John 17:1–4 (ESV): When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
 
John 17 is a powerful passage, there are not many in the Bible like it. Like a person who lifts the hood on a car to see what makes the car run so powerfully. Or, a person who visits a church and looks to see what the DNA of the church is before joining the vision. So this passage is the internal workings of the mission and vision of Jesus Christ.
 
In verse 1, it is clear to see that Jesus Christ came to earth with a purpose. The purpose did not reveal itself in the life of some obscure man, he came to earth to be glorified and to glorify his Father.
 
There was purpose in his birth all the way through to his death. Everything that Jesus did on earth was in keeping with his purpose. Did you know that you can live this way too? Every moment of every day on point, fulfilling the purpose for which you were born.
 
The more we yield to the Holy Spirit, just like Jesus did, the more we live on point like Jesus did.
 
Jesus states that the time has come for him to be glorified. What he means is that through his death, those that he and the Father love will receive eternal life. Both the Father and the Son want those they love to have eternal life with them. These loved ones are not set off out into the universe to have an unattached existence floating away on some planet, no the eternal life that the Father and Son have in mind is a close relationship with their loved ones, a family, unlike anything ever seen on earth.
 
The honor that Jesus gives to the Father is impeccable. Jesus operates only in the authority given to him by the Father. That is all he wants and nothing more. Even inside the authority over all flesh, he only saves those that the Father has given him to save.
 
You are one of those loved ones, aren’t you? Of course you are, why else would you be reading this? On the other hand, if you are not – you can be. Simply by believing the message that Jesus is speaking. This is perfect. Jesus came to earth to save people from this world, themselves and the enemy. His life is the price for everyone’s salvation.
 
One God/man for everyone else. And all who believe that he did this will receive eternal life. Verse 3 says it point blank, and you can believe that, can’t you?
 
This is simply the beginning for us. So, many believe that salvation is the end. Once saved always saved and now I live the way I want to. Whatever pleases me is alright because at the end I am going to heaven.
 
The glory of Jesus and the Father was about to begin, not end with the death and resurrection of Jesus. God sees salvation as a beginning for people, where do we get the idea that it is some kind of ending?
 
Holy Father, thank you for the new beginning we receive through Jesus. We are born again, born anew. Praise your name today as we move forward in eternal life. Thank You for the blood of Jesus that destroys the penalty of sin. Thank you for the power in the blood of Jesus that gives us the strength we need to be who you say we are. Thank you Jesus.
 
Blessings,
Pastor D