John 6: 28
” Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’”
Do you ever feel like people just aren’t listening? Do you hear someone ask a question and then wonder why because you have already told them the answer? In verse 27 Jesus tells the crowd following him, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life…” What they heard was the reference to “working” for food. So they ask Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
The Jewish mindset was very much oriented around “works:” doing what the law requires. They jump to the conclusion that Jesus wants them to do some kind of special thing so that he will want to stay around and heal the sick and feed everybody. What would you give for a free pass to be healed of whatever is wrong with you? Many people would give almost anything. These people were ready to “do” whatever Jesus told them to.
What they didn’t hear was the rest of what Jesus had said: “…which the son of man will give you.” Jesus wants to give us food that endures to eternal life. Yet he did refer to working for that food.
Q: What kind of “work” does Jesus want us to do?
Believe that Jesus is our Christ and savior, follow his teaching, believe he died on the cross for all sins forever, he rose from the dead, is coming again (soon?!), he will defeat the evil one and establish a Thousand Year Reign on Earth. We must also “work” by studying the word and believing it is truth sent by God…. And I could go on but this isn’t 6-minute Bible is it 😉
Thanks Phil!!
It may be a three minute Bible study but there is always room for more!! 🙂
Matthew 6:33 Amplified Bible (AMP)
33 But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.
Good comments here… well, obviously the work for salvation is done. It is not something we do but something given by grace. As followers of Jesus there are works we do to glorify His name (Ephesians 2: 10; Matthew 5: 16). We know there are passages like Micah 6: 8 that tell us God requires His people to do justice and love mercy and walk humbly with God. But personally, I like how Jesus summed it up in Matthew 22: 37 – 40: Love God and love others as ourselves.
I agree with the summary Rich pointed out that Jesus gave as the summary of the Law and following Him: Love God & Love Others. The work of those who are saved is akin to the work of their savior – as Jesus loved so should we.