April 19: The Second Sunday of Easter
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” –Jesus Christ, John 6:35-40
He’s telling you here that your believing in him is not the cause of your eternal life. He’s saying that your believing in him is the effect of the Father giving you to him. Your eternal life is the effect of the will of the Father. Put another way, your never being cast out is not from your making enough decision to eat of the Bread of Life; your never being case out is from God’s strength and will and devotion, not yours. That’s the gospel.
Come hear it preached and enacted in the Supper this Sunday as we continue reveling in his resurrection.
Sunday school for children and adults (on Reformed eschatology) is up and running! Coffee and other treats are served at 9:15, teaching begins at 9:30, and we break to get ready for worship at 10:15.
The related hymns we’ll sing are:
Come, Christians Join to Sing
Thine Is the Glory
Be Thou My Vision