“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.” (John 17:3-5)

The hour draws near for the cross as Jesus prays to His Father. He knows that it is the time where He will pay the price for our sin and open the door for our salvation. Jesus’ focus is on glorifying the Father and providing eternal life. “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.’” (John 17:1-2) He echoes the announcement of His birth by the angels. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14) He also looks forward to the future hope. “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” (Revelation 21:22-23)

In His prayer, He acknowledges why He has come to this hour. He has come to give us eternal life. Eternal life is about a relationship between God and those that come to know Him. It is the restoration of relationship which was broken through the sin in the beginning and all the sin and sins through the ages. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) Jesus has come to restore that relationship between God and man.

Our restored relationship comes through our justification before God and our reconciliation with Him. We stand justified because Jesus overcame death. We have reconciliation because Jesus rose from the dead.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (Romans 5:8-11)

Our justification and reconciliation provided for us our relationship with God, which is eternal life. Our eternal life comes to us as the Holy Spirit comes to dwell with us forever. Jesus said “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) The Holy Spirit is the promise and the guarantee of eternal life. “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)

When we walk with the Living Word of God, we do so because we have a restored relationship with God through the Him. A relationship with Him which is eternal life.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block