Jesus Has Life in Himself

Lesson #87

In this lesson we will continue our study of John 5:25 – 29, by looking at verse 26: “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself” (ESV). In Psalm 36 verses 5 – 10 are some thoughts on the steadfast love of God. Within those verses is the phrase “For with you is the fountain of life” (v9 ESV). So God the Father has life within himself. He is the source, the fountain of life and by his voice he can communicate life to all things. But because the majesty of God is so far removed from us, so much above us, it would resemble an unknown and hidden source. To overcome this dilemma, the Father granted the Son to also have life in himself and make it available to us through Jesus Christ. As God the Father and God the Son the fountain of life dwells with them, but in their eternal relationship the Father is seen as eternally first. It is through the Son that authority is granted to make life available to us. For us, Jesus is our source of life. He is the fountain we must come to; the open fountain placed before us from which we can freely draw. Calvin said it very well; “God did not choose to have life hidden, and, as it were, buried within himself, and therefore he poured it into his Son that it might flow to us.” It is for this purpose that the Son was manifested in the flesh as the person of Jesus.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” . . . and “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men” . . . “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” (John 1:1, 4 and 14 NASB). In the beginning, in the Word, was life and that life became available to us through the Word becoming flesh. Jesus is the life; he is our only source of life.

“As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me” (John 6:57 ESV). God the Father sent the Son; he gave Jesus to us and whoever feeds on him or consumes him will live. We must consume food to live physically and in like manner we must consume Jesus because he is the source of our spiritual life. The eternal union we have with Jesus, the source of our life, is essential. Without it there is no life.

Prayer

Lord, as you reveal the deep truths of your word to me from which find such great benefit, I am burdened by the lack of desire on the part of so many believers to spend time learning from the Scriptures and applying what they learn to their daily life. Father, it seems that the western church has become a subculture of the western culture and as a result has become a “good” version of the culture. Father, as a result we don’t stand out as different than the world; we no longer challenge the world with the need to be holy and righteous as you are. Please, by your Spirit, raise up a biblical remnant to challenge the church today.