Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:28-29).
Have you noticed how often people want to know how they can gain the favor of God? I see it all the time. People ask me questions about spiritual stuff; they ask me my thoughts on what it takes to please God.
Folks in Jesus’ day had the same kind of questions. They wanted to know what God was like; they wanted to know how to gain His favor and have everlasting life.
Here is the thing. What God wants is both the simplest thing in the world and the hardest thing in the world all at the same time:
“BELIEVE ME. BELIEVE IN ME! Do you trust me? Do you trust me with your life?”
Those are truly some of the toughest statements in our lives today. We wall folks off; we don’t trust very many people, especially with our hearts and lives. The same is true with Jesus. We have a sin nature that blocks us from being able to truly trust Him. This is why we have to stay laser focused in on His will for our lives, and the only way that happens is staying connected with His Word.
Let’s have a little honest conversation here, I’m almost certain that everyone reading this believes in Jesus. If I asked, you would say, “YES, I believe.” But, oftentimes, we fall into the camp of doubt. We listen to lies that are whispered into our ears, and we can tend to believe those lies over the truth that God has spoken over us.
Then we start asking people around us stuff like, “What do you think God is going to require of me in order for me to gain His favor?” And the answer to this question is staring us right back in the face: “BELIEVE IN THE ONE HE HAS SENT.”
Jesus had a similar situation in the Gospel of Mark. A man’s daughter was sick, and he came to Jesus to see if He would be able to heal her. There is so much happening in Mark 5, and in all of the commotion, other people from the man’s house show up and say “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”
Can you imagine what that looked like? Can you imagine how this father felt? He just got word that his daughter was dead. Fear flooded that man’s mind and heart. And Jesus steps in at just the right moment and says some of the most amazing words ever: “…Do not fear, only believe.”
Are you catching the pattern here? Jesus is asking you the question today, “Do you trust me? Do you trust me with your life? Do you trust me with your family? Do you trust me with your future? DO YOU BELIEVE WHAT I HAVE TOLD YOU?”
What does God require? BELIEVE IN THE ONE HE HAS SENT!
Now, this is not the kind of belief that is commonly known in 2019 America. This kind of belief means you are willing to abandon everything because you believe in what Jesus says. This kind of belief means you will do things that, to the outside world, seem outright crazy or insane.
Belief that calls you to risk your very life is necessary to be obedient. This kind of belief brings you to your knees in prayer for the people you love and hate all at the same time. This kind of belief means you’re going to share the Gospel, even when it’s not convenient.
This kind of belief will transform the world!
What does God require? BELIEVE IN THE ONE HE HAS SENT!