"The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One." - A.W. Tozer

MAIN IDEA: KNOWING GOD IS ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS IN THIS LIFE, SO KEEP JESUS AT THE CENTER AND GUARD THE UNITY OF THE BODY

KEY PASSAGE/VERSE(S): John 17:1–11 (NLT) After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began. “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me. “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.

MAIN IDEA: KNOWING GOD IS ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS IN THIS LIFE, SO KEEP JESUS AT THE CENTER AND GUARD THE UNITY OF THE BODY

ETERNAL LIFE IS ABOUT KNOWING GOD AND BEING KNOWN BY HIM

John 17:3 (NLT) And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

KNOW = γινώσκω [ginosko /ghin·oce·ko/] experiential, intimate, and personal knowledge

Hebrews 1:3 (NLT) The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

Colossians 1:15 (NLT) Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation

John 10:10 (ESV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly

John 17:11 (ESV) And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

ETERNAL LIFE IS FROM GOD

John 17:2 (NLT) For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him.

John 17:6–8 (NLT) “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.

"Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord." - J.I. Packer

ETERNAL LIFE IS A PRESENT REALITY AND A FUTURE DESTINATION

John 17:8 (NLT) for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.

John 17:6 (NLT) “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT) So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Romans 8:29 (NLT) For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

MAIN IDEA: KNOWING GOD IS ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS IN THIS LIFE SO KEEP JESUS AT THE CENTER AND GUARD THE UNITY OF THE BODY

SO WHAT?

STAY FOCUSED ON JESUS AND UNITED WITH THE BODY OF CHRIST

John 17:11 (NLT) Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.

Ephesians 4:3–6 (NLT) Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.

THE GREAT INVITATION TO LIFE

Romans 3:22–24 (NLT) We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.