I used to have a friend who spent
a couple of summers as a park ranger
up in Colorado.
He told me a fascinating story.
He said that after his first year an
incident occurred at the national park which bewildered
all the park rangers.
He said that some of the bears began
to die and upon an initial investigation there
was no clear reason why the bears had
died.
There were no wounds in the bears so
they didn't die from an attack but they
had died nonetheless.
As other bears died it was a great
mystery at that particular national park until one
day it was revealed that the bears had
died of starvation.
They had grown so accustomed to being fed
by tourists that they had forgotten to feed
themselves and one by one they died off.
After that the park rangers put up more
warning signs not to feed the bears.
That story is significant to me friends because
it is similar to our Christian life.
If we rely too much on others to
teach us the word of God we won't
make the time to read God's word for
ourselves.
We must feed on the bread of life
daily in our devotional time as we walk
with Jesus along the narrow way.
In the gospel of John we have the
miraculous account of Jesus feeding the five thousand
with a few loaves of bread and two
small fishes.
After this incident some of Jesus' followers pigeonholed
him and asked him what shall we do
that we might work the works of God.
Jesus answered and said unto them this is
the work of God that he believe on
him whom he has sent.
Then some of the Jews standing there made
an interesting comment to Jesus.
They said our fathers did eat man in
the desert as it is written he gave
them bread from heaven to eat.
Then Jesus goes on to speak about the
true bread from heaven and in John 6
32 we read then Jesus said unto them
verily verily I say unto you Moses gave
you not that bread from heaven but my
father giveth you the true bread from heaven
for the bread of God is he which
cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto
the world.
Then they said unto him Lord evermore give
us this bread.
Then Jesus makes a remarkable series of statements
regarding salvation and faith and his reception of
sinners.
Beginning in verse 35 we read and Jesus
said unto them I am the bread of
life he that cometh to me shall never
hunger and he that believeth on me shall
never thirst.
Meaning that the gospel is for the hungry
the weary and the thirsty.
Then Jesus says in so many words I'm
standing right in front of you and you
have seen me and believe not.
Here he was pressing the Pharisees for their
unbelief that God himself was in their very
midst yet they refused to acknowledge him and
believe on him.
Then Jesus makes a pure gospel promise to
all who come to him all that the
father giveth me shall come to me and
him that cometh to me I will in
no wise cast out.
Jesus is the bread of life friend but
you must feel your need of him.
Jesus is not for the self-satisfied but
for the hungry of heart.
Over in Isaiah we see an invitation of
God's mercy towards sinners in need of a
savior from sin.
Isaiah 55 once states oh everyone that thirsteth
come ye to the waters and he that
hath no money come buy and eat yea
come buy wine and milk without money and
without price.
Jesus is the bread of life friend.
Are you hungry for him?
He declares he that believeth on me hath
everlasting life.
I am that bread of life.
Come to Christ friend and believe on him.
Feast on him.
He is the bread of life.