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CHRIST - THE LIVING BREAD!

by Dr. Robert Hymers

A sermon preached on Lord’s Day Morning, February 12, 2006
at the Baptist Tabernacle of Los Angeles

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).


Jesus said, “I am the living bread.” In verse thirty-five, He said, “I am the bread of life.” Jesus is speaking of Himself. By these words, He tells us to focus our minds and our hearts on Him.

It is wise to keep our preaching focused on Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14). Paul felt that the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the Cross deserved his full attention and admiration. Furthermore, the Apostle said that his preaching must be centered, not on philosophy or speculation, but on Christ’s atonement, for he said, “I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2). In these dark days of religious confusion, I think it is best if we stand firmly with the Apostle, and make the crucified Christ the very center of our faith and our preaching, and say with him, “I [am] determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

It was Himself that Christ proclaimed to be “the bread of life.” If you want to be a true Christian, you should feed on Christ as you feed on earthly bread. But He is better bread than that which we buy at the grocery store. That bread is dying bread. Even with the chemicals and preservatives put into most store-bought bread, it can hardly be called “living bread.” It would be better described as “dying bread,” for it will soon gather mold and begin to decay, even if you keep it in the refrigerator. Not so with Christ! He said,

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven”
     (John 6:51).

I. First, He is the living bread.

True, they beat Him and nailed Him to a cross. True, He suffered greatly there, and shed His precious Blood for us. True, He died there. Yes, He truly did die there. The centurion pierced His side,

“and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John 19:34).

True, they took His broken, dead body, placed it in a tomb,

“So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch” (Matthew 27:66).

But, dear friends, He did not stay dead in that tomb! Oh, no! He broke the bars of death, and walked forth from the tomb a living man! The angel of God told them,

“Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said” (Matthew 28:5-6).

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise; Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise. Alleluia!
   (“Christ the Lord is Risen Today” by Charles Wesley, 1707-1788).

Christ said, “I am the living bread” because He is alive. He has risen bodily from the dead! He has ascended into Heaven, and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father! Let every lost sinner take refuge and comfort in the living Christ! He has risen from the dead to give you life! He said,

“I am the living bread” (John 6:51).

II. Second, He is the life-giving bread.

He said,

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever …”
     (John 6:51).

When a person comes to Jesus Christ, and partakes of Him by faith, “He shall live for ever.”

He will live for ever because he has taken of the bread of life, which is our Lord Jesus. In the very moment that person trusts Jesus, he has eternal life. Think of it! What a glorious message from Christ this is!

“If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever” (John 6:51).

There is eternal life in Christ. When you come to Him, and unite with him by faith, you “shall live for ever.”

I know that some will qualify this. They are depending on their own strength and abilities to keep themselves saved. But this is not what our Lord said. He told us that the moment a sinner eats of this bread, by faith in Him, in that very moment, “he shall live for ever!” (John 6:51).

Note that he “shall live for ever.” This is the strong doctrine of eternal security - and I believe in it with all my heart. Christ does not say, “You will live if you don’t stumble.” He does not say, “You will live if you work hard at it.” That’s what the lost world thinks. But it is not what Christ said. Oh, no! He said,

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever” (John 6:51).

The man or woman, boy or girl, who partakes of Christ by faith in Him “shall live for ever.” There are no qualifiers other than eating the bread, which is a metaphor for trusting Jesus, coming to Him, relying on Him. The moment you do that you “shall live for ever.” You can never, ever become a lost person again, for you have eaten the bread of life, and you will live forever!

You say, “But what if my faith wavers?” “He shall live for ever.” “But what if I stumble in my walk with God?” “He shall live for ever.” “But what if I do something mean?” “He shall live for ever.” You have the absolute promise, if you have trusted Christ, you will live forever. That is the “eternal security of the believer” - and I for one believe in it with all my heart. Jesus said,

“I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man [that includes you] neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

No one, including yourself, “neither shall any man” pluck you away from God once Christ has given you eternal life! That is Christ’s promise, and He cannot lie!

Jesus my Lord will love me forever,
   From Him no power of evil can sever,
He gave His life to ransom my soul,
   Now I belong to Him;
Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone, But for eternity.
   (“Now I Belong to Jesus” by Norman J. Clayton, 1943).

“If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever” (John 6:51).

III. Third, He is the sacrificed bread.

One more time, stand and read John 6:51 aloud.

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).

You may be seated. Our Lord Jesus is the sacrificed bread. The “bread” refers to His flesh, which He gave “for the life of the world.”

Can we preach too often on this? I don’t think so. The Apostle Paul said,

“The Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified” (I Corinthians 1:22-23).

Again, he said,

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

This is the strong meat of the Gospel. Christ died on the Cross to pay your sin-debt to God. Christ died vicariously, in your place, for your sins. When you take Christ for your own by faith, His death pays for all your sins, and His Blood cleanses every one of them.

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world”
     (John 6:51).

Christ is the bread of life. Christ is the bread God sent down from Heaven to dwell among us. Christ said, “I am the living bread” (John 6:51). All those who trust Him and come to Him, and partake of him “shall live for ever.” This is all made possible because the bread He gave was His own flesh, which He provided on the Cross “for the life of the world.”

Do you want to “live for ever”? Then come to Christ. Be washed clean by His Blood - and you will never perish - for He will give you everlasting life, and you will live forever. You will never be able to lose this precious gift, for you will always and forever be eternally “accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). Amen.

(END OF SERMON)
You can read Dr. Hymers' sermons each week on the Internet
at www.realconversion.com. Click on "Sermon Manuscripts."


Scripture Read Before the Sermon by Dr. Kreighton L. Chan: John 6:47-51.
Solo Sung Before the Sermon by Mr. Benjamin Kincaid Griffith:
“Now I Belong to Jesus” (by Norman J. Clayton, 1943).


THE OUTLINE OF

CHRIST - THE LIVING BREAD!

by Dr. Robert Hymers


“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).

(John 6:35; Galatians 6:14; I Corinthians 2:2)

I.   He is the living bread, John 19:34; Matthew 27:66; 28:5-6;
John 6:51a.

II.  He is the life-giving bread, John 6:51b; 10:28.

III. He is the sacrificed bread, John 6:51c; I Corinthians 1:22-23;
I Corinthians 2:2; Ephesians 1:6.