Forever Life - Pt 3

So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. (John 6:41-48 ESV).

Geese are some of the most curious of migratory birds. I love watching them fly in their v-formation, always hearing them before seeing them. There is always a leader who places themselves in the position of taking the entire flock to the next stop along their route. God is like that for us in our journey of eternal life. This bring us to the most often posed question of “how?” We constantly question how we should or could do some specific task. Jesus was often asked how to gain eternal life. In our reading today, he is very clear: God draws people to Christ. The third stage of experiencing eternal life is in the hearing of the words of eternal life as God draws us to Jesus. In our reading today Jesus says, "No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him" (v. 44). Christ is where eternal life is received. We must come to him if we will have it (cf. John 5:40). The words of life offer it and describe it and tell how to have it and beckon us to it. To attach any effort or mechanism through which we play a role in having eternal life is a serious error. God calls us to Jesus; the Holy Spirit quickens our heart; and, then we have eternal life. Unfortunately, our sin nature causes us to hate the light of life (cf. John 3:20). We don't want to come because we are laid bare and exposed by the light of life. Our only hope is the merciful "drawing" of God. He overcomes our hatred for the light and opens our eyes to start seeing Christ for who he really is. This is the essence of grace. You have seen the bumper stickers, "Start seeing motorcycles." That's not because people aren't seeing them in one sense. It's because they need to see them in another sense. So it is with Christ at a very different level of seriousness. People know about him, but they don't really see him for who he is, or they would be overwhelmed with his greatness and beauty and power and goodness and wisdom and love. If eternal life is going to come into our lives, we have to start seeing Jesus. Take a look at Him today!