April 16, 2023
Memories of the Past and Hope for the Future
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 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. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:38-40 (NASB)
Each of us has memories we can think back to some of the happiest days of our lives. Some were awesome, while others were not so great. When I was 13 years old, I remember a great memory. I, to this day, remember the exact place. This memory was with two close friends in my bedroom one afternoon. We were just hanging out and dreaming of different skateboards in magazines. Then we compared which one we liked best. We laughed at each other, talked trash about another’s preference. It was over simple things like the wheels or boards one friend would like to own. It was just good fun. There were also times when I got placed on restriction and had to spend time in the same bedroom because I got in trouble. The location didn’t change, only the event did. Either way, the times in that room had memories. I still look forward to good memories ahead today in differing rooms. When I think about a time when our location will change, there will be an eternal time of great memories. Jesus shared hope to His listeners for “everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him.” The promise is still true today.
“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. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” When Jesus tells the crowd, ““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,” It is God’s will that all would be saved by believing in Jesus. Our God knows who will and who will not accept His forgiveness. This divine knowledge is held only by God. No man has this ability. This is the divine will of God for all. but Mankind, however, doesn’t always accept things freely given by God. He is either complacent to the calling on his/ her life or just plain rebellious. Sometimes it is all the way to the end of life. When God sent Jesus to earth, Jesus secured the eternity of all who are given to Him by God by His death and resurrection. “Will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” “This is the human side of the same thing as in the foregoing verse and answering to “Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out”; that is, I have it expressly in charge that everyone that so “beholdeth” (so vieweth) the Son as to believe on Him shall have everlasting life; and, that none of Him be lost, “I will raise him up at the last day.” (See on Jn 6:54).”[1]
Imagine today, a place of perfection. A place of perfect peace. A place of great memories ahead. No memories of the bad, or the temptation of sin ever again. We never have to worry about bad things happening. Imagine a place where you see others we love and miss so dearly. It’s a time we will see King Jesus who died for us and gave us eternal life. What a place to look forward to today. How? It was secured for those whom the Father gave to Jesus. He, “will raise us all up on that last day.” Why? Because Jesus said, “of all that He has given Me I lose nothing but raise it up on the last day.” It’s God’s promise to us through His Son Jesus Christ.
[1] Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 139.