Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1917-03-08
LESSON FOR MARCH II
JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE.

LESSON TExT-John CAST.
GOLDEN TExT-Jesus said unto than.
I am the bread of hfe.--John e:25.
Following the feeding of the 1--WE
thousand. Jesus saw the design Of the
| multitude ". 10y, and separated hifn-
self unto prayer. Following that COM
munion. the disciples went over the
sea toward the City of Capernaum
". ~. but in his supernatural power
he followed them, walking upon the
water ". 49,. Midway he entered
their ship. and Immediately they
reached the land toward which they
had been striving ". 81; Nix. 6:4S-49).
The next day John 9 :22) the people
who at this period were following him
In such great multitudes, took steps to
reach him. Finding that he was not
at their side of the lake, they took
boats and came to Capernaum, seek
ing for Jesus" ". 24. We read that
the common people heard him gladly.
These people wanted the comradship
of Jesus, and the longest bread line IN
the world today is that of hungry
hearted men. The question is, are we
willing to give them the loaves az
comfort?
!. Bread Which Perisheth wv. %
PAY. IF you think you will always
get the loaves and fishes simply be-
cause you have followed the Lord, you
have handed yourself goldbrick. ~"
DR.. Griffin Bull. Most of us will go
further for victuals than we will for
vision. When the people found Jesus
". 25) they rather reprimanded him
for leaving them, when the fact of the
matter was that he was not beholden
to them in any sense whatsoever. 1t
looks very well for these people to be
seeking Jesus" but they were seek
ing the wrong thing ". 26). 1t was
not really Jesus himself they wanted,
but the loaves and the fishes. 1t was
not the Sign" as indicating his divine
character that drew them, but simply
the wonder as indicated by the fact
that they expected constant supply
Of bread, nor did they see in that
bread the sign but only the bread.
apart from works. Nevertheless he
commands the exercise of will. "This
is the work of God that we believe on
him whom he hath sent" ". 29). This
is not inconsistent with | Cor. II 3,
!. c., mo man can say that Jesus is the
Lord but by the Holy Ghost" Like
the 90 blades of pair of shears, the
executive act of my will in believing
on Jesus is met by the regenerating en-
ergy OF Gods spirit making me son
of his.
The Jews demanded sign as con-
dition of believing on him, when he,
himself, was the greatest of all signs
". 36). They sought to enforce their
demands by reference to Moses and
the mama, but Jesus showed them
that the mama was a type of "the
(true) bread of Cod" The character
istics of this bread are: (D 1t comes
down from heaven; ca 1t giveth life
unto the world. Jesus hearers did not
understand what he meant, and ex-
claimed: "Evermore give us this
bread" Jesus was, trying to impress
upon his hearers the same diligence in
heavenly matters as in the pursuit of
earthly meals.
III. The Everlasting Bread wv. 3d.
80. misunderstanding his teaching
". $40 Jesus said unto them plainly:
II am the bread of life" meaning that
he is the true bread of God. lie is
not only the giver OF the bread Of life,
but he, himself, is the Bread of Life.
AS bread will satisfy the needs Of the
physical body, giving strength, vital
ity and energy, so he will supply the
needs of the soul. He will satisfy the
deep hunger and longing which is the
evidence of need, and he will also sat
isfy the thirst which is the more in
tense desire-the spiritual craving Of
the soul. Jesus ministers to the never
failing strength of all who come to
him, and who believe on him. Coming
to him is seeking help and blessing
from him. Believing on him is the alb
solute abandonment of self to him.
This multitude had actually seen the
living bread ". 36), yet they believed
not because they were so occupied
with the material and unreal things of
this world.
Today we find men so taken up with
the material and unreal that they
neither appreciate nor believe upon the
true bread which has been sent down
from God out of heaven. Not all win
come to him John 5 :24l, but anyone
can prove that he belongs to the elect
of God and the company of the Father
by coming to Jesus ". 37). If any
man does come, he will be received.
These words of Jesus are very posi-
tive, 81 will in no wise cast him out"
Jesus, the One who raises the dead,
is therefore co-eQual with God. Note
the remainder of this chapter: II win
raise him up at the last day" ". 40)
"He that believeth on me hath ever
lasting life" ". 40 81 am the bread
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