Tag: eternal life

Lifted Up

Barbara Weber

John 12:31-34 WEB

[31] Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. [32] And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” [33] But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die. [34] The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up?’ Who is this Son of Man?”

Jesus’ impending death was heavy on his mind. Jesus was addressing the crowd that was drawn through the mighty miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection. Ironically, the Father revealed that Jesus would die through the resurrection of Lazarus. God even went so far as to reveal how Jesus would die. He would be lifted up on a cross so that all people could receive eternal life.

With all they had seen, the crowd still could not understand a Messiah that died on a cross. That was because in Isaiah 9:7 the Bible says that there is no ending to the Lord’s rule. Also, the crowd believed Daniel 2:44 which says God’s kingdom shall never end. They had Jesus before them and yet could not see him. So, although Jesus was dealing with his own heartache, he continues to explain the kingdom and the Son of Man. With all the heightened experiences Jesus and the disciples had experienced they were almost surely ready for rest. Instead, Jesus keeps trying to make use of the current opportunity. His feet were prepared with the gospel of peace.

Jesus was the gospel of peace. His life story teaches us what peace looks like, strangely enough, Jesus’ story is full of chaotic moments. The water to wine in Cana, the scourging of the vendors in the temple complex, the feeding of the multitude, and the resurrection of Lazarus. Those situations were chaotic, and that chaos affected the disciples. However, Jesus remained unchanged. The chaos of the circumstances did not take Jesus’ peace. Jesus was fully confident in God’s goodness. So much that he obediently went to the cross to be lifted up.

Lord, please release a quality of peace that will allow me to stand steady amid chaos. Help me make use of opportunities to share the gospel. Please, Lord, take away the fear of rejection so I boldly and respectfully share the message of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Disciple in Deed

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John 8:48-51 WEB

Then the Jews answered him, “Don’t we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?” [49] Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. [50] But I don’t seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges. [51] Most certainly, I tell you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death.”

This verse gives the secret to eternal life. Many would say the secret is to believe in Jesus. But Jesus testified that anyone who does the work of obeying his word is a believer. Jesus says those are his true disciples.

Modern-day discipleship looks very different. In Jesus’ day, a Rabbi was a teacher who had a small cadre of disciples. The Rabbi attempted to impart their beliefs and teachings to this small group. In Jesus’ day, his disciples would have stayed as close as possible. They would have tried not to be more than an arm’s length away from their Rabbi. In fact, that may be why Peter, James, and John were in Christ’s inner circle. They chose to stay as close as possible to their master.

In our modern era, we have discipleship declared by the disciple rather than the teacher. Each of us is to be a disciple of Christ. We are going to be called names and condescended to, that’s part of the disciple package. Remember, the world loves its own. If you try to follow Jesus perfectly you may be called a religious nut or demonized. They did that to Jesus.

Lord Jesus, please draw me close to you so that I may walk the way you walked. I want to be a disciple in deeds and not words only. Come and work with me Lord and help me grow in godliness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Little Christ

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John 6:47-51 WEB

Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life. [48] I am the bread of life. [49] Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. [50] This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die. [51] I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Eating the flesh of Christ is a metaphor. It simply means receiving from Christ. When we receive salvation, grace, mercy, or anything else from Jesus, we are metaphorically eating the flesh of Christ (1 Cor 11:24). The saying also nods to the coming crucifixion. However, we are looking at the metaphor, not the grounding reality of Jesus’ statement. So, the metaphor of eating Christ simply means receiving from Jesus is what gives us life. Jesus is the Bread of Life, when we receive of him, we inherit eternal life. So, here is the question, if Christian means little Christ are we to give our flesh?

Do we suffer to bless those who would come to Christ? (Rom 8:17, 23) According to Romans chapter 8, yes, we do suffer as Christ suffered. And that suffering has value. When we lay down our lives, we can then be remade in Christ’s likeness. (1 Cor 15:49) It is a holy thing to suffer for Christ (1 The 1:6, Heb 12:10). More, holiness allows us to be anointed to bring others to Christ (Mark 13:11). When Jesus died and ascended, he released the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). Christ was holy because he gave his life away (Col 1:22). In his complete giving of himself for the will of God, Jesus is the holiest (Heb 10:19-20). In giving his life away he has saved millions. We must be ready should God ask us for our comfort, ease, or luxury. We must be ready to imitate our Savior and give others access to the Bread of Life.  

Lord Jesus, you have given me so many blessings. Please help me let go of the things you ask me to give up. Please help me love others so much that I will give of myself to see them whole and reconciled to God. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Living Words

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John 5:37-40 WEB

The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. [38] You don’t have his word living in you; because you don’t believe him whom he sent. [39] “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. [40] Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.

Have you ever heard the phrase “living word?” The idea is that some words contain special impartations of grace for our lives. Usually, when a scripture or prophetic utterance is a living word it will stay with the recipient for years. A prime feature of a living word is the way it remains in the memory of the receiver.

Jesus says something amazing about living words in this passage. First, he says living words come from the Father. Second, he says if we do not honor the one the Father sends we will not receive the living word. Jesus concludes by saying life is found in him. He is what the scriptures testify about. Jesus is the one who is sent. He is the one who gives life and the testimony of him carries life.

Our testimony of Jesus carries life to the hearer. In those moments, we are the one who is sent. And, like the above passage says, those who do not honor the one who is sent and do not believe the testimony of Jesus will not receive the living word. They will not come to Jesus, and they will not receive the life he offers.

Lord Jesus, I want to receive the life you offer. Teach me to honor those you have sent. Help me listen and hear when others testify about you, Lord. Use me to share your testimony with others. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Granted for Life

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John 5:24-26 WEB

“Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. [25] Most certainly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live. [26] For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself.

When I read these verses, I think of Jesus’ time full of resurrected people. Yet, when we examine the historical record, there is no mention of a period when the dead spontaneously came back to life in significant numbers.  Verse 25 above says the dead will hear the Son’s voice and live. Yet, we can recognize that Jesus may not be talking about literal death. Instead, he is talking about spiritual life and death.  

He is talking about eternal life. The New Testament teaches that Jesus has been given the power to grant eternal life.  For this reason, we go to Jesus to ask for forgiveness and remission of sin in our life. It is Jesus we trust to grant us eternal life. It is Jesus’ words that people need to hear so they will believe and be saved. Once this happens it is said that person has passed from death to life.

Jesus is not boasting that he can grant eternal life. He is speaking the truth with love so that those who hear may be saved. As his followers, we also grant life. We do not grant life directly. Instead, we share the words and teachings of Jesus so that others may receive life from Jesus. Jesus’ words can be found in the New Testament of the Bible.

Occasionally, when reading the gospels of the New Testament, I notice that the Lord’s speech is plain. Not all of Jesus’ words are life-altering in appearance. Yet all of Jesus’ words are the most powerful words anywhere. They grant life because the Father deems it so. They do not grant life because they are amazing words. The words of Jesus are the closest thing we have to a direct conversation with the Father.

Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me life. Please bless me Lord that I may share your words with others so that you may grant them life also. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Bringing Life

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John 5:20-24 WEB

For the Father has affection for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. [21] For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires. [22] For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son, [23] that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent him. [24] “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

It’s interesting to read the Father has given all judgment to Jesus. In another place, Jesus declares he did not come to judge. (John 12:47) Rather, he came to bring life. (John 10:10) In the text scriptures above it says the Father put life in Jesus so people will honor Jesus in the way they honor the Father. (John 5:22-23)  

The Father is leading the world to honor Jesus. In fact, while the Father is seeking the Son’s glory, the Son is seeking the Father’s glory. Part of how Jesus brings glory to the Father is by remaining in the truth. He testified what he saw and heard, even when it would bring derision. Jesus was faithful to the mission God gave him.

It is impossible to know exactly when Jesus realized it was the Father’s will for him to sacrifice his life. Yet, in his perfection, Jesus was willing to die. That may be why he could say delusional-sounding things. He could say he was granted life to pass out by the Father. He could say the Father honored him. Jesus could say all these challenging things because he was willing to exchange his life for the life of others.  

Lord Jesus, thank you for qualifying me for eternal life through your own death. I trust you and believe you. I honor you and I honor the Father. Lord, please help me imitate you and give of myself for the good of others. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Saving Some

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John 4:36-38 WEB

He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit to eternal life; that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. [37] For in this the saying is true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’ [38] I sent you to reap that for which you haven’t labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Jesus is telling his disciples they are about to reap a harvest that another planted. Jesus and the disciples are waiting for the Samaritan woman and her countrymen to return. While they are waiting Jesus lets the disciples know what is about to happen (Jeremiah 33:3). In the preceding verses, we get the idea that the disciples do not like what Jesus is doing (John 4:27). The disciples’ prejudice towards Samaritans would have caused them to walk through the area without stopping. That same prejudice has their minds dulled but Jesus tells them plainly what is about to happen (John 4:33). Namely, the disciples’ are about to reap a harvest of souls that they did not sow (John 4:39-42).  

This passage brings so much hope to those who labor to see the lost won for Jesus. It does not matter if we are planting, watering, or reaping. We all share the joy with Jesus when a lost soul is saved from damnation (Romans 2:7, Proverbs 11:23-25). For this reason, we must both wait and labor with patience. How we wait matters. We should be in a posture of readiness as we wait (1 Corinthians 9:22-23). Thus, we present ourselves ready to labor in every situation so that some may be saved. That interaction with the sales clerk matters. That interaction with the postal worker matters. That interaction with the person who cut you off in traffic matters.

It matters that we do not uproot the work in the lives of people that others have planted and watered. It is important that we recognize God desires all people to be saved (John 3:16). So, how we treat all people matters. Holiness matters. We should be putting our best selves out for all people, not just those who can do something for us. Our most significant contributions may be bringing smiles to those that serve us out in the marketplace. You are meant to be sharing Christ, so it seems reasonable that many of the people you interact with recognize you are a Christian (Matthew 6:20-21).

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for not recognizing the immeasurable worth of the people around me both at home and in the marketplace. Please help me represent you well and have a word of salvation for all people. Please help me not uproot what others have planted and watered. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Wellspring of Life

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 John 4:11-14 WEB

The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. So where do you get that living water? [12] Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, as did his children, and his livestock?” [13] Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, [14] but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Does the well you drink from give you rest or do you have to go to the well to draw over and over? The well of our best thinking will never give us rest. Nor will the well of tradition. The well which gives rest and springs eternal is Jesus. Not the Jesus of our best thinking, nor the Jesus of our forebears. It is the Living Word that comes from a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ which becomes a spring of eternal life.

Are you tired? Do you feel worn out? Does taking a vacation make you feel better or do you come back and find you are still exhausted? If so, something is not right. This is one of those places in our lives where we have a view into the truth of our faith. Isaiah says that our hearts are wicked (Isaiah 64:6). The Apostle Paul also speaks of the wickedness and deceit within our hearts (Romans 1:18). Therefore, most of us cannot see ourselves. Rather, we see what we want to see. What we need is a way of seeing the truth that goes beyond our own idealism about ourselves. The issue of being exhausted versus refreshed is one of those places in our spiritual journey where we can evaluate ourselves.

If you are tired something is not right. You should have a well springing up within you that always refreshes. A living wellspring of spiritual wellness. If not, it’s time to put idealism down and look deeper. What beliefs are your works based upon? Do you take the knowledge you have and demand an explanation? God does not seem to be inclined to explain himself. He has told us a great deal about himself in the Word. However, when we take information about God from the Word and fill in all the missing pieces with our own ideas, we are going to become bankrupt. We simply cannot make up a God in our thinking that refreshes.

We also cannot take someone else’s faith and feel refreshed. Yes, we can be encouraged by others’ faith, but eventually, we need to stand upon our own faith. Do you honor your parents by keeping the traditions of faith they passed down? Honoring our parents is good but relying on tradition rather than the Living Voice of Jesus within ourselves is a work that does not bring rest. Are you reading the Bible to learn how to live? Or are you relying on what you have been taught to make your life decisions? The Bible has the power to go inside and spring up a well within. It must be the anchor of our faith.

How is your prayer life? The ultimate spring of life within is the Voice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We must cultivate our relationship with Jesus in the same way we must cultivate any healthy relationship. We read the Love Letter He left us, the Bible. We also talk to Jesus and listen for the small still voice of His response. We must have both pieces in place or we may fall into delusion. However, it is wrong to avoid hearing the Living Voice of Jesus within because of fear of being deceived. Rather we should be familiar with the Bible so Satan cannot influence our thinking about God, His nature, and our relationship with Him. When this is our truth, we will have rest even as we work for the Lord. He will be a spring of eternal life within, eternal life we can drink from and give others to drink.  

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for looking in the wrong places for my rest. Please help me read Your Word and pray. Help me enter through the narrow gate to a life of spiritual rest and wellness. Please let my life be a place of refreshing both to me and those to whom I am sent. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

God Loves the World

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For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 WEB

Often we hear preaching that speaks of the world derisively. Yet, in this passage, it clearly says that God loves the world. So, while it’s popular to condemn the world from the pulpit, it is not what God does. God does not currently condemn the world, rather, God wants to save the world. This is why Jesus was sent so that anyone who believes in Him will be saved. But here is the problem, when preachers condemn the world in one message and teach the great commission in another message they are defiling the word of God. The great commission is the command from the New Testament for the church to bring the lost into a saving relationship with Christ. However, Christians are often taught to hate ungodly people from the pulpit. What other outcome can there be from a message of condemnation? God does not condemn the world. Rather, he endured the cross so that the world could be saved. If anyone is going to be a soul winner for Christ, they have to love the lost. So, rather than defile the hearts of believers with an unbiblical message of present condemnation, preachers need to teach a message of love for the world.

Lord, help me to love the world without being defiled by the world. Help me to love people without letting their sin infect my heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Eternal Glory

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John 3:13-15 WEB

No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. [14] As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Do you think there is a difference between eternal life and salvation? The word of God clearly says that one must both believe and confess to be saved. But in the text scripture it says plainly that to receive eternal life one must believe. The word of God says,

“that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 WEB)

So I ask again, is there a difference between salvation and eternal life? Yes, I am sure there is. Salvation goes along with sanctification and redemption. In Ephesians it says,

“in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” (Ephesians 1:7 WEB)

It is a process of God repairing our lives and delivering us from unrighteousness that keep us in sin. In the book of Acts, the Bible teaches,

“having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” (Acts 24:15 WEB)

Eternal life is simply that, resurrection to a life in God. So, how can we understand what is at stake and what is expected of us by God? We turn again to the word. The Bible teaches a difference between those who will be admitted to heaven, and those that will be both admitted and granted entrance into God’s presence. What is at stake is an eternity qualified to be near God. The word refers to this as the elect and in other places as the bride. The bride is those people who endured the pain and humiliation of public confession. They are the people who allowed God to heal their most difficult wounds and sin. The Bible says,

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; [26] that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, [27] that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect.” (Ephesians 5:25-27 WEB)

“Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” (2 Timothy 2:10 WEB)

Yes, believing gets you into heaven, but confession is required if you want eternal glory in the presence of God.

Lord Jesus, I want to spend eternity in your presence. Please lend me the grace to confess you; to humble myself to you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.