What Must We Do? The Works of God and Grace

Then they said to Jesus, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom God has sent.” ~ John 6:28-29

In case, you haven't noticed, the 2024 Olympics are being held in Paris right now.       

I love the Olympics so much for so many reasons. How about you?  What's your favorite part of the Olympics?

I love watching the competition ­– the strength, speed, and artistry. But, honestly, I love the stories of the athletes themselves, especially those who have overcome some personal challenge or difficulty to be there, competing. Even the athletes who don't stand on the podium. Maybe especially those athletes.

Now, I have no illusions about my own talents or skills as an athlete. I never did sports and even the things that I am good at, I never aspired to perform at that elite level.

However, I do share one thing in common with every athlete there and probably most of you.

I like a plan.

All of those athletes have a comprehensive plan for their training so that they will be successful in competition. 

I too like to have a plan. An idea of what I need to do so that I can be successful and achieve my goals.  

It's also why I love a good checklist. My to-do list provides the details of the things I need to do every day – the steps in the plan. Sometimes I even add an item to the list, just so I can have the satisfaction of checking it off.

What's on your to-do list right now? For today, for this week? The tasks that we have to do are part of every day life, right?

Even from a very young age, many of us have chores to do. The things that need to be done around the house.  And we also have tasks and steps to take towards our goals.  

For some of us though – maybe many of us – we might have a checklist for our faith and our relationship with God. A set of expectations or beliefs or behavior or even identity.

What are some of the things we might believe — or have been told — that we must do or be as Christians, to perform the works of God?  

It is true that as members of the body of Christ, as his hands and feet and voice in this world, we — all of us — each one of you — are called to share in God's mission in and for the world. As his followers, Jesus calls us to share the gospel and to love and serve our neighbors. Like it says in the reading from Ephesians, each of us has a role to play with diverse and beautiful and amazing gifts to share.

And, it is true that the plans and tasks of ministry – what we might think of as the works of God – are many.

Confession time: I would be lying if I didn't tell you that this: the quantity and variety and seemingly never-ending tasks of ministry sometimes (often times) weigh on my heart, my mind and my spirit. Because ministry takes all of us.

So, like the people in the reading from the Gospel of John,

… who have seen the signs Jesus has been performing.
… who have had their fill of the loaves, and want more of the bread that satisfies their physical hunger, like the manna their ancestors ate in the wilderness.
… who ask: “What must we do to perform the works of God?”

… we hear this question and we wonder too:  What must we do? And then we interpret it like a plan or a task list. Like an IF THEN statement: “If I do this and that and the next thing, then I will be successful in reaching my goals.”

It is natural for us to think this way in so many things in our lives.

But, when we think this way as it relates to our relationship with God or our lives of discipleship, it might sound like

IF I do these X, Y, or Z works ... THEN I will be right with God.
IF I do the right things, live a Christian life ... THEN God will forgive me, save me, love me. 
IF I believe, have enough faith ...  THEN I will receive the blessings and promises of God.

BUT no matter what the world, or other voices, or your own internal voice tell you, there is no checklist that you must complete to earn God's love, mercy, forgiveness, or salvation.

These are a gift from God in Christ because of God's infinite love for you.

This is the very essence of a Lutheran understanding of grace.

Instead of IF ... THEN statements that start with us, what if we start with God — God's action — and BECAUSE ...  THEREFORE ...  statements?

Because God so loves the word, God sent Jesus.
Because Christ died on the cross for us, God forgives our sins.
Because Christ was raised from the dead, God gives us new and eternal life.

Because God loves us, our relationship with God always begins with God's action in Christ first.

In the story, when the people ask: “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus doesn't say, “Here's your checklist.” Instead, in verse 29, Jesus responds: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom God has sent.”

We could interpret this and make it all about us and our actions, like the “If ... Then” statements, and belief as the one of the works we do for God.

But... what if “the work of God” is – and always has been – about God. God's work in us and for us.  Even our faith – our belief in Jesus – is itself a work of God, a gift of the Holy Spirit.

Martin Luther wrote in the Small Catechism, in his interpretation of Article 3 of the Apostles' Creed: “I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith.”

What is our action then? What must we do?

With faith — this belief and trust in God — we can receive the gifts of God — grace, salvation, life everlasting and abundant for us — that God has already given to us. Or, with our free will, we can ignore, deny, reject, or refuse them. Even then, God continues to seek us out, coming to us in Jesus.

As followers of Jesus, we often focus on the ways Jesus calls us to express our faith and to love and serve in Jesus' name. And ministry is full of good and worthy and grace-filled works done out of love for the sake of neighbors and the world.

But our relationship with God in Christ is not like the Olympics. Our works don't earn us a spot on the team, a place on the podium, or even a participation medal.

We don't need to do anything to earn God's love or grace or salvation. Even more, there is nothing we can do to work our way to God. Because Christ has already done it all for us.

Because God
creates, claims, and calls us
invites and welcomes us
frees, and forgives us
loves, redeems, and saves us
feeds us with the bread of life.

FIRST

Then, and only then, are we able to respond, doing God's work in our lives of faithful discipleship.

Thanks be to God!