August
6, 2000
John 6:24-35 (CEV)
The people saw that Jesus and his disciples had left. Then they
got into the boats and went to Capernaum to look for Jesus. They
found him on the west side of the lake and asked, "Rabbi,
when did you get here?"
Jesus answered, "I tell you for certain that you are not
looking for me because you saw the miracles, but because you ate
all the food you wanted. Don't work for food that spoils. Word
for food that gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give you
this food, because God the Father has given him the right to do
so."
"What exactly does God want us to do?" the people asked.
Jesus answered, "God want you to have faith in the one he
sent."
They replied, "What miracle will you work, so that we can
have faith in you? What will you do? For example, when our ancestors
were in the desert, they were given manna to eat. It happened
just as the Scriptures say, 'God gave them bread from heaven to
eat.'"
Jesus told them, "I tell you for certain that Moses wasn't
the one who gave you bread from heave. My Father is one who gives
you the true bread from heaven. And the bread that God gives is
the one who came down from heaven to give life to the world."
The people said, "Lord, give us this bread and don't ever
stop!"
Jesus replied: "I am the bread that gives life! No one who
comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who has faith in me will
ever be thirsty...."
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1.
"What exactly does God want us to do?" is a key question
of life. It is important to know whether this is being asked rhetorically
(to quote God in support of one's own agenda) or is being asked
lightly (to keep a conversation going) or is being asked culturally
(to get more goodies) or is being asked willingly (willing to
move in the direction of what is heard).
Say aloud, "What exactly does
God want me to do?" How did that feel? How much do you want
a response?
2.
If you desire a response it won't have to do with the logic of
history (moving logically from past to present to future, but
will bring a radical break-through) and it won't have to do with
measurable results (put this creed in and get a Mercedes out)
and it won't have to do with feeding one hunger or addiction or
another (loneliness, excitement, etc.). It will require the life-long
development and redevelopment of spiritual/life disciplines. Ready?
Good! Let's go.
3.
The Christian Community Bible from the Philippines has
this comment:
Jesus becomes our bread when we believe
in him.
In the past, when the Israelites
wandered in the desert and lacked everything, God gave them a
provisional meal, the manna. They has to give thanks to him for
his gifts. But, if God is only our benefactor and we go to him
seeking favours, we will end up concerned only about what God
gives us; we will hardly thank him, and later, we will ask and
complain again.
This is what happened with the Israelites
who, after receiving the manna, rebelled against God and died
in the desert. Material things, although they may come from heaven,
do not make us better nor do they give us true life.
For this reason, God now proposes
something new. The bread that comes down from heaven, is not something,
but someone, and that is Christ. That true bread communicates
eternal life to us, but to receive it, it is necessary to take
a step, that is, to believe in Christ and to make a personal commitment
to him.