Eternal Life Is Knowing God
Notes
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1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Setting the Stage
Setting the Stage
Last Sunday, we began looking at the prayer of Jesus Christ to His Father.
We noticed in the first request, there are a few truths to key in on, but they all pertain to the…
The Mission of Christ being the Glory of God
The Mission of Christ being the Glory of God
Under the umbrella of the glory of God we looked at five truths that are critical in understanding:
the person of Christ
the work of Christ
the benefits of Christ
the privilege of the saints
Hopefully, you’ll recall these five truths about glory:
All that Jesus does is for the glory of the Father.
God does not share glory with anyone else.
Christ’s glory is inherent as the Eternal Son of God.
Glorify here in John 17:1 means to clothe in splendour
If Christ lived His life to glorify God, then His image-bearers should certainly live their life to glorify God in all things, as well.
This morning I want us to continue looking at the mission of Christ, and so we read…
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
The word since is really better translated just as.
Jesus is making a comparison.
Glorify Me for the purpose of glorifying the Father.
JUST AS
The Father gave the Son authority over all flesh for the purpose of giving eternal life to all whom the Father gave the Son.
So, here, Jesus is expounding upon His mission of glory to the Father, and in reciprocation, the Father glorifies the Son.
I want us to look further into this comparison Jesus makes regarding the purposes that lead to the glory of God…
2 since [just as] you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
The Father has given the Son authority for the purpose of the Son giving eternal life to all whom the Father has given Him.
This is an act that points mankind to behold the glory of God.
So, I want us to first look at…
The Authority of Jesus
The Authority of Jesus
This authority of the Son of God is spoken of throughout the OT.
And, I want us to see a few of these to see what kind of authority the OT prophesied that the Messianic figure would wield…
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
This child that will be born that will dwell among man.
His name will be God —> Immanuel, God with us.
His kingdom will be one of peace.
He gives His people peace that can only come from God.
Not like the world’s peace.
But, a divine peace because we are at peace with the Divine.
He fulfills the Davidic covenant.
He will rule, not only with righteousness, but justice.
Justice will be met for all of mankind.
13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
This son of man, but more.
This human, yet divine mystery person that has divine authority and an eternal rule over mankind.
This divine-human King that has a citizenry of people out from among all nations, tribes, and tongues.
Does that sound familiar to you as you read the NT’s explanation of the OT?
1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
This psalm is about Christ.
The eternal Son of God, incarnate.
The eternal Son of God had this authority inherently and eternally.
But, this authority was promised before time began to the Son in His incarnation, as the God-Man, for the specific mission of the Messiah.
This is an authority that is over all mankind.
This is the authority, as we will see, to give eternal life.
But, it is also the authority to judge unto eternal condemnation.
Blessings if you find refuge in the Son.
Judgment in rejecting the Son.
Now, in this passage, we specifically see a purpose for this authority given.
And, that specific purpose that is included in this prayer of Christ is…the redemption of His bride.
Christ is going to the cross to drink the full cup of God’s wrath for His bride…
So that He can present us in the splendour of righteousness.
So, we read…
2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
To Give Eternal Life
To Give Eternal Life
The Savior, the God-Man, as one aspect of His authority has authority to give eternal life.
eternal = more than everlasting
eternal life = true life lived in righteousness in the presence of a holy God that is the only true source of joy, happiness, and bliss.
Christ has authority over all mankind.
But, we see a qualifier in who He gives eternal life to.
Does He give eternal life to all mankind?
—> No.
Who does Christ give eternal life to?
—> To all whom the Father has given Him.
To All (every person) the Father has given the Son to redeem.
To All (every person) the Father has given the Son to redeem.
This is not a new thought, nor a new statement in this gospel.
Jesus states in…
44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
The hardness of the human heart is such that it will never come to God in repentance and faith….
Unless it is overcome by the power of God in regeneration through the ordained means of God, which is the preaching of the gospel.
65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
The Son glorifies the Father and as the Son glorifies the Father, by revealing Him, the Father teaches and draws the elect to faith in the Son.
This is an aspect, function, and promise of the NC.
Jesus states in…
45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—
Jesus is speaking here of the NC.
Coming to Jesus in repentance and faith is an irresistible behavior of those who have been regenerated and taught by the Father.
The old heart of stone has been replaced with a heart of flesh (regeneration) that now:
Loves the Lord
See His the majesty and beauty of His holiness
Loves God’s majesty
Knows his own bankruptcy of righteousness in and of himself.
Clings to Christ as his Federal Head and Surety of a right standing with God.
Now, Jesus goes on to describe the foundation and core component of eternal life.
3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
So, here we see…
Eternal Life Described
Eternal Life Described
The true essence of salvation is knowing God.
This is not speaking to some sort of mystical, spiritual knowledge disconnected from real life.
This is not some sort of mere intellectual knowledge, although it is something we know in the intellect.
This is an intimate, experiential knowledge that brings us to the person Himself…
That unveils to us a beatific vision of the true nature and character of God that is according to His word…
And that is lovely to behold, beyond words, to the regenerated heart.
This is to know God intimately and lovingly.
A love that subjects oneself willing to the beauty of His being.
And, this is a same type of knowledge and submission to Christ.
Jesus Christ was sent to reveal God.
You cannot know God apart from Jesus Christ.
This is the work of the Son glorifying the Father and the Father glorifying the Son.
You cannot know the One without knowing the Other.
You cannot love the One without loving the Other.
You cannot obey One without obeying the Other.
You cannot disobey One without disobeying the Other.
You cannot trust in One without trusting in the Other.
And, this would bring comfort to the disciples, wouldn’t it?
This would bring assurance to the disciples, wouldn’t it?
Their faith in Christ is not faith in another, but faith in the One, true God.
All the promises of God in the OT are not relinquished by believing in Christ.
Actually, not believing in Christ is proof that you don’t actually believe in the promises of God in the OT.
The disciples overhear Jesus praying the Abba.
And, they hear the most comforting of truths.
And, dear friends through the inspired, infallible record we get to overhear, as well.
And, oh, how it is comforting.
Let’s think about this...
Let’s think about this...
The real gift of eternal life is:
Knowing God and being able to live in the enjoyment of Him by relating to Him rightly and perfectly without the disturbance of sin.
Every other benefit of redemption and eternal life are important, no doubt, but at the same time consequential blessings.
Think of the beauty of:
Forgiveness
Sanctification
Glorification
No sorrow
No death
No pain
No sin
All important, vital, and necessary.
But, secondary to the privilege of knowing God and having the privilege and experience of basking in His glory and relating to Him rightly, and the result being relational bliss with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
