Understanding Christ: The Whole Life and Its Impact

 

Summary

In reflecting on the 17th chapter of the Gospel of John, particularly verse 25, we are reminded of the profound significance of understanding the life of Jesus Christ in its entirety. It is crucial not to isolate parts of His life, such as His birth, teachings, or death, but to see them as a cohesive whole. The world often romanticizes the birth of Jesus, focusing on the Babe of Bethlehem, while neglecting the full scope of His mission and the transformative power of His life, death, and resurrection. This selective focus can lead to a superficial understanding of His purpose and the profound impact He has on humanity.

Jesus Christ is the great divider of humanity, separating those who recognize and accept Him from those who do not. This division is not merely a matter of belief but a fundamental difference in understanding and experiencing God. The world, in its ignorance, fails to know God and thus remains in darkness, pursuing fleeting pleasures and temporary satisfactions. In contrast, those who belong to Christ, the "these" mentioned in the scripture, have a deep, personal knowledge of God, which transforms their lives and gives them eternal hope.

The knowledge of God through Christ is not just intellectual but experiential. It is a relationship that brings forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life. This divine life is a new quality of existence, marked by the indwelling presence of God and the joy of knowing Him as Father. It separates believers from the world, not in physical terms but in spiritual reality, as they are no longer bound by the world's values and doomed fate.

As believers, we are called to rejoice in the unspeakable gift of God's Son, who not only reveals God to us but also secures our place in His eternal kingdom. This knowledge and relationship with God through Christ is the greatest treasure, offering peace, joy, and the hope of glory.

Key Takeaways:

- Understanding the life of Jesus Christ as a whole is essential. Focusing solely on His birth, teachings, or death can lead to a fragmented and superficial understanding of His mission and purpose. The entirety of His life reveals the cohesive plan of God for humanity. [01:19]

- Jesus Christ is the great divider of humanity, separating those who know God from those who do not. This division is not just about belief but about a fundamental difference in understanding and experiencing God. [06:19]

- The world remains in darkness because it does not know God. This ignorance leads to a pursuit of temporary pleasures and a lack of true satisfaction. In contrast, those who know God through Christ experience a transformative relationship that brings eternal hope. [22:29]

- The knowledge of God through Christ is experiential, bringing forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life. This divine life is a new quality of existence, marked by the indwelling presence of God and the joy of knowing Him as Father. [36:36]

- Believers are separated from the world, not physically but spiritually, as they are no longer bound by the world's values and doomed fate. This separation is a source of joy and hope, as it secures their place in God's eternal kingdom. [39:13]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to John 17:25
- [01:02] - The Importance of the Whole Life of Christ
- [01:58] - The World's Selective Focus on Jesus
- [03:32] - The Danger of Isolating Aspects of Jesus' Life
- [05:10] - Jesus as the Great Divider
- [06:49] - The Minority of Believers
- [08:11] - The World vs. These
- [09:55] - Jesus' Unique Claim of Knowing God
- [12:12] - The Mission of Jesus
- [16:04] - The World's Ignorance of God's Plan
- [18:13] - The State of the World
- [22:29] - The World's Lack of Knowledge of God
- [29:59] - The Separation of Believers
- [33:25] - The Blessings of Believers
- [39:13] - The Doom of the World and the Hope of Believers

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 17:25: "O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me."

Observation Questions:
1. What does Jesus mean when He refers to "the world" and "these" in John 17:25? How does this distinction play out in the sermon? [06:19]
2. According to the sermon, why is it dangerous to focus only on certain aspects of Jesus' life, such as His birth or teachings? [01:19]
3. How does the sermon describe the world's perception of Jesus' birth, and why is this view considered limited? [02:14]
4. What is the significance of Jesus' claim to know God intimately, as mentioned in the sermon? [10:10]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon explain the transformative relationship between believers and God through Christ? What does this relationship entail? [36:36]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the world remains in darkness due to its ignorance of God? How does this ignorance manifest in people's lives? [22:29]
3. What does the sermon imply about the role of Jesus as the "great divider" of humanity? How does this division affect believers and non-believers differently? [06:19]
4. How does the sermon describe the new quality of existence that believers experience through their knowledge of God? [36:36]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your understanding of Jesus' life as a whole. Are there aspects of His life that you tend to focus on more than others? How can you gain a more comprehensive understanding of His mission? [01:19]
2. The sermon describes Jesus as the great divider. How do you see this division in your own life or community? Are there ways you can bridge the gap between believers and non-believers? [06:19]
3. Consider the ways in which the world pursues temporary pleasures. Are there areas in your life where you might be seeking satisfaction outside of your relationship with God? How can you redirect your focus? [22:29]
4. The sermon emphasizes the experiential knowledge of God. How can you deepen your personal relationship with God this week? What specific steps can you take to experience His presence more fully? [36:36]
5. Reflect on the idea of being spiritually separated from the world. How does this separation influence your daily decisions and interactions? Are there areas where you struggle to maintain this spiritual distinction? [39:13]
6. The sermon speaks of the joy and hope found in knowing God as Father. How can you cultivate this joy and hope in your life, especially during challenging times? [36:36]
7. Identify one way you can share the "unspeakable gift" of God's Son with someone in your life this week. What specific action can you take to demonstrate the love and hope found in Christ? [45:59]

Devotional

Day 1: The Wholeness of Christ's Life
Understanding the life of Jesus Christ in its entirety is essential for a profound comprehension of His mission and purpose. Often, people focus on isolated events such as His birth, teachings, or death, which can lead to a fragmented and superficial understanding. The entirety of His life reveals the cohesive plan of God for humanity, showing how each aspect of His life is interconnected and purposeful. By embracing the full scope of Jesus' life, believers can appreciate the depth of His mission and the transformative power it holds for humanity. [01:19]

"For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." (Colossians 1:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: How can you integrate the different aspects of Jesus' life into your daily walk with Him, rather than focusing on just one part?


Day 2: The Division of Humanity by Christ
Jesus Christ is the great divider of humanity, distinguishing those who recognize and accept Him from those who do not. This division is not merely about belief but represents a fundamental difference in understanding and experiencing God. Those who know God through Christ have a deep, personal relationship that transforms their lives, while the world remains in ignorance, pursuing temporary pleasures. This separation highlights the profound impact of knowing God and the eternal hope it brings to believers. [06:19]

"Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." (Luke 12:51, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways does your relationship with Christ set you apart from the world's values and pursuits?


Day 3: The World's Ignorance and the Believer's Hope
The world remains in darkness because it does not know God, leading to a pursuit of fleeting pleasures and a lack of true satisfaction. In contrast, those who know God through Christ experience a transformative relationship that brings eternal hope. This knowledge is not just intellectual but experiential, offering forgiveness, reconciliation, and a new quality of existence. Believers are called to live in this divine reality, marked by the indwelling presence of God and the joy of knowing Him as Father. [22:29]

"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened." (Romans 1:21, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper experiential knowledge of God in your daily life, beyond intellectual understanding?


Day 4: Experiencing Divine Life through Christ
The knowledge of God through Christ is experiential, bringing forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life. This divine life is a new quality of existence, marked by the indwelling presence of God and the joy of knowing Him as Father. Believers are separated from the world, not physically but spiritually, as they are no longer bound by the world's values and doomed fate. This separation is a source of joy and hope, securing their place in God's eternal kingdom. [36:36]

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

Reflection: What steps can you take today to deepen your relationship with God and experience the fullness of His divine life?


Day 5: The Joy and Hope of Believers
Believers are called to rejoice in the unspeakable gift of God's Son, who not only reveals God to us but also secures our place in His eternal kingdom. This knowledge and relationship with God through Christ is the greatest treasure, offering peace, joy, and the hope of glory. As believers, we are separated from the world spiritually, living in the reality of God's kingdom and no longer bound by the world's doomed fate. This separation is a source of profound joy and hope, as it assures us of our eternal inheritance. [39:13]

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively rejoice in your relationship with Christ today, and share this joy and hope with others?

Quotes


There is nothing more dangerous than to concentrate only only on certain parts or portions or aspects of his life. Now the New Testament doesn't want us to do that. It gives a whole picture, it gives us a total picture, and it does that of course because everything that he did was part and parle of one great purpose. [00:01:26]

The world takes this peculiar interest in the birth of our Lord. It would like to keep him in the manger. It likes that, that's interesting, that's wonderful, that's romantic. They can handle him as it were while he's there. But of course they don't like him so much when he goes on and when he teaches and preaches and when he dies upon the cross. [00:03:06]

There has never been a greater divisive force in the world than this blessed person, the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, the result of his coming is this: he's divided the whole of humanity into two groups, the world and these. Here he is in the middle, and the effect of this coming is that there are those who are the world and these others. [00:06:07]

The world and the way of the world is that which leads people to live only for pleasure. So many are living to eat, so many are living to drink, so many are just living to gratify their passions and their lusts and their desires. That's all they're living for. That's the world, you know. [00:19:12]

The world is full of unhappiness. Look at all its divisions, national, within the nation, groups within the Nations, the divisions even in the groups, even a circle like the Family Circle divided, torn, separations, divorces. Oh, this day in which we think so much of the little children, think of many little children who are breaking their hearts. [00:20:18]

The world is as it is because literally it has never had any of this knowledge of God which satisfies the profoundest needs and desires of human nature. But you see, because it doesn't know God, it doesn't know the truth about itself either, and that's why the world is as it is. [00:24:05]

The world is under the curse of God at the present time. God has said that he will curse the world if he doesn't honor him and Obey him and glorify his name. He's punishing the world at the moment in spite of all our efforts, in spite of all our advances and discoveries. [00:27:20]

He separates certain people out of that world, the world that doesn't know God and that's not interested in him. He separates certain people out of that and he calls them these. These, they don't belong to the world. These have known that thou H has sent me. [00:29:50]

We are forgiven and are reconciled to God. You know, he said this, didn't he? He said here, for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also might be Sanctified through the truth. What do he mean by sanctifying himself? He means I'm going to set myself apart. He was referring to his death, his death upon the cross. [00:33:59]

Not only forgiveness, eternal life as thou has given power him Power Over All Flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou H has given him. What does it mean? Well, it means a new life, it means a Divine Life, it means you become partaker of the divine nature. [00:36:31]

We are no longer governed by its mind and by its Outlook. We are no longer controlled by its thinking and by its Vain and futile hopes, but still more important, we are no longer involved in its Doom. My friends, this world is a doomed world. It's a world that's under judgment, and the Judgment may come at any moment. [00:39:59]

The world doesn't know God, doesn't know Jesus Christ, doesn't know anything of these things. But these have known that thou has sent me. There's nothing comparable to this, to know God and Jesus Christ whom he as sent, to know Jesus Christ as My Savior, My Lord, my all and in all and to rejoice in Hope of that Glory which is coming. [00:46:08]

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Transcript
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