Daily Lesson for Monday 25th of November 2024

Peter’s words about “eternal life” tap into a theme that runs throughout the Gospel of John. A concentration of phraseology about eternal life appears in John 6:1-71, in the context of the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:27,40,47,54,68). Jesus says that He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35), meaning that His life, His death, and His resurrection are the source of eternal salvation.

Image © Phil McKay at Goodsalt.com

The phrase everlasting life or its equivalent occurs at least 17 times in the Gospel of John. This term does not refer to a spirit existence, or to becoming part of an eternal being, or to some other ethereal concept. Rather, it refers to that life-giving power that brings salvation and meaning to our existence now and to life without end when our Lord returns. Just as Jesus became flesh, so the resurrection that Jesus talks about takes place in time and space and in a physical body. It is a resurrection from the dead, a renewal of the life that we once had in Eden.

By faith alone we believe that Jesus Christ came to live and to die on our behalf. This faith comes to us as a gift, but we must consciously choose to surrender ourselves to Jesus, to repent, and to claim His blood for the forgiveness and cleansing of sin.

When Jesus asked Peter if he, too, was going to leave, Peter’s answer, “ ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’ ” (John 6:68, NKJV), encapsulates the essence of salvation and how we attain it. It doesn’t come from philosophy, history, or science—all human disciplines. It comes from Jesus, who—possessing in Himself eternal life—offers it freely to all who, responding to the Holy Spirit, will accept it.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-09-the-words-of-eternal-life/

Daily Lesson for Sunday 24th of November 2024

In John 1:1, the apostle clearly states that Jesus is God, the divine Son. Consequently, in John 1:4—“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (NKJV)—the reference to life here has to be divine life, underived eternal self-existence. Because He has life within Himself, He can lay down His life and take it again (John 10:17). And, because He has life within, He can give life to whom He will (John 5:21; compare with John 14:19).

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

This term life (zoē) appears 36 times in the Gospel of John, about 25 percent of the uses in the New Testament. In John 1:4-5, besides referring to the Source of life on our planet, the word is also linked to salvation. Throughout the rest of John, this idea of life (zoē) is most often expressed as everlasting life, the promise of salvation (see John 3:15-16,36; John 4:14,36; John 6:27,40,47,54,68; and John 10:27-28). Thus, the One who gave life at Creation is the same One who brings salvation, eternal life, to a lost world.

“ ‘As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life’ ” (John 3:14-15, NKJV).

Just as the bronze serpent took the place of the Israelites who had been bitten by serpents, so Jesus took our place, we who have been struck down by sin. He took the penalty that was ours so that we might have the life that was His.

Christ also desires that we have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Thus, for “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13, NKJV).

Christ came to reveal the Father to us. For, “no one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18, NKJV). By seeing the character of Jesus, we can see the character of the Father.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-09-in-him-was-life/