THINK TOGETHER.
What is the worst storm you’ve ever seen? Did it scare you?
READ TOGETHER.
John 6:63. The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
All life comes from the Holy Spirit alone. This includes physical life and spiritual life. If someone is alive it is because the Holy Spirit put life into them. Are you alive right now? You can thank the Holy Spirit. Are you alive spiritually? If yes, then you can thank the Holy Spirit for that too.
When Jesus says the Spirit alone gives eternal life, he is talking about spiritual life. That’s what eternal life is. Everyone’s physical life comes to an end, but when we trust in Jesus, we receive spiritual life that lasts forever – eternal life.
Even the word that Jesus uses for life is special. In Jesus’ time there were three different words for life.
Bios – this word means physical life (have you heard the word biology before?).
Psyche (this is pronounced Soo-kay) – this word was used to our thinking life (have you heard the word psychology before?).
Zoe (Zoh – ee) – this word was used specifically for God’s own divine life.
So what is Jesus saying? He’s saying that the Holy Spirit not only gives us bios and psyche, he also gives us zoe. Everyone who is alive has bios and psyche, but not everyone has zoe – eternal life. How do we get zoe from the Holy Spirit? Through Jesus’ words – the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
The only way to get zoe (eternal life) from the Holy Spirit is to trust the words of Jesus. We have to trust what Jesus says about himself, about us, about God, and about salvation. Things like this:
John 6:47-48. 47“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48Yes, I am the bread of life!
Just like the Spirit ALONE gives life, we must trust in Jesus ALONE to be that life that the Spirit gives to us. Jesus is the bread that gives us eternal life. Have you trusted in Jesus ALONE to be your eternal life? Not how good you are, or how well you obey God, but only how good Jesus is and how well he obeyed God.
His is the life we all need. His zoe life. His eternal life.
Because of the Holy Spirit we can have eternal life.
With the Holy Spirit we have the life of Jesus in us.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Look at various living things together. Plants. Animals. People. Which ones have bios (plants and animals)? Psyche (animals, but not plants)? Only people can have zoe life, God’s life.
PRAY TOGETHER
Father, I can’t give myself eternal life, so thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit who gives me the eternal life of Jesus. Amen.
TLICfamily 