Proper 14: Gospel, John 6:35-51                                                      

John 6:35-51

Jesus is giving us wondrous words about His identity this week. “I am the bread of life” (v.35). In fact this section has become popularly known as the “ Bread of Life Discourse.” Rightly so. And while this section doesn’t give to us the “how-tos” of the practice of Holy Communion, it’s impossible not to take from these words of Jesus some of the delight given as we kneel at the rail. “And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (v. 51). Unmistakable.

But Jesus refers to doing “the will of him who sent me” in this passage. And that is where I would like us to focus today. If we hearken back to the teaching of the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew, we remember that the third petition given to us for prayer is “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10b). And at least here we get to see that the will of God has something to do with us: those who believe in the Bread of Life. Jesus says here, “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day” (6:39). 

Now there are many and varied elements to the will of God. But the glimpse shared here makes my heart race. God wants me to get all the way home to His house. And He is watching that those who follow the Son should stay on the path behind Him and find safe travels to that destination. And here I think it appropriate to remember that this will of heaven is not set against our own. It is as I would refer to it, a contest nearly, between my often wayward will and the Father’s wooing will.

The Spirit calls us by the gospel, sets the invitation and the table and feeds us on the bread He has provided in the Son. The Father lovingly attends, looking on and “cheering” if you will. I know this isn’t specific to our text, but I think it is a fair representation.

The Father wants us, all of us, to arrive safely home. It is His will.