The Wednesday of Ember Week in Whitsuntide
Posted on June 11, 2025 by under
Scripture: St. John 6:44-52 (NKJV)
6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
Devotion
Jesus’ words, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws Him,” does not mean that God only draws some or only desires to save some. God wants all men to be saved. However, all men due to their sinful nature are unable to come to the knowledge of salvation without the true teaching come from God. The Apostle Paul explains, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). Therefore, God sent Jesus to accomplish our salvation and be the Bread of Life. God also sent forth prophets, apostles, pastors, and teachers to proclaim Jesus to be “the living bread.” It is the teaching of the Gospel which draws men to believe in Jesus Christ.
God has not restricted this message only to certain people. The message was sent out “to all nations.” The invitation is wide open; “he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” The atonement is valid “for the life of the world.” If anyone eats of this Bread—the proclaimed good news of forgiveness in Jesus—he will live forever. Despite the negative reaction of some, the coming and teaching of Jesus is the proof that the Father wishes to draw all men through the Holy Spirit-infused Gospel message.
Collect: O Lord, may the Comforter, Who proceedeth from Thee, enlighten our minds, we beseech Thee, and guide us into all truth, even as Thy Son hath promised; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.
Collect for the Feast of Pentecost (Whitsunday)
O God, Who didst teach the hearts of Thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of Thy Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
