John 6:41-44 - Drawing People to Faith

John 6:41-44

41 The Jews therefore were grumbling about Him, because He said, "I am the bread that came down out of heaven." 42 And they were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, "I have come down out of heaven?" 43 Jesus answered and said to them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." 

Message: Drawing People to Faith

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."

What the Lord is Saying: The tension is building. Jesus is in the synagogue (v. 59) speaking to the multitudes and explaining further who He is and how He has come into this world to save people, to give them eternal life. John 3:15 says, "that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life." And as John writes this book and tells of Jesus, Jesus making these assertions of Himself is drawing criticism from many. Jesus continues to speak with purpose, that people need to believe in Him. He has stated that He is the bread, giving eternal life, and people do not need to hunger again. The message is being repeated. Jesus is repeating, "everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life." 

And while the multitudes are present, Jews are also present. And these words are making them feel uneasy and grumble and Jesus brings forth another idea that "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him." As I have seen before, the Spirit must draw people. The Father must draw people to this belief in Jesus being the bread, the bread of life, that takes away people's sin. People must be born again (John 3:7) and born of the Spirit (John 3:8). 

This continues to be an incredible statement and piece of doctrine that no one comes to God on their own accord, but one must be drawn. And after being rightly drawn, that person will not be lost. In verse 39 Jesus said, "All that He has given Me I lose nothing." None that come to Jesus will ever be lost. So two natural thoughts come to mind - 1. I do know of people that have come to the Lord, admit salvation, and follow the Lord from our perspective. Some even are pastors and have written books to help many, but then turn away from the Lord. And so we seem to be able to conclude that they were never saved. Only Jesus knows who is truly saved. 2. Only certain people are saved. I mean, this is clearly evident in our world today as many people have no regard for God and many are not living their lives in service to Him or love to Him or seeking to love Him with all of their heart, mind, strength. And yet only the Father draws people to Him. I suppose we would rather see people reject Him than God not calling them? 

Albert Barnes states this:

In the conversion of the sinner God enlightens the mind John 6:45, he inclines the will Psalm 110:3, and he influences the soul by motives, by just views of his law, by his love, his commands, and his threatenings; by a desire of happiness, and a consciousness of danger; by the Holy Spirit applying truth to the mind, and urging him to yield himself to the Saviour. So that, while God inclines him, and will have all the glory, man yields without compulsion; the obstacles are removed, and he becomes a willing servant of God.

It is true one must be drawn by God, but one must also yield to God without compulsion. So people are drawn, but people must still respond. So perhaps this is the message we must see in this. That the drawing maybe does not always guarantee the changed life. God is the active agent in people's lives, yes. Without Him, we can do nothing, but as is clear in the scripture, we still must turn to Him and we are asked to turn from Him. 

There are more questions on this. They do continue, but I stop for now. 

Summary: Jesus is the Bread from Heaven, sent by God. God enlightens the mind and urges people to yield themselves to the Savior. 

Promise: We must preach the gospel to all people, trusting God to draw His elect from the nations to Himself. He clearly calls us to preach. Though not always, He wants us to be involved. 

Prayer: Father God, I thank you for these words that You speak, but I admit, they still are words that I have a hard time accepting. I admit. I have heard them spoken and I understand them in theory, but in my heart, I struggle. As I go through this world and see people and watch them, I do clearly see a people that doesn't want to even follow You and know You, but instead do their own thing and define their lives in their own way. For these it seems easier to understand this and yet hard still that it seems they are that way because they haven't been drawn, so why not? Why do some come to faith and some not if God you are the active agent? Lord, I struggle but I am thankful for the grace I have in You, for the calling, for elevating me to eternal life and for the special union I have in Christ. For me, I am greatly blessed, but still hard to be with others that don't have that same peace and that possibly Lord you have not drawn them. But, help me Lord. Help me to understand this text further, of what You mean by Your words here. And bring to me peace. I will continue to preach and share and await with expectation changed lives for You. You are there and truly there and I need You. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.