A Word from Pastor Stephen – May 5, 2020

“Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’”(John 6:28-29 NRSV)

Just before this passage of scripture Jesus performed the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. The crowd was so impressed they wanted to seize him and make him king, so Jesus withdraws. However, the crowds follow Jesus and catch up to him on the other side of the sea at Capernaum. They want to know how they can perform the works of God. Jesus reminds them what the true work of God is by simply stating “that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Jesus is not calling us to do grand and spectacular things. He is not calling us to be noticed or admired by people. Jesus does not require us to perform a battery of tests to win His love and approval. Jesus does not oblige us to pass a test on church doctrine and theology. Mother Teresa said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

Right before our passage Jesus reminds the people, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (Jn 6:27) I know the church can complicate being a Christian so much of the time, but Jesus always boils everything down to its essence. He plainly tells them to “believe in him whom he has sent.” That’s it. That is doing the work of God. So the primary work of life is simply to believe in Jesus Christ and then trying our best to follow in His footsteps. Amen.