John - Week 18

My Father's Will 

READ 

John 6:38-40 

38 “For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”  

The crowd did not understand the comments Jesus made about Himself being the bread that came down from heaven. In this passage, He explained further. Jesus always emphasized that He came not to do His own will but the will of His heavenly Father. Then He explained what the Father’s will is—that Jesus not lose even one of those given to Him by the Father. Then He says something similar to John 3:16, that anyone who believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. This passage should give great assurance to anyone who has trusted in Jesus for salvation. Jesus will never lose such a person and will raise him up at the last day. 

REFLECT 

Spend some time thinking about what the words of Jesus in this passage assures every believer of.  Have you thanked God recently for the security you have in Christ. You are secure whether or not you feel like it. Are you trusting the Word of God rather than your feelings? 

RESPOND 

Just as Jesus emphasized doing His Father’s will, make it an act of your will to please Jesus in all you do. By doing so, you also please the heavenly Father. 

 Disagreements 

READ 

John 6:41-44 

41 Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”43 But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. 44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.  

Just as seen today, whenever spiritual truth is taught there are some who disagree. Some would rather trust religious leaders instead of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Notice how Jesus answered their doubts. Although Jesus was God in the flesh, people doubted His teaching because they knew His physical family. Jesus rebuked them by telling them to stop complaining. Then He explained again what the Father’s part was in the salvation of a person. And notice, He again said that the person must “come to” Him.  

REFLECT 

Have you had some people doubt what you have said about eternal matters because they knew your family? What is an example? 

RESPOND 

Read Proverbs 6:16-19 that tells of seven things the Lord hates. The last one is, “a person who sows discord in a family.” What would your response be if Jesus told you, “Stop complaining”?  

Taught by God 

READ 

John 6:45-47 

45 “As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.) 47 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life.” 

Notice who Jesus says comes to the Father: those who read the Scriptures and are taught by God.  For one to learn from God results in that person coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. Especially observe what is necessary to become right with God: it is for anyone who “believes.” That person has eternal life. Nothing said here about church attendance or good works to give one eternal life; only believing in the Jesus as Savior. 

REFLECT 

In this modern age, some debate what truth is. Some base what they think is truth on their feelings. Far better to rely on what the Lord Jesus Christ said. Anyone who believes in Him has eternal life. 

RESPOND 

For those you speak to who are relying on some form of good works to make them right with God, remind them of what Ephesians 2:8-9 say. Review these verses so it is easy for you to recite them as you witness about salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The Offered Bread 

READ  

John 6:48-51 

48 “Yes, I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 50 Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” 

Even those who ate the miracle food in the desert eventually died. But the Lord Jesus who is “the bread of life” offers miracle food that those who believe will never die. Then he said something that has resulted in controversy throughout church history: the bread to which He was referring was His flesh. And it caused controversy to his audience at the time. 

REFLECT 

When talking about spiritual matters, some have only their notions of what is truth. What is your authority when you give an opinion about how to get right with God? Do you just say what you think or do you cite what Jesus said? 

RESPOND 

With the disciple with whom you are working, search out as many verses as you can that tell people how to be saved eternally. Use any study helps you have available. 

Flesh and Blood 

READ 

John 6:52-54 

52 Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked. 53 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54 But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day.  

The Jewish people to whom Jesus was talking knew the Old Testament forbade the eating of flesh with the lifeblood in it. Surely they would have known what God clearly instructed in Genesis 9:4 and in other places, “You must never eat any meat that still has the lifeblood in it.” And now here is Jesus saying they must eat His flesh and drink His blood. What could He possibly mean? The apostle Paul wrote, “When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16). 

REFLECT 

As you participate in a communion service, do you keep in mind that the cup and bread are symbols representing the blood and body of the Lord Jesus that He sacrificed on the cross?  

RESPOND 

Read 1 Corinthians 11 beginning with verse 17 and following that gives instructions about the Lord’s Supper. Are you following these instructions?