Pledged by an Eternal Oath
God has pledged an eternal oath to keep and preserve us, demonstrating his undying love for his people.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the profound covenant between the Father and the Son, illustrating God's unwavering love for humanity. Through Jesus' prayer, we see that this covenant extends to all who trust in Him, ensuring that they are kept safe and united in love. The Father's commitment to Jesus serves as a promise that He will also uphold His covenant with us, guiding and empowering us through life's challenges. Wilkerson reassures that just as God was faithful to Jesus, He will be faithful to us, allowing us to share in His glory if we remain in Christ. This eternal oath reflects God's desire to preserve His beloved creation and keep us from the powers of darkness.
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In Jesus' prayer to the Father, he says: "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are" (John 17:11). He was saying, "We agreed that I could bring into our covenant everyone who trusts in me. Now, Father, I ask you to bring these beloved ones under the same covenant promises you made to me."
What does this covenant between Father and Son have to do with you and me? It is a picture of God's love for his beloved creation. He cut this covenant because he was unwilling to lose a single child to Satan. It is all about his undying love for his people.
The Father gave his Son, the Son gave his life, and we receive all the benefits. By mutual consent, the Father and Son made this covenant to keep and preserve the seed of Christ. It ensures that we will endure to the end and we will be kept safe.
The promise to save and deliver us, then, and our confidence that God will keep it, has a precedent in the relationship between Father and Son.
Did the Father lead and guide Jesus, as he pledged he would? Did his Spirit empower the Son, giving him encouragement and consolation? Did he bring him through all his temptations and trials? Did he keep him from the powers of darkness? Did he usher him home to glory victorious? Was God true to his part of the covenant terms?
Yes, absolutely! And the Father who kept his covenant promises to his Son has pledged an eternal oath to do the same for us. Jesus affirmed this part of the covenant when he said, "The glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me" (John 17:22-23).
If you stay in Christ -- abide in him and trust him -- you will surely see his glory!
Sermon Outline
- I. The Covenant Between Father and Son
- A. Jesus' prayer in John 17:11
- B. The Father's promise to keep those given to Jesus
- C. The covenant's purpose: to keep and preserve the seed of Christ
- II. God's Undying Love
- A. The Father's unwillingness to lose a single child to Satan
- B. The Son's sacrifice and the benefits we receive
- III. The Covenant's Precedent
- A. The Father's role in Jesus' life: leading, guiding, empowering
- B. The Father's faithfulness to the covenant terms
- IV. Our Confidence in God's Promise
- A. The Father's pledge to keep us safe and deliver us
- B. Jesus' affirmation of the covenant in John 17:22-23
Key Quotes
“The Father who kept his covenant promises to his Son has pledged an eternal oath to do the same for us.” — David Wilkerson
“If you stay in Christ -- abide in him and trust him -- you will surely see his glory!” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We can have confidence in God's promise to keep us safe and deliver us, as demonstrated by the covenant between Father and Son.
- Staying in Christ and trusting him is essential to seeing his glory and experiencing the benefits of the covenant.
- God is faithful to his covenant promises and will keep his oath to preserve us.