What is Eternal Life?
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Jesus makes some big claims about bringing us new life—in the here and now.
but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
What is eternal life? How can it help us to be the kinds of people Gd calls us to be? How can it answer the needs I have in this life?
What is Eternal Life?
What is Eternal Life?
Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Eternal life is not MORE—or BETTER—of the life you already have.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Eternal life is a completely different kind of life that requires a complete transformation.
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Eternal life is not something you can DO or TAKE—it has to be GIVEN TO you by God.
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.
Eternal life is the life of Jesus GIVEN TO us through the cross.
Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Eternal life is not something you can HOARD—it must be SHARED.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Conclusions
Conclusions
Jesus came to give us eternal life--the kind that truly FULFILLS and SUSTAINS.
Eternal life does not come through CONSUMING, but through SHARING.
The only way to find eternal life is to RECEIVE--and FOLLOW--the life of Jesus.