JP74: Misunderstood Advent: Finding True Satisfaction in a World of Substitutes

As we journey through this season of Advent, we are invited to make room in our hearts for the coming of Christ. Yet, the world around us clamors for our attention with clever substitutes that promise satisfaction—a perfect holiday meal, the ideal gifts, a beautifully decorated home, or shared traditions with family and friends. 

These are all good things, but if we are not careful, we can mistake them for what truly sustains us. In John 6:25-40, Jesus reminds us that only He is the authentic Bread of Life, and our hunger and thirst can be fully satisfied in Him alone.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”  They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Avoid Misunderstanding Jesus

The passage begins with a crowd seeking Jesus, but their motives reveal their misunderstanding of His purpose. After Jesus miraculously fed the five thousand, the people were eager for more bread, more signs, and more immediate provision. They had experienced a temporary satisfaction, and they wanted to replicate it. When they found Jesus, they asked, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” (v. 25). Jesus, seeing through their question, challenges their motives: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” (v. 26).

How often do we seek Jesus because we want Him to meet our immediate needs? In this season of Advent, we might come to Him asking for a solution to our stress, a reprieve from our struggles, or even a material blessing that we believe will make us happier. Yet Jesus’ challenge to the crowd echoes through time: “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.” (v. 27).

Advent invites us to examine our hearts. Are we seeking Jesus merely for what He can do for us, or are we seeking Him for who He is?

Know Jesus as the Bread of Life

When the crowd presses Jesus for another sign, He redirects their focus. 

“Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (v. 32-33).

Jesus is not offering another miracle of physical provision; He is offering Himself. 

In verse 35, He profoundly states: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

This statement invites us to shift our perspective. Bread is a basic necessity for physical survival, and hunger is a recurring need. The crowd knew this reality well—each day brought another need for food. Yet Jesus uses the image of bread to point to something more significant: Himself as the eternal sustenance for our souls. The deepest longings we experience—longings for love, purpose, peace, and fulfillment—cannot be satisfied by earthly things. Only Jesus can satisfy.

Advent calls us to feast on the Bread of Life. Jesus’ words remind us that we must come to Him daily, just as the Israelites gathered manna each morning. We must believe in Him not as a one-time act but as an ongoing dependence that sustains us. This season of waiting is an opportunity to pause and reflect: Are we feeding on things that spoil, or are we feeding on the One who gives eternal life?

Believe in Jesus and Receive Eternal Life

Jesus continues by revealing the heart of the Father: “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (v. 40). God's will is clear: He desires that we look to Jesus, believe in Him, and receive the life He offers. This is both a promise and a call to action.

During Advent, we remember that Jesus came down from heaven in the most humble way possible to fulfill the Father’s will. He came not merely to provide bread but to be the bread. His incarnation—God becoming flesh—is the ultimate expression of God’s love and provision for a broken world that hungers for redemption. In this season, we look back and celebrate His first coming, even as we look forward to His return when He will raise us to eternal life.

But belief in Jesus is not passive; it transforms how we live—patterning our lives after Jesus means living in dependence on Him, trusting in His sufficiency, and sharing this Bread of Life with others. In a spiritually broken and hungry world, we are called to point people to the true sustenance that only Jesus provides.

Living by the Bread of Life This Advent

As we enter the final days of Advent, let us consider practical ways to pattern our lives after Jesus, the Bread of Life:

1. Feast on His Word Daily – Just as we need physical food each day, our souls need the nourishment of God’s Word. Spend time in Scripture, meditating on His promises and allowing His truth to satisfy your spiritual hunger.

2. Depend on Jesus in Prayer – Bring your needs, worries, and desires to Him, but seek Him not just for answers. Seek Him for His presence, knowing that He alone is enough.

3. Share the Bread – Look for opportunities to share the love of Jesus with others this season. Meet practical needs, offer encouragement, and point people to the eternal hope found in Christ.

4. Rest in His Promise – Remember that Jesus has already secured eternal life for those who believe in Him. Let this truth bring peace and joy as you wait expectantly for His return.

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 Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus, the Bread of Life, to satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts. In this Advent season, help us seek you above all else. Teach us to depend on you daily and to share your love with a world in need. May we pattern our lives after Jesus, trusting in Your promise of eternal life.  Amen.

Photo by Jonathan Pielmayer on Unsplash