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Eternally Valuable
(John 6:22-40)
Mari Ikeda
Today we continue with the Gospel of John, and today we will read 6:22-40. Actually there is only one theme addressed from today’s passage to the end of this chapter 6, but since it is very long, I will divide it into three sermons. After those three sermons, we will enter the Advent, Christmas season. So, starting today, I would like to spend the next three sermons gradually considering the theme that Jesus is the bread of life that God has given to us. The core of the story is what we will read next time, and today’s passage can be called an introduction before we get to the core of the story. But in fact, as it is, it may well describe the difference between us and God. Jesus is trying to get to the heart of the matter from the beginning, while we are just wandering around the periphery without getting to the heart of the matter.
Now let’s start reading. I’ll skip verses 22-23, so please read them later on by yourself. Firstly, verses 24-27.
A. We are missing the point
1. Seeking material wealth(22-27)
(22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.) 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
In the previous section, we read about the episode of Jesus distributing a meal to a crowd of 5,000 people and making them all full. Today’s passage is the scene the next day when that crowd followed Jesus. Jesus saw that what they were asking of him was missing the point. They expected Jesus to meet their material needs. And furthermore, they expected that Jesus, who would provide them with material wealth, would become their political and military leader. They hoped that Jesus might become the leader who would free their people from the domination of the Roman Empire.
Economic stability and wealth. Regional political stability. Ethnic autonomy. We hear these words in the news often these days. It is not that seeking them is bad in itself. Getting out of destitution and freedom from oppression are both important in themselves, and there is nothing wrong with seeking them. Jesus also fed the hungry crowds, denounced the mistakes of those in power, and protected the weak. But the quest for material wealth and increased political power, both as individuals and as a people, knows no bounds. It is tied to our human insecurity, and no matter how much we get, we will never feel secure. And yet, mistakenly believing that we will feel secure if we get more, we try to increase our own, even if it means taking from others. Those who are deprived naturally hate those who take from them, but those who take from them insist that it is their natural right to take from them, and conflict ensues. That is the reality of human sin.
That’s why Jesus says in verse 27, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life.” Our hearts are never satisfied by money, things, or power. And yet seeking them is the root of our sin, that we are missing the point. What then is it that can fill our hearts? It is what Jesus calls “food that endures to eternal life.” It is that which is eternally valuable, that which can keep us alive forever. What exactly that is will be discussed later. Let’s move on to verses 28-29.
2. Believing that we can get God’s recognition on our own (28-29)
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Suddenly the words “works of God” appear, but what the people wanted to ask Jesus was what they needed to do to get something of eternal value. And since they thought that in order to receive something of eternal value, they needed to please God, they asked what they needed to do to please God.
This is another question that misses the point. Because this question presupposes the assumption that we can get God’s recognition by our own strength. Or, in other words, it mistakenly assumes that it is up to our own deeds to obtain something of eternal value. God is not the one who decides what He gives in return for us according to our deeds. If He did, there would be no human being in the world who would be accepted by God. For there is no human being without sin.
That’s why Jesus replied that it is to believe in Jesus, and that is the work of God. In other words, God is pleased that we have faith in Jesus. I think that Jesus here also includes the meaning of “what God does” in the phrase “the work of God.” Faith is both our action and God’s work. We can take the action of deciding to believe, because it is God working in our hearts to make it possible. Also, without God’s mercy, none of us would be forgiven and it would be impossible to have faith.
People’s off-the-mark questions continue; let’s move on to verses 30-33.
3. Demanding God to prove Himself as God (30-33)
30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
The root of our off-the-mark thinking is that we don’t think of God as God. We see God only as a being who fulfills our needs, and we conclude that we don’t need Him, or He’s not God if He doesn’t fulfill our needs. It is just an attempt to use God for our own convenience. Then we demand of God, “If you say you are God even though you don’t meet my needs, show me the proof.”
Jesus’ response in verses 32-33 is similar to verse 27. It is an explanation that God is not only there to meet our material needs, but also to give us something better than that. It is referred to here as “true bread from heaven” or “the bread of God,” which is what was referred to in verse 27 as “food that endures to eternal life.” What it is, Jesus explains in the words that follow; let’s move on to vv. 34-35.
B. God’s desire
1. That our souls may not hunger and thirst (34-35)
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Here Jesus gave an answer that people had never imagined at all, saying, “I am the bread of life.” Jesus himself is the “true bread from heaven,” the “bread of God,” and the “food that endures to eternal life” for us. In other words, what is eternally valuable is Jesus Himself, and if we want to have it, we need to “eat” Him.
What exactly it means to “eat Jesus” is described in the passage we will read next time, but here is another hint. Jesus says, “Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” In other words, eating Jesus means coming to Him, which is the same as believing in Him. I will talk about specifics next time.
What we must keep in mind here is that God gave Jesus to us as the “Bread of Life”. It was so that our hearts would “never go hungry and never be thirsty.” God’s desire is that our hearts would never hunger or thirst, but that they would be full. And in order to make this happen, God Himself came to this world as Jesus and became the “bread” for us to eat.
Let’s move on to v.36-37.
2. That we may come to Jesus by God’s guidance (36-37)
36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
It is a reality of every generation that there are people who know Jesus but do not believe in Him. Many of us did not believe before, and there are many around us who do not believe in Jesus either. That is because, according to the way Jesus put it here, there are those whom God the Father has given to Jesus and those whom He has not. In other words, whether we have faith or not depends on God’s choice.
Then we inevitably think that some people are chosen by God and some are not, but I think that is not true. As mentioned in the first half, whether we have faith or not is not only our choice, but also God’s work. None of us can have faith without God’s help. So what we want to remember here is that God’s desire is for us to believe in Jesus, not relying on our own strength, but being led by God’s power. God does not reject anyone who seeks His help and relies on Him. If we do not believe in God, it is because we are the ones rejecting His help.
Now let’s read the last part, v.38-40.
3. That we may live eternally beyond physical death (38-40)
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Here we can find a clear description of what “the will of God” is. God’s will or God’s desire for us is two-fold. One is that we get to know that God sent Jesus to this world for us. It is the same with us knowing that God himself came to this world as Jesus. The second is to live with us forever. God wanted to live with us both during our physical life and after our physical death. These two desires of God can be said to be one and the same. For if we do not understand the meaning of God’s coming to this world as Jesus, we will not understand the meaning of living with God eternally.
And knowing this desire of God is the only way for us to understand and obtain what is eternally valuable to us. It is not something that is immediately obvious, as people repeatedly asked Jesus questions that were off the mark, but it is something that takes time. It is a process of admitting that we, like them, are off the mark and knowing that we can only rely on God’s help.
“Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” How do you take these words today? If you are hungry and thirsty, there is only one thing to do: eat the bread of life, Jesus.
(Prayer) Lord Jesus, please help us to acknowledge our weaknesses and mistakes and to forgive and respect one another. And may we consider whether our requests to You are not selfish wishes, and may we seek what Your will is rather than our own wishes. Thank You that You have invited us to be Your children. Please help us to receive more of Your love. For this reason, may we not be arrogant but ask for more of Your help. Lord Jesus, we pray in your name. Amen.
Summary
God is the One who meets our needs, and we are allowed to ask Him for whatever we want. But asking God for material wealth or social stability can make our hearts self-centered and lead to a misguided attitude of trying to use God for our own benefit. God’s desire is for us to seek something of eternal value that will never decay. It is not something we can obtain on our own, but something we can gradually come to understand what it is as we live our lives trusting in God.
For Discussion
- Are you realizing Jesus’ words in v.35?
- What does it mean to “work for food that endures to eternal life”in v.27?