JP20: WHO AND HOW?: JESUS EXPLAINS ETERNAL LIFE

Jesus had many critics.  His miraculous healings, direct teaching, and the shocking claim that he was God's son shook up the religious establishment!  Instead of the overwhelming evidence of messianic prophecy validating Jesus' ministry, in their minds, they could only see him taking away their power, prestige, and traditions.  

Rather than finding their identity and worth in Jesus, they clung to a counterfeit identity built on the fading value of material things.   So precious were these worldly attainments and so feared their loss, the religious leaders began to plot Jesus’ murder.  Despite heavy opposition, Jesus and the Father have a plan to rescue humanity and provide a way for people to join them in heaven for eternity.

God the Son, Jesus, responds to his critics by explaining his relationship with God the Father in terms that everyone could understand.  

“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:19-24

God the Father Made Jesus His Agent On Earth

Jesus explains that everything he does originates with his Father.  Jesus could freely heal the man at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath because his Father is God of the Sabbath.  

This reality made the religious leaders rage because they wanted to be lords of the Sabbath instead of the Father’s.  Though God authored the Sabbath, religious people wanted to distribute their distorted version.

Jesus elaborates that God delegated healing power to Jesus because of the Father’s love for his Son.  Like a master carpenter to his apprentice, God extended to Jesus every power and plan needed to establish His coming Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  

One element of God’s fantastic plan comes to light when Jesus speaks to the resurrection of the dead, teaching that healing on the Sabbath is small change compared to raising the dead to life that God will accomplish through Jesus in the days ahead.  

Jesus Has Authority to Make Eternal Decisions About Us

Not only did God transfer authority to Jesus for raising the dead, but also the authority to judge.  The writer of Hebrews elaborates, "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." (Hebrews 9:27)  

With authority to judge and raise people from the dead, Jesus is saying that he is God, that he and the Father, who gave the Jewish people their laws of the Sabbath, are unified as one.  As such, failing to honor the Son does not "honor the Father who sent him."  Thinking they were following God by planning to kill Jesus, they were opposing him.

How can it be that Jesus makes eternal decisions about us?  

Jesus lived a perfect life, was shamefully beaten, paraded through a city of onlookers in the shame of his naked body, and nailed to a wooden cross to die.  Three days later, he rose to life, defeating death and hell forever.  The beautiful life and sacrificial death satisfied God the Father’s wrath against our sin.  His suffering, on our behalf, and his powerful resurrection to life earned Jesus the right to decide on eternity for each of us.

Jesus is Alive and Wants Everyone to Spend Eternity With Him in Heaven.

Jesus lovingly offers his relentless critics a way out!  Not willing that they should perish, Jesus invites them to pivot back to him, to hear and believe, and cross over from eternal death to eternal life.

It’s important to explain what Jesus means when he says, “believe”.  The word believe here means to be all-in.  It does not mean an intellectual belief that Jesus existed.  Jesus requires whole hearted devotion to his ways.  

To clarify, Jesus said this about true and false followers.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” Matthew 7:21-23

Like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, we can reject Jesus as Lord when we harden our hearts and allow religious traditions, populuar opinion, or self-interests to define how we follow.  Instead of humble devotion to King Jesus, we find ourselves in opposition to Father God when we act independently of his leadership.

As an apprentice does to their master, let us look to Jesus as our friend, teacher, and Lord.  By God’s grace, may we clear away the blind spots of tradition in our Christ-following.  He loves us and wants to teach us everything he knows, most notably how to pattern our lives after his.

Does the pattern of Jesus mark your life, or do you follow our King according to your map?  Are you basing your eternal security on self-righteousness instead of the righteousness of Jesus?  If so, throw off all counterfeits today, hear the invitation of Jesus and believe in God who sent him.  Then will you have eternal life, crossing over from a life destined for darkness to a life of light and hope for all of eternity - an eternity that begins the moment you believe!

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, you are entirely worthy of all my love and admiration.  Thank you for leaving me such a vivid example of following the Father so that I can learn how to follow you.  You followed with such devoted obedience and humility, and that is what I need today.  Forgive me when I rebel and place my selfish wants before you.  Make me, in my heart, a willing and joyful servant who brings kingdom life to earth as it is in heaven.  Amen.

Who and How?: Jesus Explains Eternal Life

1. God the Father Made Jesus His Agent On Earth

“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing.” John 5:19-20a

2. Jesus Has Authority to Make Eternal Decisions About Us

“For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.” John 5:21-22

3. Jesus is Alive and Wants Everyone to Spend Eternity With Him in Heaven.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:16-18

4. Move Toward the Light of Truth - Repent, Believe, and Follow

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” John 3:19-21

“The time has come,” he (Jesus) said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.” Mark 1:15-18