Good morning everyone. Today is the 6th of February. It's Thursday morning. I've been reading through this book, God Does Not Love Everyone. Today I'm ready for chapter 26. I'm just going to read chapter 26 today because it's a rather lengthy chapter. I try to keep these under 15 minutes. Sometimes I'm not able to do that, but I'll try to do that this morning. This 26th chapter of this book is one of my favorite chapters in the whole Bible, which is the 17th chapter of John. I've entitled this chapter, Thou Hast Given Him Power Over All Flesh. The first time I read the 17th chapter of John, I was in total spiritual shock. The things that Christ proclaimed in these passages I had not been taught as a child, and even as an adult for that matter, up until I was about 30 years old. Why? Because the things he proclaimed in these chapters are in opposition to plus 90% of the so-called Christian world. These words speak Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said father the hour has come glorify thy son that thy son also may glorify thee As thou has given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him That is one of the most powerful Verses in the entire Bible. I'm going to read it again As thou has given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." So who has the power over your salvation? Is it you? That's not what Christ said. Christ is the one that determines who has salvation and who doesn't. He has power over all flesh. and this is the life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do do you hear that I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do why you think he said on the cross it is finished because it was finished the cross And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. Christ had the glory of God before the world was created. That's the pre-incarnate Christ. That's before Christ came into the world. He had all the glory of the Father. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Notice he didn't say that God, the Father, gave him all people out of the world. He said that he gave him certain people out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. Sounds like John 6.37, doesn't it? For all that the Father has given me shall come to me. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me, and they received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them, I pray not for the world." What? That's what it says. He said he doesn't pray for all men without exception. He prays for his elect. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me. For they are thine, that's election, that's elect. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I'm glorified in them. I think Christ makes it pretty clear there that he's talking about there are elect people in the world. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world. And I come to thee, Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me. There's preservation. Jesus Christ prayed that all of his elect would be kept, that they may be one as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name. They didn't keep themselves. Peter certainly didn't keep himself, did he? I kept them in thy name, those that thou gavest me I have kept. And none of them is lost, but the son of perdition that the scripture might be full. That's reprobation. Judas is an example of reprobation. There are vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, according to Romans 9. Vessels created under honor and dishonor. And Judas was a vessel created under dishonor. And now I come to thee, and these things I speak in the world, that they might have joy fulfilled in themselves. Speaking of his elect, I have given them his elect, thy word, and the world hath hated them. Have you ever wondered why the world hates you so much? People that hold to the doctrines of grace, predestination, and election, the world hates you. Because they think they've got to have a hand in their salvation. Well, why does Christ say that the world hates us? He says, because they are not of the world even as I am. We're not of the world. This world is not our home. We're just a passing through. Our treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels will beckon us through heaven's open door. We don't feel at home in this world anymore. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but thou shouldst keep them from the evil. They are not of this world, even as I am not of this world. Sanctify them through thy truth. That means there that word sanctified means set apart. Set apart. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone. This chapter is not just addressed to the disciples like my mom said it was. Says neither pray after these alone, but for the them also which shall believe on me through their word the elect believe the disciples word The non elect don't believe the Bible They don't believe price word and they don't believe the disciples word That they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in them they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me and the glory which thou gavest me hath given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me and that they may be made perfect in one then that the world may know that thou hast sent me and has loved them as thou hast loved me you know I believe the world knows I think they've been given evidence that we're one of God's elect that's why they hate us so much Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world." You know, God didn't only love Christ before the foundation of the world, he loved all of his elect before the foundation of the world. According to Ephesians 1, we were chosen in him before the foundation of the world. Righteous father the world hath not known me and in other words all of those who are not God's elect have not known me No, remember what it said in Romans a it says for whom he did for no He also did predestinate the world hath not known me But I have known thee and these have known me meaning his elect That thou has sent me and I have declared unto them his elect thy name and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." John 17. Wow, what a teaching on the doctrine of election by Jesus Christ. So if Christ has a power over all flesh, what power does man have over his own destiny? That's my question this morning. The answer is obvious, none. Pilate was trying to determine who this Jesus really was when he was delivered unto him by the Jews. He was also questioning what truth was and the personification of truth was standing right in front of Jesus. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from hence. I therefore send them, Art thou a king? And then Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end I was born, and to this cause I came into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice. That's the elect. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said, I find no fault in him at all. John 18, 36 through 38. Jesus made it very clear to Pilate that he virtually had no power over him. Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given from thee above. Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. John 19, 10-11 When Jesus said, It is finished, when he gave up the ghost on the cross, He was not just signifying the point of his death, but proclaiming that he had finished the work that he had come to earth to do. That is, to save his people from their sins. When Jesus, therefore, had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished, and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. We will see later in the book of Hebrews how the declaration is made that he entered once in the holy place to obtain eternal redemption for us. Needed by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Hebrews 9, 12. It is always a joy for the believer to see the Old Testament prophecies fulfilled to the letter in the New Testament. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, They break not his legs, but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith there came out blood and water. And he saw it bare record, and the record is true, and he knoweth that what he saith is true, that he might believe. For these things were done, that the Scriptures should be fulfilled, the bone of him shall not be broken. And again another Scripture saith, they shall look upon him whom they pierced. John 19, 33-37. One of my very dear friends and brother in Christ, Edward Henry, when speaking about the following passage, conveyed a real blessing to me, and I hope will be a blessing to you as well. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not, for I am not yet a sinner to my Father. But go to my brethren, and say unto them, Ascend unto your Father, and your Father, unto my God, and your God. John 20.17 I was listening to Alexander Scurvy's narration of the Bible, and this caught my ear. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended unto my Father. But go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, unto my God, and your God. John 20, 17 I know it to be true, but to hear said so plainly is astounding. All who are in Christ are his brethren. Wow! Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3, 2 After Christ rose from the dead, he told Peter to feed his sheep. We can never give spiritual food to anyone other than the sheep, and they are the only ones. that will ever receive it. So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? And he saith unto him, yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith, feed my lambs. He saith unto him the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, lovest thou me? And he said unto the Lord, Thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus said unto him, Feed my sheep, John 21, 15 through 17. So we've come to the grand conclusion of the marvelous gospel of John. And the author himself says it is, it says it best. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written, everyone, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. John 21, 25. May the good Lord be with you today in a special way. And remember, Christ is the greatest teacher ever on election.