Bread

Bread

Laetare, the Fourth Sunday in Lent -  March 30, 2025

John 6:1-15

Rev. Christopher W. Brademeyer

That portion of God’s holy Word for consideration this morning is our Gospel lesson from the sixth chapter of the holy Gospel according to St. John with special emphasis on verses eight through twelve which read as follows,

“Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there).  Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”[1]

Thus far the Scriptures.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Bread is a staple of life. In the Bible, bread represents daily provision, sustenance, and even God's miraculous care for His people. One of the most amazing miracles that our Lord Jesus performed was the feeding of the five thousand. This miracle was not just about satisfying hunger but was a sign pointing to something much greater—Jesus Himself as the Bread of Life.

This truth challenges us to examine our own selves: Are we seeking Jesus merely for the benefits or material blessings we want Him to provide, or do we long for Him above all else? Today, we will explore the significance of Jesus’ miracle, what it reveals about Him, and how He alone satisfies the deepest needs of our souls.

The Miracle of the Loaves and Fish: A Picture of God’s Provision               

Here in John chapter six, a large crowd follows Jesus because they have seen His miracles. They are hungry, both physically and spiritually. Interestingly, it is not clear who is in which camp or whether the people in this crowd might have both sorts of hunger, or not. It doesn’t seem to matter much to Jesus. Upon seeing their need, Jesus takes five barley loaves and two fish, gives thanks, and miraculously multiplies them to feed over five thousand people. The number given here is of the men gathered to hear the Lord, with those five thousand men were an unknown number of women and children, raising the total number fed to much more than the five thousand we often think of when we hear this passage. Suffice it to say, Jesus does not let any of them go hungry. The meager food that was available, the bread and fish, was used by the Lord to satisfy the stomachs of all those there.

This miracle echoes God’s provision of manna in the wilderness in Exodus chapter sixteen, reminding us that God is always faithful to His promises and does provide what is needed for His people.[2] Yet, Jesus is doing something greater than just meeting physical needs, indeed, even greater than that great miracle of old, He is pointing to Himself as the true source of life and salvation. As Jesus says later in this chapter of John’s Gospel, He Himself is the bread come down from heaven which gives life to the world.[3]

But how often do we seek God only when we need something? Do we come to Him only for provision, healing, or success? Or do we seek Him because we truly desire Him? This is not to say that God is not concerned with our needs in this life, but that we often want to take Christ’s material blessings but leave Him behind. Christ is the object and goal of our faith and we cannot ever forget this central truth.

Jesus Feeds the Hungry as a Sign               

The feeding of the 5,000 was more than just an act of compassion, it was a sign. Signs in Scripture do exactly what signs today do, they point to something beyond themselves. Just like how a shingle in front of a store points to the reality of the goods and services within that store, so too do the signs of Christ point to something more than the simple, immediate reality. This miracle was meant to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of all that bread represents. Jesus is God’s ultimate provision for our souls.

Many in the crowd saw the miracle but missed the message. They wanted more bread, but Jesus wanted them to see that He was offering something far greater, eternal nourishment for their souls in the forgiveness of their sins and with that life and everlasting salvation.

Why Did the People Follow Jesus?               

After witnessing the miracle, the crowd wanted to seize Jesus and make Him their king by force.[4] They saw Him as someone who could provide for their earthly needs, but they failed to understand the deeper reality of who He was. We are not so different today as evidenced in our political landscape. There is no small number of people who want a bread king, some strong political figure who will solve all of our problems and ensure our material prosperity, even at the cost of morals or ethics. And this is not just one side of the isle or the other, there are those in both parties who clamor for such a leader.

      Those who were fed by the Lord ended up falling into one of two views of who He is and what He came to accomplish. Some sought Jesus for bread, that is, they followed him for what they can get in the here and now: material blessings, security, and earthly provision. While God does provide for our needs, this cannot be the main or only reason we seek Him. But others, such as the twelve disciples, saw beyond the miracle to the deeper thing the sign was meant to lead them to: they turned to the Lord for His own sake, that is, saw Him and the full and proper object of their faith. True disciples seek Jesus not merely for His gifts, but because they desire Him as their Lord, their God, and their greatest treasure.

Jesus is the Most Desirable Because of Who He Is               

At the heart of our faith is this truth: Jesus is enough. He is not just a means to an end, He is the end, the object of faith, even the goal of the whole Christian enterprise.. The ultimate reward of following Christ is Christ Himself as our Savior and God. The psalmist Asaph declares in Psalm 73, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”[5] This is the heart of a Christian believer—not one who follows Jesus for temporary gain, but one who treasures Him above all else. This challenges us to shift our focus. If we have Jesus, we have everything. Even in trials, even in suffering, He is our portion, our sustainer, our joy. We do not need more; we only need Him.

      But such is the Lord who we follow that even when we fall short, when we trade Christ for the things He provides, we still have a merciful Master who is quick to forgive and slow to anger. It is unfortunately the case that we stray from pure faith and properly looking to Christ, this is true. But there is more certainly forgiveness for us when we are foolish and have gone astray. But, even more, this observation about the nature of faith should not drive us to ruminate endlessly about whether our faith is right enough, deep enough, or strong enough, instead, it should move us to see Jesus for who He is: the merciful Lord who does every thing that we need for both this life and for the life of the world to come.

Conclusion

Jesus calls us to a deeper understanding of who He is and what He comes to do, one that does not depend on the realization of desired blessings but is rooted in Him alone. He is the only one who truly satisfies, truly forgives, and truly has earned for us life and salvation. And when we have Him, we need nothing else.

In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] John 6:8-13 English Standard Version

[2] Exodus 16:4ff

[3] John 6:35

[4] John 6:15

[5] Psalm 73:25 ESV