Don’t be concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you.
John 6:27
Notice how John weaves these themes together. And how do you get this eternal life? By believing in Jesus. You can begin to appropriate this eternal life (this life of the age to come) now. John uses the word believe 10 times in this passage and uses life or eternal life 14 times. Don’t forget one of Jesus ‘truly truly statements’ which says “the one who believes in me has eternal life” [6:47]. Then he stresses that this transaction is until you are raised “on the last day”. He tells us that 4 times between 6:39 and :54. This Last Day is “the term mentioned all through Scripture of the Return of the Son of God to wrap it all up and bring the consummation of the Kingdom. Wow – the one that will usher in the dawn of the Age to Come.
Not only that but he tells us he will never reject us [6:37] and he will not lose even one of those He [the Father] has given him [6:39]. Track this continuing theme in John. It comes to a climax at the end. It is worth waiting for.
Notice also in verse 6:44 we return to the theme of John 1:12 with Jesus comment “For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent Me draws them . . .” This is not something we decide but which originates in God. Don’t ever think we are the instigators, the initiators or the ones who did anything really. We are just simply responders to God’s higher power. But once there safe in Him, He will never lose us.
You know already that “believe” is a big theme in John’s Gospel you might be forgiven for thinking we are finished with it. No that is not true. We will look at it again when we get to chapter 16:25-33. These are very important verses concerning the believe theme in John. Now you have lots of time to ponder them. I told you there would be work or thinking for you to do.
Nothing worth having comes without sweat.
Ian Vail
HOW TO MEASURE PERSEVERANCE
- Failed in business……………………1831
- Lost election for state legislature…… 1832
- Failed again in business………………1834
- Sweetheart died………………………1835
- Nervous breakdown…………………….1836
- Lost second political race…………….1838
- Defeated for Congress…………………1843
- Defeated for Congress…………………1846
- Defeated for Congress…………………1848
- Defeated for US Senate………………..
- 1855 Defeated for Vice President…………..
- 1856 Defeated for US Senate………………..
- 1858 Elected President…………………….1860
Who is this person? Abraham Lincoln
If I tried to answer all the attacks made against me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the best I know how. If the end brings me out right, then what is said won’t matter. If the end brings me out wrong, then ten angels declaring I was right would make no difference.
Abraham Lincoln