Jesus Interaction With The People

John 6:26-40

There are several truths in this passage that Jesus shares with the people that are important. Notice in v. 27 He urges them to make a priority of concentrating on things that matter eternally. In America today there is a tremendous temptation to value the material more than the eternal. We tend to concentrate on gaining wealth, enjoying daily pleasures, and neglect our spiritual lives. Our priorities are reversed.

Secondly Jesus again tells the people that the most important thing we can do is to “believe in Him whom He has sent” (v. 29). The people mistakenly believed they could work their way to heaven, as so many do today. They mistakenly thought obedience to the law was required to gain eternal life.

He also shares in v. 37-39 that He and the Father are sovereign. Notice He says “all that the Father gives Me shall come to me”. He and the Father know who will trust Him as their Savior. That speaks to the irresistible work of the Holy Spirit in our lives that draws us to Himself. Notice He says in v. 39 “of all that He has given Me I lose nothing”. Later, in John 10:28, He says “no one shall snatch them out of My hand”. Once we have made the decision to accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior we are eternally secure in Him.

Finally, He assures all Christians that although we may die physically He will raise us up to spend eternity with Him. For that reason the Christian has a different perspective of death than the non-Christian. When we die we simply pass into a greater eternal relationship with our God. The psalmist says in Psalm 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.” I think that’s why Psalm 23:4 talks about death as a shadow. God looks at death very differently than we do. Although it is difficult to leave our loved ones here on earth, we look forward to that enhanced relationship with our heavenly Father.

These thoughts have been of great comfort to me as I’ve worked through the death of my parents and others I love. I pray that they may comfort you also.