Eternal Life

Harvest Pointe Methodist Church

John, chapter 17. The Gospel of John, chapter 17. And when you found that John 17. Go ahead and stand with me as we read from the holy word of God as found in John 17. And then we're going straight to verse six here. Notice these words. And I would just to place this in context real quick. This is the very night in which Jesus is going to get betrayed and be arrested and then go straight to the cross and do his work. So this is what's called the high priestly prayer of Jesus. Some of the profoundest words ever spoken. All right, so let's hear these words as we pick up here in John 17 six, Jesus prayed for his disciples. I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you. For the words that you gave to me, I have given to them. And they have received them. And know in truth that I came from you. And they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf. I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine. And I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world. But they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me. So that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost, except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them. Because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in truth. Your word is. Is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes, I sanctify myself. So that they also may be sanctified in truth. Jesus, thank you for your holy word. Thank you for this prayer that is toward and for us right here in this room. Your disciples. Oh, God, would we be able to hear it today? Would we be able to receive it today by the power of the very Holy Spirit that you came to send on the day of Pentecost, Lord, may it be. We pray in your name. Amen. And you can be seated. Thursday was the ascension of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. And that is, remember, we are in the season of Easter, which is a 50 day season. All right? And so Thursday marked day 40, and day 40 was when he then was taken up into the heavens as the disciples watched, you remember this? And then we have ten days, which we already are closer than ten now, obviously, to Pentecost. And then we celebrate the descent of the spirit. So you have. Remember, it's kind of simple, but it's very important for us to understand God the Son is sent down to us to save us, right? And he goes all the way down. He becomes a little baby, right? Remember this? In the womb, okay? Then he's born, then he grows, and then he's going to be crucified, die, and then descend. We said it just a minute ago in our creed, descended to the dead. He went all the way to where everybody that is human will go, which is to the dead. And he goes all the way down, and then he comes all the way back up. And the ascension of our Lord. Remember, he hangs around for 40 days, revealing himself, post resurrection, in his glorified body, which is both transcending this world and a part of the heavenly world. Now, right? Remember, it's a spiritual body, so he's in both dimensions, if you will. And for 40 days, then he ascends into heaven and is no longer seen in that regard. Right. I mean, he disappears literally into th