1997-11-06 - Glory and Authority

The Cross Series, Part 16

The High Priestly Prayer of Jesus

The Passover meal lays on the table half eaten. The men who came to be with their Master have more answers and more questions now than they have ever had ever before. Emotions have ebbed from sorrow to glory to confusion. Jesus has spoken directly with them tonight. No parables or leading questions. Their faith has taken its first steps into a time when Jesus would no longer be with them physically. Everything the Lord can do to prepare His friends for the trials of the hours ahead has been done. The Son now turns His attention to the matter at hand.

John 17:1-3 These things Jesus spoke; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Thy Son, that the Son may glorify Thee, 2 even as Thou gavest Him authority over all mankind, that to all whom Thou hast given Him, He may give eternal life. 3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. (NAS)

The hour has come indeed. This hour has been on the heart and mind of the Trinity since before the world was created from the power of the voice of the Son saying, "Let their be...". God and Adam and Eve had an intimate fellowship with God before the fall. It was the desire of God to have fellowship with man.

Gen 3:8-9 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"

Did God not know what had happened? Of course He did. He knew that Adam and Eve would eat the apple. He knew it before He created the first thing.

Rev 13:8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

Note, "whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world". This also means that the ones who's names have been written there, were there from the foundation of the world. Before Adam, before there was light, before God said, "Let there be...", the names of every person who would accept God's gift of salvation was scribed in The Book of Life. Nothing we ever do surprises God. It may indeed grieve Him, but He knew we would grieve Him.

Jesus speaks of authority given to Him by the Father. The Father relinquished His right to control in this area to the Son. The Trinity is such a difficult concept for our finite minds. One member of this Triune Being willingly surrendered authority in an arena of control to another Member.

Luke 20:42-44 "For David himself says in the book of Psalms, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, 43 Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet."' 44 "David therefore calls Him 'Lord,' and how is He his son?" 

Acts 2:34-35 "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, 35 Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet."'

Jesus came to break the power of darkness and the enemy of our souls. His mission, which He requested of the Father here, was to submit the enemies of the Father to the Father. And now, the moment of the final battle for the souls of all men was at hand.

Eternal life has been sought after by adventurers and seekers down through the ages. In the core of our being there is a chord that resonates with the power of this force of life. We have an inborn desire to protect that life and to struggle against things and circumstances that would harm that life. Life is a spiritual force. It was given by God in the creation and will pulse beyond the end of time. Physical life is the visible manifestation of life. The physical ages, is damaged or otherwise falters and fails. But the power, the force that is that person continues. They are simply released from the shackles of this physical body and world.

John 5:28-29 "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, 29 and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

Rom 2:5-8 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.

Eternal life, according to Jesus, is to know God. In knowing God personally, His salvation is given to you. This is not a mental wisdom of acknowledging the existence or even the power of God. It is to know Him as Savior and Lord. In this knowledge there is a gratefulness beyond measure for the gift of salvation and the chance to know Him. Through all eternity Jesus will be revealing to us, facets of His infinite person. And, not unlike the parable of the talents; to the ones who have, more will be given. And to the ones who have not, even the small knowledge of God will be taken away from them. They will live on through eternity separated from God knowing they have not chance of returning to fellowship with Him. That alone will be agony enough for all the ages to come.

Grace & Peace,
Mike

 jmhoskins@gmail.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

All verses are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.