John 6:28-29
28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
Observations for Living Today:
This question and answer is part of an ongoing dialogue between Jesus and the crowd following Him. People are interested in the message Jesus brought them: “The kingdom of God is near—Repent and believe the good news!” This was not the first time they heard Jesus’ message. He had made Capernaum His home, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa 9:1-2; Mt 4:13-17) and the people there liked what He taught one year earlier to the point they tried to keep Him from leaving (Lk 4:31-44; Mk 1:21-38; 2:1-12). Those in the crowd of 5,000 fed the day before liked what He said so much they tried to make Him king by force, following Him to Capernaum to hear more of His message (Jn 6:22-25).
The question is a genuine search for truth related to His message of repentance. The people were not hostile toward Jesus nor were they trying to trap Him like some of the religious leadership (Mt 22: 15, 23 & 34; Mk 12:13, 18 & 28; Lk 20: 20 & 27; Jn 8:1-11). It is clear the additional questions were advancing the dialogue, suggesting they understood Him and His message: repent and do what is right.
Jesus’ answer is not theological theory; it is a practical statement of faith in God. He gave them a response true to their need, an answer to the immediate question, which advanced the dialogue from a general concept to a specific act. The answer also prepared them for understanding a greater truth He was about to give them (Jn 6:43-51). This profound answer when followed to its logical conclusion provides a clear resolution to every problem that ever existed; an eternal holy and righteous solution.
What is the crowd asking and why are they asking it? There is no way to ask them today. It is clear the people in the crowd were drawn to the voice of God and understood the truth presented (cf. Jn 10:3-5, 16 His sheep always hear His voice and are drawn to it). We can surmise they wanted all God had to offer, both in this life and the life to come. Why they wanted to know what God required cannot be confirmed, but what God required of them is clearly the focus of their interest!
This is the second question of their conversation. It is a response to Jesus’ answer to their first question, when He identified their fixation on the unspiritual things of life and counsels them to focus their work efforts on spiritual “food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give” them (Jn 6:27). When Jesus told the crowd to work for food He is going to give them He connected the concept of God’s food and work to daily life: “Man does not live on bread (food) alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). Jesus had explained this idea to His disciples once when they urged Him take some time to eat something, telling them He had food they did not know about, specifically, the food sustaining Him, was to do the will of Him who sent Him (Jn 4:31-38). He believed and lived His life knowing just as mankind cannot live without food; his life also depends on every word coming from the mouth of God.
Jesus’ answer is about how believing God applies to everyday life. Jesus knew what and why they asked this question and gave them the answer they needed. He answered their plural question in the singular: the “work” of God is to do this one thing—believe the one God sent (Dt 18:14-22). The answer is simple to understand and is not one of theological dogma: if you do this one thing, you will be able to do all things God requires and be found pleasing in His sight; a singular effort or type of action producing a cascading affecting all your endeavors. His answer was not concerned with the form of religion, but brings into focus the power of religion—what man believes about God connects him with his Father in Heaven (Mt 15:1-20).
God was not pleased with the established practice (form) of religion—His intent was not to be worshipped by temple sacrifices and offerings, these being a shadow of the reality to come (Col 2:16-17; Heb 8:5); rather, God desired one who would do His will (Heb 10:1-10; Jer 31:33-34; Ps 40:6-8). The result of pleasing God, more specifically, the act of believing God, is far reaching—making one acceptable to God—reconciled and restored! Cain was told if he did what is right it would be okay—he’d be accepted (Gen 4:1-8). To those God loved He sent messengers to say, act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God (Mic 6:6-8) and He would remember those who honored His Name making them righteous (Mal 3:16-4:6). When one believes “the one God sent” he is doing what God requires and he pleases God.
Reality in Christ:
God reveals Himself through those who believe Him. In .the past this was through many prophets at various times, but in this last time He revealed Himself through His Son (Heb 1:3). Jesus prayed, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (Jn 17:4-5). When Jesus believed God, God was able to live (speak words and do works) through Him in a way we were able to accept and understand without perishing, just as He promised the Israelites who gathered at the foot of Mount Horeb. God did this because the people asked not to have to hear the voice of God nor see the fire of His presence again for fear of dying (Ex 20:18-23; Deut 5:22-33; 18:14-22).
God reveals Himself through those who do His will (Mt 7:21-27), that is, those who believe the words of the one He sent. Jesus told us we would be like Him in this way: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (Jn 14:9-13)
The work Jesus did and expects His followers to continue is simple: believe God and do what is right. Jesus said the world must learn something--“I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me” (Jn 14:31). Jesus loved the Father by believing what the Father said. He believed God and if I believe Jesus, I show I love God too! How much I believe God is reflected in how much I love HIM! I can measure how much I love God by looking at three things: how well I know the words coming from the mouth of God, how true I am to doing what I hear, and how aware I am of what God has done for me.
How well I know what God said reflects how important He is to me. When I have to make a decision about anything, I ask myself would God be pleased with what I’m about to do? If I do not know how God expects me to behave, I do not know God and I’m in extreme danger—I need to find out before I act. How I behave is in fact a reflection of who my Father is (Jn 8:34-47). Jesus taught we hear and know what our Father says and we obey our Father because we love Him: “He who belongs to God hears what God says.” And if I do not, “The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
How well I do what I heard God say reflects how much love Him. The Apostle John described how this Reality in Christ would look in our daily living by repeating the message Jesus gave us about sinning (1 Jn 1:5-10; 2:1-6; 3:1-10):
* If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
* If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
* If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
* The man who says, "I know Him," but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him.
* This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.
* No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning.
* No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.
* The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.
* No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
* This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
How well aware I am of what He has done for me determines the intensity of my love for God. Jesus’ parable on who loved more illustrates this truth (Lk 7:36-50).
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is — that she is a sinner."
40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said.
41 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
43 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven — for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
50 Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
This woman heard the message God spoke through the one He sent and believed it (Lk 7:28-29). She knew who she was and what she had done, but she also believed Jesus’ message: God loved her, would forgive her and would welcome her into His presence. Reality in Christ—He is not ashamed to call you part of His family. What great love God has shown by providing a big brother to help in every way we need (Heb 2:5-18). Now we are part of God’s family and in the same way Jesus learned obedience doing the Father’s will and was blessed, so we can please God by believing and trusting His character (Heb 5:7-14).
Want to know God, see/hear Him more and love Him more? Find out what God said from the one who heard it; then believe it by living it!
28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
Observations for Living Today:
This question and answer is part of an ongoing dialogue between Jesus and the crowd following Him. People are interested in the message Jesus brought them: “The kingdom of God is near—Repent and believe the good news!” This was not the first time they heard Jesus’ message. He had made Capernaum His home, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa 9:1-2; Mt 4:13-17) and the people there liked what He taught one year earlier to the point they tried to keep Him from leaving (Lk 4:31-44; Mk 1:21-38; 2:1-12). Those in the crowd of 5,000 fed the day before liked what He said so much they tried to make Him king by force, following Him to Capernaum to hear more of His message (Jn 6:22-25).
The question is a genuine search for truth related to His message of repentance. The people were not hostile toward Jesus nor were they trying to trap Him like some of the religious leadership (Mt 22: 15, 23 & 34; Mk 12:13, 18 & 28; Lk 20: 20 & 27; Jn 8:1-11). It is clear the additional questions were advancing the dialogue, suggesting they understood Him and His message: repent and do what is right.
Jesus’ answer is not theological theory; it is a practical statement of faith in God. He gave them a response true to their need, an answer to the immediate question, which advanced the dialogue from a general concept to a specific act. The answer also prepared them for understanding a greater truth He was about to give them (Jn 6:43-51). This profound answer when followed to its logical conclusion provides a clear resolution to every problem that ever existed; an eternal holy and righteous solution.
What is the crowd asking and why are they asking it? There is no way to ask them today. It is clear the people in the crowd were drawn to the voice of God and understood the truth presented (cf. Jn 10:3-5, 16 His sheep always hear His voice and are drawn to it). We can surmise they wanted all God had to offer, both in this life and the life to come. Why they wanted to know what God required cannot be confirmed, but what God required of them is clearly the focus of their interest!
This is the second question of their conversation. It is a response to Jesus’ answer to their first question, when He identified their fixation on the unspiritual things of life and counsels them to focus their work efforts on spiritual “food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give” them (Jn 6:27). When Jesus told the crowd to work for food He is going to give them He connected the concept of God’s food and work to daily life: “Man does not live on bread (food) alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). Jesus had explained this idea to His disciples once when they urged Him take some time to eat something, telling them He had food they did not know about, specifically, the food sustaining Him, was to do the will of Him who sent Him (Jn 4:31-38). He believed and lived His life knowing just as mankind cannot live without food; his life also depends on every word coming from the mouth of God.
Jesus’ answer is about how believing God applies to everyday life. Jesus knew what and why they asked this question and gave them the answer they needed. He answered their plural question in the singular: the “work” of God is to do this one thing—believe the one God sent (Dt 18:14-22). The answer is simple to understand and is not one of theological dogma: if you do this one thing, you will be able to do all things God requires and be found pleasing in His sight; a singular effort or type of action producing a cascading affecting all your endeavors. His answer was not concerned with the form of religion, but brings into focus the power of religion—what man believes about God connects him with his Father in Heaven (Mt 15:1-20).
God was not pleased with the established practice (form) of religion—His intent was not to be worshipped by temple sacrifices and offerings, these being a shadow of the reality to come (Col 2:16-17; Heb 8:5); rather, God desired one who would do His will (Heb 10:1-10; Jer 31:33-34; Ps 40:6-8). The result of pleasing God, more specifically, the act of believing God, is far reaching—making one acceptable to God—reconciled and restored! Cain was told if he did what is right it would be okay—he’d be accepted (Gen 4:1-8). To those God loved He sent messengers to say, act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God (Mic 6:6-8) and He would remember those who honored His Name making them righteous (Mal 3:16-4:6). When one believes “the one God sent” he is doing what God requires and he pleases God.
Reality in Christ:
God reveals Himself through those who believe Him. In .the past this was through many prophets at various times, but in this last time He revealed Himself through His Son (Heb 1:3). Jesus prayed, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (Jn 17:4-5). When Jesus believed God, God was able to live (speak words and do works) through Him in a way we were able to accept and understand without perishing, just as He promised the Israelites who gathered at the foot of Mount Horeb. God did this because the people asked not to have to hear the voice of God nor see the fire of His presence again for fear of dying (Ex 20:18-23; Deut 5:22-33; 18:14-22).
God reveals Himself through those who do His will (Mt 7:21-27), that is, those who believe the words of the one He sent. Jesus told us we would be like Him in this way: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (Jn 14:9-13)
The work Jesus did and expects His followers to continue is simple: believe God and do what is right. Jesus said the world must learn something--“I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me” (Jn 14:31). Jesus loved the Father by believing what the Father said. He believed God and if I believe Jesus, I show I love God too! How much I believe God is reflected in how much I love HIM! I can measure how much I love God by looking at three things: how well I know the words coming from the mouth of God, how true I am to doing what I hear, and how aware I am of what God has done for me.
How well I know what God said reflects how important He is to me. When I have to make a decision about anything, I ask myself would God be pleased with what I’m about to do? If I do not know how God expects me to behave, I do not know God and I’m in extreme danger—I need to find out before I act. How I behave is in fact a reflection of who my Father is (Jn 8:34-47). Jesus taught we hear and know what our Father says and we obey our Father because we love Him: “He who belongs to God hears what God says.” And if I do not, “The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
How well I do what I heard God say reflects how much love Him. The Apostle John described how this Reality in Christ would look in our daily living by repeating the message Jesus gave us about sinning (1 Jn 1:5-10; 2:1-6; 3:1-10):
* If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
* If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
* If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
* The man who says, "I know Him," but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him.
* This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.
* No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning.
* No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.
* The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.
* No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
* This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
How well aware I am of what He has done for me determines the intensity of my love for God. Jesus’ parable on who loved more illustrates this truth (Lk 7:36-50).
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is — that she is a sinner."
40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said.
41 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
43 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven — for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
50 Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
This woman heard the message God spoke through the one He sent and believed it (Lk 7:28-29). She knew who she was and what she had done, but she also believed Jesus’ message: God loved her, would forgive her and would welcome her into His presence. Reality in Christ—He is not ashamed to call you part of His family. What great love God has shown by providing a big brother to help in every way we need (Heb 2:5-18). Now we are part of God’s family and in the same way Jesus learned obedience doing the Father’s will and was blessed, so we can please God by believing and trusting His character (Heb 5:7-14).
Want to know God, see/hear Him more and love Him more? Find out what God said from the one who heard it; then believe it by living it!
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