THE WORK OF GOD

THE WORK OF GOD “Jesus answered, ‘the work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent’” (Jn. 6:29)

Here is the background to this remarkable text:

• Jesus had just fed a multitude with five small barley loaves and two small fish (Jn. 6:1-12).
• The people responded to this miracle by trying to force Jesus to be their king (Jn. 6:15).
• Jesus sent His disciples away in a boat while He went up a mountain to pray (Matt. 14:22-23).
• In the middle of the night Jesus came to His disciples walking on the water (Jn. 6:16-21).
• Jesus got in the boat then He and His disciples came to Capernaum (Jn. 6:24).
• The people whom He fed also came to Capernaum in search of Jesus (Jn. 6:24).
• They found Him, and Jesus taught them in the synagogue in Capernaum (Jn. 6:59).
• Jesus said to them: “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill” (Jn. 6:26).
• They had “worked” to follow Jesus for food, but Jesus told them: “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life” (Jn. 6:27).
• “Then they asked Him, ‘What must we do to do the works that God requires?’”
• Note that they were asking about “works” (plural). Jesus focused on only one work. “Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent’” (Jn. 6:29).
• Jesus then taught them that He was the living bread that came down from heaven and said: “If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever (Jn. 6:51).
• Understanding this message was difficult. It required mental “work”! “On hearing it, many of His disciples said, ‘this is a hard teaching. Who can accept it’”? (Jn. 6:60).
• Since the message was hard to understand: “From that time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him” (Jn. 6:66).
• Jesus turned to the Twelve and said: “You do not want to leave too, do you?” (Jn. 6:67)
• “Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the holy one of God” (Jn. 6:68-69).
• Remember! Conversion results from “the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2).
• You must use your “mind” in order to be a Christian!
• Since understanding the message of Jesus requires the use of your “mind”, it is “intellectual work”. Remember! “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (Jn. 6:29).
• Conversion involves loving God with all your “mind” (Matt. 22:37). This is not easy! It requires discipline and “work”. “Discipline”, as you know, is an integral part of “discipleship”.

THE STUDY OF GOD

The following words were written by C.H. Spurgeon on January 7, 1855. He was only 25 years old at the time:

“It has been said by someone that the proper study of man is man. I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God’s elect is God; the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy which can ever engage the attention of the child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God who he calls his Father. There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast that all our thoughts are

drowned in its infinity. Other subjects we can compass and grapple with; in them we feel a kind of self content, and go our way with the thought, ‘Behold, I am wise.’ But when we come to this master science, finding that our plumb line cannot sound its depth, and that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away with the thought that vain man would be wise, but he is like a wild ass’s colt; and with solemn exclamation, ‘I am but of yesterday, and know nothing.’ No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God.

But while the subject humbles the mind, it also expands it. He who often thinks of God will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods around this narrow globe . . .The most excellent study for expanding the soul, is the science of Christ and Him crucified, and the knowledge of the Godhead in the glorious Trinity. Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the Deity.

And while humbling and expanding, this subject is eminently consolatory. Oh, there is in contemplating Christ, a balm for every wound; in musing on the Father there is a quietness for every grief; and in the influence of the Holy Ghost there is a balm for every sore. Would you lose your sorrow? Would you drown your cares? Then go plunge yourself in the Godhead’s deepest sea; be lost in His immensity; and you will come forth as from a couch of rest, refreshed and invigorated. I know of nothing which can so comfort the soul; so calm the swelling billows of sorrow and grief; so speak peace to the winds of trial, as the devout musing upon the subject of the Godhead”.

The subject of the Godhead, however, was apparently something that the people in Capernaum were not interested in. They preferred not to “think” about it. They preferred to “think” about free bread and were not interested in “studying” about God!

CAPERNAUM

Capernaum was a small fishing village on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. “Capernaum” means “village of Nahum”. This village is mentioned 16 times in the Bible. Jesus spent a lot of time there for Capernaum was His second home. His first home, as you know, was Nazareth. Remember! He was taken to Nazareth as a small child. This fulfilled the prophecy that Jesus would be called a Nazarene (Matt. 2:21-23). As an adult, Jesus left Nazareth and moved to Capernaum. This also fulfilled a prophecy (Matt. 4:13-17). When Jesus moved to Capernaum He took with Him, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples (Jn. 2:12).

INCREDIBLY, BOTH OF THESE CITIES WERE CITADELS OF UNBELIEF!

You would assume that cities where Jesus lived would be filled with faith. Sadly, this was not the case! The unbelief of these cities even amazed Jesus. Their unbelief is a tribute to the deceitfulness of the devil and also to their laziness of mind. Those who lived around Jesus had plenty of evidence to prove His Deity, but were too lazy to consider it. Apparently it was too much “work”!

Note:

• When Jesus came to His hometown of Nazareth “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith” (Mk. 6:1-6). When He spoke in their synagogue they even tried to throw Him down a cliff (Luke 4:16-30).
• Jesus said about Capernaum: “And you Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of Judgement than for you” (Matt. 11:23-24).

Everybody of Nazareth and Capernaum knew something about Jesus. They were also familiar with His family. They knew that Jesus was a real person and not a fictional character invented by His disciples. They also knew that He was a preacher who performed miracles. The idea that He might be God manifest in the flesh, however, didn’t seriously enter their “minds” (1 Tim. 3:16). Those who diligently “think” about this “mystery of godliness” can “work out their salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). Weighing evidence for the Deity of Christ, however, is “work” which lazy people seek to avoid.

THE SYNAGOGUE IN CAPERNAUM

There was a synagogue in Capernaum. Jesus spoke there with authority on various occasions. He even healed a man in that synagogue who had an evil spirit (Mk. 1:21-28). Today, tourists who visit Capernaum, can see the foundation of a First Century synagogue. It is perhaps the same one where Jesus taught.

The Scriptures tell us that this synagogue was built by a Roman centurion (Lk. 7:5). This leads us to ask why the Jews did not build the synagogue themselves? Were they too poor or were they too worldly? Obviously this pagan soldier had more faith than they did for Jesus said about him: “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith” (Matt. 8:10).

One of the rulers of this synagogue was a man named Jairus. One day his 12 year old daughter became critically ill and was at the point of death. When Jairus heard that Jesus had just returned to Capernaum from a brief trip to Decapolis, he ran across town, fell at His feet, and pleaded: “My daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her that she may be healed and live” (Mk. 5:22-23).

As Jesus went with this distraught father a large crowd followed and pressed around him. There was in the crowd, as you know, a desperate woman who had been sick with an issue of blood for 12 years. She had spent all her money on doctors but only got worse. According to the Law of Moses this woman was unclean and was forbidden to be in a crowd (Lev. 15:25-31). She was so desperate, however, that she dared to defy the law and push through the crowd to touch Jesus. She had been “thinking” about it and “believed” that if she could only touch the hem of His garment she would be healed. She was right! She had “thought” about it until she figured it out. The amazing story of her healing is found three times in the Bible (Matt. 9:18-26; Mk. 5:21-43; Lk. 8:40-56). We will deal with this miracle in greater detail a little later.

While Jesus was delayed by this woman, men came to inform Jairus not to trouble Jesus because his daughter had died. Jesus, however, told Jairus: “Don’t be afraid, just believe” (Mk. 5:36).

When they came to his home they found a great commotion with people crying and wailing loudly. Jesus went in and said to them: “’Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep’. But they laughed at him” (Mk. 5:39-40).

Jesus took with him Peter, John, and James and the child’s father and mother. Then Jesus “took her by the hand and said, ‘my child, get up!’ Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat” (Lk. 8:53-56).

Remember! Capernaum was similar to Sodom. If there had only been 10 righteous people in Sodom it would not have been destroyed (Gen. 19:32). We wonder how many righteous people there were in Capernaum? Jesus did perform a number of miracles in Capernaum, but apparently no one performed any miracles in Sodom (Matt. 11:23-24). Obviously, the people of Capernaum should have given more “thought” to the miracles Jesus worked in Capernaum!

THRONGERS AND TOUCHERS

But now let us return to the remarkable story of the desperate woman who had been sick for 12 years. It is interesting to note that she got sick in the very year that the daughter of Jairus was born.

The difference between this woman and the citizens of Capernaum dramatically demonstrates what we are talking about. There is a big difference between those who have saving faith and those who do not. When Jesus arrived at Capernaum a large crowd was there for they were expecting Him. This does not mean, however, that they wanted to be saved. Perhaps they were only curious and wanted to see Jesus perform a miracle. Remember! That’s why wicked King Herod wanted to see Jesus too (Lk. 23:8). This curious mob crowded around Him with such force that He was “almost crushed” (Lk. 8:42). The word translated as “crushed” is the Greek word “sumpnigo”. It can also be translated as “to choke”. In other words, these people were pressing around Jesus to the point that they were suffocating Him.

When Jesus stopped and asked “Who touched me?” the disciples were perplexed. The crowd was “crushing” Him, or “thronging” Him. Dozens, if not hundreds of people were touching Him! But this desperate woman “touched” Jesus in a totally different way. For 12 long years she had been struggling with this debilitating illness. Day after day and night after night it was constantly on her mind. It challenged her physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Her interest in Jesus was therefore not casual or flippant. She had done her homework. Like an exhausted runner struggling to reach the finish line she refused to give up. While her body was weak her faith was strong! There was no doubt in her mind who Jesus was and what He could do! She had done the “work” necessary to acquire her “saving faith”.

When Pilate heard that Jesus was dead he was surprised that it happened so soon (Mk. 15:44). Time passes fast when you are not suffering! If Pilate had spent six hours on the cross he would have thought differently. Sometimes we do not see the light until we feel the heat. It took this woman 12 years to develop her saving faith! The thief on the cross developed his saving faith much quicker. Both of them, however, did the “work”. Achieving a saving faith that is not easy, that’s why Jesus called in the “work” of God!

If you think we have overstated the “work” involved in “saving faith”, please prayerfully consider this passage of Scripture: “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not

carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish. Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.’” (Lk. 14:25-33).

THE EXAMPLE OF ABRAHAM

Abraham was a man of great faith! Hebrews chapter 11 provides this outline:

• By faith he left his home even though he did not know where he was going (Heb. 11:8).
• By faith he made his home in the promised land (Heb. 11:9).
• By faith he searched for a city with foundations whose architect and builder is God (Heb. 11:10).
• He obviously had faith!
• He was 75 years old when he left Haran (Gen. 12:4), he was 86 years old when Ishmael was born (Gen. 16:16), and he was 99 years old when Isaac was born (Gen. 17).

This chronology is important for it shows how the faith of Abraham developed and grew. After Abraham left Ur of Chaldea, Haran, and Egypt, he still had his sins, and he still had no son. He had also defeated four powerful kings and paid tithes to Melehizedek. The Scriptures are clear that Abraham was motived by faith, but his faith was not yet powerful enough to make him righteous before God.

At that point the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision (Gen. 15:1). Abram was discouraged because he was childless and Eliezer of Damascus would inherit all of his wealth. So God repeated the promise that he would have an heir that came out of his own body. THEN GOD TOOK HIM OUT OF HIS TENT AND SAID: “LOOK NOW TOWARD HEAVEN, AND COUNT THE STARS - IF INDEED YOU CAN COUNT THEM. THEN HE SAID TO HIM, SO SHALL YOUR OFFSPRING BE’” (GEN. 15:5).

Abram was over 80 years old. He had seen those stars thousands of times. On that special night, however, he studied them. Based on the Word of God his “mind” began to “work”. He tried to count the stars and pondered how big they were, and how far away. Suddenly the power and majesty of God came clearly into focus “AND HE BELIEVED IN THE LORD; AND HE COUNTED IT TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (GEN. 15:6).

FINALLY ABRAM HAD SUFFICIENT FAITH FOR HIS SINS TO BE FORGIVEN!

But the growth of Abram’s faith continued:

• After this Ismael was born (Gen. 16:15).
• After this Abram’s name was changed to Abraham (Gen. 17:5).
• After this God gave to Abraham the covenant of circumcision (Gen. 18:9-14).
• After this God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah (Gen. 18:15).
• After this the Lord appeared unto him near the great trees of Mamre and promised that Sarah would have a baby boy in the next year (Gen. 18:1-10).
• After this God revealed to Abraham that Sodom and Gomorrah would be destroyed (Gen. 18:16-33).
• After this Isaac was born (Gen. 21:1-7).
• After this God commanded Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering (Gen. 22:1-2). Note! It is in this connection that the word “worship” is first used in the Bible (Gen. 22:5).
• Abraham’s faith was now so strong that he “believed” that God could raise Isaac from the dead! (Heb. 11:19).
• We have mentioned Abraham’s journey of faith to encourage you that:
• Your faith can be enlarged (2 Thess. 1:3).
• Your faith can be strengthened (Acts 16:5).
• Your faith can grow (2 Cor. 10:15).
• Your faith can be increased (Lk. 17:5).
• The proof of your faith is actually more precious than gold that perishes (1 Pet. 1:6-7).
• Like an athlete grows strong with exercise, our faith can also grow strong when we “work” at it! “Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:8).

“I DO BELIEVE, HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF” (MK. 9:24).

This was the prayer of a distraught father whose son had been possessed by an evil spirit since childhood. The evil spirit had robbed the poor boy of his speech and would periodically throw him to the ground, cause him to foam at his mouth, gnash with his teeth, and become rigid. Jesus had empowered His disciples to drive out demons (Matt. 10:8), but this demon was too powerful for them. They needed more faith to overcome this powerful spirit!

When they brought the boy to Jesus immediately the boy went into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around foaming at the mouth. This horrible routine had plagued this boy since his childhood. These seizures would cause the boy to fall into a fire or into the water. He was in constant danger of death. The father shamelessly begged Jesus to take pity on them and to help.

Jesus explained: “Everything is possible to him who believes” - Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief”. When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. ‘You deaf and mute spirit’ He said, ‘I command you to come out of him and never enter him again” (Mk. 9:23-25).

“The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently, and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, ‘he’s dead’. But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up to his feet, and he stood up” (Mk. 9:26-27).

Here are some lessons we can learn from this story:

• Some situations require an extra amount of faith.
• Jesus is on our side and wants to help us increase our faith.
• Never be ashamed to ask for help for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (Ja. 4:6).
• “If you then, though you are evil. Know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! (Lk. 11:13).
• Perhaps you do not “have” because you do not “ask” (Ja. 4:2).

BECOMING A CHRISTIAN IS LIKE THE JOY OF GETTING MARRIED

Jesus once explained to His disciples that anyone who divorced his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery. “Then the disciples said to Him, ‘If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry” (Matt. 19:9-10).

Jesus then explained that not everyone can live a pure life without being married.

The book of Proverbs makes reference to the power of love between a man and a maiden with these poignant words: “There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden” (Prov. 30:18-19).

When a man falls in love with a maiden he does things impossible to do without love. His love makes it easy to think about her. In fact, it is now hard not to think about her. The more he loves her the more interested he is in everything about her. His fascination for her can become an obsession. When Boaz fell in love with Ruth the wise Naomi said to her: “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today. (Ruth 3:18).

Boaz was serious about marrying Ruth, but there was another man who had legal priority. Therefore Boaz sought out this kinsman-redeemer as soon as possible. When this man refused to marry Ruth, Boaz immediately announced his intentions to marry her. He made these intentions public to the elders and all the people. This is the same kind of excitement experience by those who fall in love with Jesus.

The point is that when you fall in love with Jesus your efforts to understand everything about Him become the joy of your life. You will discover that what you “get” from Jesus is greater by far than anything you could possibly “give” to Him. Finding Jesus is like finding hidden treasure in a field and then joyfully selling everything you have to possess it (Matt. 13:44). Finding Jesus is like a merchant finding the pearl of great price and then eagerly selling everything he had to possess it! (Matt. 13:45-46). Remember! The commands of God are not grievous (1 Jn. 5:3). They will bring you joy unspeakable and full of glory(1 Pet. 1:8).

REMEMBER! THE WORK OF GOD NOT ONLY PRODUCES FAITH, IT ALSO PRODUCES JOY! REMEMBER! THE CHURCH IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST ANDYOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT TRUE HAPPINESS IS UNTIL YOU ARE MARRIED TO JESUS! REMEMBER! THE WORK OF GOD IS THAT YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS!