Living Through Jesus

just as the living Father sent forth me and I live through the Father also the one feeding on me lives through me (John 6:57)

Jesus said if you feed on the living bread that came down from heaven (whom the Father sent) you will live for all time. It is real food and real drink and one must eat of it to have eternal life and the one who does abides in him and he in them (John 6:52-58). The word for feed is τρώγω (trōgō) which is different than the word for eat, ἐσθίω (esthiō), and is more related to the word for nourishment τροφή (trophē). We see the use of these words in scripture. What you eat (esthiō) you should not be anxious about (Matthew 6:25). John the Baptist was nourished or subsisted (trophē) on locust and wild honey (Matthew 6:25; Matthew 3:4). We eat of this bread for eternal life and we find our daily substance in this real food. So we live through him by feeding on him daily. He is our daily bread. The one feeding on him lives through him.

I am the true vine and my Father is the vine grower... abide in me and I in you just as the branch has no power to bear fruit by itself, if not abiding in the vine so to neither can you if not abiding in me (John 15:1-4)

Jesus lived through the living Father, the vine grower, and he is the vine in which we live through. Think of a grapevine, the branch that the grapes or fruit grows on gets its nourishment through the vine. If the branch is no longer connected to the vine it will wither and die but if it remains or abides it will be nourished and produce fruit in due season. "Just as the living Father sent forth me and I live through the Father also the one feeding on me lives through me." Living through Jesus is like a branch living through its connection to the vine.

I am the vine, you are the branches. The one abiding in me and I in him bears much fruit because apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5)

Such a simple process of growth where fruit comes through being connected or nourished through the vine. If we focus on the fruit or doing good works without getting nourishment from the vine we will fall away. All things are created through Jesus, and life comes through him. And "this life is the light to men" (John 15:1-4), thus only living through him are we a light to the world. The secret to abundant life and evangelism is living through Jesus. 

the thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy. I have come so that you have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10)

During the growth process, the devil tries to choke or sever us from the true source of life. Planting weeds and thorns in our hearts causing worldly anxiety or desires so we are so focused on circumstances of this life or that we love the things of this world, its earthly riches (Matthew 13:7, 22). Also, he can deceive us by using legalism and a focus on a works justification so we try to do it on our own.

do not love the world, nor that in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of possessions is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away and all its desires but the one doing the will of God abides for all time (1 John 2:15-17)

If we abide in Jesus the love of the Father will abide in us and we will not love the things of this world. "If you keep my commandments you abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I speak to you so that the joy that is mine exists in you and your joy is fulfilled" (John 15:10-11).

I am the bread of life, the one coming to me does not hunger, and whoever believes in me does not thirst again (John 6:35)

Where will we go for life? The words of Jesus exist eternal life (John 6:68). It is living bread, that satisfies the soul, if we come to him we never hunger nor thirst. This is not referring to earthly bread, "do not labor for the food that perishes but for food that endures unto eternal life which the Son of Man will give you" (John 6:27).

Because Jesus is the vine and the word of life, living through his words brings nourishment and life (John 15:8-11; 1 John 1:1-4). Not only these but it brings joy and freedom from the lusts and desires of this world. Jesus is the word of life which exists as living bread that nourishes and feeds us, it is also the truth that sets us free if we abide in it (John 8:31-32; 1 John 2:13-14). To abide in truth is to be free and to abide in his love, which is the concept of how love is fulfilled in us. Thus the preceding verses of "Do not love the world nor that in the world" can be achieved because we abide in him and his love abides in us.  

Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God (Mathew 4:4)

Jesus is the word of God thus from the mouth of God came the words of God, the word became flesh so that we may live through him. The disciples beheld him with their eyes and looked upon him, the word of life was revealed to them in the flesh and they saw and testify and proclaim to us the eternal life that existed with the Father so we too may know life and have fellowship with them so our joy may be fulfilled (1 John 1:1-4).