Food to Fill You Up – August 16, 2024

Read: John 6:24-35

Jesus said “The bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
John 6:33-35

Food to Fill You Up

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Did you know that food has energy in it? It’s why we eat and drink. You use up energy in your body when you run around, make something with your hands, or do some chores. When you eat food, your body turns the food into new energy. It’s called calories—that’s how you measure energy in your body. For example, a piece of toasted bread with some butter has about 200 calories of energy, and you could eat it for breakfast. But lettuce does not have much energy in it. If you wanted to get 200 calories of energy from lettuce, you would have to eat three pounds of lettuce. That’s 25 cereal bowls full of lettuce! Can you picture yourself eating that much lettuce?! If you’re shaking your head, maybe you’re thinking, “Lettuce doesn’t taste bad, but it doesn’t fill me up.”

Did you know Jesus said the same thing?

One time, Jesus took five small loaves of bread and turned it into enough bread to feed more than five thousand people. It was a miracle, and the people’s bellies were full. They loved the bread Jesus gave them, and Jesus was happy to make it for them. But when they tried to make Jesus their king so they could always have bread, Jesus wouldn’t let them. He told them they would be hungry again. Even if you had unlimited toast for every breakfast, you would always be hungry by dinner time because even bread, which has a lot of energy in it, doesn’t fill us up in the most important ways. So Jesus said, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”

While we live on earth, Jesus will keep giving us food so our bodies have energy, but he has something better than that. He said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” In a way, Jesus was saying, “The best thing I can give you is myself. I’ll be the bread you need when you are weak and hungry.” Not hungry in your stomach, but all the moments in life you’re weak and trying to live away from God. That’s why Jesus came down to earth and lived with us. He gave 100 percent of himself for us. There wasn’t a moment of his life that Jesus wasn’t living for you. He faced every one of your temptations with success. Every test you failed, he passed with flying colors! He lived for you. He shed his blood for you.

The next time you’re pouring a bowl of breakfast cereal or eating a piece of toast, would you remember Jesus offers you food that fills you up? “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry.”

Closing Prayer:

Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more, feed me till I want no more. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• One time, Jesus was with five thousand hungry people. Guess what he gave them to eat?
• What are some differences between what happens when you eat earthly bread and what happens when you trust in Jesus?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• When Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me will never go hungry,” what did he mean? What did he not mean?
• Make a list of blessings God gives for our earthly bodies and a separate list of blessings he gives for our eternal life in heaven.

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Think of a couple of reasons that make it hard for teens to stay “hungry” for Jesus.
• If Jesus is bread from heaven, what “cravings” do you have that only he can satisfy?