Oct 14 - John 6:39

Jesus said,

And this is the will of him who sent me,

that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me,

but raise it up on the last day.

John 6:39

One afternoon, raised up bread and fed the five thousand. The next day that same crowd rushed back to him. They hoped for another miracle. But this time Jesus didn't raise bread; he raised instead some important theological issues.

• He told them that he was the bread of life (v 35).
  
• He told them that anyone who comes to him will never be hungry -- spiritually hungry -- again (v 35).
  
• He hints powerfully at a meal that he will share during his final supper on earth, and through this meal, though the disciples don't know it yet, he will institute a perpetual meal/sacrament/blessing in remembrance of him (v 53-56).
  
• Finally he begins to hint that if we keep raising up "this bread," he will raise us up on the last day.

Now, Christians can easily raise up this bread ritualistically, and even when it's mere ritual, it's still important to do this. Indeed, our Lord himself said, "do this." But it's far more than the ritual that imparts the power. It's what's behind the ritual that matters ... faith. Indeed, "believe" is the repeated refrain of Jesus in John 6:

• Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent" (v 29)
  
• Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (v 35)
  
• [Jesus said, "How is it] that you have seen me and yet do not believe?" (v 36)
  
• [Jesus said,] "This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day" (v 40)
  
• [Jesus said,] "Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life" (v 47)
• [Peter said,] "We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God" (v 69) 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who likes fresh bread

but loves the true bread