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John 6:41-71
Jesus is from God (v. 41-42)
Jesus’ body is given for the world (v. 48).
You receive the life of Christ when you receive his words by faith, which only comes as the gift of God (v. 63).
We eat and drink Christ when we receive his word with believing hearts, abiding in him.
On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— 23 however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks— 24 when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”
26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor 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.”
28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
30 Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”
32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me,that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:22-40
“…Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.
16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19 So when they had rowed about [c]three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going” (John 6:1–21).
“…24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have )life in Himself, 27 and )has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. 30I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me…” (John 5:17–47)
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The most famous blessing of the Old Testament is the Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6. Here, the Lord, through Moses, gives to Aaron the blessing that he will use to bless the children of Israel. This blessing inspired the hope in many that God’s people would be able to see his face. This became a mystical quest in the medieval era – the beatific vision. And it drives many modern Christians to haphazardly urge one another to “look to Jesus,” without any real understanding of what that might mean.
Asaph, the psalmist, picks up on this idea of God’s favor being revealed by God’s face shining on you. If his face shines on you, then you will be saved. In this Psalm we see a few more things revealed about what will happen when God’s face shines. First, it will happen when God returns to his people. And you will know when God returns to his people, because his people will return (repent) to God. Second, it will happen when the hand of God is on the man of his right hand, the Son of Man, made strong to save by the power of God himself. And lastly, the result will be the shining of the face of God and the salvation of God’s people.
Paul explains that it is in Christ that the veil is taken away and the glory of God is seen by God’s people in the shining face of Jesus Christ (Mat. 17:2). This is the message that Christmas announces (Is. 9:2). And it is why Christmas should be celebrated with lights everywhere.
Paul makes clear that the beatific vision is something that happens in the heart of the believer. You see the shining face of Christ when you come to God in faith. As Psalm 80 teaches, you come to God with a divinely prompted repentance, he reveals Christ in your heart, and you experience his tremendous salvation. And this light you carry about in your heart, like one of Gideon’s earthen pots, carrying the torch inside that announces the victory of Christ’s army.
Christ Church