Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-03-07
Jesus the
Bread of Life
Sunday School Lessen for March s. 1908
SpeSiaIy Prepared for This Paper

them: / am the bread OF nfe."-John
TIME.-The day after our last les
son. when Jesus fed the 5000 April. a
u. ~.
PIACE.-Gennesaret a beautiful plain
on the western shore OF the Sea OF Call
SCRIPTURES REFERENCES Jesus
the Bread OF Life. John 6,4S-5i. IS. Cor
u.23-2s. and the use of bread" in the in
stituuon OF the Lords supper. Compare
Deut So and 1920 Matt 40: 6;1- The
Mama referred 90 IN John $40. so, EN-
l6.ls-S5. Neh. Sis. Pisa. Is "a Jesus the
Life. John Ia, SEA. 6: 11-25. las. 49,
! John ID. 2.25. Stills 20. 2 Cor 4.10.
Gal 22c. Col. 3.3, Tim. IL 10. Rev.
al Old Testament Miracles OF Feeding
compared and contrasted with this mir
ocle Of Jesus. Elijah FED by ravens q
Kings 17,6). mlraculously increases the
widows meal and OH q Kings 1870;
Elisha feeds 100 men with 20 leaves e
Kings 600
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Why did the people seek Jesus7
This question in Y. IS implies that
the next morning the people had been
searching for Jesus. not having seen
him leave the fields where the miracle
! had been wrought
Two motives are given. the higher
motive they ought 10 have had. and
the lower motive which predominated.
V. 26. Jesus answered" not their
| spoken question. but their spiritual
need which their conduct asked. "Ye
/ seek me- not because ye saw the mir
| acles." r. v. signs" the Greek name
| for miracles used here This would
/ have been a right motive 20 which
/ Jesus himself appealed. They were
/ not attracted by the miracles as
/ signs OF Gods love. as types and
/ proofs that Jesus was the Messiah. as
/ invitations TO trust and love him.
/ But because ye did eat the loaves. and
| were filled" The verb means were
| satisfied as a beast with fodder
/ Whitelaw. They were not hypocrites:
| they only took q low view. and were
1 selfish. Their motives lay chiefly I'm
{ the results OF the miracles: the heal
/ ing. the satisfying OF hunger and not
/ In the miracles as signs They saw
/ the outward form OF the miracles. but
/ not the soul. the husk. bat not the
/ kernel, they read the words as in an
unknown tongue. but did not see
| their meaning.
They were like the Roman soldier.
who. finding an embroidered purse 81
Jewels. kept the purse but threw
away the priceless gems.
Why did Jesus answer as he did
! by this answer Jesus tried 20 lift the
minds and hearts Of the people 20
higher motives and clearer views 81
tho truth.
How did Jesus lead them 20 higher
aims in life2 v. q. Labor not"
Work not: the same word as work
in VS.. $3.50 below. For the meat
body. This is not To Doe the chief end
even OF work for daily food
Y. 81. Our fathers did eat mamma
in the desert" (see Eek. l6l "As Il Is
written" (Ex 1874. Pisa 1924. Sep
tuagint version). Moses. our founder
lawgiver and leader. 10 whom the
promised Deliverer is TO be like (Deut
1915: Acts 3.22).
Moses proved that he was sent
from God by giving the people bread
from heaven 60 eat; now what do you
DO that Is greater than this 20 prove
that YOU are the greater prophet. even
the Messiah. who viii deliver us from
our bondage 20 the Romans. as Moses
delivered us from the Egyptians.
Jesus had fed 5000 with five loaves
from the earth for one meal Moses
had fed millions for 40 years with
bread from heaven"
The Tcsts.-Such are the tests of
true religion. by which we may rec
ognize il and distinguish it from al
substitutes that are offered. Cd II
IS from heaven and bears the mark.
OF its heavenly origin. co IL give.
life, awakens and sustains every fac
ulty. CD Ii is FOR the soul. the splr
itual nature. more than for the body
! CD IL blesses for this life but es
pecially prepares for eternal life. an
assures us OF its blessedness. 90 II
is universal. for all ages. and for al
men. under all circumstances. &c,
But. like earthly bread, IL must b.
eaten in order 20 avail
What is meant by Jesus as tn,
Bread OF Life? How does he feed on
souls2 First He by his atonemen
, and holy spirit imparts spiritual life
/ the new life OF God in the soul. w,
+ | are born OF the Spirit"
Second. The soul needs food a
really as the body Every faculty o
the soul needs its OWL food. that viii
strengthen and sustain it's life. de
velop its powers. make IL grow int
the fullness and perfection OF it's ma
ture
Third. Jesus feeds the soul in ever,
part. How many characteristics ar,
necessary TO make our character God
! like We do not know There mus
be love. humility. submission. pa
thence. hope. genueness, JOY, and al
the qualities that entered TO cempos
the character of the Son OF Cod
| Cornelius Woelfkin-
Fourth. We come into this persona
communion with Jesus. and within tn
; power Of his personality, by readin
? and studying the records OF his life
. by loving him. by working with hin
for his cause. by dwelling on his char
acter, and counseling with him Il
prayer.
Fifth. Without God and his righi
eousness, worldly things cannot salts
fy the soul. They are like the water
of the sea. the more you drink tn