In the previous passage Jesus responded to their request for
a sign to prove who He claimed to be arising from a discussion of God’s
provision of manna to His people under the leadership of Moses. Jesus said that
the Father had provided that daily bread and that the Father had also sent Him
as the Bread of Life who would give eternal life to all that believed in Him.
Yet, as we see in our first verse for today, the people having seen Jesus still
did not believe. The signs, as incredible as they were, were not enough for the
people to see and know and believe.
In response Jesus clearly stated His relationship with the
Father and how their wills were aligned perfectly to accomplish what Jesus had
told them He had been sent to accomplish. The result is that we have recorded
for us today a passage full of assurance. It is full of the assurance of Jesus
that the Father did send the Son. Jesus also assured His listeners that He, as
the Son, was faithfully completing the will of the Father, and He assured them
that the work He was going to accomplish would never fail in those who as a
result of having seen Him believed.
“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever
comes to Me I will never cast out.” There is much that can be said about this
verse which we won’t even tap here. Tony Evans in his book, “Theology You Can
Count On” wrote, “We as believers were promised or given to Christ by His
Father in eternity past. … Every Christian is a gift from God the Father to God
the Son.” What an incredible thing it is to know that God the Father loved us
so much that He would give us to His Son, and that God the Son loves us so much
that He would give Himself to complete the transaction by giving Himself on the
cross for our sins. Every single one who comes to Christ was given to Him by
the Father without a single one missing. And every single one who is given to
Christ is fully accepted by Him and will never be cast aside.
Jesus made a strong statement that He would complete the
purpose for which He was sent and not a single person who was given to Him by
the Father would be lost. Furthermore there is absolutely nothing or no one who
could snatch us from His hand as we read Jesus saying in John 10:28, “I give
them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out
of My hand.” (John 10:28, ESV)
“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.” Being
His also means that we will be with Him for eternity. Sure, unless he comes
prior to our physical death we all will die in our bodies, but Scripture
assures us that when we step out of these bodies that we then step into His
presence, and it also tells us that one day we will all be given bodies that
are not made with human hands which are eternal in the heavens. Though it
appears there may be a time between the two (spirit and body), both are assured
as being certain.
“For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being
burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed,
so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” (2 Corinthians 5:4, ESV) Our
bodies may be placed in the ground, but for believers our spirit lives in
another realm—in the presence of God. Then one day we will be clothed. “But our
citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power
that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20–21,
ESV)
“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks
on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him
up on the last day.” Everyone who looks on the Son and believes is the crux of
salvation. People are presented with Christ either in person as we see recorded
in the Scriptures, through His Word, or by the word of one of His (Christians)
and they then must make a decision regarding their own belief in Him. The crowd
saw the works of Christ, they heard His claims, and they did not believe. Some
may have believed, but most from the words of Scripture did not believe. And
for those who died not believing, Scripture tells us that judgment awaits them
as a certain thing. But for all who believe they are saved, and their salvation
is absolutely certain. Jesus will not fail in this. There will be no mistakes. Think
of this, as one who has trusted in Christ for your salvation you are not a
mistake over whom God will change His mind or Christ will let us loose.
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor
rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor
depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the
love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39, ESV)
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