As we have been in deep with the gospel of John, it is important to note once again, the moto or theme that has run throughout. I mentioned this theme very early on in our venture together and I will share once again. The theme, or framework to with we look at John is this, “The I AM has come to dwell among us and redeem.” Today, I want to share with you a prayer and some theological points. Much of Jesus’ ministry was teaching and making disciples. Even in the way Jesus prayed, He was demonstrating how we must pray as well. Within this priestly prayer, and the soon coming Gethsemane prayer, we see a demonstration of the nature of Jesus. And may I say, as I will say again, understand the nature and work of Jesus affects everything in our life. Between this and the one offered in Gethsemane there is a difference we cannot help but to observe. Both were offered on the same night, yet in the one Christ is filled with calmness and triumph, and in the other with agony and dejection. This demonstrates the many facets of Jesus as Priest, Prophet, and King, but also demonstrates the human struggle that Jesus endured as He always prayed fervently.
I challenge you to put on the spectacles of Theology. What does this prayer teach us about our Great God, ourselves, and the Lord Jesus Christ? In every narrative recorded in the gospels about Jesus, He is always teaching something. He did not have to pray audibly to the Father, but done so in order to teach.
Here again is the importance of the prayer, there are theological tid-bits that will help you see the priority of knowing God. So I’m going to offer a few points using the prayer, to drive some important theological road signs, to help us navigate our lives.
- Theological Premise- Eternal Salvation is Offered By Jesus Alone: In all fairness, many of us here today get this premise. We understand that salvation is offered by Jesus alone, by faith alone and grace alone. But many do not act as if this premise is sound and reaches a firm conclusion. Let’s us look at the scriptures: Joh 17:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
- Notice what is not stated in the opening verses. Jesus does not say anything about people adding on top of what the Son will do. There is no adding any merit towards salvation. John tells us that “when Jesus spoke these things,” what things? Chapter 16 explains much of what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit, about persecution, and when it comes not to lose heart. He forecasted that they would be scattered but to have hope in the conquering King that overcome the world. After these words, Jesus models, in a didactic form, in teaching form, a prayer points us to glorify God. To lift up His eyes in prayer is a saying, it’s like saying, “let us now pray,” or “lets go to the Lord.” The hour has come, the hour when Jesus would suffer and die, the devil is at the door and knocking, ready to hang the Christ on the cross. Glorify the Son through His death and resurrection. Have you ever heard someone pray so beautifully or eloquently that you almost stopped to take notes for yourself? This is Jesus’ prayer, eloquent and pointed.
Joh 17:2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. Joh 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Joh 17:4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
- Notice, Jesus leaves no room for human intervention. Meaning, salvation is totally contingent on who He calls and leaves no room for any human works. Jesus says, “all authority” has been given, much like the great commission verses, “all authority has been given to me.” Before we get to fast and try and demonstrate how these verses are ore reformed, the point of the prayer is didactic. The main thrust of the prayer is to demonstrate that the Lord Jesus was in total submission to His mission. Theologically, we see that eternal life is to know personally the Lord Jesus Christ. The word that Jesus uses for “might know” is a term that to recognizing or perceiving that salvation is only through Jesus and nothing more. We as God’s people, will let this fact dictate every area of our life. Jesus glorified the Father while on earth, completing the mission ahead. Dying on the cross was the mission, but along the way, He taught very pointed lessons. Here is a theologically lesson we all need.
Have you ever put your money in a snack machine, and afterwards just stood there looking at the selections and couldn’t make up your mind. You couldn’t decide what snack you wanted to eat for that day. Sadly, many of our churches have turned the way of snack machine theology, which in fact has become a lack of sound theology all together. The one most important thing on display is the attractions of what the church has to offer the consumer. Yes, for the worshipper now days have turned more into a consumer that a worshipper. The most important items in the church are sadly the things that are missing for churches across America. If salvation is by Jesus alone and not of works, why would we settle with anything else. My challenge is this, if salvation is offered by Jesus and no works can add to it, live your life in light of His glory. Why do you think there are so many world religions today, works salvation? Why do you think, even in churches that call themselves Christian can add the element of human works to salvation? The Catholic church adds Baptismal Regeneration, the Christian Churches the same. You cannot offer of add one thing to your salvation.
- Theological Premise- Because Jesus Saves, We Keep His Word: As Jesus was totally true to His Words and Promises, we keep and treasure His Words as well. One must live their lives relishing and committing unapologetically to His Words and Commands. Joh 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
- These verses are packed with theological significance, and if we glance over them we will miss it. Jesus refers to the time, before humankind ever come into existence, eternity past, when the Son of God was in unity with the Father and Spirit. A time when the trinity of God was uninterrupted. If you think about it, this is the severity of sin, it even disrupted the unity of the triune God head. Before you think I speak heretically, the unity was never busted up or fractioned perpetually. Regardless, Jesus is pointing to the resurrection. Again, we are reminded of the prologue, “In the beginning was the Word.”
Joh 17:6 "I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
- Notice the three-theological truth in this statement. “The Lord’s name is known to His people, we are given to the Son from the way of the world, Christs’ people keep God’s Word.” When Jesus says the He manifested the name of the Lord, it is like claiming victory, a successful mission, mission accomplished. Of course, the immediate audience is these disciples surrounded Him, but the application is the same. In fact, if we know Jesus, aren’t we His disciples. Jesus lifted up the character and nature of God.
Joh 17:7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. Joh 17:8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
- Jesus teaches still, the disciples now know that Jesus is indeed the Christ and from God. They know the truth, He is the long awaited Messiah, but will they hold the same status when they crucify Him? Will they continue to see Jesus as Lord when they put Him in the tomb? They can believe that God sent the Son, but will their beliefs and faith…only if they cling to every Word issued from the Lord Jesus Christ, and so will we sustain robust faith, if we cling to His words.
Joh 17:9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. Joh 17:10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
- I believe Martin Luther said it well concerning Jesus praying for the world or “not praying for the world.” He said, “Luther justly says, “What must be asked for the world is that it may be converted, not that it may be sanctified or kept.”
- Those last words that Jesus uttered in verse ten should be a frightful thing to a Child of God that has been saved, redeemed and set aside. You say preacher, “those words are beautiful,” and they are, but they are also frightful. If you were to evaluate your walk with the Lord right now, would you be able to say that you glorify the Lord? Does your life bring glory to God? Christ speaks of the things which were not, but which should be, as though they were. Jesus anticipates the glorifying of his name by the successful preaching of the apostles, and the disciples
Christ is glorified in His people that keep His Word
If you were to look at our lives, for those faithful to Christ, it isn’t hard to see how He is glorified. That being said, it is also just as easy when we are not walking upright in the Lord. A true disciple is one that has given up their own lives to follow Him, in this He is glorified. We have seen the miraculous of a spiritual healing of many people, included we who know Him. We have seen His works, read His Words, and they have transformed our way of thinking and living. The early disciples, and many today had suffered the loss of earthly possessions and comforts for His name’s sake; we are transmitters for His truth both in words and in deeds; because we are in Christ we stand against the world when the world is against Christ; we are on a mission to take His word and gospel to the end of the earth with the truth that the world is submissive to His power, and in His death, the way of the world is conquered. Because He lives you live, because He has power, you have power, not in yourself, but in the word of truth you bear and keep. Are you living as if the Word and commands of the Lord are true. Jesus continues to teach- Joh 17:11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. Joh 17:12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. Joh 17:13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. Joh 17:14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Joh 17:15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
III. Theological Premise- We Are Sanctified For a Purpose (Truth): Joh 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. Joh 17:18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. Joh 17:19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. Joh 17:20 "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
- We are sanctified or set apart for a reason, but those reasons in fact are many. Now we can pinpoint them down to one, “to bring glory to God.” We are also called out to be distributers of truth. There are several petitions in this prayer. Within this prayer is a call to Holiness and unity. Just as the Father sent the Son into the world to be a light for truth, so are we to be a light for truth. In the world, we live in, truth has become a forgotten commodity. There are many other truths and application we can elevate from these passages, but to highlight the importance of truth in today’s time takes high priority.
Joh 17:21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (There is a call to unity)
Joh 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, (There is a calling to be on the same page of truth. Again, for Jesus to mention that He and the Father are one is to say of the same essence, highlighting His divinity.
Joh 17:23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
In this theological premise found in the prayer, you ask, “what is our purpose?” Even though this was addressed to the immediate disciples, the purpose is still clear: so that the world may know that you sent me and that you have loved them as you loved me.
Joh 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
There is the theological reality of heaven, and to worship God forever. To be with Jesus forever, and to see the fullness of His glory.
Joh 17:25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. Joh 17:26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."
These words of Jesus have all the truths of a relational God. We have a Lord that wants relationship. If you have a relationship with God, you spend time with Him. Our purpose is to spend time with the Lord, and to demonstrate to the world that you are now a new creature. If you know the Lord Jesus, you will live your life, every decision, to glorify Him.
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