In An Excavation of John 17, I am still finding the buried truths of the ATONEMENT.

“Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 
For I have given to them the words which You have given Me;
and they have received them,
 and have known surely that I came forth from You;
and they have believed that You sent Me.”
John 17:7-8

“Now they have known” 

The men Jesus called to follow Him spent three years hearing the things God, the Father gave Him. These things were given to them in the form and sound of “words.” “Jesus spoke these words’ (vs. 1) then lifted up His eyes to heaven and began His prayer to the “Father.” 

He spoke “these things” for three years until this moment when He unveiled to His disciples in this prayer what His Father in heaven had planned “before the world was.” These “things” ~ these “words” ~ were the secrets Moses spoke of in Deut. 29:29. “The secrets belong to God but are revealed to us and our children.”

“And He said, “To you it has been given to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of God, 

“But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;
for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men 
desired to see what you see, and did not see it, 
and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” 
Matt. 13:16-17

These few men were given to Jesus to know the secrets of His kingdom ~ to know the Father, “the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent.” Jn. 17:2-3

Herein was the revelation and reality of eternal life promised by the Father through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, His Son. 

His disciples were witnesses to these words of eternal life and the things Jesus gave them from the Father. These words were passed down to generations and are now ours who believe,

“I do not pray for these alone,
but also for those who will believe in Me
through their word;”
Jn. 17:20

We, too, must hear His words if we are to know the things of His Father’s Kingdom. Just as the disciples received Jesus’ words, everyone must receive them as true. We must not doubt, but know for sure that God, the Father sent His Son to give us the words of eternal life and Life, itself, now and for eternity.

We would do well to take heed to the following words quoted by Jesus. These should be comforting and encouraging words to those who receive them and  believe them and warning to those who have not heard them before.

 ^“All that the Father gives Me
will come to Me,”
Jn. 6:37

 ^“Most assuredly, I say to you,
 he who believes in Me has
everlasting life.”
Jn. 6:47

“The words that I speak to you are spirit,
and they are life.”
Jn. 6:63

“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words,
has that which judges him—
the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 
For I have not spoken on My own authority; 
but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, 
what I should say and what I should speak. 
And I know that His command is everlasting life.
Therefore, whatever I speak,
just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
Jn. 12:48-50

No other religion, no other man has ever promised the life that He gives. Please send me a message on my CONTACT page if you want to know more of these words and the LIFE that comes through them.

Dear Father in heaven, your Words matter more than other words spoken on this earth. Open hearts to hear these simple words spoken by Jesus your Son ~ words of life that produce life ~ the life of Christ and His Spirit ~ in those who receive and believe them.

Suggested Reading:  Why Words Matter
The Garden of GOD’S WORD ~ the Purpose and Delight of BIBLE Study