These things Jesus spoke; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Thy Son, that the Son may glorify Thee, even as Thou gavest Him authority over all mankind, that to all whom Thou hast given Him, He may give eternal life. And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent,” John 17:1-3.
Jesus was given authority over all mankind during His ministry. Just prior to His ascension He was given all authority in heaven and on earth, Matthew 28:18. Now the risen Christ has authority, not only on earth, but in heaven as well.
Why was He given all this authority? He was given it in order that He might give eternal life to all God has given Him, that is, the chosen of God. In order to attain eternal life, we must endure to the end and we cannot make it on our own. And for that reason the risen Christ now sits at the right hand of God in heaven and intercedes for us, that we might endure to the end. He also intercedes for the chosen who aren’t yet in the kingdom, for John 17:2 says, “to all whom Thou hast given me.” Those whom He has been given are all who have been predestined to eternal life, those in the past, those in the present, and those in the future.
In summary, not only was His body broken and His blood shed for us, now that He has been taken up to heaven, His love for us still shines as a light in our darkness, guiding us through trial after trial, through the valleys and over the mountains, as He intercedes between us and our loving Father. Yes, all authority in heaven and on earth was given to Jesus, and He uses it for the good of the chosen of God — what a wonderful and perfect Savior. Amen.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
jondavidbanks.com 