BH Bulletin - Friday 19 March 2021

Thought for the Day by Matt Jones (Associate Minister for Music)

​“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life.” John 6:44-48
 
Quick context: Jesus has just fed the 5000, a miracle that reminds the people of what Moses did in the desert, and they are suddenly clamouring for him to give them more. In fact, they want to make him King (v14) and overthrow their oppressive overlords.
 
Jesus has just told the people “I am the bread of life”. It’s some statement isn’t it: How can belief in a man lead to physical hunger being abated? The people don’t get it. We might miss it ourselves; Jesus is the single and most important thing we need. And not just day to day, but as v40 says, for eternal life.
 
And then we get Jesus’ response to the people after they grumble about his words: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them…”
 
This is challenging isn’t it? It’s a reminder that God is the only one who can open eyes. We can present the most logical and rationale of arguments for belief in God, live a moral and upstanding life, but however much we may try, only God can draw people to himself.
 
I don’t want that to be a discouragement for us in our evangelism! Rather the opposite, that it would spur us to pray. Particularly for family members and friends whom we would desperately love to see turn to Christ. Pray verse 44, that the Father would draw those for whom we pray, so that Jesus may raise them at the last day for eternal life with him.

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