You In Christ and Christ In You

Well, we are on lesson 11, and I believe question 7 is where we are starting off. Does anybody have any other differences or marks where we ended? I think that's where we got to last week. So again, we are on lesson 11 in John 17, 1 through 21, and question 7.

How did Christ sanctify himself in verse 19 where it says, for their sakes I sanctify myself that they themselves may also be sanctified in truth. So how did Christ sanctify himself? He just said it and it was done, right? How did he sanctify himself? Again, stunned silence. The question is just too overwhelming. What does sanctify mean? Set apart. How did he set himself apart? He just sat over in the corner, right?

Are you thinking about going to the cross? Going to the cross and... His death on the cross. His death on the cross, yeah. He's talking about being set apart by... He will now be... you know, fully glorified and fully man, fully God. And when He goes to the cross, He will accomplish the Father's will, all that He had wanted Him to do, and He set Himself apart at the cross. I had a quote from Marcus Rainsford, and I liked it. It was, there is a depth and fullness here which we can never be fully expressed. even in heaven, observe our Lord not only lays the foundation of His people's sanctification in the reality of His own, but He also estimates the fullness and completeness of it by the same standard." So, you know, He is setting Himself apart. Why? So we can be set apart too. So, you know, He's being set apart at the cross and then do we get that same benefit when we are identified with Him?

Absolutely. So I realize that Jesus is saying for their sake and for ours that he is dedicating, consecrating, or setting apart his whole self, his person, Godhead, and manhood, soul, and body so that we may be set apart or sanctified. So do you think that the use of sanctify here is just that or do you think it's kind of a summation of this whole walk?

I think it's everything. Well, the summation is at the cross to me, but it's the whole, it's everything because he set apart everything. He stepped out of heaven, took on being fully man, and then accomplished at the cross everything for us, and accomplished the will of the Father. And all by his life he accomplished the will of the Father. I think all these things. He was set apart. He was set apart to do the Father's will and he did it. And all those things.

So I think it's fully encompassing. I mean, it's God, His person, everything. Everything about Him is being set apart. I think it's fully encompassing. I look at the cross as a summation of everything, but it expresses the whole of his life and everything that he accomplished.

So, yeah, I guess I put it in there. What does it mean that they may also be sanctified? I kind of answered that, but... What does it mean that they may be sanctified? also. That's talking about us, too. I was reading that in this sanctification of His, He was demonstrating in His unswerving acceptance of the cross that this would be the standard for His disciples. Yeah, you know, because I think that's right. You know, the set-apart... For their sanctification. Yeah, for their sanctification. I look at it as what How are we set apart now? Position. Position? Absolutely. And what is that position now? In Christ. In Him.

So, we always go back to the identification truths. What is true about Christ is what? True about us. This is a perfect verse to say that. I sanctify myself, Christ speaking, so what? You may be sanctified. Perfect identification, perfect point about what's true about Christ is true about us. He said it right here. Christ says I'm sanctified, what? So you can be sanctified because you're identified with me. But if it's a standard for believer sanctification, then it kind of reminds me of Philippians, where it says, let this mind be union, which is also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2.

Perfect. You know, I looked in In verse 17 it says that we may be sanctified, what, in truth, which means we're set apart in Christ, in God's Word. He was dedicating Himself to us so that we may be set apart in Him. I also looked up the Greek, which is kind of an interesting part, regarding His sanctification, that verb in there about His sanctification, it's in the present active indicative, which means it's a continuous action, He's doing it, and it's a statement of fact.

That's true. It's done. It is continuous. He's doing it, and it's a fact. For our sanctification, it's in the perfect tense and passive voice. So it said that they may be sanctified. That means our sanctification was completed when we believe, and it has present results. So perfect means a past completed action with continuing results. So we were sanctified when? at the cross. We were sanctified.

But it has continuing results. Our sanctification, we're being set apart. And it's passive. And what does the passive mean? It's acted upon us. We're being sanctified. It's not our action. He is setting us apart. So it's kind of interesting that just between his sanctification and our sanctification, his is present, it's continuous all the time, being set apart, and it's a fact. Ours is a past action with continuing results. We are being sanctified.

And then also the past is that it was him acting on us. Totally confusing? All right, question eight. You think there's a relationship between sanctification and identification? I always answer things ahead of... You can see how I progress when I make these questions up. I do it and then I put the question. Okay, so explain sanctification and identification. I just told you the answer. Because we're identified with him. So if he's sanctified, we're sanctified. His life is our life. If he's sanctified, we're sanctified.

Okay? So, based on this, it is important to understand identification with respect to our sanctification. Is that true? Is it important? You can't be sanctified if you're not identified. Ooh, ooh, I like that. Yes, that's true. Yeah, how can you be set apart if you're not identified with him? I think that's a great, you can't be sanctified unless you're identified. That's a great, great phrase. So do you understand that?

I mean, again, I think that was a great verse that says, it really shows the identification and how our life is His life. Because He's sanctified, so we're sanctified. He's just saying what's true of me is true to you. Which I think is great, because when I get into some of these other, in John 17, I just love to get down, everything that he says in his prayer, is that pointed at us?

Absolutely. I love that about that. This is one of my favorite passages in the Gospel, just because of the intimacy that it has with the Father. But then all these I and you, you and I, we and us, us and you, it's totally linking us to that relationship.

And I go to this, as I'm studying this, And I think I want to say almost in every question, do you believe this? Do you believe it? I mean, do you really in your heart of hearts believe this? You know, if you read John 17 and just think about all that's going on and truly understand what's being said, do you believe that?

If you do, I mean, you're blown away. I mean, the intimacy, all these things, you and I, the joy that may be full in you, that we have, the love that I have between the Father and I in you, does that impact when the world is going in the blender, as I said last week? Do you understand that love is still there, that joy? Do you feel that joy that you have between the Father and the Son and now you in this blender?

You should. He said it's there. All right, question nine. Who is Jesus talking about in verse 20? I love this. What does that mean with respect to all that Jesus has spoken in his prayer to the Father? 20 is, I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in me through their word. Who is that? Us. Us. So he's speaking about us in this one. So what does that mean?

That means everything that he is talking about in this prayer is also associated to us. So I ask the question, is this the same group spoken in verse 9, which I ask on behalf, on their behalf, I do not ask on behalf of the world, but those whom you've given me, for they are yours. Is he talking about us in that one also? the disciples. See, I do it by linking too. I think he's talking to us too.

It's not as specific as in verse 20, but he's talking to the disciples there. But who are the disciples? And then he links at the end to the disciples also. I mean, to us, through the disciples. Not only on their behalf, but on ours. So I go to the double link, so to speak. In 20, he links it back to the disciples. Well, he's also talking to the disciples in verse 9. So in essence, I say he's talking about the same. He doesn't directly, but yeah.

I think it's their testimony. How did the church first begin? Through the disciples. And what did they do? Their word they went out and proclaimed. No. They were the ones who went out and told all that Christ had said and done. Through their witness. Through their witness. Their word. They went out and said. They didn't have cable news and all the things. The only way it could be spread is through their word. It's through their word that the world will know. So what does that mean with respect to all that Jesus had spoken in his prayer? It all applies to us.

We're new creatures in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5.17, where our life is his life, and so it applies to us. Again, I ask, based on this, is it important to understand identification with respect to what is ours in Christ? Absolutely. You can't have sanctification without identification. You can't be set apart. You can't have all these things that he's talking about unless you're identified with him.

I started to go back and think of all that has been revealed in this prayer. Verse 3, eternal life. Verse 12, keep them in your name. He guarded them so not one of them perished in verse 12. that his joy, his joy may be made full in them, in verse 13, and to keep us from the evil one, in 15, sanctified in his word and truth, in 17, and that we might be in them, in verse 21.

You know, I go to what I said, do you believe that? You know, in today, do you believe that with whatever's going on in your life? Do you have the joy in him? Do you believe it? I mean, I have to kick myself and say, do I believe this? You know, when the world is in turmoil and things are upside down and you have no idea, do you have the joy? Do you have that relationship, that intimacy with Him?

Knowing that He has prayed specifically that His joy may be made full in them. You know, I in Him, the love All this is proclaimed by Him in this prayer for us. So I just love this. And with that identification, I think it's awfully hard to understand this. If you understand His life as our life, think when He says all this stuff in here about the intimacy between He and the Father. I love this.

It's I and you, you and I, I and you and me, we and us. It's just totally linked. Well, if our life is His life, we're right in there. We got the group hug there together. It's an amazing thing. So the identification really helps us understand that, our identification with Him.

Question 10, in verse 21, He talks of oneness between Him and the Father. look up the following verses and indicate what kind of oneness is mentioned. So he's talked about oneness, and we'll go on to some other ones. Ephesians 4, 1-3, I can go ahead and read some of these. Ephesians 4, 1-3, Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling which you have been called with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." So we're looking for the oneness. What is the oneness he's talking about there? What? Unity of spirit. Unity of spirit. The same spirit dwells in all. Then the other thing. What is the other thing? It's the last part. Unity of spirit, what? In the bond of peace. What is the bond of peace? Bond of peace. I love that. I always go back to the peace that surpasses all understanding. We're linked to that. We're bound to that. I love it. I'll talk about some of the peace.

Is this the same peace that we can get anywhere else? Can we get it through large screen TVs and big houses and fancy cars and all the money in the world. Bill Gates, I don't think he's the richest man now, there's somebody else. A Mexican telecommunications guy is the world's richest guy. You think you can get the peace with all the world has to offer? No, not at all. You know, I go back, I think I've told this story, and this guy, he's now the chaplain for, or was the chaplain for some of the police, sheriff's union stuff, but he was a big businessman. I think his name's Bill Fay.

And he was, a big businessman, but gee, on the side, he ran the largest prostitution ring west of the Mississippi. Had all this money, all this stuff, had all the, you know, lust of the flesh that he could desire. And there was a guy who met with him, and this is his testimony, and the guy met with him, he said, you know, Bill, I have a piece that you can't even understand, that you don't have.

And I blew it off. He's like, what do you mean? You know, I can have whatever, women, money, anything I want, blah, blah, blah. Well, later in life, they busted him. He was involved in the mafia and all this stuff. He went to court and the mafia lawyer was supposed to be there, didn't show up, got busted, all the stuff, things happened.

And I think it was funny, he got off for some technicality for some reason, but he said, you know, in the midst of all that, I remember this guy told me about the piece that he had that I didn't have. And it was wearing on him through the whole time when he got busted.

And then it was like, wow, what peace. And it went back to it. And he came to know the Lord and is now a chaplain for a sheriff's union. There's the sheriff departments and stuff like that. But it was that one guy saying, I have a peace that you don't understand.

And I thought that was a great thing between all the world can offer. You know, all the lust of the flesh and everything. This guy who had nothing, he was just a Christian guy, I said, you know, I have a piece that you don't have. And I go back to that, I think, you know, the world can offer everything, but peace and rest. You know, and I go back to, you know, take my yoke upon me.

You know? What is it? Rest. You know? It is taking his yoke, but that's him carrying the load. It's our rest through him. The world can't do it. And a couple of other verses, Ephesians 2, 14, for he himself is our peace. So he himself, what is that? Our identification with him? For he himself is our peace. If we're in him, we have peace.

Galatians 5.22-24, the fruit of the Spirit. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Again, flesh, world, gone. What do you get when you do that? Peace.

Ephesians 4, oh, we're on number B, Ephesians 4.13, what kind of union, what kind of, you're back up to the question, indicate oneness.

So we're now down to B, Ephesians 4.13. And I'll read 11 through 14. And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to the mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

So, what is the oneness here? unity of faith. So, what does that mean? We all have the same trust, hope and confidence in Him. All speak of the same righteousness. All plead the same blood. All born of promise and all children of faith. We're all under one faith. That's quite an accomplishment if you consider all the denominations. What's really going to bring that around? It's time of growing in knowledge to the measure of stature. That's a lot of stuff in there. Yes, there is.

It's kind of a shame, and I think we saw that in the early church with, you know, I of Apollos, I of blah blah, and we get all these denominations. We should, and there is a unity of faith. I talked about this last week, you know, when I travel and you run into a believer, you immediately have that bond, that unity of faith, even though they're Presbyterian or Baptist or whatever. I usually don't ask him a lot about, you know, if I know a Christian, I just meet him, he or she. I don't say, well, are you all eels? But it's a bond in Christ. There are all these other tangential things that can divide us and do everything, but the unity of faith, the faith in Christ and who Christ is, there's a unity I think you find almost anywhere in the world.

And that's what I think he's talking about. I think the fullness of it is the full stature. When we start knowing the identification truths, all those things I think is where we have a greater unity together. It probably implies eliminating the focus on things that cause disunity.

Yes, yeah, I mean if you know that and that's why I say like when I when I meet somebody I don't get into all the doctrinal differences right off right off the bat You know you mean time you may get into discussions of doctrinal differences, but the you know right off the bat No, it's you know we have a bond.

We have a unity right off right off So and I love that I think it's great when you travel and do that when you find people and you know I there was a guy on the He tried to Google me for business. He wanted to get my number or something, so he Googled me.

Well, then, oh, what's this teaching stuff? So he listened on the tape and had a meeting, and then after the meeting, he said, well, we've got to go to the truck and get something. He says, well, I really like what you said on Sunday. Really? And I was like, what? I didn't realize he'd listened to the tape on the internet. But it was like an immediate bond. He says, yeah, it was great. The identification, blah, blah, blah. And he's a brother in Christ. But it was like immediately a bond that we had.

Okay, Acts 4.32, this oneness, what does it speak of?

Acts 4.32 is, and the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Do you believe that? One heart, one soul? Again, the unity. One heart, one soul. Trying to move on here. I'm really going.

C, Colossians 2.2. I'll read Colossians 2, 1-4, For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at late of Seath, and for all of those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. So what's the unity there?

Knit together in love. In love. You know, actually just saying that, if we're walking in the unity of spirit, believers can't help but love one another. If we're knit together in love, that's the one, I mean if we're in Christ, His very life is our life, how can I not love you?

Okay? D, 1 Corinthians 1.10. I'll read 10. Yeah,

10. Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. That one's a good one. What is that oneness? Same mind and the same judgment. Think that exists?

I think if you take the attitude positionally, you get a relaxed mental attitude. Exactly. If you don't, then you get caught up in how people think differently than maybe you. Your maturity level is fraught you. You know, I think, you know, if we're of the same spirit, we should be of the same mind. I think you know a lot of times we get into these divisions and stuff where I think you're right if we focus on positionally and you know a lot of those things I get into I was talking to someone last week about this you know it's funny the person I was talking to broad generalizations of people well these are Calvinists and these are Armenians and these are you know and I'm like you know I don't I don't get into groups.

I get into individuals. And, you know, because, you know, engineers, you know, well, they're engineers. We're not all the same. So I get into individuals. And when I get into individuals, I get on the foundational things. And I now take lots of people, you know, when we discuss things, you know, right to Romans 6. And, you know, what does this mean to you? What does Romans 6 really tell you? And Mike said that, lay it down, read this. What does it mean? Wow, you're what? Crucified? Is no longer I? What? What?

So you get in, and once you get there in the foundations, I think, start off on that foundation and know, I think you leave it there and then you slowly progress through. This one mind, I think, if we're in the spirit, it should be a one mind. and all these fights and this and that and worrying about stuff.

I think it just grieves the Lord that we fight so much about stuff. I've gotten out of the fight moment. My family, when we got married, we got in and she's a very quiet family. Nice, Swedish, nice, gentle family. My family's not that way. My family, she was like, when the first time we met with my family, because my family, oh, we just fight.

It's like, argh, argh, argh. Discuss and argue about, argh, argh, argh, argh. That's why I think you get into politics so much, because it was the fighting. And she's just, you know, went to bed the next morning, fine. Oh, hi. You know, had breakfast, everything. She's just, last night you, what? So we fight for fun, is what we do. It's taken me a long time to get out of that mode of just fighting for fun. Because that's what we did.

You know, it's not anything personal. You just argue. It was... Your mentality. Well, I'm a Colorado diehard, you know, native. It was just we like to discuss and, you know, and Ingrid was just not in that mode. You know, it was like, phew. So, you know, I think we get in that mode where we want to argue about all these things, you know, and, you know, the foundational things.

Let's get on the foundation together. Talk about the positional things that aren't going to move. And one mind, one spirit. All right. Question 11. What do you think is the highest union in existence is? Being President of the United States. Cool. through my politics, right back in there. How about the Commissioner of the NFL? No, whatever. Where's the highest union?

Christ and God. Christ and God. That union is expressed so well in this prayer. The intimacy, I go back to my verse, you know, we can cry, Abba, Father. What does that mean? Daddy. That means the intimacy that we have with God, we can come and we can say, Daddy. I don't understand, Dad. I mean, the intimacy of expressing anything to the Father.

The beauty is we see the intimacy between the Father and the Son in this one. And guess what? we have that same union. It says all through here, that union. That's why I've been going through the identification, our identification in Him, our union with Him. Well, then we get linked to all this beautiful union between the Father and the Son. And I go back, do you believe that? Do you believe it? It's expressed right here in John 17. Many, many ways. In verse 21, where he He expresses the union for us, says it's for us. So we're linked to all this stuff. It's incredible.

But again, when you see in chapter 17 this union between the Father and the Son, that is the highest union that there is. And then when we get linked to it, we're linked to the highest union in existence. I just think, how does that not change you? So, which is why the last question. Why is this relationship so important today? Because we're in it. We're in it. We're in it and why is that important?

You know, when again, the stock market crumbles, your 401k is gone, you've lost the job, you have illness, you have whatever. Is that union broken? No. I go to my isms. Did God go, oops, missed that. Courtney, your 401k is split in half. Gone. Missed that. Sorry. Should have known that. Ridiculous. That ailment. Eight weeks on crutches. There's times I wouldn't.

No. He knows all about what goes on, and I have rest in that. That's the peace that surpasses all understanding. This union that we have with Him should give us that peace that surpasses all understanding, that rest. What work do we have to do? If we're in union with Him, what work is so tough now? All these things link together. Peace, rest, the same spirit, the same mind. You know, it's just, it's amazing. I think, especially in these times we're going through with, you know, politics and ups and downs and economies and everything like that, people can be so distraught. You know, if the Lord takes everything away, is that okay? Do you believe that? Is your 401k a ghost? Is your rent not being paid? Yeah, it is true. you know, that it's still okay. Did his love change for you in any of this?

No. You know, I think this is so important to us right now that we understand this union. And again, you know, for me, I confess, like I said, I'm a political junkie and it's like watching a football game. It means nothing. I get involved and I cheer on the sidelines, but it means nothing. Why? Is my citizenship here?

Now I'm just a soldier. I can look and laugh. I can cheer. I can do. But in the end, my citizenship's in heaven. So all this stuff that goes on, I just look at it, say, Lord, what do you want? Let me go on. Because I'm identified with him. So again, do you believe that? And if you do, I think, like I said, you can go to the father and say, Abba, Father, Daddy.

Help me. Comfort me. Strengthen me. Give me wisdom. You know, all these things. Because you have an intimacy, a union with Him that is of the highest existence. All right, any other questions on this one? We will move on to... I gave you 12, right? Okay. All right. Lesson 12, which is John 17, 21 through 26. I'll read from verse 20 through the end of the chapter. I always like to do that just to get the context and the full meaning as we go through it. So, John 17, 20 through 26.

I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, even as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as we are one, I in them, you in me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that you sent me, and love them, even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, so that they may see my glory which you have given me. For you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, Although the world has not known you, yet I have known you, and these have known that you sent me. And I have made your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which you love me may be in them, and I in them." Look, just a touch of identification in those verses. The I in them, I in me, joy, love, everything, yeah.

All right, from verse 21, is Jesus praying for a union to be created or stating a union that already existed? So in verse 21, that they may all be one, even as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they may also be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me. Is that something he's to be created or a union that already existed? It already existed, didn't it?

Oh, we have a middle of the rotor over here. It says, may be. Is that the subjunctive? The verb, that they may be, are in the present, which is a continuous, incomplete action. So, it's ongoing. didn't start, it just is ongoing. Does that give you any hint?

The reason I said both is I think that he's talking about the union that he has in his father, which has always been there, but he's also talking about the union that we will have in him when he gets to the cross. Pretty much. Lord's Prayer is not the origin of the union in which he speaks or the cause of it, but the fruit or result of it. He is not praying that a union might be established between himself and his people, which did not exist, but the union which always was in the mind and purpose of God. So, it's not creating by what he's saying, but it's to be created. So, it's somewhat of a middle-of-the-road answer. It was always in the mind of God, so yes, it existed before, but it's to be created. So it was somewhat of a trick question. So yeah, it's the verb tense.

So that means we'll be continuously be with Christ and the Father and that we may continuously be in Christ and the Father. So it's for union that had been planned since eternity past, but will be created when Christ completes his work on the cross. Now, this is talking about the union. It will exist whether you believe or not. It's not predicated on what we do. It's what he's established.

Thoroughly confused? Is this union the same as an earthly relationship? Please, please. No, no, no, no. Earthly relationships are temporal and feeble. The relationship that Christ is speaking of here is one that is everlasting and is of the highest union possible. A union, a oneness with Christ and the God of the universe. This is the same relationship that God the Father has with Christ. Again, just this continuing identification, this continuing oneness or union with God the Father and Christ.

Okay, big question I had, and this got answered on a Tuesday in the Ephesians, when we were doing Ephesians on the men's, it was early on. Is this the same relationship as God had with Adam in the garden before the fall? No, because Adam was not in Christ. Okay, we have a no. Any yeses? Chickens? Chickens? No, it is not the same. And what I go, this always bothered me, and this was answered in the Ephesians on our Tuesday class, when all this stuff, when I started, when I was first coming here, and it was like everything just started to come together. You know, I always wondered, wow, Mike is not gonna be happy. No, we said we're not, schedule-wise, we're okay.

In, It always bothered me in Genesis 2.18, the relationship between Adam and God when he said, it was not good for man to be alone. And I thought, are you kidding me? Here's Adam, in the garden, walking in the cool of the morning, fellowshipping with the God of the universe.

Why would you need another human? Why would you not? Why? Anybody answer that one? It always bothered me. What could he want more than all the animals, everything, the garden, the beauty, fellowshipping with the Lord? Nobody else had that weird thought that why did he need somebody else? It's a creator and a creation. They were on two different levels. They didn't have the fellowship that was one-to-one. And in the identification, it finally answered that question. It was the Creator and the creation.

What happens when we are identified with Christ? We're a new creation. And what is that relationship? Who is the firstborn? Christ is the firstborn of the new creation. There used to be an old Paul Harvey thing about the birds. Did you ever hear that thing about the birds?

Come on in, we're going to get warmed up. Well, if I could only talk to them, if I could only be at their level. It's kind of talking about Christ coming in human form, but it's the same thing. If we now have a relationship minus the deity, the same as Christ. His life is our life. So now, can we have a fellowship with him? A perfect fellowship? Absolutely.

So it answered that question, why Adam, with all this that he had? It's not good. You're alone. What did God create for him? A mate. It was of the same origin, the same creation. So we'd have this relationship. He said it was not good to be alone. Now think of that. Translate this now to who we are identified in Christ. New creatures in Christ. The firstborn of the new creation. He's the firstborn. We're all the same creation.

We now have that same level. We're not alone. We have that relationship. that God said in the garden said, no, you need somebody on your same level to talk, to be with, to fellowship with, to have the same relationship with. We now have that with the God of the universe. It's better than walking in the cool of the garden two different levels, creator to creation. We now have a relationship with the man, the fully man, fully God, Christ. We're of the same creation, new creatures in Christ. How cool is that? You know, it is different than Adam in the garden. You think, Adam in the garden, oh, you see all the pictures, the wonderful garden, animals, beautiful, walking in the cool. God says it's not good to be alone. He doesn't have to say that to us anymore. us who are identified in Christ have a relationship that is of the same creation, Christ. He'll never say that it's not good to be alone, because we're not alone.

We have the very life of Christ. I just, yeah, I think that answered a lot of things and gives us a relationship that's just incredible. All right, if we can quickly, question three. What has Christ given to us that was given Him by the Father? It's in verse 22. He gave us a buzzer. How about quickly, we can get through this one. What? Glory, because we'll get into this one next week about what that is. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them.

It's interesting to note the Greek verbs in this verse. Both of them have given, are in the perfect tense, which means a past completed action with present results, active voice. God and Christ are the ones producing the action. We don't do anything.

In the indicative mood, it's a fact or a reality. The glory of which you have given to me, I have given to them. Fact. reality, continuing results. Past action, continuing results. And passive, or I mean the active, God does it. He gave. All right, let's close.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time. We thank you for any time again, just so we can study your word. We just thank you for the intimacy that we see in John 17. recorded word. We just thank you for the union, the identification that we have with Christ and what that means with our union with you, Lord, and with the Father. We just thank you that that is a union of the highest existence. that we have right now and through all of eternity. And we just thank you for that.

We just rest in that. We have the peace that you provide knowing that all the turmoil here on this earth, we don't have to worry. We have that union that is positionally can never be changed. And we rest in that fact. So Father, we just commit this day to you now. Thank you for it. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.