“Bible Parables EP05 - When a Parable Is not a Parable" < --- Click To Download the Notes.
I. Introduction
The Bible is a tapestry of stories filled with metaphors teaching us about God.
Psalm 34:8 — “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.”
Key theme: Experiencing God's invitation to feast on His Word
II. The Biblical Thread of Food & Drink
A. Eden and the First Meal
Genesis 2:15–16 — Adam free to eat from every tree except one.
From the very beginning, God offers humanity His Life.
B. Manna in the Wilderness
Deuteronomy 8:3 — Man does not live on bread alone but on God’s word.
God uses hunger to teach dependence.
C. Invitation to True Satisfaction
Isaiah 55:1–3 — “Come, buy and eat… why spend money on what is not bread?”
God offers lasting satisfaction beyond material needs.
D. God’s Provision in Hardship
Psalm 23:5 Table prepared in the presence of enemies.
Psalm 78:18–20 Israel’s unbelief: “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?”
Psalm 107:5-9 God satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry.
E. Wisdom’s Table
Proverbs 9:1-6 Wisdom invites the simple to eat and live.
III. Human Struggle with Appetite for evil
Romans 7:18-19: Desire for good but inability to carry it out.
Romans 7:25 — Deliverance through Jesus Christ.
IV. Jesus: The Bread of Life (John 6)
A. The Wrong Motivation
John 6:25-29 People seek Jesus for physical bread.
Jesus calls them to seek eternal food: belief in Him.
B. The True Bread from Heaven
John 6:30–35 — Jesus identifies Himself as the Bread of Life.
Whoever comes to Him will never hunger or thirst.
C. Eternal Life Through His Flesh and Blood
John 6:47-58 Eating His flesh and drinking His blood = abiding in Him.
His sacrifice brings eternal life.
D. The Dividing Point
John 6:66–69 Many disciples turn away.
Peter’s confession: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
V. Growing in Salvation
1 Peter 2:1-3 Crave pure spiritual milk to grow in salvation.
The Christian life is ongoing growth in experiencing God’s goodness.
VI. Eternal Fulfillment
Revelation 2:7 To the victorious: the right to eat from the tree of life in God’s paradise.
VII. Key Takeaways
God’s story consistently uses food and drink imagery to reveal spiritual truths.
True satisfaction is found only in God’s provision, not in self-seeking desires.
Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life — the only source of eternal fulfillment.
Spiritual growth means continually craving and experiencing God’s goodness.
The ultimate promise: eternal life, eating from the tree of life in God’s paradise.
