John
6:41-47 “The drawing of the Father”
(John
My translation of this verse: Therefore
the Jews murmured (peri) about Him
because He said “I am the bread, the one which came down from heaven.”
Murmur means:
to complain in a low tone or in private.
These Jews
had come to Jesus from across the
Murmuring is rude behavior. Instead of complaining in a low tone about
someone you should simply address them to their face and tell them you
complaint. It is God’s rule for us to go
to a brother alone when he has offended us and confront him that between the
two of you the problem may be resolved.
It is totally inappropriate for you to complain to others about someone
else. If these men had a problem with
what Jesus had said they should have voiced it openly and directly to Jesus.
The thing that has offended them is
Jesus claim that He is God. This claim
has caused many in this world to stumble.
Many refuse to believe that Jesus is God. They claim Him to be only a prophet of God or
perhaps just a notable philosopher. If
Jesus is God, and He is, then the majority of today’s religions are completely
false. Grouped together Hinduism,
Buddhism, Mormonism, Islamism, Christian Scientism, and Jehovah’s witnesses are
by population the largest religious groups in the world. All of these are to be properly labeled false
religion for they do not accept Jesus Christ as God in human flesh. These men who are murmuring against Jesus
also fall into this same group. All those
who deny that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God and God dwelling in
human flesh are false religions.
Refusing to accept Jesus as the
bread from heaven which is to refuse to accept Him as the only savior of the
world is a dangerous action. There is
not salvation in any other for there is none other name given among men where
by we must be saved.
(John
6:42) And they said, Is
not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
The problem these men have is a lack
of faith. Without faith it is impossible
to please God for those that would come to God must believe that He is and that
He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. It seems odd that men could see the works of
Jesus and not believe that He is God.
Nicodemus had seen the works of Jesus and concluded that He must have
come from God. Jesus proceeded to help
him by showing him how to be saved.
Unlike these people Nicodemus believed.
He had to set aside his desire to see proof and to have something he
could touch and feel as evidence. He had
to trust in God. When he believed God,
just like with Abraham, God counted it to him for righteousness. In other words God gave Nicodemus the
righteousness of Jesus Christ the moment He believed.
(John
6:43) Jesus therefore answered and said
unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
Jesus rebukes these men for their
actions. They should not murmur. They need to take their concern to
Jesus. These men lack faith. The evidence is abundant and clear that Jesus
is the Christ of God. The prophets had
foretold that He would be called Emanuel which means “God with us.” David knew that the Christ would be God in
human flesh for he, in spirit, called Him Lord.
My daughter one time came to me with
a question. She placed a piece of paper
on the coffee table and she asked me to watch the paper. She bowed her head for a moment of silent prayer. She said “I asked the Lord to move that piece
of paper and it did not move. I believe
that He can do this but why did He not move the paper? Did God need that paper to move? I
asked. Is it not enough that you know
that He can move that paper if it would further His cause? I reached down and moved the paper. I said: “There the paper moved. Your request has been granted and your prayer
has been answered.” My daughter wanted
sight not faith. There are many today
who want a religion of sight. They want
to see or feel something tangible before they will believe. If you are going to please God you will have
to come to Him through faith. Miracles
can be reasoned away. Miracles are
deniable. Men are saved by the grace of
God through faith in Jesus Christ.
(John
6:44) No man can come to me, except the
Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Draw = 1. to cause to move in a particular direction by or as if by a
pulling force; pull; drag(often fol. by along, away, in, out, or off). 3. to bring toward oneself or itself, as by inherent force;
attract: The sale drew large crowds.
The drawing of the Father is vital
to salvation. No man can come to me
Jesus said. The Father takes the word
and sends His Holy Spirit to the lost sinner and shows him his lost
condition. He tells him of the consequences
of his sin and paints a picture of hell and damnation so real that fear and
sorrow for sin floods the soul. He then
tells him of a heaven so wonderful and pardon so freely available to all who
will repent and believe. The draw is
that of leaving ones guilt of sin behind and receiving pardon and
forgiveness. This draw or attraction
comes only to those who will believe.
Without faith they will dismiss this wonderful truth as a lie. Without faith they will deny their guilt of
sin and refuse to accept the truth of the consequences of their sin.
The draw or attraction is so
profound to think that we may go from condemned, unclean sinners who deserve
the fires of Hell to a pure, sanctified and holy people who will be raised up
and changed into incorruptible saints of God.
The difference between those who are drawn and those who are not is
faith.
(1 John 5:10) He that
believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not
God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of
his Son.
(John
6:45) It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore
that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
They are
Taught of God the Father through the scriptures and taught of God the Son by
Jesus Himself. Jesus refers to scripture
here in this text.
(Isaiah 54:13) And
all thy children [shall be] taught of the LORD; and great [shall be] the peace
of thy children.
The
Prophet Isaiah foretold that God would come in the flesh and teach the
people. Jesus is God and thus fulfils
this prophecy. These people should have
and could have known the scriptures. God
did not surprise them with His coming in the flesh. He had told them in the scriptures that He
Himself would come. There is no excuse
for these men not to know that God was coming to teach them. Every man that has heard with and ear of
faith and has learned about the Father and His plan for the salvation of men
will come to Jesus and accept Him as savior.
The implication of this statement is that these men had not heard nor
had they learned the scriptures true meaning for they would not accept Jesus
and would turn away and follow Him no more.
(John 6:46)
Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath
seen the Father.
Jesus clarifies what is meant here
by the phrase “taught of God.” It does
not mean that God the Father Himself has appeared unto men and taught
them. Jesus is the only one who has seen
the Father. The Father has taught men
through His prophets and will teaches men through His
Son. God does not appear to the eyes of
men in order for them to believe. Sight
is the opposite of faith. God the Father
has placed before men ample proof of who He is and He has given men precious
promises in which they can trust and depend.
(John
6:47) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He
that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Here is the drawing of the
Father. In exchange for your repentance
and willingness to trust in Jesus Christ as your savior you receive everlasting
life. Men generally fear death. Death is fearful and men cling to life
because the do not want to die. If man
could find the fountain of youth and live forever they certainly would. Jesus here promises everlasting life to those
who believe. It must be emphasized that
God requires faith. You will have to
believe in order to receive. Believe that
you are a sinner. Believe that you are
condemned to eternal punishment and separation from God. Believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins
and that He can and will save you if you will ask from your heart Him to
forgive you and have mercy on your soul.
Conclusion:
The person who is
saved is,
1. drawn by the Father;
2. hears his
instructions;
3. accepts the salvation offered;
4. is given to Christ
Jesus, that he may be justified by faith;
5. is nourished by the
bread of life;
6. perseveres in the faith;
7. is not lost, but is raised up at the last
day; and
8. is made a partaker
of eternal life.