How do we reach the materialistic for Christ? Part 2

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’ ” John 6:29

The second way to minister to the materialistic person is to CORRECT THEIR MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SALVATION (John 6:28-34). When the people realized that Jesus was talking about something other than physical bread, and He was talking about laboring for that, they said to Him, “Then they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ ” (John 6:28). This question is often asked today, almost always by someone who has begun to realize that life has a spiritual dimension to it. It is a religious question: “What can I DO to make God happy? What good works must I do to get to heaven?” This marks a common misconception among materialists today. They think God owes them.

One of the questions God will not ask us in determining if He should let us into heaven is, “How many good works have you done?” Why? “But to him who does not work, but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:5). Why doesn’t God accept human works as even a partial payment for our salvation? “Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.” (Romans 4:4). If God accepted us based upon any good work we have done, He would be paying a debt – but God is not in debt to anyone. He doesn’t owe us anything. After all God is perfect and we are not. He is holy and we are sinners. We owe Him.

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’ ” (John 6:29). The Lord Jesus makes an important distinction between “the works” (plural) about which they ask (6:28) and “the work” (singular) God actually requires (6:29). Anyone who believes in Jesus has done “the work” (singular) God requires. Believing in Jesus is a work in the sense that it is an act. But it is a passive work as John 4:10 shows: “Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’ ”

Believing in Jesus is not a work in the sense that Paul talks about: 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Paul is thinking of active works (plural) of obedience to God’s commands, not a passive work whereby we receive a free gift by faith in Christ alone.

The word “faith” means to trust or depend upon. The materialist has always relied on his own abilities and resources to provide for his needs. But now Christ tells him to rely on someone outside of himself to give him the gift of God which (unlike their material possessions), lasts forever.

But the materialist is still thinking about satisfying his own selfish desires: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.’ ” (John 6:30-31). The crowd is asking,“Why should we believe in You? Sure, You made more bread and fish, but they come from earth. Manna, though, comes from heaven! Can you top that?” They want just one more proof. They want the evidence that Jesus is better than Moses. When the evidence is in, then they will believe. That is their attitude.

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.” (John 6:32-33). Jesus immediately corrects them. It was God that gave the manna, not Moses. I’m amazed at their interest in manna. Manna tasted very much like corn flakes. Imagine eating corn flakes morning, noon and night for forty years like the Israelites did in the wilderness, and thinking that was wonderful! The word “manna” itself means, “What is it?” Can you imagine eating “What is it?” for forty years, every day, without fail, and then looking back on that as a great experience?

“No,” Jesus said, “You are quite wrong! Moses did not give you that bread. Furthermore, what came in the wilderness was not the true bread from heaven — it was only a picture of the real thing to come. The real bread from heaven is Me! (Jesus says) I came down from heaven to satisfy the spiritual hunger of people forever. The true bread is He who came down from heaven who will give His life (not merely for Israel, as Moses did with the manna), but who will give His life for the whole world. Anybody of any ethnicity at anytime, can find the true bread from heaven.” And by the way, this bread is much better for you and much tastier than corn flakes.

“Then they said to Him, ‘Lord, give us this bread always.’ ” (John 6:34). When the crowd began to understand that Jesus was talking about something better than physical bread they immediately wanted it. Isn’t this true of people all over the world? You cannot go anywhere on earth today without finding people hungry for something more than a full belly and a comfortable home. There is a restlessness in us that cries for more. Jesus recognized this. Everyone in this crowd wanted whatever it was He was offering. They did not understand what it was, but they wanted it.

People are no different today. They sense there is more to life than bread… than working 40-60 hours a week to make payments on a new home or new vehicle. Christ’s example reminds us to confront the materialist’s selfish desires and to correct their misconceptions about salvation so they can believe or trust in Jesus alone for their salvation.

Prayer: Father God, please give me a love for the self-sufficient people of this world. Increase my burden for the materialistic people of my community. I need courage from You to confront their selfish desires and correct their misconceptions about salvation so they can believe or trust in Jesus alone for His gift of everlasting life. So many people in the world today think they can work for their salvation as I once thought. Please use Your Word to convict people of their need for Jesus’s work on the cross, not their own, for salvation. In Jesus’s name. Amen.