For a full description of the (Y3) reading plan, see the “About” page.
- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
John 6
I like what Jesus told the people when they asked what they needed to do to perform the works of God. “Jesus replied, ‘This is the work of God – that you believe in the one He has sent.’” (Jn. 6:29). That says two related things to me. One is that the work is God’s; we can’t do it. The other is that when we believe, we will perform the works of God because He will do the work in and through us. All we have to do, and what we must do, is believe. Sadly, so many can’t even manage that.
John made it clear that the people asking these questions either knew of or directly experienced the miraculous feeding and were also aware that they couldn’t explain Jesus’ appearance in Capernaum. Yet when He told them to believe, they asked for a sign. Goes to show we can’t even do the believe part without God’s help. Jesus even said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (Jn. 6:44a). I firmly believe God gives us free choice, so I can’t say how all of that works. What I do know, however, is that we can’t even take the first step without God’s help. Thus, we truly have no bragging rights in our salvation at all. We can’t even take pride in our own belief, but can only give praise to our merciful Father, who graciously gives us His kingdom.