Good Sunday evening everyone! What a beautiful day it was to worship the Lord. Right now, many of us are either resting or preparing ourselves for the coming work or school week, so, I won’t take long. I have something from the word of God that I’d like to share.
You know, several years ago Pastor Tom Undieme (an Albuquerque pastor who is now with the Lord) preached a word about the love of the Father. It was one of those sermons that struck my heart deeply and now comes to mind frequently.
So, how much does the Father love us? It must be a lot, as most who have read this far already know that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die as the only acceptable and once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sin – reconciling us unto the Father through Jesus, and giving us the assurance of eternal life in the very presence of Almighty God!
But, Pastor Undieme’s sermon asked a specific question. How much does the Father love us? We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, so His love for us must be something amazing. Well, here’s the good news. It is!
In Chapter 17 of the Gospel of John, Jesus prays to the Father for Himself, the disciples, and for you and me.
In John 17:6-7, Jesus makes it clear that the disciples belonged to the Father but that the Father gave the disciples to (into the care of) Jesus.
In John 17:20-23, Jesus declares that He is praying not only for the disciples, but for all of those (read: you and me) who will be believe in Jesus through the word of the disciples (the scriptures). Jesus declares that He has given us the glory that the Father gave Jesus, so that you and I may be one with the Father and Jesus. Jesus also declares that we are in Christ, as He is in the Father, so that we may be made perfect (mature or complete) in unity or oneness.
And here is the what shook me so much and hopefully brings great confidence and peace – John 17:23 says that we are made perfect in one so that the world will know that the Father loves us just as He loves Jesus!
As Pastor Undieme said, “the Father loves you and me just like He loves Jesus!”
John 17:22-23 (Amplified Bible)
“I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected and completed into one, so that the world may know [without any doubt] that You sent Me, and [that You] have loved them, just as You have loved Me.”
Sleep well my brothers and sisters, knowing that we are loved and in the very hands of God!
Praise Jesus Forevermore!