Ahhh...Fresh Bread

I am the bread of life:

he that cometh to me shall never

hunger; and he that believeth on

me shall never thirst.

John 6:35

Just a block or so from Central Jr. High School where I spent my 7^th and 8^th grade years, there was a bakery. Students would often go there at lunch time and some would purchase a loaf of bread and have the baker slice the loaf in half for two people to share. They would then go to a nearby dairy store and purchase a stick of butter. They would ask the waitress to cut the butter in half. Each person would stuff their half of the stick of butter down inside of their half loaf of warm bread and let the butter melt. They then had a feast fit for a king. (That is, unless you preferred to gnaw on a giant size dill pickle instead of anything else.)

Bread has been considered a staple food down through centuries. It is made up of simple flour and water but depending on who is baking the bread, there are other things added to that mixture to get the desired type of bread the baker wants. Bread is prized for it's quality, aroma and taste. Should a loaf of bread become hard or dry, it is considered to be stale.

There are two parts to a loaf of bread. The inner part of the loaf of bread is officially referred to as the “crumb.” The outer part of the loaf, is the “crust.” It is the oldest of prepared foods we know of from history. The word “companion” of Latin root can be broken down into two parts:

com – that means “with”

panis – that means “bread”

Thus, bread is broken or eaten with someone who is considered a companion at the time of the eating of bread. This is true especially as we take of the Lord's Supper or Communion in our churches when we meet as a church family to share the bread during that time.

No household wants to be without bread in the cupboard. It is often used for toast at breakfast time. Sandwiches are frequently eaten for lunch both in the home as well as taken in school lunch boxes. Chefs cook using bread...turkey dressing, bread pudding but then there's an old familiar staple that anyone of most any age can make and enjoy...bread and jelly.

There are many metaphors connected with the word “bread” such as:

breadwinner

putting bread on the table (as in earning a living)

hit him in the bread basket

bread and water (that I was always taught was served to inmates in prison)

Best thing since sliced bread.

But the greatest truth I have found regarding bread is Jesus' claim that He is the Bread of Life and that's no metaphor. Jesus had a lot to do with bread. He fed thousands of hungry people with it along with a few little fish. Bread would sustain those people until they could get back to their homes. He broke bread probably on many occasions with His disciples, but we are most aware of His last evening with them before going to the cross the next day. T that time He broke bread with them saying, “This is my body which is broken for you.”

If Jesus is our “bread” then how does that translate into our own lives?

1. Jesus is our staple.
   When referring to a “staple,” I'm not talking about a little metal wire that holds sheets of paper together. The definition of staple in our present usage refers to something for which the demand is constant...something of consistent use or appeal. I just love that, for that is Who and what Jesus is to us as the Bread of Life. He is in constant demand or should be and is in consistent use by us. Just as we feel we must have regular bread, far more, we in reality need this wonderful Bread of Life...Jesus.

2. Jesus never spoils.
   If not properly stored, the bread we purchase will become moldy, hard, and unusable. Jesus never rots or hardens. Jesus is sinless, perfect and can be trusted completely because of His purity. Because of His being sinless, He was the only perfect sacrifice for you and me as He died on the cross for the remission of our sin.

3. Jesus feeds us.
   As the perfect Bread, He is our sustenance spiritually speaking. He is our strength and as He feeds us, we grow in Him.

4. Jesus is refreshing.

I am someone who could live on sandwiches....bologna, ham, cheese, scrambled egg

sandwiches...you name it...I like it. When I'm really hungry, nothing tastes better to me than a sandwich with two pieces of fresh WHITE bread, spread with Miracle Whip, a slice of cheese, a big slice of a homegrown tomato and a couple of pieces of beef bologna. Why be so descriptive?...because it is refreshing just to think about it even though I'm not hungry right now. Jesus loves to feed us through the teaching of His Word. It should be as refreshing to your favorite sandwich would be for you.

5. Jesus never grows stale.
   Everything about Him is new and fresh everyday that you and I awaken, when our feet hit the floor running to meet a new day. No matter how often we have read His Word, even in many of the old familiar wrinkled, underlined areas of our Bibles, the newness and freshness of Who Jesus is comes through in the most remarkable of ways.

6. Jesus thinks of everything.
   Did you notice in the beginning verse that Jesus not only says we'll never hunger because of His being our Bread of Life, but He also adds that we'll never thirst either. As much as I love a good sandwich, I always want something to wash it down with. He not only satisfies our hunger for the living Bread that He is but our thirst is quenched for the living water He also provides.

The next time or periodically as we bite into some warm toast, grilled cheese sandwich or even a club sandwich from a deli, may we stop to think of our Savior who is our wonderful and refreshing Bread of Life and Who satisfies our thirst as well.

Our Father, Who art in Heaven...

Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy Kingdom come...Thy will be done,

on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread....

and Father, may we never take for granted that daily bread or the Bread of Life Your Son is in our own lives. We pray for a close relationship with that precious Bread of Life everyday in every way. Thank You for Your provision of all things at all times....I love you. Amen.