John 6:41-71  Jesus has two answers for those who were grumbling because He said He had come from heaven.. 

First, " No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day." (v44)  and again in v65 "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father." 

Everything begins and ends with God.  He created everything and He is control of everything.  It is by His grace that Jesus was sent into the world to be the "bread of life."  It is the Father who opens our eyes to see and our ears to hear.. that we might come to Jesus and believe and receive Life. It is the Father that offers this precious Sacrifice.. flesh and blood.. given so that we might have eternal life.  If we don't believe the Father.. we cannot know the Son. 

Secondly, Jesus continues to use this illustration of eating bread and drinking blood to reveal the most vital truth.. His Life is the only food that feeds the spirit.  He invites us to consume Him.  He is the source of life and unless we partake of His sacrifice.. His body.. His blood.. we "have no life" in us. 

Jesus says that His words are "spirit and are life".  When others moved away from Jesus because these words "hard".. the disciples chosen by Jesus chose to stay. "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life." (v68)   They believed.  All except Judas.. for even though he stayed.. he was not granted life from the Father. 

These are hard words. They challenge our understanding.  We want faith to be as simple as just saying, "Jesus come into my heart.".  And, in some ways it is.. but, here we are faced with knowing that the Father doesn't always grant that "drawing" of people to Jesus.  Some people, like Judas, have the same opportunity to believe, but don't.  Some people, whom we pray for.. don't come to faith... ever.  It breaks our hearts. I have asked that question, "Why, Lord?"  But, even when we don't understand we still believe.. for there is no other way.. and we can trust Him still. 

It is hard to understand how.. how do we eat His flesh and drink His blood?  How do we go that far?  What does that mean, really?  We need the Spirit of God to give us the life of Jesus. We need the Father to draw us to Jesus.  We need the body and blood of Jesus to abide in Him and He in us.  

Father in heaven, holy and mighty God, grant us wisdom to comprehend Your Word and to go deeper with Jesus by the work of Your holy Spirit in us. You have given us Words of Eternal Life.  Fill us now with Your Presence.  We need You, Lord. Thank You for hearing our prayers.  May Your will be done in us this day. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.