John 3:35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.
What John the Baptist said about Jesus was ultimately the revelation of the Father, God’s love for Jesus, His Son. The Father loves the Son, so the Father tells and shows Jesus all things that He is doing. That’s why Jesus can testify of what He has seen and heard (vs. 32). It is the Father’s love for His Son that He has given all things on the earth into His hands, including those Jesus and His disciples were baptizing (vs. 26). Not only did God create everything that exists through His Son (John 1:3), but He gave the entire salvation project of mankind into His hands. Those who are to be saved throughout the entire history of the world were given by the Father to the Son because He loves the Son. Listen to the first words of Jesus’ prayer in John 17:1-3.
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. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
What does this mean to us? If we have eternal life in Jesus, it is because God loves His Son and gave us to Him. We are not the center focus of God’s love. Jesus is. He loves us because He loves His Son. If we were not given to Jesus, we would not know God or love with Him—at all.
God gave all things to Him so that He would be first place in all things. The apostle Paul stated clearly all that I have said in Colossians 1:18-20.
He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
So there is great encouragement to live to love with Jesus in this verse. Our salvation was generated by God’s love for His Son, who gives the Spirit of love without measure to dwell in us. We are a love gift to Jesus. Therefore, we have been loved by the Son as He has been loved by His Father. Out of His fullness, we love others with Him.
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.
