[Jesus said,] "Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."
Jesus said to [the disciples], "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work."
-John 4:34 (NRSV)
A few years ago, a friend gave our family a portion of her sourdough starter. Containing a yeast culture, starter is a batter-like substance used for making bread. Once a week flour, sugar, and potato flakes are added to our starter. For over 25 years, our friend has drawn from the same bowl to make bread for her family and to give a starter to friends.
Our family now makes three loaves of sourdough bread each week. The children enjoy watching the dough rise to form the loaves. The smell of freshly baked bread fills our kitchen. On these evenings, the warm bread also fills our stomachs, nourishing our bodies. Like our friend, we also spread the fun by giving portions of our starter to other families.
Faith in Jesus Christ is a lot like the sourdough starter. It needs regular nourishment. Prayer, daily Bible reading, service to others, and commitment to doing God's will are some of the ingredients that feed healthy discipleship. Like the fresh bread, the peace of Christ fills us. The Bread of Life gives us spiritual sustenance; we yearn to spread God's word and to help the faith of others grow.
