This is life eternal

Seeking for the help of the Lord, I direct your prayerful attention to the Gospel according to John chapter 17, and reading from our text, verse 3. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. John 17 and verse 3. This beautiful chapter is Christ's high priestly prayer. And we get a picture in this prayer of our Lord's intercession in heaven. We are told that He has ascended. He sits on the right hand of God.

He appears in the presence of God for us. to make intercession for us, to speak on our behalf to His Father, the one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. And in this prayer that is left for us here, we can see, we can read, we can hear the things that He is asking His Father on behalf of His people. praying that they might be kept, praying that they might at last be with Him, making a distinction that He is praying for them, but not for the world, but those that God has given Him. These things are given for the comfort, the strength and help of the Church of God, We might feel at times our prayers are very poor, that we're very insufficient, we don't know what to pray for as we ought, and maybe feel very discouraged. But here we have the Lord making intercession for us. The children of Israel, they had Moses to stand in the breach, and when there was no voice, as it were, heard, from the children of Israel, all with them was their sins and provocations, and we hear Moses speaking to the Lord, turning away his anger, turning away his wrath, and bringing the blessing to the people of God.

We worship the true and living God, and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in our flesh, who has ascended up into heaven, the same bones and flesh that hung upon the cross, now glorified in heaven. And the great sign of Him appearing there and of His intercession is the gift of the Holy Spirit. I will pray the Father, He will give you another Comforter, which shall abide with you forever. Tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power. from on high. It's a beautiful truth for the Church of God, a comfort, a help, that we have a living Savior, a living God, that has our interests at heart, and who makes intercession, and who is effectual, and the blessings come down to us.

In the verse prior to our text, We have three times mentioned concerning giving. We have, as thou hast given him, that is, God the Father has given to the Son power over all flesh. That's the first thing that is said, that is given. The Father hath given to the Lord Jesus Christ power over all flesh then how that power is to be used and we have a give again that he should give eternal life the power given by the father to the son is that he should give eternal life but to whom to as many as thou has given him. The Father has given to the Son a people, a people that by nature are dead, a people that when they come into this world differ no different than any other. But they have, as our Lord says in John 10, thine they were and thou gavest them thee. So three times in the lead up to our text, we have these restrictions or these authorities, a given power, an eternal life that is given, but a limit to how many that life is to be given to. to those that were given by the Father to the Son. Particular redemption, or effective redemption, an assurance that those given by the Father to the Son will be given eternal life.

They will be at last with the Lord Jesus Christ. This prayer on their behalf will be answered, will be fulfilled. There is no weak link in it, in the lead up to our text. There's not anything that depends on a creature's strength or mind or power. It is all the gift of God. And then we might say then, but what is eternal life? And that's where our text comes in.

And this is eternal life, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Later on, we read that the world hath not known thee. And God's people in the world, sent into the world, as the Lord has been sent into the world, but the world doesn't know them, and it doesn't know the Lord Jesus Christ. The world does not know God. We're on to look this evening at this gift and at how it is known. So firstly, the gift of eternal life. And then secondly, the effect or what is eternal life. This is eternal life. But firstly, the gift of life eternal.

This is distinct from our life here below, our life here in the flesh, and we breathe this air, we are made for this world. But when we were created, we were made for fellowship and communion with God, and our first parents knew what it was for God to come in the cool of the day, and to meet with them and to commune with them. But that knowledge and that fellowship, that friendship, that is broken when the commandment is broken. In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. In dying thou shalt die. We know that mortally we shall die. This body must lie in the grave.

But also there is a death spiritually, and that spiritual death is that the natural man receiveth not the things of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. And God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth, without being made. a spiritual person without being given spiritual life, we cannot know the Lord. But when we are given that life, then the very mark of it is to know the true God and Jesus Christ. But the life itself is a gift, a gift given might say in a moment of time.

Scriptures say, I passed by thee when thou wast in thy blood, and when thou wast in thy blood, I bid thee live. All the time it is spoken of as here, and also in Ephesians and other places, as a gift, not as a process. There are those that believe it is, in fact, they ridicule the idea of an instant gift of life, a beginning of eternal life. They say it is a process which a soul gradually comes to learn and to understand and be brought to faith. as a child is born in the womb or formed in the womb and then brought to the birth and that is the new birth. But our understanding of the scriptures is that the new birth is an instant act of God alone. There is no teaching at that time, there's no sanctify, there's no instruction, there is just a gift of eternal life. And in that gift is evidenced, same as with a baby being born, Every capability of being taught, of learning, of growing, the life is there. Right from conception, right through the word of God. Whenever we read of a child being born, we read the Lord gave conception.

It's going back to the very beginning. And when we read that beautiful word, he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ, we need to have a clear idea when was that work begun? How was it begun? Was it begun gradually or was it instantly? There must be also distinction between how it is known and felt in the person that has received that eternal life. They may not know the time or when the Lord has actually given that eternal life.

To them, they first start to realize things. or hear things in a different way, or have different desires. And the Word of God means more to them. To them, it does appear that it is gradual, or line upon line, and here a little, and there a little. And so there is a difference between what has happened, what the Lord has given, and the person to whom it is given, is how they feel and realize that life, as that life becomes evident in their souls and in their lives.

You can't be given life and it be hid. God's people cannot be hid. It must grow, it must lead to the giver of that life. I believe it's very important to be able to trace the beginning of it to the Lord. We spoke this morning of the beautiful word in Psalm 110. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. The beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth. Right from the instant God gives eternal life, that is holy, it is pure, it is by the Spirit, it is from above.

It's not turning over a leaf of the old nature. It's not changing the old nature. It is the putting in of that which is pure and holy, and is from above. There'll be then a conflict between the new and the old. The new man of grace, the old man of sin. The Heimreiter says, with the new man he is perfect, he is pure, but in the old man is nothing but sin and disgrace.

But may we have that comfort of knowing That where life is given, God will never take that away. Let's trace it back again to the verse before. If life is given, God the Father has given the Son power to give that life. He has authority to do it. And where He has given it, it is only because that person has been given by the father to the son to do just that thing.

That we may not trace a day or hour, but as that life is manifest, as it starts to work, and we look at especially at the evidence of it here, then it's realized what it is. what it is that has been received, how unique it is, and how it is evidenced.

And may then it be the comfort and joy to know that the Lord has given us eternal life. Eternal life begins here below, it begins in the soul, it carries on while we are here below, As we sung in the hymn, here below is to, you look at the hymn that we sung, it's our first hymn, it was 988. Thee to praise, verse four, thee to praise and thee to know, constitute our bliss below. Thee to see and thee to love, constitute our bliss above.

Here below it is by faith, here above it is faith is turned to sight. But that eternal life will see a soul right through death. The only way of being brought to heaven is through death or at the end when Christ comes. to be changed and to be brought to the Lord. And it is a wonderful testimony when we see the Lord's people at the end of their lives, and some of those that I've seen in Pilgrim Home and some in Bethesda, that have had such an anticipation, such strong faith, such a realization that through death they shall see the Lord that their soul is their very person the real person that is in a bodily tabernacle here that is slowly being taken down and then for a time it shall be without a body but with the Lord as the soul and then at the last day given a body again perfect and pure to be with the Lord forever. And that life begins here below when God gives that life. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, gives that life. Well, what is the effect of it? Our text says this is eternal life. that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.

In John 14 and verse 1, our Lord says, Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me. He's joining together God and himself. In another place he says, he that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. And then when the disciples wanted to see the Father, The Lord said to them, and said to Philip, has there I been so long with thee, Philip, and hast thou not known me? If thou hast seen me, thou hast seen the Father also. I and my Father are one. And so in joining together here, we cannot, no one can comprehend God. He has no parts. He is eternal. He fills all things, all eternity, all of the galaxies, all of this world. He's everywhere, in every place. He's all-powerful, all-knowing.

We cannot comprehend that. But in the Lord Jesus Christ, God manifests in the flesh. Emmanuel God with us. That is what we can comprehend. And in the Word of God, like this chapter here, we have a revelation of God speaking to us in His Beloved Son. And in our text, that eternal life given to us by His Beloved Son, who has suffered, who has bled, who has died, who has risen again, so that He might give eternal life. He can justly and righteously do so because he has paid the debt of those that he is giving life to. The sentence of the transgression of the law of God was death.

So that needs to be settled. It needs to be just. It needs to be a fulfilling of the law. And the Lord Jesus Christ did that first. So then he can give that life. He is the first begotten from the dead, and every one of his people have risen with him, and shall in time be given eternal life, given the new birth, called by grace. May new creatures in Christ, all things passed away, and all things become new. But what has been so much on my spirit here, it is not to know about God, or about Jesus Christ, but to know Thee. To know Thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.

We can think of anyone that we hear about in this world, about our king or any person. And with today's ability, you can search and you can find out all about them. When they were born, who they're married to, if they're dead, when they died, what their job was. You can find out a lot about people.

But you won't know them. Unless you've spent time with them, unless you've been in a position where you've heard them, seen them, they know you, you know them. There's a very, very big difference, isn't there? Between knowing about someone and actually knowing them. There's a difference between a head knowledge and an experience. If you know someone, you experience what it is to be with them and to know them. If we've just got to know about someone, someone else can come along and say, actually, the information you've got is wrong.

It should be this and this and this. And you think, well, I'm not sure now. Is it what you're saying, or is it what I've researched on? And you can be tossed about. But if you've actually met that person, and you know that person, and then you hear things about them, you say, that's not the person I know. That's not right. I know them. I've been with them. That's not right, what you're saying. They make such a difference.

And this is what is set before us here as this token of or description of life eternal. Now it goes right back to the covenant. The covenant we had at last Lord's Day morning goes from Jeremiah and set forth in our text was in Hebrews 8 that they shall all know this The word is that they shall, this is the covenant, Hebrews 8 and verse 10. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord.

I'll put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts. And I'll be to them a God and they shall be to me a people. And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord. For all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. Because that is what is given by God, to know himself and to know the Lord Jesus Christ.

So how do we know him? The Apostle says concerning the Lord Jesus Christ that Him we now know no more. We do not see Him in the flesh at all. And it is a remarkable thing when the Lord rose from the dead. There were those that He met on the way to Emmaus. They didn't recognize Him visually. But when the Lord was speaking to them and opening up in the Scriptures all things concerning Himself, their heart burned within them. And then He opened their eyes so that they knew Him. We find it also in the upper room. They were terrified, they were affrighted first.

And the Lord had to show them those tokens it is i myself handle me and see the wounds in his feet and hands he ate before them then when they were on the lake when they toiled all night they caught nothing and the lord was on the shore and he says cast the net on the right side they cast and their net was full And then John said, it is the Lord. They didn't recognize him as it were visually, but when he performed a miracle similar that he'd done before he was crucified, they recognized him through what he was doing. Then when they come to shore, And he says, come and dine. And no man asked, art thou the Lord, for they all knew he was. And yet he was known to them by how that he performed the miracle and he provided for them.

It was the things that he was doing, how he was acting, they were recognizing his handiwork and We read in Psalm 9 verse 16, God is known by the judgment which he executes. How the Lord actually does things in the world. He does it in a way that is not imitated by man. That is why the Lord's people in time past when he's worked in their lives, they said, this is the Lord's doing. And it is marvelous in our eyes. It is the Lord. You think of Eli. Eli had been told by a prophet of the Lord about the wickedness of his sons and God's judgment on them.

Then when Samuel, as a child who did not know the Lord, Notice that is what is said of him. He was brought as a child, an answer to prayer, he was in the temple, attending to it, he knew Eli, but it was said of this, he, Samuel, did not yet know the Lord. And all of God's people that are yet to have this eternal life, can be said, did not yet know the Lord. I can look back in my life, I can say, I did not then yet know the Lord. So how did Samuel, in his day, come to know the Lord?

Well, the Lord started calling him, calling his name. But he thought it was Eli. And he was going to Eli. He knew Eli's voice. But Eli perceived it was the Lord that was calling him. He knew it wasn't him. So then he directed Samuel, next time he comes, say, speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. And then the Lord spoke to him and revealed to him the same message that the other servant had brought to Eli. In the morning, Eli wanted to know from Samuel exactly what the Lord had said. And so he rehearsed what he'd said. And Eli said, it is the Lord.

He hadn't seen the Lord, but he'd heard from Samuel the same word as he'd heard from the other prophet. And the judgment that the Lord had said upon his sons for the wickedness, of his sons he believed that that would come to pass it did come to pass most solemn but let me read a couple of chapters on the lord appeared again to samuel by the word of the lord samuel was brought to know the lord by the word of the lord like those two are the way to emmaus by the word of the lord their heart burned within them The eunuch, under Philip's preaching, he comes first to Isaiah 53 in our Bibles, and he says, whom speaketh the prophet this, of himself or some other man? He did not know the Lord. He could not see in that passage the Lord.

Now, Philip, he begins at the same scripture, he's led as a lamb, to slaughter a sheep before her shearers is done, so he opened not his mouth. And he began the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus. And it was through that one sermon that the Ethiopian was brought to know the Lord. Now I believe he had been given eternal life. Before that time, he'd gone up to Jerusalem to worship, He was coming back, and he was still reading his Bible, and he was persuaded of this when Philip asked, understandest thou what thou readest, that he couldn't of his own, how can I except some man guide me? And of course he had the providence that it was the spirit that sent Philip to the eunuch and the timing to come just when he was reading that passage. And it is in that way that the Lord is made known to his people.

That really touched his heart. He professed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. When our Lord spoke about the rich man and Lazarus, remember the rich man opened his eyes in hell and in torments. Lazarus is in the covenant in the bosom of Abraham. And the rich man, he wanted that Lazarus should be sent to his brethren so they did not come into that place.

Our Lord says they had Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. He said, no, if one rose from the dead, then they would believe. But our Lord said, no, if they will not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rose from the dead. And of course, our Lord was to rise from the dead and the many that didn't believe. But he has exalted his word above all his name. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away.

My sheep, they know my voice." When we know someone, there's different things that we know about them. We know their voice. We know how they walk, met, a lady that we know from the churches in this town just yesterday. We were a long way off when we first saw each other. But she realized it was me a long way off. Obviously I have a distinctive walk. And that's how she picked out who I was. And there are various ways that we get to know someone, she wouldn't have recognized me if she hadn't already known me, already seen me close up and how I walked. And so with the people of God, my sheep, they hear my voice, they follow me. They're brought to know the Lord's dealings, his handiwork. I personally feel to know the Lord is gracious, as long-suffering, as so forbearing, so kind. If someone says, well, the Lord is a harsh, a hard God, a hard task mask, I said, that's not my God.

That's not how I found him. I deeply try him. I'm wayward, I go away my own way. And I deserve a hard rod that he gives a gentle rod. And he brings my spirit back again. And I know the effect when he visits and comes as well. How he can immediately soften my heart. How can he immediately draw my affections to him and make me hate sin in a moment? And I know from years of the Lord's visits, that effect when the Lord comes, to be able to say, it is the Lord. Peter, when he writes in his epistles, he speaks of him as the God of all grace.

Ye know the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes became poor, that ye through his poverty might be made rich. Grace is poured into his lips. And I believe those of us that know him, we say, Amen. It is so. The top stone shall be brought forth, it is said, in the building of the church, crying grace, grace unto it, because salvation is all of grace.

If we haven't tasted that the Lord is gracious, we don't know the Lord. But when we've known how gracious, how kind He is in providence, in spiritual things, in our afflictions, in our troubles, in our trials. One says, his gentleness hath made me great. We think of the types.

You think of Jacob, who knew his children, his flocks, his herds. When Esau wanted to go before, then he said no. If ye drive but One day, if you drive too hard, overdrive, then they will perish. I will lead on gently. We think of the Lord saying with his disciples that he taught them as they were able to bear it. And when the Lord deals with us like that, you say, I know him. He leads on gently. He teaches as we are able to bear it, line upon line, and here a little and there a little. The Lord is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.

And it comes from things that we've read about him, to things that we know about him, handled and tasted, that the Lord is good. the many when he was on earth that had heard reports about him and then they went to see and some of them they said well the half was not told it was said regarding Solomon that is what Queen of Sheba said she'd heard reports but when she saw him and saw his greatness and heard his wisdom, just the half had not been told. And of those that were sent to even apprehend the Lord Jesus, but when they came and they heard the gracious words that proceeded out of his lips, they said, never man spake like this man. There was something so unique and so special in how he was dealing with them.

Our God is the true God, the living God, made manifest in our Lord Jesus Christ. And he does come to his people, his spirit lives in them, abides in them. He has dealings with them. And it's a blessed thing to have this, this token, this verse fulfilled. This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God. And those times are the best, precious times. When he visits through the word, when we have those times of knowing him and rejoicing in him, when we recognize him and recognize his handiwork and recognize what he is doing, that they might know thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.

May it be then that this be our prayer, that the Lord will not only teach us about ourselves and about him, that he will bring us to know him, to know him for ourselves, And the test will be if someone says something contrary, something different, you say, that's not the God I know.

He has shown himself different. There's such a difference how the Lord treats his blood-bought family, his church, his bride, his beloved. And that's a beautiful time, isn't it? Christ, the bridegroom, his church as the bride. And who would think of a bridegroom and a bride and they don't know each other?

Maybe have more time together, more communion, more fellowship, more getting to know the Lord. by being with Him. And this word be really fulfilled in our hearts and lives. So we say this is not just a token of eternal life. This is life here below. Paul says, when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we appear with Him. To walk with Him, to be united with Him, to be with Him at last. This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. May it be our prayer and the Lord fulfilling, so that we truly do know Him. Amen.

This is life eternal

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This is life eternal

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