Granted Authority!
Scripture Reading — John 17:1-5
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
—John 17:3
In this deeply personal prayer we hear Jesus acknowledge the fact that God gave him “authority over all people.” Authority to demand this or that of us? No, authority to give us eternal life.
That should forever fill us with wonder and great joy, and it should make us eager to tell others who don’t know it yet.
Jesus has the authority to give us life! And we know what kind of person he is—compassionate, never stingy, willing to give life to anyone who comes to him.
All we have to do is ask for it. It’s his to give. To give us life is why Jesus came.
And it is always the Father giving to Jesus so that Jesus can give to us. We have a giving God; we have a giving Savior. And what they give us is no less than beautiful, abundant, never-ending life.
This teaching stands at the center of our faith, reflecting the character of God—that is, love (1 John 4:7-21; see also 1 Corinthians 13). This is the cause of our joy, the source of our hope, the melody of our lives. God is love, and his Son loved us all the way into death and through it to bring us into full life on the other side.
This is God’s glory; this is Jesus’ glory. This is our salvation.
What have you been given by God through Christ our Savior that you can give to others?
Dear Jesus, we joyfully submit to your authority, knowing that by it you give us life. What a wonderful Savior! Amen.
About the author — Harvey Stob
Rev. Harvey Stob and his wife, Audrey, served as missionaries in Argentina for eleven years. They then served churches in Cincinnati, Ohio; Ridgewood, New Jersey; and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Harvey retired from full-time pastoral work in 2009. He and Audrey have three children and seven grandchildren.
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