The "Bread of Life" Sermon

In John 6:1-14 Christ feeds the multitudes with the 5 loves and 2 fishes so it was no doubt that awhile later the people came seeking him again. As Christ said it wasn't because of the miracles he performed but “because we did eat of the loaves, and were filled (John 6:26).” They completely glazed over the miracle that he had performed and thought only of their physical needs.

This instance makes me ponder on reasons I reach out to the Lord. I think most of us have a basic instinct to ask God to take care of our physical needs. I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing, but it becomes a hurdle to our spiritual growth if we allow it. We need to instead ask for spiritual guidance and growth.
The Savior taught this to the multitude that came seeking him. In response to them seeking him out because of their desire to be physically fed, he tells them that he will spiritually feed them. He does this by using the analogy of the “Bread of Life”.  He says that “I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst (John 6:25).”

In Matthew 6:19-21 Christ says that we must not rely on the treasures of the earth but on the treasures of heaven. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” While physical health is important that is not the point of the savior’s sermon. What he is teaching is that we must not put all our heart into the things of the earth because we cannot find true happiness there. We find true happiness, comfort, peace, and salvation through the spirit and through the gospel of Christ.

This sermon of the bread of life was hard for many to understand. Many of Christ’s disciples (not the twelve apostles, mind you, but simple followers of Christ) left because of it (maybe because they didn't understand it?) and many murmured at his teaching.

However his apostles had stronger faith than that. It is demonstrated by Peter who said “…Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou are that Christ, the Son of the living God. (John 6:68-69)”

This makes me think about instances that I know of where people reacted like Peter to something that was “hard” for them to deal with. There are many things today that people do not understand fully but still follow Christ. They trust in his teachings and follow him knowing that he knows what is right. Sometimes we just don’t understand something but we must rely on our faith and trust in the Lord. He will eventually reveal the answer to us. I personally believe that sometimes it is okay to go by faith and not have the answers to everything. I’m okay with trusting the Lord even if there are things I don’t quite understand. I know many people who trust in the Lord even though there are aspects of the gospel that they don’t necessarily agree with.

Sometimes people don’t understand why I believe in God or follow Christ, especially because the gospel seems to be so against popular beliefs. I know what brings me joy in life and if I stopped living the gospel I would be spiritually miserable and I wouldn't enjoy who I was. I struggle with many things and the gospel helps me get through them all. I recognize that the gospel is the “living bread” and it feeds me and gives me comfort and peace.