So it's good to see everybody
tonight. I'm gonna ask you to take your Bibles and turn with
me to the book of John chapter 17. John chapter 17. Lord willing, just a few moments
we're going to partake of the Lord's table. And I want to read
the first three verses of the 17th chapter of the book of John. And I want us to consider for
just a few moments, the words of our Lord that were spoken
right after he had eaten the supper with his disciples. John 17, one to three says, these
words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said,
father, the hour has come. Glorify thy son that thy son
also may glorify thee as thou has given him power over all
flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given
him. This is life eternal, that they
might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou
hast sent. Let's pray together. Our Father,
thank You for allowing us to meet together as brethren. Thank You for raising up a place
where you have allowed and permitted and ordained your gospel to be
preached. Bless, we pray tonight, your
word to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and to our comfort
and good, for it's in his name we pray. Amen. These words were
spoken, as I said a moment ago, after he had eaten the supper. The first few words in the 18th
chapter after we read, we won't read the 17th chapter, but his
high priestly prayer in the 17th chapter was prayed, and look
what the first few verses of chapter 18 says. When Jesus had
spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook
Cedron, Where was a garden into the which he entered in his disciples,
and Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place, for Jesus
oft times resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having
received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees,
cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons." So
you know when these words were spoken and when the Lord prayed
this prayer. He prayed it just before he was
taken, brought before Pilate. The Lord had been speaking to
his disciples. In chapters 13 through the end
of chapter 16, he gives them instruction. begins to speak
to them, and he gave them these words of comfort. And I'll just
kind of summarize, just make a few statements out of each
of the chapters. But he began to speak to them
in chapter 17. He had given words of comfort
and direction to tell them in chapter 14 of the surety of going
to prepare a place for them. But also he told them, he said,
I'll be coming back. for you, and then he gave them
the comforting words of promise of another comforter that would
come, the Holy Spirit, who would abide with them forever. And then he revealed in chapter
17, he said, I am the vine. You're the branches. He that
abideth in me hath life grafted into him. He said, you'll bear
much fruit. And then he warned them also
in chapter 16 of the trials that they were gonna suffer for his
name's sake and that very soon they'd be scattered from him,
obviously speaking, during and after his crucifixion. And then
though they would be scattered, he told them, he said, I'm not
gonna be left alone because the Father's gonna be with me. So
these three chapters, really part of the 13th through the
16th, really three and a half. He's giving them instruction,
last words of comfort, last words. He's getting ready to go to the
cross. And then in chapter 16, verse 33, he says these things,
these things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have
peace. In the world you shall have tribulation,
but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Then the Spirit of God moved
upon John to pen these words. It says, these words, referring
to the words in the preceding chapters, spake Jesus, lifted
up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. glorify thy son that thy son
also may glorify thee." Now, he lifts up his eyes unto heaven
and he speaks to the Father. The Father, according to God's
covenant mercy, grace, covenant mercy and grace to save a people,
the Father is being spoken to by the Son. He, the willing,
submissive, beloved Son of the Father. And He says, the hour
is come. The hour for which He came into
this world to finish the work that was given unto Him by the
Father. Father, the hour of His suffering. This is the hour. This is the hour that He would
redeem His people. This is that hour that their
sins will be atoned. This is the hour determined before
the foundation of the world that God might be both just in dealing
with the sin of His people and the justifier of him which believeth
in Jesus. Our Lord prays, lifted up His
eyes to heaven, Father, the hour has come. Glorify Thy Son. Now here He's praying. This high
priestly prayer, the amazing thing about this prayer. We know
that the Spirit of God has related to us, taught us in these scriptures
that Christ ever liveth to make intercession for his people as
the great high priest. We know that, we know that's
so. But here we're reading the words, some words that he spoke.
Interceding, ever living, to make intercession, for here's
the great high priest and the Spirit of God related to us some
of the words that were spoken, that are spoken by our Lord.
He speaks, he ever liveth to make intercession. Glorify thy
Son. Now what did he mean when he
said that? It is render illustrious. Render honor. Adorned with luster,
clothed with splendor, glorify thy son. Glorify me as the substitute
for the people that you've given me. In my substitutionary death
on behalf of the people, do unto me that which was everlastingly
purposed. In that covenant of grace, He
prayed that the Father might glorify Him as the Lamb, Son
of God, God that provided Himself a Lamb, the willing, obedient
servant of Jehovah, He who was sent, provided by the Father
for the redemption of the everlastingly loved sheep of God. Glorify thy
son. Then he said that thy son also
may glorify thee. Glorify me as the son, as your
lamb, and in so doing, in glorifying me. Father, glorify Thyself,
that Thy Son may glorify Thee, that You would be glorified in
me laying down my life for the sheep, that Your justice might
be manifest to show that You are a just God, a Savior, One
that will in no wise though clear the guilty. He who is not guilty
but was made sin, the father would be glorified in the demonstration
of the law being honored. Where sin would be found. Glorify
me, glorify thy son. Made sin. Do that which is right. Do that which is just. By the
son laying down his life. Shedding his own blood. Through
His death, the Father would be glorified in the execution of
His wrath upon Him who has made Himself to be answerable. Oh, what glory was manifested
as God the Son bore in His own body the actual sins. Think about that. He bore our
sins. in his own body, suffering the
just for the unjust. I mentioned 2 Corinthians 5.21,
he hath made him sin. I've said this so many times.
Let me say it again. Christ was not made a sinner. He was not made a sinner. but he was made sin. He was made sin. I looked it
up again. I always want to look it up again,
and I want to make sure that I say it just as closely as I
can find good, reliable concordance. Vines concordance sets forth
that the word sin is Hamartia. According to Mr. Vines, Hamartia,
Christ was made Hamartia. Mr. Vines says, that which is
the principle or source of that which produces the actions. When
we sin, we transgress. Let me say this. You know why?
Because of what we are. We do something because of what
we are. Christ was made, the scripture
sets forth, he was made sin, he was made the principle or
the source of what produces the action. Hamartia, again, according
to Vine's expository dictionary, as Vine says, it's the most Comprehensive
term, that word sin, hamartia, it's the most comprehensive term
for moral obliquity, obliquity, O-B-L-I-Q-U-I-T, obliquity. which means deviation from moral
righteousness. He was made, that which is the
most expressive word, sin, from moral deviation from righteousness. I mean, we say sin, and we use
that word so often, we fail to understand something. Even reading
these words, I can read them. I can finally figure out what
some of these words are, but to know the depth of what they
are. He was made sin. And we don't understand the depth
of it, but I'm telling you what sin is. God Almighty rejected him for
that. He forsook him for that. He was
made the source of what produces the action. Oh, the marvel of
God's love and good pleasure to save a people from their sins.
God the Father chose to save them. Christ redeemed them, and
the Spirit of God regenerates him, calls him out. Father, the
hours come. Glorify thy son, that thy son
also may glorify thee. As thou has given him power over
all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou
hast given him." Now, we've said this often, but it bears repeating. Being God, all power is his. He is the omnipotent God. But according to his office and
glorious character, as the willing, submissive God-man mediator of
the covenant. Being made flesh, the God-man,
all power, he says, has been given unto him over all flesh,
that he should give eternal life to as many as the Father has
given him, that he should give eternal life to the elect. He rules in the army of heaven,
ordering everything. Now, I know that it's very easy
for us to say that, but when we come right down to it, I'm
telling you that there's nothing, there's nothing. A fly doesn't
hit the ground. A leaf doesn't blow. Nothing
without the express order, power, and direction of the Lord Jesus
Christ. All power has been given unto
the Son that He should give eternal life to God's sheep, to His people. He orders everything. I hit a deer last Saturday morning. God knows. There was a reason
for it. I could safely say this, I wasn't
supposed to go to Virginia. God stop me. That's the conclusion
that I could perceive. But it doesn't matter if I don't
see it. He works all things after the counsel of his own will.
Those words of our Lord is thou has given him power over all
flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given
him. Now, this truth of God's absolute sovereignty is hated,
therefore rejected by the natural man. But his sovereign right,
power to do as he will, do as He purposes, that is the very
foundation and comfort of peace for God's people. Salvation is
not left up to man, not by works of righteousness that we've done,
but according to His mercy. He saved us. This salvation is
found to be according to Him who is able Eternal life is the
gift of Him who has the power over all. His counsel stands. It's promised to all that are
given unto the Son by the Father. John 6, 37. All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out. I give unto them, John 10, 27,
eternal life, and they shall never perish. And this, verse 3, is life eternal,
that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom Thou hast sent. Now, let me just, in this last
verse, let me just express this word to all of us. Let us hear
what the Lord says and believe what the Lord says and not try to cloud the issue
by trying to explain the truth away. I'm going to take exactly
what he said He said, and this is life eternal, that they
might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou
hast sent. Now what a revelation is set
forth by the Lord Jesus. Now here's my question. If someone,
if we didn't have that verse of scripture, and someone said,
now what is life eternal? You say, you talk about life
eternal. Okay, life eternal. What is that? And I'll be honest with you.
I think all of us could have a hard time trying to set forth.
Well, now you explain what life eternal is. The Lord has declared that life
eternal is that which, first of all, must be given. I know
that. What did he say? Verse 2, as thou hast given him
power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as
many as thou hast given him. So I know this, that life eternal
is given, and it is given unto God's elect. God's elect possess,
shall possess, life eternal. But not only does he set forth
that life eternal is to be given, it's not earned, it's given,
that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given
him. Not only does he set forth that eternal life is given, but
he reveals what life eternal is said to be. And right here
we would all truly confess our difficulty to perceive it. We just, what we want to do,
what I want to do, what I want to do and you to do. I want us
to just listen to the Word of the Lord. It's not merely a speculative
knowledge of the existence of God. I've said so many times,
demons have that. Demons know that there's a God.
They know that there is a God. It's not a carnal repetition
of words. It's not the result of man's
self-righteous work or will. It's not something that a man
does. That's not what life eternal,
but rather the Lord said, this is life eternal. that they might
know thee. Now, again, here's a good place
to look it up. What does it mean to know that
they might know thee? That is, to learn to know, to
come to know, to get knowledge of. That they might learn to
know. come to know, get knowledge of.
Now here we have the authority of Christ's Word that concludes
that life eternal is the God-given and not carnal, you know, earned
life. This is life eternal, that they
might know Thee, the only true the only genuine, the only real,
that's what he said, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the
Savior anointed, whom Thou hast sent, this is life eternal, that
they might know Thee, the only genuine, true God, God of creation,
the God of salvation, the God of providence. You're the only
true God. You're the only true God. All
false religion does not know or set forth this God. They set
forth another God. You know what kind of God they
set forth. Little G can't do without you. You're the only
hands he's got, only legs he's got, only ears. If my arms and
legs and ears is all he's got, he doesn't have anything. I'm
nothing. You're the only true God. And
Jesus Christ, the anointed Savior, Savior anointed, Jesus Christ,
the Messiah, the Angel of the Covenant, the
willing, submissive Savior of sinners, God made flesh. This is life eternal. that they may know Thee, the
only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. Knowing
Him, knowing God in His threefold character of persons, one God,
is not declared that which leads to life eternal. It doesn't say,
knowing thee is that which leads to life eternal. No. Our Lord
said, this is life eternal. This doesn't direct to it. It
doesn't lead to it. This is it. This is life eternal. They might know thee. It is the
present possession of a believer. Life eternal is spiritual life. It's divine life. It is the life
of God in us. Turn to 1 John 5.20. 1 John 5.20. I hope you can see here. I mean,
we don't try to explain life eternal. We just declare it.
And just declaring it is hard. just declaring what it is, just
stay on his word, don't try to deviate, don't try to make it,
don't try to explain what he, say what he's saying. 1 John
5 20. And we know that the Son of God
has come and has given us an understanding that we may know
him that is true And we are in Him. That is true. Even in His
Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God. And eternal
life. This is it. What? Let me read
it again. We know that the Son of God has
come and has given us understanding.
Now, okay, listen to what He's saying. We know that the Son
of God has come. We know that God promised that
the Messiah would come, the sovereign Messiah, the sovereign God that
sovereignly chose a people and sent His only begotten Son into
this world to save His people from their sins. And we know
that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding,
understanding to know this, called us out of darkness. cause the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God to shine in the
face of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's given us understanding that
we may know Him that is true, that we may come to know, that
we may know Him that is true, that is the genuine and real
God. And we are in Him that is true. I know, I understand that this
is far over our heads. But this is the truth. We are
in Him that is true, even in His Son, Jesus Christ, chosen
in Him from before the foundation of the world. Brother Scott nailed
it when he said, where God puts a man, that's where God keeps
a man. We're in Him, in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true
God. and eternal life. This is eternal
life. This is eternal life. This is eternal life, that they
may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou
hast sent. And possessing life eternal,
Acts 17, 28 says that has an effect on us. It has an effect. Act 1728, for in Him we live
and move, have our being. There's a manifestation of life
eternal. By faith, we believe Him, love
Him, and we ever come to Him, We come to the Father in the
Lord Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, the life, and
these things are manifested, believing Him, trusting Him,
and loving Him, and love one another. These are manifested. Why? Because we've been given
life eternal to know Him. John 3.36, He that believeth
on the Son, half everlasting life. He that believeth has it. This was the heart and desire
of Paul the Apostle. Philippians 3.10 says that I
may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship
of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death. Paul's
desire in closing, like every God God-chosen, God-redeemed,
God-called sinner knows Him. That is, they learn to know. They come to know. They perceive,
they understand, they're acquainted with Him and the wonders of His
person. And to know the power of His
resurrection, that conquering power, in which the sting of
death and victory of the grave for his people has been done
away. The scripture says, and I'll
close with this, 1 Corinthians 13, 12. For now we see through a glass
darkly, but then face to face, now I know, that is, now I perceive,
now I have knowledge in part. That's what Paul says. But then,
shall I know? And it's a different word, it's
not the same word. When he said, now I know in part,
but then shall I know, it's a different word. And this second word, know,
means to become thoroughly acquainted with. Right now, we know him,
but we know him in part. We see through a glass darkly,
we know him, we know him. But then, shall I know, or become
thoroughly acquainted with, to know accurately, to know well,
is what that word means, even as also I am known. And that word, that last word
known, is the same word as that second word known. That is, that
I'm gonna perceive accurately, and I'll know well. Right now
I know in part, see through a glass darkly, But then I'm going to
know as I am known, you that know him. You understand and
you can enter into Paul's desire. Oh, that I may know him, that
I may know him, that I may know him. And you look forward to
the fullness of the revelation of himself unto us. I pray that these words spoken
by our Lord unto the Father and blessed by the Holy Spirit to
be penned by John the Apostle will be a blessing to us as we
partake of our Lord's table. Amen. All right, I'll ask the
men if they'll come forward.