John 6:35,41-51
'I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.' (6:51)
The idea of eternal life, the promise of divine reward, and the sense that there is more to life than the few years on this earth has been part of many cultures and civilizations. The concept of how life beyond this earth is attained varies significantly.
For some cultures our eternal destiny is at the whim of the gods, in others eternity is to be earned. Christianity is different. Access to eternal life is through Jesus. Christians do not have to offer sacrifices to flatter the gods nor do they have to follow rules and regulations that prove their devotion. Christians are followers of Jesus. We believe that his death is the sacrifice for our sins - no more sacrifices are needed. Living in harmony with Jesus' teaching will reflect our trust in him.
The passage for today focuses on dialogue between Jesus and the 'Jews' (here referring to the leaders and local authorities). For these people and all faithful Jews the divine provision of 'manna' in the wilderness was part of their history. God had provided in a way that ensured the survival of their nation. Bread/manna was the salvation of Israel, and ensured the nations continued existence.
Offensive as it was to the Jews, Jesus statement that he was the 'bread of heaven' and that believing in him opened the door to eternal life is at the heart of the Christian faith.
What we must all remember is that 'believing in Jesus' is much more than just claiming salvation and eternal life in his name. Believing in Jesus means trusting him for salvation, and building your life on his teaching, making decisions in accordance with Jesus values, and treating others with the compassion, understanding and honesty of Jesus.
Saying "I believe that Jesus is my Saviour" is one thing, living in a way that shows it is another.
Other Readings:
2 Sam 18:5-9,15.31-33
Eph 4:25-5:2
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment