I in Him and He in me - John 17:20-26
At the beginning of the last century, physicist Albert Einstein discovered, among other things, the phenomenal law of nature (creation) known as energy-mass equivalence with the famous formula E=mc2. The consequence - understandable for laymen - means nothing other than that little matter has a gigantic amount of energy. Atomic physics has confirmed this with sometimes devastating effects (atomic bomb).
However, there are spiritual laws that far outshine anything humanly imaginable - and without any destructive consequences. One of these laws, which is built into the so-called "Evangel (Gospel) of Christ", is: I=Jesus Christ in me. What may read as meaningless or even suspicious is in fact the decisive spiritual formula for our entire existence - on earth and into the eternal kingdom of God. How is this to be understood?
Everything is a question of perspective. Who is man - and who is the Lord Jesus Christ? (Heb. 2:6-9; Ps. 8:4-10). Because of creation, man is completely limited in space and time and is subject to all earthly laws. This leads to many limitations, e.g. in terms of strength, problem solving, human qualities of life, etc. Therefore, no human being can demonstrate or produce all divine requirements on their own, e.g. holiness, righteousness, perfection, impeccability - or generally the "fruit of the Spirit" (Gal. 5:22). In everyday life, we then lack love, strength, peace, wisdom and much more. And there are usually no trace of miracles and the power of God. I consist of 75 kg. "Materia" - there is simply nothing more.
The Lord Jesus Christ is different. He consists of the entire "substance" of the whole visible and invisible universe. Anyone who studies the four Gospels on the one hand and has recognized the whole "Evangel (Gospel) of Christ" and applies it concretely in everyday life on the other will experience the exemplary effects of this. The Lord Jesus Christ is a synonym for unlimited power, love, joy, patience, gentleness, righteousness, holiness, wisdom, redemption, restoration, etc. (1 Cor. 1:30).
The spiritual formula is ingeniously simple. It is I in Him and He in me. Through the divine new procreation (Jn. 3; 1 Jn. 3:9), the heavenly Father begets Jesus Christ into me through the Holy Spirit. I experience the so-called "co-crucifixion" of the old humanity and subsequently a complete exchange of life. Now Christ lives in me (and in the best case I no longer live!) (Gal. 2:20). Through His presence in my mortal flesh (2 Cor. 4:10-11), all His life qualities are now in me to an immeasurable, divine extent - infinitely, endlessly and without limitation. From God's perspective, whatever I ever need in life is in me in an unlimited, divine quantity - but only as long as I am and remain in Christ - and He in me (Jn. 15:1-7). All that is missing is the "release" of Christ in me!
A brief biblical demonstration: According to Jn. 6:1-13, the Lord Jesus Christ multiplies five loaves and two fish weighing a few kilograms into tons of the corresponding food. Or He subdues a hurricane-force storm in zero time with a short command (Mk. 4:39). Physically dead people are instantly resurrected and restored (Jn. 11:1-44). We call this a "miracle" - but only the ingenious spiritual equation is applied. With the Lord Jesus Christ it was called: I in the Father and the Father in me (Jn. 14:8-12; John 17). He did not do His own (humanly limited) work, but consequently the heavenly Father did His unlimited, divine works. He was "only" a channel for the works of His Father - and in the same way we are to be a channel for the works of Christ and therefore of His Father (Jn 14:12).
Without an atomic chain reaction in a certain matter, it remains nothing more than dead matter. Without the living presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and his concrete manifestation in me, I am nothing more than a completely limited, religious-Christian person and enthusiast. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ must be "set free" in us - and this is only possible through "faith and confession". For as long as we do not recognize and act correctly, absolutely nothing will happen regarding eternity and our everyday lives. A drastic illustration of this is the instruction of the Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples to speak to "mountains" and "bushes" so that they move (Mt. 17:20, Lk. 17:6). People will never achieve this through their words alone - but the Lord Jesus Christ in us will. For through Him, among other things, all mountains and bushes were created (Gen 1:3-25; Col. 1:16). Is it not written in 1 Jn. 4:4: He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world?
There is no doubt that the consistent application of the "Evangel (Gospel) of Christ" mentioned so far is pure utopia or even sectarian fanaticism for practically all "Christians". But this is how the Lord Jesus Christ lived on this earth - and we should now "imitate" his example. But how does this work in practice? For this we need several fragments of faith:
- The knowledge of the "right" Jesus Christ, the "right" evangel (gospel), the application of the "right" faith and all this in the "right" spirit. Each individual aspect was dealt with separately (see German links).
- We must enter the Lord Jesus Christ correctly - and He into us. This is only possible through the consistent application of point 1, i.e. through the "right" faith and the "right" confession.
- We must know how we are and remain in Christ in everyday life. For only from this position can the Lord Jesus Christ reveal Himself in us and through us.
Then all that remains is to constantly "set free" the Lord Jesus Christ in us, according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in all of life's challenges.
In this way, natural forces are tamed, Materia is multiplied in emergencies, demons are cast out, the sick is healed - divine "chain reactions" are set in motion. Einstein's formula is applied spiritually - in every conceivable emergency and challenge. This is how the Lord Jesus Christ lived in and from His Father - this is how we live when we are in Him and He in us.
He who can grasp it, grasp it!
Original German title: Ich in Ihm und Er in mir - Joh.17,20-26 (HTML-Text/PDF)
Title of the German sermon based on this topic: Ich in Ihm und Er in mir - Joh.17,20-26 (MP3-Audio)
LInk to the pdf-version:
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