What must we do – Praying Pint

15.w. “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

John 6:22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Deuteronomy 5:27    Go near and hear all that the LORD our God will say, and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.’

Jeremiah 42:3-6    Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the LORD your God sends you to us.  Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.”

Micah 6:7-8    Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Acts 2:37    Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Acts 16:30    Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Those who questioned Jesus seemed sure that if only Jesus told them what to do, they could please God by their works of God. For these people, as with many people today, pleasing God is found in the right formula for performing works that will please God. The sense behind their question seemed to be, “Just tell us what to do so we can get what we want from You. We want Your miracle bread and for You to be our Miracle King; tell us what to do to get it.” If we want to do the work of God, it begins with trusting Jesus. The first work is to believe in Jesus whom God sent. This is first. Some people stop with this. They say they believe but, beyond these words is nothing to indicate any kind of change in their lives. They seem to forget “obedience”. Belief/faith/trust is the foundation for works that are done for the sole purpose to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. Without faith in Jesus Christ first, our works turn into what we trust to be right with God. Our works easily become our false sense of security. Our works are not out of obedience but rather out of self-reliance. No work of ours will wash away our sins. No work of ours will remove the stain of sin. No work of ours will result in eternal life. No work of ours will give lasting peace, joy, and refuge.

Robert Lowry got it right. This is from the hymn he wrote.

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

6. What must we do

Mark 10:17 And as Jesus was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

John 6:28    Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

Acts 2:37     Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Acts 16:30    Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Romans 10:2-4    For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.  For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

John 6:27     Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.

We see this young rich man who went away sorrowful and disheartened. Why, because he could not give his all to follow Jesus. We see others who asked what must we do to be saved. We see the disciples asking what must we be doing to do the works of God.

The works we must do is to “Believe” and to believe is translated “Cling to, Rely on, and Trust in.” Sometimes I think believe means something less to people. It does not carry the weight of clinging total reliance and trust.

It is one thing to come to the knowledge of saving grace and another to live so that God is honored through continual reliance, obedience, and trust. When we give belief a lesser application we will find we are thinking we are better off than we are. We end up at a place where we think we are good enough and doing enough – we’re ok enough. In reality, we become dull to the Holy Spirit, blind and deaf, as though we were asleep. When we are to be spirit-filled we are spiritless. When we are to be reaching out to a lost world we are hiding. When we are to be listening and obeying we are deaf and doing what seems right to us. When we ought to be seeking God we are neglecting. When we are to be drinking the living water and bread of life from His word we are starving and dying from thirst. And don’t even know it!

We are called to active humble service to God, at His leading and at His timing. The word “Called” is better translated as summoned. When we see the word just as called it gives way to say yes or no. When we see the word as summoned by God there is no room for denying action on our part.

It is a choice to commit heart, mind, and soul to God every single day. It is a choice to be led by Him. It is a choice to listen and obey Him.

Thinking you are ok enough leads to being asleep and deaf to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

What must you do?

Safe yourselves from this crooked generation

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

Psalms 22:16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me;

John 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

Hebrews 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

2 Corinthians 7:9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.

Old and New testament records, 100’s of years apart foretell of Christ and His death and resurrection. “They will mourn and weep bitterly” and “What shall we do?” describes the heart of those who understand the sacrifice and the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. Note also the scripture “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” Can you imagine the love that it would take to willingly go to the cross and endure the pain and shame for those who reject you? God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whosoever believes in Him will be saved. We were bought with a great price so that we might live a life free from guilt and shame. We were given great promises of love, joy, peace, mercy, refuge, power, strength, hope, faith, courage, protection, and eternity with Him. Our lives should be lived in light of remembering the price that was paid and the promises given to all believers. Let your light shine through humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God.