Embracing the Gift of Eternal Life Through Christ

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Son, that the son may glorify you since you have given him authority over all flesh to give. What's that word? Eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life that they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you. Before the world existed. [00:29:53] (44 seconds)


It's very clear the closing line of Jesus' preamble to his high priestly prayer tells us that Jesus was born as a man, but has always been God. Did you hear that? Jesus said, and now, Father, as I return to you in glory, we're going to share the glory that we had together before any of this earthly stuff ever existed. [00:31:51] (25 seconds)


So this is a miracle. This eternal understanding of Jesus is the reality of the Christmas miracle. And here's why it matters. Because so many of our Christmas movies want to capture this idea of the infinite God humbling himself by entering into his creation as an eternal God to save us. To save mortal man. [00:34:05] (27 seconds)


Culture recognizes this. Film tries to capture it because everyone understands there is something miraculous about Christmas. But here it is. You ready? The Christmas miracle is the infinite God humbling himself to pay the price for the sins of humanity. That's the Christmas miracle. [00:35:21] (19 seconds)


That Jesus, who is forever, he is eternal, would humble himself, clothe himself in humanity so that he could rescue those of us who are finite and restore us into a relationship with God, what? Forever. Forever. So we understand there is the eternal life of Jesus. [00:35:40] (25 seconds)


Since you have given authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given him, and this is eternal life, that they know you. The only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. So in the preamble to his high priestly prayer, Jesus acknowledges that he is the one who gives eternal life. And the way in which we can receive eternal life is if we believe in the only true God and in Jesus Christ who God sent to give eternal life. You see? And Jesus is talking about his singular purpose. The mission of God is to provide. Eternal life to man. [00:36:16] (46 seconds)


Jesus acknowledges, and I am the giver of this. Jesus died so we might live. This is the purpose of Christmas. Think about the most familiar verses in the New Testament. In John chapter 3, verses 16 and 17, it says, for God so loved the world that whosoever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life or eternal life. And then in verse 17, it says, for God did not send his son into the world in order to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him, right? The singular purpose of Jesus is to provide forgiveness of sinners' sins so we can have eternal life with God. [00:37:10] (51 seconds)


I know that my Catherine and her Luke have a real genuine faith in God through Jesus and therefore they have eternal life. And I've never been more aware of my gratitude. Third John 4 says, I have no greater joy than to know my children walk in truth. And so my heart was full and I was, keenly aware, and yet, at the same time, when you think about eternity, it's really hard for us to wrap our mind around just how long that is. [00:43:19] (45 seconds)


But those things must always be so much less in our family priority list than the real understanding that our children have that Jesus is the reason we celebrate at all. Parents and grandparents, listen, let me love you well. If your kids grow up and what they say about you is, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, one day is mom and dad loved me and we celebrated Santa and they had reindeer footprints in the hallway and they did all these special things and we did elf on a shelf and we went to grandma's house and we road tripped, but they don't know that Christmas is about God sending his son to rescue, then we've missed it. We've missed the mark. [00:46:28] (49 seconds)


He is the gift of Christmas and nothing else makes sense if you don't first have the understanding of what God has sent his son to do. He is the gift of Christmas. And the second thought is this, he gives the gift of eternal life. [00:47:10] (19 seconds)