John 6:27

DISCOURSE: 1636
LABOURING FOR HEAVEN

John 6:27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

OUR blessed Lord never failed to improve any occasion that was afforded him of doing good to the souls of men. His labours collected people from every quarter; and sometimes they must actually have fainted by the way, if he had not interposed by miracle to supply their necessities. But these very exertions of his, in administering to their temporal wants, were made an occasion of fostering in many their favourite sentiment, that he was come to accomplish for them a temporal deliverance. He had just “fed five thousand men with five loaves and two small fishes:” and we are told that, in order to prevent their “taking him by force to make him a king, he departed into a mountain himself alone [Note: ver. 14, 15.].” His Disciples he sent over the sea, towards Capernaum: and multitudes, though they saw he was not with them, concluding that, by some means or other, he would follow them, went thither to meet him: and when they had found him, they expressed their surprise, and asked him, how he had contrived to come thither? Our Lord, instead of gratifying their foolish curiosity, turned their attention to the state of their own souls, and pointed out to them the mistake under which they laboured: they supposed that they were evincing a zeal for his glory; whereas they were not actuated by any conviction that he was the true Messiah, but by a blind hope that he would prove himself such a Messiah as they vainly expected: “Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles,” (and were convinced by them of my Messiahship), but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled;” and conclude from thence, that I both can and will effect for you all which your carnal ambition can desire [Note: ver. 25, 26.]. Then he gives them the solemn admonition which I have just read to you: in unfolding which, I shall notice,

I. The direction here given—

We are not to understand the direction as containing a prohibition to attend to the concerns of the body, but only as intimating that they were not to be placed in competition with the concerns of the soul. It is in this way that we are to understand those memorable words, “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice [Note: Matthew 12:7.].” God does not mean to prohibit sacrifices, which he had positively enjoined: but only to express, that if an act of mercy could not be performed without entrenching upon a ceremonial command, the latter should give way to the former; since that which was of a moral nature was of greater worth, in his sight, than any thing which was merely ceremonial.

To attend to temporal concerns is a positive duty—
[It is a duty we owe to ourselves: we are, by the very necessities of our nature, constrained to “obtain our bread by the sweat of our brow [Note: Genesis 3:19.].” We owe it to our families: for “if a man provide not for his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel [Note: 1 Timothy 5:8.]. We owe it to the poor: for if we have enough for ourselves, yet are we enjoined to work with our hands the thing that is good, that we may have to give to him that needeth [Note: Ephesians 4:28.].” We owe it to the Church. No man is to be supported in idleness: “for God has ordained, that if a man will not work, neither shall he eat [Note: 2 Thessalonians 3:10; 2 Thessalonians 3:12.].” We owe it to our God: we are to be “not slothful in business, at the time that we are fervent in spirit, serving the Lord [Note: Romans 12:11.].” In truth, “whatever our hand findeth to do, we should do it with all our might [Note: Ecclesiastes 9:10.].”

It is of great importance that this matter should be well understood. Religion does not supersede our civil or social duties: it regulates them, and suggests the proper motives by which we are to be actuated in the performance of them: but it does not dispense with any: it subordinates them, indeed, to the duties which we owe immediately to God; but it inculcates and enjoins them, as necessary in their place, and as truly acceptable to God himself. We must “render unto Cζsar the things which are Cζsar’s, and unto God the things which are God’s.”]

But an attention to spiritual concerns is of greater and more indispensable importance—
[The labour which pertains to them is incomparably more worthy of an intelligent and immortal being, than that which relates to the things of this life. I would not undervalue the occupations of the student in the pursuit of science, or of the artisan in the execution of his work, or of the peasant in the labours of the field. All are good in their place; but all may be performed by a heathen, no less than by a child of God. But the exercises of humiliation before God, of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, of an entire consecration of our souls to the service of the Deity; in a word, fellowship with God, and with his Son Jesus Christ, is a work in which an angel may engage, and in the performance of which the highest archangel would be honoured — — — The fruit also of spiritual labour infinitely excels all that can be reaped in the field of nature. The statesman, the philosopher, the merchant, the mechanic, have doubtless a rich reward of their labours: but it is a reward which an atheist may enjoy; and which, to whatever extent it is enjoyed, “perishes with the using:” it is all but as “the meat that perisheth.” But the peace of God which passeth all understanding, the light of his reconciled countenance, a sense of his love shed abroad in the heart, the joy of the Holy Ghost, the earnests and foretastes of the heavenly bliss; what shall I say of these? what are earthly things in comparison of these? what, but a taper before the meridian sun? Besides, these endure for ever: they are “a meat that endureth unto eternal life;” and, to whatever extent they are enjoyed, they are but as the dawn of future blessedness, the first-fruits of an abundant harvest — — —

Can any labour be too great for these? The mind may easily be too intensely fixed on the vanities of time and sense, and the exertions made for them be too great: but it is not possible to have the desire after spiritual blessings too ardent, or the pursuit of them too laborious.]

Let us now turn our attention to,

II.

The encouragement here afforded—

We may labour for the meat which perisheth, and be disappointed; as thousands are, who, after years of incessant toil, have either acquired little, or perhaps been reduced to the lowest ebb of want and misery. But this shall never be experienced by those who labour for that better meat which endureth unto everlasting life. For, as a recompence of their labours,

1. The Lord Jesus Christ will give it to them—

[The Lord Jesus constantly calls himself “the Son of Man;” because by that name, in particular, the Messiah was expected, and had been foretold [Note: Daniel 7:13.]. “Him had God the Father sealed,” and attested, by the visible descent of the Holy Ghost upon him, and by an audible voice from heaven [Note: Matthew 3:16.]. By all his miracles, too, did God bear ample testimony to his Messiahship [Note: John 5:36.], and, above all, in his resurrection from the dead, and his visible ascension to the highest heavens. There is he invested with “all power both in heaven and earth;” and from thence will he communicate to all his believing people, according to the full extent of their necessities. The Lord Jesus Christ is of himself well disposed to give us all that we can desire: but, if it were possible to have any security beyond that which we possess in his own love and mercy, we have it in his ordination to that very office by the Father, and in his exaltation to heaven for that very end, “that he may be Head over all things to his Church,” and “that he may fill all things” “out of the fulness that is treasured up in him [Note: Ephesians 1:22.].”]

2. He will give it to them all, without exception—

[There is no want of power in him to give it to whomsoever he will. Nor will he be constrained to work a miracle to supply any number that call upon him. “In his Father’s house there is bread enough, and to spare.” Nor will he shew any partiality to one above another. Every labourer, whether old or young, rich or poor, shall receive his proper recompence, every one in exact proportion to his own labour [Note: 1 Corinthians 3:8.]. There will not be with him a different standard whereby to estimate the labours of men; the time and zeal of one being regarded as nothing, in comparison with the exertions of others. “He will judge righteous judgment.” It may be that some do not begin to labour till they are incapable, according to human apprehension, of doing any thing to good effect: but though they “come into the vineyard at the eleventh hour,” they shall have a portion dealt out to them with a liberal hand. One thing only must be observed by all: whatever they receive, they must receive it as a gift, “a reward, not of debt, but of grace [Note: Romans 4:4.].” This is indispensably necessary for them all. Not one is to look upon the meat as earned by him; because there is no proportion whatever between the work and the reward, so far as merit is concerned. The labour of ten thousand years would not merit the smallest portion in heaven: the best of men are but “unprofitable servants:” but, if men will labour, “they shall never labour in vain, or run in vain [Note: 1 Corinthians 15:58.].”]

This subject affords just occasion for,
1.

Reproof to the indolent—

[Truly, when we see how anxiously and industriously men exert themselves for the things of time and sense, the very best amongst us may well be ashamed and confounded on account of his own listlessness and inactivity in the ways of God. Look at the worldling: see him “rising early, and late taking rest, and eating the bread of carefulness,” for weeks, and months, and years: see the satisfaction which he feels in prospects of success, and his pain in the apprehensions of failure: see how alive he is to every thing which may help him forward in his favourite pursuit, and how every thing is made to bear upon that. When shall we engage with such ardour as that in the pursuit of heaven? When shall we use the means of grace with the same zest and constancy as they do the means of temporal advancement? When will every thing be swallowed up, as it were, in the concerns of the soul? Alas! it must be confessed that we fall exceeding short in all these exertions, and that “the men of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” For one Mary that sits habitually at the Saviour’s feet, there are many Marthas, who, in spite of their professed love for Christ, are careful and cumbered about many things.

But, if this be the case with the most spiritual amongst us; what shall I say to those who have never yet set themselves in earnest to obtain eternal life? The consciences of many must surely testify against them, that, instead of labouring with all their might for spiritual and eternal blessings, they have never spent so much as one hour in prayer for the salvation of their souls. They are content to leave their eternal interests to chance, if I may so speak; though, if God be true, they leave them to certain ruin. The Lord Jesus Christ, as we have seen, will give to them that labour: but where is it said, that he will give to them that labour not? No such promise can be found in all the book of God. No, indeed: all is suspended on the use of means: “Ask, and ye shall have: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” He who improves his talents, whether they be more or less, shall be rewarded: but “the unprofitable servant, that hides his talent in a napkin, shall assuredly be cast into outer darkness.” Consider this, my dearly beloved, and begin without delay the work that is assigned you; for “the day is fast passing away; and the night is quickly coming, when no man can work.”]

2. For congratulation to the poor—

[It must be confessed, that, in relation to temporal concerns, your portion is far inferior to that of the more opulent. For you may often be willing to labour, and not be able to find employment: and when you do labour ever so hard, you may be scarcely able to earn sufficient to supply your necessities. But, in relation to spiritual and everlasting happiness, the balance is altogether as much in your favour. The richer part of the community are so engrossed with the cares or pleasures of this life, that they can scarcely find a moment to devote to the concerns of eternity. The very dispositions which are generated by carnal ease, render it “more difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.” Hence you read, that “not many mighty, not many noble, are called [Note: 1 Corinthians 1:26.].” But what do you read concerning the poor? Hear, and be astonished! hear, and bless your God! “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of his kingdom [Note: James 2:5.]?” Yes, he has: and experience proves it: and the appeal which God himself makes to us respecting it is absolutely unanswerable. Be of good cheer then; and bless your God for the privileges which you enjoy. True, indeed, no rich man shall perish because he is rich; nor shall any poor man be saved because he is poor: but if the rich neglect their Saviour and their God, however full their tables may now be, they shall soon “want a drop of water to cool their tongues:” but the poor, though they be so destitute that they have not rags to cover their sores from the dogs that molest them, shall, if they truly seek after God, soon sit down with Abraham at the heavenly banquet, and rejoice in all the abundance of God’s glory for ever and ever [Note: Luke 16:19.]. Let not your poverty, then, be urged as an excuse for neglecting God; but be improved rather, as an incentive to secure the true riches, which shall never fade away.]