Our Hope in Prayer

Turn in your Bibles this morning to the 17th chapter of John. As we think of this Easter Season, I have chosen to focus our time in the Gospel of John. Chapter 17 is a crescendo, a journey into the Holy of Holies to a close and personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. John the Beloved recorded Jesus’ prayer uttered at the time of the departure from the Passover meal, the Seder meal and what we call the Last Supper. We will focus over these next weeks leading up to Easter on Chapter 17, the Lord’s Prayer.

The great reformed theologian, John Knox, asked his wife to recite this prayer over and over to offer him peace on his deathbed until he passed on into eternity.

Now many of you would say that no, in fact, the Lord’s prayer comes from Matthew 6: 9-13, or Luke 11: 1-4. Luke 11:1-4 “1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” 2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.””

This in fact is the disciples’s prayer. I know your Bible may call it the Lord’s prayer as a heading, but the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray and He provided this example for the disciples to pray. 50 x the word “teach” is used in the gospels, but not once did the disciples ask Jesus to teach them anything except how to pray. Jesus obviously was constantly teaching them and stated that:

John 14:26 “26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

But no where else in the gospel accounts did the disciples request or deliberately ask Jesus to teach them anything other than how to pray. That is interesting to me. They did not ask how to perform miracles, they did not ask how to preach, they only asked how to pray. Do you imagine that the reason they wanted to learn how to pray was the fact they saw firsthand prayers impact on every other aspect of Jesus’ life?

John the Beloved recorded the words that Jesus said in this beautiful prayer . The question you might ask this morning is why in the first place must Jesus pray? Jesus was God, is God, and will always be God. John 1:1 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus prayed because yes, He was fully God, but He was fully man. If Jesus needed to pray, how much more do we need to pray? Read with me:

John 17:1-5

John 17:1–5 NKJV

1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Prayer

Message

This prayer section we just read is Jesus praying for Himself. In Chapter 17, we read Jesus words as He prays for Himself in verses 1-5, 6-19 , He prays for the disciples, and in verse 20-26 He prays for us the believer. As Peter James & John at the Mt. of Transfiguration had the privilege of seeing another side of Jesus as God, we are able to take a glimpse into the heart of God. Jesus in these words expresses His life’s work, His mission. This is the closure statement of the farewell discourse before Jesus and the disciples move toward the Kidron Valley and head to the Garden of Gethsemane.

Principles in Personal Prayer

“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said...”

We learn some principles we can apply to our personal prayer life as it relates to reading Jesus’ words here in the first five verses. Jesus is praying to the Father, but we learn how He prays to the Father.

Audibly

Firstly let’s quickly discover that Jesus prayed out loud. “Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven. We can quickly deduce that Jesus prayed audibly where others could hear Him praying. We know that John the Beloved had to have heard His words to be able to record them. “Jesus spoke the words.”

You can read this story along with me on the screen.

Turn with me in your Bibles to John 11:35-43

John 11:35–43 NKJV

35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” 37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” 38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”

Jesus prayed audibly as a testament that the people would believe.

Ill. Chick Filet-ordering the #1 meal and they ask “do you need any sauces? What would you like to drink?”- “Oh Dear Gracious Heavenly Father, God above”-you might have others questioning your sanity.

Jesus wanted the family of Lazarus, Lazarus’ friends that they may believe Jesus was God.”

Where can you pray audibly? Your car, home, in your inner circle. The point. God can use your audible prayers to minister and impact others to the power of Christ in your life. Who do you need to be praying audibly around?

I know some of you have had many different individuals on your personal prayer list that need Christ. Try something new. Pray for them in your presence and pray out loud for them. You may be shocked what God will do with an audible prayer.

Awe

“lifted up His eyes to heaven.”

When Jesus looked up to heaven He was communicating who He was praying to. He communicated respect, reverence, awe for His Heavenly Father. When we pray both audibly and in awe of God by looking up or holding up of holy hands, we block out any distractions. I have learned from a spousal relationship, coworkers in the workplace, church members, or my child that when they are not listening, I can tell they are not listening. You can watch one’s body language, where their eyes are focused or if they are distracted. When someone is looking at me I know I have their undivided attention. Practice looking up at God, practice the lifting of hands and eyes because they show the awe and respect for a Holy God.

Psalms 121:1-2 “1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”

Psalms 123:1 “1 Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.”

Luke 18:13 “13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’”

The tax collectors body language revealed humility and the fact He knew his life had disappointed God.

Ill. We have many animal lovers in our midst. How does your pet act when they know they have disappointed you? Can you not see clearly a body language in the pet that speaks volumes to the fact they know they have disappointed you?

May our body language, our tones, our demeanor, our presence speak to the fact we are approaching the throne room of grace.

The Priority in Personal Prayer

JOhn 17:1-3 “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

Isn’t it interesting the first part of the prayer Jesus is praying for Himself. Do you pray for yourself at first when you pray? We would consider that selfishness that we considered us before others. In fact, everything we read of God’s Word calls us to put others before self.

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

But notice closely how He prays for Himself. Jesus is praying “Glorify me that I in turn will glorify you.” Jesus is praying His life statement. Jesus shared 4 1/2 verses that was a summation prayer of all that Jesus was about. Jesus being all God, but all man kept His mission at His personal forefront. He kept His eyes on the prize of His calling. He called upon the Father to team with Him, join Him in glorifying the Son so that He could glorify the Father.

Ill. I loved to ask that question in the work place when I once upon a time interviewed people. Open ended questions are the best tool to get people to open up about themselves. “Tell me who you are in 3-5 sentences. What are you about? What is your life mission?

That is important that we think very soberly on that matter. Jesus teaches us as a believer what our life mission should be about. “Lord glorify me such that I can glorify you.”

The question we must ask is how do we bring glorification to the Father?

Glorify

δοξάζω doxázō, dox-ad'-zo; from G1391; to render (or esteem) glorious (in a wide application):—(make) glorify(-ious), full of (have) glory, honour, magnify.

When we think about glorifying God as we think of the word doxazo.

The word means that we live a life that causes no-believers to form an opinion of God, to think about God, to magnify Him, to celebrate Him, to bring homage to God. We would live a life that adorns the beauty of God at work in our lives.

This is what our Lord and Savior prayed for while here on earth. Heavenly Father, bring luster to my life that in turn I will make you illustrious in man’s eyes.

Ill. Shining shoes, brush-rough finish, chamois cloth, finishing, spit on the shoe to bring the ultimate shine.

Each of us are on a different journey in reflecting the luster of God in our lives. You might have a brush finish, a chamois cloth finish or a spit shine ultimate finish. The point is that each of us should desire to glisten just a little bit more for the Lord.

What area of your life has a spiritual dullness to its finish? Is there an area of your life that you know needs a remodel job? The great thing is the God is in the remodel business daily.

Lamentations 3:22-23 “22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”

The Particular in the Lord’s Priority

Eternal Life

John 17:2-3 “2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

Jesus realized the magnitude of His calling. Jesus knew His mission.

“I am about my Father’s business.”

Two times in two verse He mentioned eternal life. Jesus understood better than any other that mankind’s destiny was held in His hands. “He has authority over all flesh”. Your future, my future, mankind’s future is literally held in the palm of the hand of Jesus Christ.

“given Him authority over all flesh”. Listen to me dearly beloved. I do not know where you are today in this life. The Lord knows and How I know He knows is that he has all authority over you and the affairs of this life because He Word says He does. Why should that be important to you today? He has control and authority and dominion over all flesh period. He can take total control of your future. Why I make that statement is you must render control over to Him and choose to follow Him.

Now, what is interesting is He loves you so much that he allows you to be you and renders over to your freewill. He loves you so much that He does not want you to be a robot. He made you in the image of God and He gave your a mind, a heart, a soul, a conscience. He wants you to choose to obey Him out of love.

Listen dearly beloved, if you want to change your destiny, if you want to change the direction you are heading, if you want a new lease on life, Jesus has the authority and the ability to change your life. Amen.

Eternal Life

aiōnios zoe

Aionios means without beginning or end-perpetuating

zoe means living a life of vitality in the Lord. Being full complete, totally satisfied, the idea of peace and tranquility in Christ,

A life that is real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever.

“He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him”

Jesus’ desire is that you have that full vital life in the Lord that he enjoys. He wants you to experience what He experiences in heaven. This is the Lord’s mission.

When you stop and attempt to wrap your mind, soul and heart around all that is being offered up in this prayer, it is more than the emotion can bear. We attempt to grasp the trinity at work in our lives as we read this. It’s not just Jesus that loves you and desires that you Know Him and enjoy a life eternal, but the workings of the first and third person of the trinity coordinating together on your behalf.

Let’s cheat and look at verse 6 that will be next week.

John 17:6 “6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.”

This is the first verse of next weeks message when Jesus prays for the disciples. This verse teaches us an important truth.

Ill. Have you ever been put on the spot and someone said to you, “who makes you think you are God’s gift to man?” Listen to me closely dear brother or sister this morning.

We live in a day when there are more people that have become emotionally and psychologically sick as it relates to self worth than ever. Listen to me dear believer. You were The Heavenly Father’s gift to Jesus and Jesus takes you as His gift very seriously.

The Prize in Personal Prayer

John 17:4-5 “4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

The hour had come and Jesus prayed as the work had already been completed. What hour are we referring to? The hour that Jesus would be fully glorified on the cross. The picture of the cross and Jesus’ sacrifice for you and me and the world is the full glory of a God that loves you beyond comprehension.

John 15:13 “13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

The hour was determined before the foundations of the world. All through the Bible, Jesus, our Messiah was promised thousands of years ago. Jesus has planned this for a long time. You are Jesus’ prized possession and all through this prayer we gain an understanding of how much He truly loves you.

But, just as it was true for Jesus that a time was coming that He would experience human death and suffering, there is an hour for each one of us unless Jesus comes back before. Are you ready for that hour? Are your affairs with the Lord as they should be?

It has not been many days of old that one would ask you, “have you made peace with God?”

How can you make that peace with God?

“that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

Know-Ginosko

to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel

to become known

to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of

to understand

to know

Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman

to become acquainted with, to know

On this earth, there is no one I know better than Jane including my children. My children are grown and gone. Someone has said our bodies, minds, thoughts change every seven years. Meaning that the children I once knew intimately have all changed due to mates, job experiences, friend influences, aging, etc. Jane I spend time with every day.

Our relationship with a spouse is the closest understanding of knowing God. We know our spouses intimately. Ginosko is knowing the Lord intimately.

This morning I am not asking do you know the Bible, do you come to church, do you try to live a life by the good book. I’m not asking you if you attend church or fulfill a role of responsibility at church, I am asking do you know the Lord intimately?

Jeremiah 9:23-24 “23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.”

Today I pray that you learn some powerful principals of prayer-pray audibly and allow your prayers to lead others to believe, pray in awe of God and show the respect and reverence due His name. Secondly, notice the priority to live a life that glorifies God. God glorify me that I might in turn glorify You. The Prize in Personal prayer is that we finish well. Our hour will come. “Well done thy good and faithful servant.”

How can all that come about? Knowing God.