To Know God = Eternal Life

This morning I am reading from John 17:1-5 NIV:

[1] "After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. [2] For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. [3] Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. [4] I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. [5] And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."

I love these verses, because I think they explain the very core of eternal life, knowing God, as in relationship with God.  The Greek work John used here is
Ginosko.  Its definition is as follows:

1) to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel
a) to become known
2) to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of
a) to understand
3) to knowJewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman
4) to become acquainted with, to know

John's choice of a word is indicative of relationship, both knowing about, but also understanding and intimacy.  This is what eternal life is all about.  This is why we can experience this life here on earth.  This is why Jesus taught the disciples to pray, "...your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matt 6:10).  It is possible to experience this eternal life here on earth!  Awesome!

Secondly, this is the result of Jesus becoming the perfect sacrifice, and by His death making a way for us to have relationship with God.  In His death, He caused the way to become open to the Father, that we might experience His presence. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews wrote it this way. [19] "Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,..." (Heb. 10:19-20).

This eternal life is something Jesus has given us, for the Father has given us all to Him (John 10:2), and given Him authority over all things, including us (Matt 28:18). This is the great gift, the great treasure, the pearl of great price (Matt 13:44-46).  This gift comes in the form of a person, the Holy Spirit who takes up residence in our bodies (1 Cor 6:19).  Not only the Holy Spirit, but since God is the Trinity, the Father and the Son are with us as well.  Jesus said it this way, [22] "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one--- [23] I in them and you in me---so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (John 17:22-23).

Finally, if this is the great gift, and its available even now, then it must be possible to experience and enjoy.  His full intention is that we have the ability to be in relationship with Him, thus He must make it possible for us to experience this in our lives here, not just in heaven.  I have written this many times, but it is no less true, if God wants us to be in relationship with Him, then He will make it possible.  He does not hold back, stay on His Holy and Glorious throne in Heaven, but He wants to be involved in our lives, here and now, allowing us to know Him, and be in relationship with Him.  He desires so much more for us, and desires to reveal Himself to us.  Our choice defines our experience, for if we are satisfied with a surfacey, once a week polite visit with God, He will allow us to walk in that level of relationship.  However, we can not expect Him, who died for us and who gave His very life and blood for us, to be satisfied with us if that is our approach to Him.  As Jesus said in parables about the great treasure and the pearl of great price, the fullness of intimacy with God comes through pursuit of God, a pressing into Him to know Him and understand Him.  That is His encouragement and call to us, to press into Him, even as He is drawing us and loving us.

So let us decide this morning to press into God, to seek Him, to run after Him that we might have a dynamic, life-filled ,intimate relationship with Him.  Let us not settle for anything less than eternal life in the here and now!  God Loves us and wants us!

Amen!