Knowing God: The Essence of Eternal Life

Devotional

Day 1: Eternal Life as Intimate Knowledge of God

Eternal life is not merely about an unending existence; it is about a profound, personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This relationship transforms our understanding of God from a distant deity to a loving Father. Jesus, in His prayer, emphasizes that eternal life is knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. This knowledge is relational, involving a deep connection with God that goes beyond intellectual understanding. It is an invitation to experience the fullness of life in communion with the Creator, where we are known and loved deeply. [01:06]

John 17:3 (ESV): "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

Reflection: How can you deepen your personal relationship with God today, moving beyond intellectual knowledge to a heartfelt connection?

Day 2: The Disciples as a Divine Gift

The disciples, despite their imperfections, are a divine gift from the Father to the Son. This highlights the grace of God in choosing and cherishing those who are His, despite their flaws and failures. Jesus acknowledges this gift in His prayer, underscoring the security of the disciples in Him, not because of their own merit, but because they are the Father's gift to the Son. This divine choice assures us that our security in Christ is rooted in God's grace, not in our own performance. [10:07]

Ephesians 1:4-5 (ESV): "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will."

Reflection: In what ways can you embrace the truth that you are cherished by God, despite your imperfections?

Day 3: Manifesting God's Name

Jesus' mission was to reveal the Father to the world by manifesting God's name, showing the fullness of God's character and essence. Through His words and works, Jesus invited people to know God as He truly is. This revelation is not just about imparting knowledge but about inviting us into a relationship with God, where we can experience His love, grace, and truth. As believers, we are called to continue this mission by reflecting God's character in our lives. [14:42]

Colossians 1:15-16 (ESV): "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him."

Reflection: How can you reflect God's character in your interactions with others today?

Day 4: The Disciples' Journey of Faith

The disciples' journey of faith began with receiving and believing the words of Jesus. Their understanding was not complete, but their faith was genuine. This reminds us that faith is a journey, and even weak faith is still faith. Jesus' prayer highlights the disciples' belief and acceptance of His revelation, marking the beginning of their journey of faith. As believers, we are encouraged to continue growing in our faith, trusting that God is with us every step of the way. [27:22]

Mark 9:24 (ESV): "Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!'"

Reflection: What steps can you take today to nurture and grow your faith, even if it feels weak?

Day 5: Security in Christ's Work

Our acceptance with the Father is based on Christ's perfect obedience and sacrifice. Despite our weaknesses and failures, we are secure in Christ because of His finished work on the cross. This assurance gives us confidence to live out our faith, knowing that our relationship with God is not dependent on our performance but on Jesus' sacrifice. As believers, we are called to rest in this security and allow it to transform our lives. [36:46]

Hebrews 10:14 (ESV): "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."

Reflection: How can you live confidently in the security of Christ's finished work today, allowing it to transform your actions and attitudes?

Sermon Summary

In John 17, we find ourselves in the midst of Jesus' High Priestly Prayer, a profound moment where Jesus prays for Himself, His disciples, and ultimately for all believers. This prayer reveals the deep connection between Jesus and the Father, and the mission entrusted to Him. Jesus begins by acknowledging the authority given to Him by the Father to grant eternal life to those whom the Father has given Him. Eternal life, as Jesus defines it, is knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. This knowledge is not merely intellectual but relational, involving a deep, personal connection with God.

Jesus' prayer highlights the divine gift of the disciples to Him by the Father. These disciples, though flawed and imperfect, are cherished by Jesus. Despite their shortcomings, they have kept God's word, and Jesus has manifested God's name to them, revealing the Father through His words and works. This manifestation is not just about imparting knowledge but about revealing the very character and essence of God. Jesus' mission was to make the Father known, and He did so by faithfully delivering the words given to Him by the Father.

The disciples' response to Jesus' revelation is one of belief and acceptance. They have received the words of Jesus and have come to know in truth that He came from the Father. This belief, though not yet fully mature, is genuine and marks the beginning of their journey of faith. Jesus' prayer underscores the security of the disciples in Him, not because of their own merit, but because they are the Father's gift to the Son.

As believers today, we are reminded that our acceptance with the Father is not based on our performance but on the finished work of Christ. Our faith, though sometimes weak, is anchored in the strength of Jesus' perfect obedience and sacrifice. We are cherished by God, chosen before the foundation of the world, and called to live in the light of this truth.

Key Takeaways

1. Eternal Life as Relationship: Eternal life is not just about living forever; it is about knowing God intimately and personally through Jesus Christ. This relationship is the essence of eternal life, transforming our understanding of God from a distant deity to a loving Father. [01:06]
2. The Gift of the Disciples: The disciples, though imperfect, are a divine gift from the Father to the Son. This highlights the grace of God in choosing and cherishing those who are His, despite their flaws and failures. Our security in Christ is rooted in this divine choice, not in our own merit. [10:07]
3. Manifestation of God's Name: Jesus' mission was to reveal the Father to the world. By manifesting God's name, Jesus showed the fullness of God's character and essence. This revelation invites us to know God as He truly is, through the words and works of Jesus. [14:42]
4. The Disciples' Response: The disciples' journey of faith began with receiving and believing the words of Jesus. Their understanding was not complete, but their faith was genuine. This reminds us that faith is a journey, and even weak faith is still faith. [27:22]
5. Security in Christ's Work: Our acceptance with the Father is based on Christ's perfect obedience and sacrifice. Despite our weaknesses and failures, we are secure in Christ because of His finished work on the cross. This assurance gives us confidence to live out our faith. [36:46]
** [36:46]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:23] - Introduction to John 17
[01:06] - Eternal Life Defined
[02:24] - The Challenge of Public Prayer
[03:16] - Listening to Jesus' Prayer
[04:43] - Jesus Prays for His Disciples
[05:25] - The Disciples' Struggles
[06:42] - The Disciples' Misunderstandings
[08:43] - The Harvest of Jesus' Ministry
[09:25] - The Disciples' Future Mission
[10:07] - The Father's Gift to the Son
[11:22] - The Doctrine of Election
[12:52] - The Sovereignty of God and Human Responsibility
[14:42] - Jesus' Work: Manifesting God's Name
[17:26] - Believing in God's Revelation
[20:31] - The Importance of God's Word
[24:21] - Jesus' Teaching Authority
[27:22] - The Disciples' Response to Jesus
[31:06] - The Ongoing Journey of Faith
[33:06] - Encountering Jesus at the Crossroads
[36:46] - Security in Christ's Work
[38:42] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 17:1-11

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Observation Questions:

What does Jesus ask the Father to do for Him in John 17:1, and why is this significant? [00:23]
How does Jesus define eternal life in John 17:3, and what does this reveal about the nature of our relationship with God? [01:06]
According to John 17:6, what has Jesus done for the people given to Him by the Father? How does this relate to His mission? [10:44]
In John 17:8, what is the response of the disciples to the words Jesus has given them? How does this reflect their journey of faith? [27:22]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of eternal life as a relationship with God challenge or affirm common perceptions of eternal life? [01:06]
What does it mean for the disciples to be a gift from the Father to the Son, and how does this understanding affect the way believers view their own relationship with God? [10:07]
How does Jesus' manifestation of God's name and character through His words and works invite believers to know God more deeply? [14:42]
In what ways does the disciples' initial belief, despite its immaturity, serve as an encouragement for believers today in their own faith journeys? [27:22]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your current understanding of eternal life. How does viewing it as a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ change your perspective on your daily walk with Him? [01:06]
Consider the idea that believers are cherished gifts from the Father to the Son. How does this truth impact your sense of identity and purpose as a follower of Christ? [10:07]
Jesus revealed the Father through His words and actions. What specific steps can you take this week to know God more intimately through the study of Jesus' life and teachings? [14:42]
The disciples' faith journey began with receiving and believing Jesus' words. What are some practical ways you can nurture and grow your faith, even if it feels weak at times? [27:22]
How does the assurance of security in Christ's finished work on the cross influence your confidence in living out your faith, especially during times of personal failure or doubt? [36:46]
Identify an area in your life where you struggle to trust in God's sovereignty. How can you remind yourself of God's faithfulness and His divine choice in your life this week? [10:07]
Think of a person in your life who may not yet know God. How can you manifest God's love and character to them through your actions and words this week? [14:42]

Sermon Clips

"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, since you have given him 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." [00:00:39]

"I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me." [00:01:19]

"To listen in as somebody prays is to be made privy to the very essential longings of the human heart. That is one of the reasons why public prayer is so very difficult, I think, for all of us, whether we gather in a small group or where we have a responsibility such as mine today. Because in many ways, it is our prayer life that reveals what’s going on in our hearts." [00:03:31]

"Jesus came into the world in order to call them out of the world. And it is this small group of individuals who are able to listen in on Jesus as he prays—these eleven who have enjoyed the privilege of spending three years in the company of Jesus. Most recently, they’ve listened to Jesus as he has been preparing them for his departure." [00:04:57]

"They’re about to forsake and deny their Master. Frankly, if you think about it, the harvest of Jesus’ ministry as he comes to the end of three years doesn’t look particularly strong, does it? Who does he have? He has eleven Galilean artisans as a result of three years of labor. And for these individuals now he bows before his Father, and he prays." [00:08:49]

"Now, we spent a fair amount of time on this matter when we studied in John chapter 6, and I’m not going to rehearse it again. I commend to you our studies in John 6 if you are trying to work your way through this thought. It is the matter of the doctrine of election—that God from all of eternity has purposed to have a people that are his very own and that he’s elected them to salvation, and he has given this company to his Son." [00:11:03]

"Jesus is now praying to the Father, and he recognizes that the Father cherishes those whom he has given to the Son. So, the Father has given them. And the Son in turn, you will notice—still in verse 6—has manifested God’s name. What does that mean? “I have manifested your name.” Well, he has revealed the Father." [00:14:23]

"To believe in God is to believe in him as he is. It is to believe in God as God has revealed himself in the Word and in the works of Jesus, primarily. That’s why, again, at the beginning of John’s Gospel, when he’s describing the way in which Jesus has come into the world and his own people have not received him, it says that he came to them, they did not receive him, “but to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become [the] children of God.”" [00:16:55]

"Now, it’s not the Bible that saves us, when we talk about the importance of the Bible and the Word of God. No, we’re saved by the one to whom we’re introduced in the Bible —that the Bible, as we say to one another, is a book about Jesus, all the way from the beginning to the end, pointing to him, referring to him. Because he is the Savior." [00:25:53]

"Because their acceptance with the Father is on the strength of what Christ is about to accomplish as he steps out of that garden and into that scene on Calvary. And our acceptance with the Father this morning is on the strength of the selfsame thing: that the Father looks upon us and sees us as united to his Son, that his obedience is a perfect obedience, that his sacrifice for sin is the only sacrifice for sin." [00:36:28]

"Once I was outside, but now, by grace, I am inside. I was once there. I am now here. How this happened…” I know not how the Spirit moves, Convincing [me] of sin, Revealing Jesus through the Word [And] creating faith in him. But “I know whom I have believed.” Listen: Weak faith is still faith. Your faith is weak? Welcome to the club!" [00:37:55]

"Father, we are miserable sinners. We confess it and we own it. But Jesus has lifted us out of the miry clay. We confess it and we own it. By the sacrifice of his blood he has raised us to a status far above anything we could achieve on our own. We can keep your Word only by his power within us. May it be true of us as it was true of the original eleven." [00:38:47]

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Knowing God: The Essence of Eternal Life

Devotional

Day 1: Eternal Life as Intimate Knowledge of God

Day 2: The Disciples as a Divine Gift

Day 3: Manifesting God's Name

Day 4: The Disciples' Journey of Faith

Day 5: Security in Christ's Work

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Knowing God: The Essence of Eternal Life

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