see that phrase, coming down. We see it, get this friends, seven times in the text. Coming down from God above was this bread sent. Now friends, the conclusion. The best bread in which to partake is the Jesus Christ. The bread of life sent from the Father. And friends, you can’t top that if you try. Now, we asked as we began our broadcast today, are you looking to be filled? Are you looking for fulfillment in life? Well, dear friends, the bread of life is available. And there is plenty waiting for you to partake. And the best bread to partake, that’s our study just ahead. We’re going to continue that. But before we do so, I want to pause. We’ve got our free periodical we want to send you. And here is our J-Web.
SPEAKER 02 :
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SPEAKER 01 :
Dear friends, the best bread to partake, it fills the hunger of the soul. Jesus is the bread that fills the soul of man, and without Christ our souls will starve. Early in the Sermon on the Mount, what did Jesus say in Matthew 5, 6? Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Oh, when we hunger for the menu of righteousness, we will be filled. And how Christians desire that taste of the bread of life. I love Hebrews 6 and verse 5. And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come. Here are Christians. They’ve tasted it. They’ve embraced it. They want more. And in 1 Peter 2 and verse 3. If so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Oh, the assurance of a filled soul. How about it, dear friends? Is your soul empty? Is it lacking that assurance? And are you looking to be filled? And the bread of life is here for the partaking. Imagine a meal before us and here’s one sitting there with great hunger and yet will ignore it and not have a part. Well, nobody would do that. And the only bread to partake will fill the soul of man is the best bread and that is the Christ. to learn more of Him and His Word that will judge us, John 12, 48, to grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ, to grow in the wisdom of Christ. And what did Peter say in 2 Peter 3, 18? But grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His Word is there for us to grow, to learn, to fill the hunger of the soul. And friends, Secondly, the bread of life ceases hunger of the world. Dear friends, this world needs Jesus Christ. Imagine an individual who committed some hideous crime. If they would have learned of Christ 48 hours before and stopped and began another way, think of lives that would be saved and lives that would have been spared. In Psalm 107 and verse 9, the Bible says, For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Indeed he will, if we will but turn to him. God grants us many wonderful things in this life. And again, as we noted from our lesson text, we go back to John 6 and verse 33, For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world, and that he did. This being the case, friends, why would we look to be filled in other ways? You know, people look for that bread of life in relationships. There’s dating, there’s family, and they make that the fulfilling end. But listen to what the bread of life said in Luke 14, 26. If anyone comes to me, that’s the bread of life, and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yea, in his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Now, when Jesus says, hate there, and we study that text, he means a priority or loving less. Imagine an individual that partakes of the bread of life and grows and can share that with their family. How they can share with their family, here’s what helps me, it will help you. How beautiful. Now, let’s stay in this text of Luke 14 because we learn something else. People look for that bread of life in careers, their jobs, for satisfaction. But what did the Lord say? Pick up with verse 27 of Luke 14. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you intending to build a tower does not set down first and count the cost whether he has enough to finish it? Lest after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple. Do you see the illustration that the Lord used here, talking about building a tower, talking about going to war or the job of a king, and how we sit down and consider all these things? Well, he teaches us a lesson here that we need to set forth the priority and sit down and evaluate. Oh my, it was probably 35 years ago or so, a cohort in the grocery industry, I at the time was working in the grocery business, and he had an opportunity to accept a promotion within his company. I said, Billy, I want to ask you one question. Can you glorify God in this decision? He said, Jeff, I truly believe that I can. I said, then you pursue it. Friends, there’s not a thing wrong with family, jobs, or careers, obviously. Our God grants these things to us to glorify Him. But we must be cautious not to make these things our only bread, for we will starve. Today we’ve learned that the best bread of which to partake is Jesus Christ. And we should have the plea, as we noted in verse 34, we need to have the plea, Lord, give us this bread always. The bread to be fed, the Christ. So friends, if you’re looking for bread in other places, If you’re empty, you’re looking for fulfillment, only the bread of life, Jesus Christ, can fill your needs. We want to help you toward that end. We’d love to share a variety of tools with you. Here is a great online Bible course that I want to share with you. from our friends at International Bible Teaching Ministries. And the course is free. And so here’s their website, ibtministries.org. That’s ibtministries.org. And while there, you can take a look at their biblically sound tracks and articles. You can register free for your online Bible course that’s waiting for you again at ibtministries.org. Now, if you want to call us at 855-444-6988 and say hi, could you let me know what is that website for the online study, if you missed it? I’ll give it to you again, ibtministries.org. But if you miss it, you want to call us, we’ll get it back to you. Friends, we want you to partake of the best bread of all, Jesus Christ. And thank you for joining us today for this meal from the International Gospel Hour. I look forward to next time. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you for listening today. To God be the glory. And we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His Word to walk in His way. Feel free to listen to our other programs at our website at internationalgospelhour.com And join us next time.
