Living Bread from Heaven – John 6:44-51

This text promised to be a fun one to decipher from the first sentence to the last. Where are the biblical literalists when you need them? The first verses take the pressure off me as a preacher/pastor. The Father is the ultimate power in drawing people to Jesus, not me. Because the Father is all-knowing and all-wise, every person God chooses to draw to Jesus accepts Jesus. If not, then God has failed and God doesn’t fail. Humans fail. I’m not sure we are privy to the election/choosing decisions of God, at least not yet. To be drawn to Jesus is to hear good news about Him. According to Luther, people came to Jesus because they heard He was a powerful healer, that He cared about them and was willing to help them. This is our single best evangelism tool: our stories of how Jesus has helped us in powerful ways with exceptional timing. God wants to do this for everyone. Others can experience the same. This is the good news. Luther says this text is about trust in Christ that saves us in God’s way, which is different from the way we plan. The right way is through Jesus, while the wrong was is through the Law. Human plans for salvation are always about heaven when we die. Does God have another plan? Brother Martin says we must lose faith in ourselves and our good works in order to trust in Christ. In fact, nothing is asked of us except trust in Jesus. That sounds pretty easy, not to have to do anything. However, if you believe someone died in your place while successfully pushing you out of the path of a subway car (or snatched you out of the jaws of eternal hell), you are not going to diss that person and live like it doesn’t make any difference. Your life would never be the same. Those who trust Jesus has done this for them have eternal life. There’s that ‘eternal life’ phrase again. In biblical days, this was a reference to the quality of life only God could give you, now and never-ending. Why? Because one’s relationship with Jesus is up close and personal. Luther says St. Paul teaches that “if we only knew and understood what God is, then you would already be saved, gaining love for Him and doing only what is pleasing to God. Our goal ought to be to increase in the knowledge of God” (#7). And this knowledge of God only comes from God (who is also God’s Son). Jesus said in John 5:24, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my words and believes [trusts] Him who sent me has [not WILL have] eternal life and will not be condemned; he has [not WILL] crossed over from death to life." When Luther talks about preaching the Law and the Gospel, he means to tell how the Law shows us we are sinful and displeasing to God. We aren’t to push following the Law because we can’t. The Law reveals why we need a Savior, not more than that. Otherwise, the Law can make us despair and have no hope. That’s why the Gospel 'must come quickly': “Christ teaches those who come to Him that God is nothing but a very gracious Savior who wants to be gracious and merciful to all who call on Him” (10). Luther likens partaking of the bread of heaven to having faith in Christ. When we have accepted Him to ourselves, we love our neighbor like a brother, we accept everyone as he is, speaking evil of no one, finding joy and pleasure in serving him. Fruits are always the evidence of faith that is real. Peace - PWM