John 7:28-29 Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
Jesus reiterated what He had said previously in John 7:18 “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” Authority doesn’t come from ourselves, it comes from the one who sends. Jesus was sent from God. He came into the world from Him. The crowd had no frame of reference for someone who didn’t come from an earthly authority. Jesus made it clear that He didn’t demand to be listened to because of Himself, but that they should listen to Him because the One who sent Him is God, and He came from Him who is true.
To say that God is true is important. It’s another way of saying that God is real. He is the reality they are reckoning with as they respond to Jesus. How they receive Jesus reveals their relationship with God, the Father, who sent Him. This is true today with us as well. How is our relationship with our creator, God? It is the same as our relationship with Jesus, His Son, through whom we have been created.
We bring God glory as we receive His Son as the giver of life eternal. God sent Him to give eternal life to those the Father gave Him. In John 17:1-2, Jesus stated it plainly in His prayer. “Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.’”
One of the primary reasons I think we ought to live to love with Jesus, is that He came from God, and was sent, so the life of God could be revealed in us, for the glory of the Father. There’s no higher purpose. Jesus came to live to love with His Father by giving eternal life to His children. His children then are called to live to love with Him. I don’t want it to sound like we have to do this, we get to do this. It is our highest calling that supersedes everything we do. We have the joy of loving with Him in our homes, at work, at church, and wherever we go. So I encourage you from these verses to receive Jesus as your life, and joyfully obey His commands to believe in Him (John 14:1) and love as He loves (John 13:34). You will certainly be glad you did!
I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of "giving it forward," so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.
