Beyond Bargaining

"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat." John 6:28-31

It's funny really... they saw Jesus as a politician.

In a way they said, 'If you want to gain our trust just give us what we want. That manna thing looked like a good deal for our fathers if you do that for us like God did it for them you will have our vote just like Moses has our vote.'

"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread." John 6:32-34

They want to use their 'three wishes' to ask for a never ending food supply. After all Jesus was healing people left and right... why not jump on the gravy train while it is still in town.

"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:35-40

Jesus goes on to say this.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

I am that bread of life.

Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." John 6:47

These are not political statements. This is grace in action. This is communion. It is beyond bargaining. It is the purity of a sacrificial life that is shared for whoever wants to have it.

It breaks me to think of what Jesus has done and what He offers us on a moment by moment basis. Sometimes in my struggle I just want a never ending provision so I won't have to go scrounge up money to meet my needs. Those thing keep me alive but Jesus is Life itself.

The real gift is life. God's life. If we have that we can walk by faith and everything else falls into place.