Introduction

Good morning, family! Today, we are going to explore a beautiful passage from the Gospel of John - diving deep into Jesus' heart for us as He prays to the Father. We'll be looking at what eternal life truly means, where it comes from, and why it has been given to us. As A.W. Tozer once wrote, "The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One." This is the profound truth we'll be unpacking today.

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: 'Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.'

The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One.

Main Teaching

The nature of eternal life is a profound and multifaceted concept that is central to the Christian faith. In our passage today, Jesus reveals to us that eternal life is not merely about living forever, but rather, it is about knowing God and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. This statement is both profound and transformative, as it shifts our understanding of eternal life from a future-oriented, disembodied existence to a present, relational reality.

First, let us consider the idea that eternal life is about knowing God. The word "know" in the original Greek language is "ginosko," which implies an experiential, intimate, and personal knowledge. This is not merely an intellectual understanding or a collection of facts about God, but rather a deep, personal relationship with Him. This means that eternal life is not just about the quantity of our existence, but the quality of our relationship with God. It is about being in communion with the Creator of the universe, the One who knows us intimately and loves us unconditionally.

Second, we must recognize that eternal life is not just about knowing God, but also about knowing Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. Jesus is the perfect revelation of the Father, the exact representation of His being (Hebrews 1:3). To know Jesus is to know God, for He is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). This means that eternal life is not just about a relationship with a distant, transcendent deity, but with a God who has come near to us in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the bridge between heaven and earth, the mediator between God and humanity, and the one who makes it possible for us to know God intimately and personally.

Third, it is essential to understand that eternal life is a present reality, not just a future hope ... View this full sermon with PRO Premium