August 4, 2024 Text: John 6:22-35
Dear Friends in Christ,
Herman Gockel in his book My Hand In His, shares the story of an elderly man on his deathbed. His family is by his side. One of his sons is a Pastor. It’s a Saturday. The man tells his son to go home and preach to his congregation the next day. He tells his son that if he dies while the son is gone, his son will know where to find him.
“You’ll know where to find me.” Imagine living your faith like that. Imagine sharing your confidence and reassurance with your loved ones. Eternal life is what really matters. Life in this world will finally fail us. Not the life our Lord gives. Jesus says in today’s Gospel: “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” (v. 27)
Are you ready to die? How often do you think about it? It is an unavoidable appointment of stepping out of earthly sunshine and activities into . . . into the what? Where are you at this morning and . . .
“WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO?”
We begin with verses 25-26: “When the found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.’”
Jesus would have made a lousy politician. He could have won everybody over by continuing to fill their stomachs or offering the ultimate health care plan or giving everyone a new car and home. He put the brakes on them running after him just because He had fed them the bread and fish.
Some of us still remember the days when gas station attendants pumped your gas. I’m not kidding kids! They might even check your oil and wash your windows. Remember what they’d ask? “Fill’er up?” That’s a look at our society. Gimme that. I want. I deserve. I intend to have it all my way. They weren’t seeking Jesus because of the signs; they were crowding him because he filled their bellies. What do we do with what we are observing?
Jesus goes on to say, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” (v. 27)
What do want to get out of this world? Do you have hopes and dreams or are you just surviving? Do you want happiness? Ah, yes. Except you can’t except for some moments. Don’t we smirk and say, “they can’t be that happy all the time.” Can they?
Let’s check Scripture on this one. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation.” (Jn. 16:33b) The Apostle John wrote, “Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15)
Put them together and what do you expect? Where are your expectations taking you in your walk with the Lord.
Jesus said earlier to “work…for the food that endures to eternal life.” This gets the people wondering so they ask the question, “what must we do, to be doing the works of God?” (v. 28) Jesus gives a simple and beautiful answer, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” (v. 29)
“Believe in him. . .” Jesus. Everything comes back to this for God’s people. The issue of this life is the Life given us in Christ. It’s the daily comfort of forgiveness. It’s the minute-by-minute presence in our tribulations. It’s the joy of living because we know that heaven is our home. It’s his Word that speaks to us in our daily trials and joys. It is not just having our fill in our bellies but the strength of a Sacrament that fills our spiritual tanks.
James S Hewett writes, “Russian author Leo Tolstoy tells the story of a rich man who was never satisfied. He always wanted more. He heard of a wonderful chance for more land. For a 1,000 rubles he could have all that he could walk around in a day. But he had to make it back to the starting point by sundown or he would lose it all.
“He got up early and starting walking. He walked on and on thinking he could get just a little more land. But he went so far that now he would have to run to get back by sundown. He saw the starting line, exerted his last energies, crossed the finish line, fell to the ground, and collapsed. Blood streamed from his mouth, and he lay dead. His servant took a spade and dug a grave. He made it just long enough and wide enough and buried him.
“The title of Tolstoy’s story is ‘How Much Land Does a Man Need?’ He concludes by saying, ‘Six feet from his head to his heels was all he needed.’”
What . . . do . . . we . . . plan to do?
Amen.