I Lose Nothing! Series

John 6:35-40 BBBC #426 12/3/00

(Words:3,650)

That...I Should Lose Nothing!

Somerset Maugham was considered the most famous author during the 1930s. To his credit were such works as Of Human Bondage which became an instant classic. But now the year is 1965, the year of his death. Maugham is 91 years old and wealthy beyond belief. He has not written a word in years, yet he receives 300 fan letters a week. His success is incredible by any standard.

One of his nephews visited him at his villa on the Mediterranean and tells this story...

My uncle had 11 servants. He dined on silver plates and was waited on hand and foot. But, none of this seemed to matter any longer. One afternoon I found him on the sofa and of all things, he was reading the Bible. He had a grim look on his face. He said, ¡§I¡¦ve been reading the Bible you gave me...and I¡¦ve come across the quotation: ¡¥What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his own soul?¡¦ I must tell you, dear nephew, that this text used to hang opposite my bed when I was a child. Of course, it¡¦s all a lot of bunk. But the thought is quite interesting all the same.¡¨

Later on that same evening Maugham would bury his head in his hands and say he had been a failure all his life. His exact words were, ¡§I¡¦ve made a hash of everything. Everyone who has got to know me has ended up hating me...and now it¡¦s too late to change.¡¨ His face was contorted with fear. He was trembling violently. Suddenly he screamed, ¡§Go away! I¡¦m not ready! I¡¦m not dead yet...I¡¦m not dead yet, I tell you...¡¨ His terror-struck voice echoed throughout the villa. His nephew looked around the room, but it was as empty as before. ¡§There¡¦s no one there, Uncle.¡¨ And Somerset Maugham began to gasp hysterically. (From Kent Hughes)

One of the most famous and honored men of his generation. A man who had everything: not just money, but all the fame in the world. A man who dined with royalty. But when he came to the time of God¡¦s reckoning, he found life empty and worthless and he was afraid to die. Dear ones, this is not what God intends life to be. Our God does not want anyone to come to the end of his life knowing it has been hopeless and filled with mistakes.

The people Jesus is speaking to in John 6, the Pharisees, the doubters, they face the same situation, maybe not as dramatic, but with the same end result. Jesus wants to set them free, just as Jesus wanted to set the likes of Somerset Maugham free. This is why He gives ¡§the bread of life¡¨ discourse. He wants to rescue men and women and boys and girls from the emptiness of a life without Him.

We have studied our Lord¡¦s words in verses 35-36. He tells us He is the bread of life. Whoever is in Christ shall never hunger, never thirst. Then comes the sadness of verse 36, You have seen Me, yet you do not believe. Is Jesus saying this to you? You have heard about Me ¡X but you have never been born again, you do not believe. If your heart is open and receptive to the gospel, this could be the greatest day you will ever live. Today, you could become a child of the King.

This brings us to verses 37-40. Jesus tells us what occurs when we say ¡§Yes¡¨ to the call God places on our hearts. What joy unspeakable we find in these verses.

37 "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.

38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

39 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

40 "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

Note the repetition. In John 6:29 Jesus said the work of God is that you believe in Jesus Whom God has sent. This is the will of God. Now in verse 40 Jesus emphasizes again that the will of the Father is to believe in the Son Whom God has sent. And twice, in verses 39 and 40, Jesus says those who believe shall be raised up on the last day.

I can¡¦t recall a verse of Scripture that brings more comfort to my heart as a believer than verse 37: All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. This is ¡§bedrock Scripture.¡¨ It¡¦s extremely important to our system of beliefs. Those God calls, those who believe ¡X will come and they will forever be His.