Gary Alexander had the job of demolishing some buildings that were more than a hundred years old. After reducing the structures to rubble, he noticed part of a wall still standing. These words were scrawled on the bricks: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47 KJV).
Jesus spoke the words found on that wall to the crowd who followed Him. The people had recently eaten some of the loaves and fishes Jesus miraculously multiplied. He had catered a free lunch and they wanted to see what else He could do.
“You want to be with me because I fed you,” Jesus said. “Don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that [I] can give you” (John 6:26-27). Jesus called Himself the “bread of life” (John 6:35). He promised that anyone who ate this bread from heaven would live forever (John 6:48-50).
Those who debated the meaning of Jesus’ words bickered and fought (John 6:41,52). It was hard for them to see past the physical world to grasp His spiritual message. In the end, the ones who wanted full bellies from His food (John 6:26) or entertainment from watching His miracles (John 6:30) abandoned Jesus and His teaching (v.66).
Jesus wasn’t surprised. He knew that some who looked like disciples were not true believers. When He asked the original Twelve if they would leave as well, Peter responded, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe and we know that you are the Holy One of God” (vv.68-69).
By God’s grace, we can know that Jesus is the Bread of Life and the Savior of the world—the One who provides life everlasting!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 John 3:1-24
More:
Look up John 10:27-30 to see how the Father and Son ensure the promise of eternal life for true followers of Christ.
Next:
Have you ever tried to share spiritual truth with a person who believes only in what he or she can see? What was the result? How can you know that Jesus’ promise of salvation for those who believe in Him will always stand?
Gary Shultz on December 26, 2016 at 6:25 am
Hi Jennifer: I hope some Christmas is still spilling over into this week… I think anybody that has ever spoken to someone about Christ has seen a response from “eyes” that would not see. Like CPR we do the best we can to give life saving aid; However, often it is not successful. We continue to educate others in this skill, so we are prepared to give life. For those who have been rendered CPR none are more grateful than those spared from death. The words “unless the Father draws them” have also made a great impact on me. We enter this event with a part God has blessed us to do, but salvation comes from the Lord. God takes our soul to meet theirs and we become an agent to minister to them, God is the AED that sparks life into them. Even the promise of salvation must be stirred from a soul God has grasped. Like the scripture passage many saw and did not believe, but the heart open to God is convinced of His love and promise. Thanks Jennifer, great promise for the New Year.
rick sonnier on December 27, 2016 at 1:07 am
Thank you for that message, Jennifer. You know, reflecting on how Jesus’s followers where concerned about the here-and-now while witnessing Jesus’s teaching and miracles, I’m not so sure that I would have been any smarter than they were. It’s so easy to get caught up in our daily needs that we can miss spiritual opportunities like they did.
hsnpoor on December 27, 2016 at 9:24 am
So true, Rick.