Blessing that fulfills
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” John 6:26-33
From our text, there were those that came to Jesus only because of what they could get from Him. The pervasive attitude is, “How will God bless me?” And the usual idea of blessings sought are material prosperity, physical well-being, and trouble-free life. We should not think that blessings only constitute material or tangible things The greatest blessing one will receive from God is the knowledge that he or she belongs to Him as His child. “So, we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son” (Ephesians 1:6). His blood that was shed on the cross provided you freedom to experience the richness of His forgiveness. “He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins” (Ephesians 1:7). Also God’s blessings are not only His answers to specific prayers. The Lord Jesus Christ knew the hearts of the people why they kept on following Him: “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs" (John 6:26). Jesus can see their hearts and their minds and they were following Him in order to receive "something." They will only stick with Him as long as He makes life easy for them by satisfying their material needs and the longings of their hearts. But Jesus told them that He came to be the “Bread of life” (John 6:35). Jesus was referring to the greatest blessing one can experience; to know that in Christ, he or she is spiritually secured not only in this life but in the life to come. “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die” (John 6:47-50). Are your eyes set on the Savior because of what He provides or because you believe that He alone can provide what you long for in life? Later on in the chapter, Jesus turned to His disciples and asked them if they are following Him just because of the material blessings that they receive from Him. Then Peter responded, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life” (John 6:68). Realize that Jesus alone is the one that can satisfy what he knows will fill your life. “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10).
