“Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.””
John 6:27-29 NKJV
The people having a conversation with Jesus, the Jews who had followed Him around the Sea of Galilee, had a noble but potential mission statement – working the works of God. These people had a good understanding of the God of the Old Testament, and wanted to do what He wanted them to do, at least they said they did. But over time their view of God had become mired in rules and regulations, and perhaps they had replaced Him with a “God” more of their own construction. They wanted a God who once again would interact positively in their affairs, feeding them with “manna” and helping them win battles over their belligerent neighbours, or, in their own topical situation, extracting their nation from the clutches of the Roman Empire. So to the Jews, the concept of doing God’s work focussed on the doing. But Jesus once again pointed out the most important “work” – believing in the One standing before them, that He was God’s Son, sent to redeem the people from their sins.
There was another occasion when someone asked Jesus about what they should do and we can find the story in Matthew 19. A rich and religious man came to Jesus to ask what he should do to inherit eternal life. By the Galilean shores, Jesus told the Jews in the crowd to shift their labour, their doing, from working for natural foods to instead working towards eternal life. The rich man was aware of the importance of eternal life but felt a bit unsure about how to get there. To him, Jesus suggested he keep the commandments, going further to spell out which ones. But the rich man still wasn’t satisfied, and asked what else he should do because he had always been diligent in keeping the commandments. There was something inside the man’s heart that lacked the peace and joy that can only come from a relationship with God. Jesus told him to get rid of all the things that were holding him back, selling his “stuff” if necessary, but then we read the poignant conclusion, “But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Matthew 19:22).
To the Jews by the Sea of Galilee, they had very little “stuff” in the first place so all Jesus asked them to do was to believe in Him. Once they had overcome that hurdle they were on the right path. The same question is hanging in the air today. Many people accept that Jesus came to this planet, but very few in our Western cultures actually believe in Him. And what about us pilgrims? Are we cultural Christians, warming the pews, arranging the Sunday flowers, and enjoying the social interactions, or are we a people who believe in the One sent from God? There is a world of a difference, and to get to a point of really believing in Jesus is a choice often riven by doubts.
The declaration of faith we call the Apostles’ Creed starts off, “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord …” And it continues with statements of truth that add up to Jesus’ invitation to “believe in Him whom He sent”. But even then it is possible for people to just go through the motions, paying what is called a “lip service”, saying the words but not really believing them in their hearts. Believing in Jesus is a decision that leads to a lifetime of relationship with the One sent by God.
To say we believe in Jesus is a counter-cultural statement and leads us to a position in society that sets us apart from those around us. Believers have a choice to make – to follow God’s ways or those of the secular society around us. But that is not to say we cut ourselves off from all contact with the lost and helpless. The ethos of showing God’s love to others, regardless of faith, is at the very heart of what God would have us do – showing His love and grace to a lost and dying world. There is no-one else to do it, and, for a believer, there is no-one better equipped.
Dear Lord Jesus. You came to seek and save the lost. There are many such people around us, so please help us to hear You clearly so that we can bring Your message of hope to them. In Your precious name. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 