Today's Lesson

To this crowd of unbelievers who seek only signs and magic, Jesus declares Himself to be the bread of life come down from the Father in heaven. He is the living water that, having drunk, one will never thirst again. And yet, He knows full well that many will reject this gift of God. Jesus does not consider this a new teaching. These men have also rejected Moses, in the true sense that Moses wrote in. They have rejected the sovereignty of God. These are the same types of men who grumbled in the wilderness and killed the prophets. They do not accept God's authority or His prophets, so they will not accept the Son.

But, there are some that do accept the Son. These are those whom the Father has given to the Son. Notice once more, to Jesus, God is the prime mover. First, the Father gives all that will come to the Son. Then they come. God acts, and God acts first. Those that the Father gives the Son will not be lost. They shall all be raised on the last day. It is the will of the Father and the will of the Son.

Jesus states that He has come down from heaven not to do His own will, but to accomplish the will of the Father. This is why the Father and Son are united. Their wills are completely consistent and cooperative with one another. There is no competition between the Father and the Son or any friction. And, so it should be with all the people of God. The will of the Father and the Son are locked onto the greater goal and the inevitable end. They do not quibble over shortsighted goals because they are united in the long-term goals. When the people of God work toward the same goals and have the same purpose and will as the Father, then we too will work free of friction.

So, what are we to take from this passage other than the unity of the Father and the Son? What should this passage mean to us? First, there should be a great security here for the believer. The Father has placed our future and security into the hands of the Son. It is the duty and responsibility of the Son to deliver the people of God and to raise them up on the last day. If we place our complete faith and trust in Jesus Christ, it is His duty to deliver us. We may fail, repeatedly. But, Christ will never fail. There may be times when we do not understand what God is trying to accomplish in our lives. There may be times when we feel deserted and put on the shelf. But, we can always take solace that we are in the hands of the Lamb of God who has taken away the sin of the world.

Second, we can find comfort and security in knowing that our place with the Father is based on His relationship with the Son. Because the Son is always in complete unity with the Father, then my place is secure, for I am part of His body. If my relationship with the Father is based on my own obedience or the strength of my faith then I am in deep trouble. But, my relationship with the Father is based on the obedience of Jesus Christ. His life has already been judged righteous by the Father. His resurrection is proof that His sacrifice was acceptable to the Father. It is a certainty that all that come to the Father through Christ will be accepted.

There is no more secure position than to be in the hands of Jesus of Nazareth. In whose hands do you rest today?