Bread for the Soul | Jim Hammond
Recap
Pastor Jim wished all the mothers in the congregation and online a very happy Mother’s Day. It was a day dedicated to the celebration of motherhood, acknowledging the great devotion mothers have toward their families. He pointed out there was one specific thing at which mothers are very good—how to feed their children the Bread of Life like no one else can.
Dive Deeper
Pastor Jim devoted the message to all the moms and grandmothers. He even acknowledged his late aunt Lucy, stating she was a mother to him in many, many ways. And how the mothers of his friends cared for him and loved him as they loved their own children.
Ultimately, Mother’s Day is a day when mothers are surrounded by their families, honoring her with praise and gifts.
But that is not the case for all mothers. For some mothers, Mother’s Day is a difficult day. Some mothers are estranged from their children. Some mothers don’t know where their children are. Some mothers have lost children through miscarriages or childbirth.
The scriptural reference was John chapter 6. In John chapter six, we see Jesus feeding the 5,000. Then after that, we see Him walking on the water.
Then, we read in John 6:28, Amp. “They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?]”
They asked Jesus the question, “What are we to do to carry out what God requires?”
Jesus answered them in verse 29, Amp, “This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger].”
One translation says, “How do we do the works of God on a regular basis.”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is to believe.” Jesus called belief a work. The Apostle Paul said, “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest.” You have to work to get yourself into rest.
Pastor Jim said, “In regard to the sword of the spirit, which is praise and worship… That’s part of what we’re talking about today. You could call it peace, moms. That’s another work in the New Testament that you have to execute.” Pastor Jim pointed out that the works in the New Testament are much different than the works in the Old Testament.
You have to labor to keep yourself in peace on a regular basis. It’s better if you are already full of peace before you experience something that will try to pull you out of peace. Praise and worship are your sword.
The Bible tells us to fill ourselves up by, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:19)
Pastor Jim went on to share John 6:30–31: “Therefore they said to Him, What sign (miracle, wonderwork) will You perform then, so that we may see it and believe and rely on and adhere to You? What [supernatural] work have You [to show what You can do]? Our forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as the Scripture says, He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.”
They’re telling Jesus they have to have a sign in order to believe.
Jesus responded to them in verses 32–33: “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Moses did not give you the Bread from heaven [what Moses gave you was not the Bread from heaven], but it is My Father Who gives you the true heavenly Bread. 33 For the Bread of God is He Who comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.”
When Jesus was talking about the bread that comes down out of heaven, He was talking about Himself.
In verse 34, they said to Jesus, “Lord, give us this bread always (all the time)!”
They wanted this bread—all the time! That is the goal, to receive the bread of life daily. To have it all the time.
The bread of life is available to us every day whenever we want it. But are we consuming the bread?
“Moms,” Pastor Jim asked, “Are you receiving that bread? You have the ability to get that bread of life to your children and your husband on a regular basis. You have been equipped to do that for your families.”
In John 6:35 Jesus replied, “I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).”
Moms have the ability to translating, receiving, consuming the bread of life and impart it to their children. Just through their God-given natural ability, moms are able to feed their children that bread of life like no one else can.
Read About It
John 6:28, Amp. “They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?]”
John 6:30–31: “Therefore they said to Him, What sign (miracle, wonderwork) will You perform then, so that we may see it and believe and rely on and adhere to You? What [supernatural] work have You [to show what You can do]? Our forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as the Scripture says, He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.”
John 6:35, “Jesus said unto them, I’m the bread of life.”
Discussion Questions
What is the sword of the spirit and how does it bring peace?
Jesus talked about the Bread of life that comes out of heaven. Who was He talking about?