John 17:1-19. This is a most amazing passage in all of scripture. Here, Jesus is praying to the Father. First, He prays for Himself (1-5). This is in no way selfish, but perhaps a good model for us to follow. Before we go to God with our requests, we should get our hearts right before Him. Not that Jesus needed that, but it's a good lesson for us. Jesus finished the work God set out for Him to complete while on Earth and it brought glory to God. What work has God bestowed upon you to complete? What ministry did He nudge you to participate in? What gift did He impart to you to make a difference in this world? He's not done with you yet. He's not done until you're done with your life and He calls you home. Get back into the game. Let His Spirit rekindle the fire of your heart and rediscover the passion that once lit up your eyes.
Jesus introduces a very strange element in the fact that God has given Him us believers as a gift. It is a love gift from Father to Son. What a great mystery, but we should love it and thank God for it. And God doesn't take back His gifts. Our salvation is secure in Jesus. This is but another part of the beautiful intimacy between Father and Son. It's the same intimacy extended to us to participate in relationship with the Holy Trinity. What an awesome invitation.
Secondly, Jesus prays for His disciples (6-10). He is developing their sanctification. He gave them the Word of God and it is the Word that separates us from the world. It sets us apart for God. Sanctification doesn't mean perfect, sinless living, but means daily growing in the Word. The result is more and more separation from the world unto the Father. Jesus asked the Father to keep us in the world. It would be easy for Him to take us out of the world, but it is a modern-day miracle for Him to keep us in this fallen place. He upholds us and provides us the Way to stand through the storms of this life, for His glory, not our pride. Bringing God glory has been a major theme throughout the Gospel of John. Glory is defined as high renown, honor, praise, acclaim, distinction, fame, prestige, magnificence, great beauty, splendor, majesty, greatness, and nobility. He has given us free will to choose who we will give glory to: ourselves or God. I still struggle with this daily choice. On my best days, I have successfully surrendered my life to Him, offering myself as a gift to Him, and trusting Him with any and all events that are to come this day. Often, at certain points in the day, I get distracted, stressed, concerned, or selfish and begin to lose that feel I began the day in. I pray He will allow me success in living for His glory and not mine. I really want to live that way. Too many times I have grieved the Holy Spirit by rejecting His power or denying His presence, only to choose to live selfishly. But then He gives more grace. Forgive me, Lord. Help me live for Your glory. What a strange prayer. But it's probably closer to the truth than even I know, considering I know I can't love Him or His people without His indwelling of His presence by the Holy Spirit. Weird, eh?
He prayed for us to be kept from the evil one. We must remember the devil asks for us personally. The devil asked to sift Peter as wheat before he denied Him three times. And Jesus prayed for Peter's faith. If we were to catch on to this truth that Jesus is praying for us to resist the devil, it would help us fight off temptations that encircle us daily. He also prayed for our unity. This doesn't mean we all go to the same church, but that we all are members of His body. We have around 220 churches in this area, but we have the capability of being like-minded, of the same purpose, of the same heart, and separated from the world. As a reminder, it is impossible for man to bring unity amongst believers. Many have tried and failed. I believe this is an act of the Holy Spirit. If God's people will surrender to the leading of the Spirit, He will unify us in heart and purpose. If we are about living for Christ, the Holy Spirit will honor Him by brining us into the same intimacy the Holy Trinity shares. That's unity. Perhaps we confuse unity with harmony?
Some use verse 12 as evidence we can lose our salvation. This is not the case. It is very clear that Judas was never truly saved. Somehow, he, like so many others that can be in close proximity, hear the teachings, know the stories, and see the miracles, can still reject His offer of salvation. Judas continued to choose to live for himself in spite of Jesus doing the very best possible extending of invitations in His ministry. Don't be that guy. Repent now. Change your mind and turn away from that life of living for just yourself. Surrender to Christ and let your eyes be opened to His amazing grace. Grace means you don't get what you deserve. You deserve hell. There is no one good enough to reside in heaven, in the presence of our Holy God. When you catch on to the fact that you are a sinner that desperately needs a Savior, then you are ready to accept Jesus' offer of salvation and experience true life and satisfaction.
Jesus has sent us into the world to take His place (v18). What a concept. What a responsibility. Still processing that one.
J. Vernon McGee notes this passage as the true Lord's prayer, not the Disciples' prayer Jesus taught earlier. Though this is the longest prayer in the Bible, it only takes three minutes to recite. Brief prayers are much more effective than the long, drawn out, rambling prayers. No wonder prayer meetings are dead as a dodo bird! Nonetheless, we are totally inadequate to deal with Jesus' prayer in this passage. This is the High Priest interceding on our behalf. It reveals the constant communication and dependence of the Son to the Father. What a great example for us to follow. Jesus' whole life was a life of prayer. He is our great Intercessor. He prays for you and me. He prayed for you this morning.
Some main points:
1. Get yourself right with God first, when you pray. Then bring your requests.
2. Jesus prays for believers, not the world. He died for the world. There's nothing more He can do for them. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
3. The whole purpose of salvation is to bring glory to God.
4. He prays for us to be kept and to be unified.
5. Jesus doesn't want long-faced Christians. He came that our lives be filled with joy-His joy.
6. The Word of God causes problems in the world. The truth is you can't save yourself and you can't make this world better. Only Jesus can do that stuff. The world doesn't want to hear that!
7. God gets glory from keeping us in the world. He told us it would be hard. Heaven is coming soon.
8. We are not of this world-as Jesus wasn't. Realize this and stop playing footsies.
9. We have been sent out to the world to bear a witness. He set Himself apart to identify with us. We ought to be identified with Him while in this world.
