Seek the Eternal

In this materialistic world we live in we all want more stuff.

A newer and better car would be nice; the newest 3-D TV sure would be fun to have and show off to friends and family.

Many will mortgage their life away to get the things they think will make their lives “better.” Some will even go so far as to call on God to get them the things they think they need.

In John 6, we are given the picture of Jesus feeding 5,000 men and their families with five loaves of bread and two small fish. It is quite a feat, and other than the resurrection, the only miracle to be recorded in all four gospels.

Needless to say Jesus’ miracle satisfied the people’s hunger, and it left many of them wanting more. Some just wanted more bread, but some wanted, and all need, what Christ came to offer.

“The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

“When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, ‘Rabbi, when did you get here?’

“Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.’” — John 6:22-27

This crowd that followed Jesus across the Galilee wanted to know how Jesus had gotten there. Even though they had seen Jesus work a great miracle they had no idea who Jesus really was, they saw a powerful man who could give them what they want, whether it was an independent country or even perhaps personal wealth, they wanted Jesus for what he could do — not for who he was.

With such lowly sights, they still constrained Jesus to the movements of mere man, so they marveled at his speedy trip across the sea and questioned him on it.

Jesus, being the Son of God, knew their thoughts and their desires and confronted them on it, ignoring their query. Jesus knew they sought him out of fleshly desires, so he decided to present them with something else when he told them, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the son of man will give you.”

It’s marvelous to read what Christ is saying to these people. Jesus tells them, “sure, I can satiate your desires, but if you seek me, and not what I can do, then I can present you to the Father.”

In Matthew Henry’s great commentary, Henry faithfully points out Christ tells the people what they work for spoils, but what Christ gives, and gives freely, is eternal, “But when we have laboured ever so much for it, we have not merited it as our hire, but the Son of man gives it… It is an encouragement that he who has the giving of it is the Son of man, for then we may hope the sons of men that seek it, and labour for it, shall not fail to have it.”

Our works will not endear us to Christ, but if we labor to find Christ, then Jesus himself will bring us to him. We must give up the notion of Christ on our terms.

Jesus did not compromise with the Father and forego the cross. No, Jesus knew from the foundation of the world He was destined for the cross. He was God, He could have changed it, but Jesus knew the cross was needed to make man clean and He went willingly.

Through God’s holy word we know what is required to come into the presence of the Father, Jesus tells us in John 10 that He is the gate, then again in John 14 Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the life, and that no one can come to the Father except through Him.

We must shrug off our willful insolence toward the cross and seek the meat that does not spoil. There is an imminent danger in believing salvation can be found in other forms than Jesus; and there also is danger in believing Jesus’ saving power is not enough.

As Charles Spurgeon said, “Never hope to be saved except by God’s way of salvation… Resolve, O seeker, to have no refuge of lies, no Savior but the Lamb of God.”

We get the eternal meat when we fulfill the lone task God requires of us, put your faith in the One he sent, our eternal Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.