The Life of Jesus - Jesus, Our Friend

ILLUST:

What He’s Done

Jesus laid down His life for His friends John 15:13

John 15:13 NASB95

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

What He Will Do

Jesus is coming back for His friends 1 Thess 4:16-17

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 NASB95

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

READ: Triumphal Entry - John 12:9-19

Jesus spends this week, last ditch effort

To reach people

To teach people

To rebuke people

To show the Father to the people

To die....for the people

In between, He prayed for His friends. Jesus prayed for you, when facing the cross

Jesus’ Prayed - For You

Hebrews tells us of Jesus being our great high priest and all that entails

Mediating for us, interceding for us, making the sacrifice for us

READ: John 17 - His High Priestly Prayer

1) That “they” may know You

v. 3

Jesus plan was to come, introduce you to Him, to the Father

The Father sent Him for this purpose

Not to know “about” Him, but to KNOW Him

The only true God

2) “They” have kept your Word

v. 6

Believers, after knowing Jesus, hold fast to that Word

Jesus is telling the Father

“I came to be seen and known, and now they have come to know You through Me”

The Word which we hold dear were given to us by Jesus, from the Father, so that...

3) “They” believed that Jesus was Sent

v. 8

For us, for me, for you

Disciples, believers, received that Word, and placed their trust in Jesus

4) “They” are Yours

v. 9

Jesus is clearly asking on our behalf

He is praying, in Jesus’ name, as do we

Because of Jesus, believers belong to God

5) Keep them in Your Name

v. 11

Jesus recognizes that we are still in the world (but no longer “of” it)

He got to ascend and leave this world

And we know someday we will, too, but meanwhile, we are here

So He knows we need the LORD’s strength to be “kept” in His name

Protected, secured, kept from spiritual harm

6) Jesus asks for Joy - for us

v. 13

Joy - not just happiness

Joy - way beyond just happy

7) Jesus knows the world’s hatred

v. 14

That’s why He prays for joy - Because the world hated them - hates us

Because once we trust Him, we are no longer “of” this world

He asks for us to be “kept” from the evil one - protected, secure, at peace

We are not of the world, because Jesus is not of the world

So if you are with Him, you are no of this world any longer

8) Prayer for holiness

v. 17

Jesus was holy, set apart, and He prays the same for you/us

Sanctification only comes from the Word

Sanctification only comes from the truth (yes, there IS truth)

9) Since Jesus sent you - He prays for you

v. 18

Jesus was sent, now He sends you

So that the world may believe this

Jesus’ prayer is not for the lost of the world, but for YOU

To go and help people believe in Him

Matthew 28:19-20 says He is with us always

He sits at the Father’s right hand, interceding for you

Praying for you, still

He knows you need it now

He knew it then

Jesus, this week, faces betrayal, trial, torture, crucifixion

Jesus, this week, faces paying for the sin of the whole world

Jesus, this week, knows He will die in excruciating agony

His response?

Jesus, this week, prays, for you

Jesus, this week, focused on what was important to Him - YOU

CLOSE

10) That Love is now Yours

v. 26

Jesus made YHWH’s name known

Jesus made the Father’s love, His love, known

Now that love is in you

So you can make it known to others

Jesus, in the middle of his emotional torture, thought of you

Jesus, in His deepest distress, turned to the Father

To help Him, to help you

Thank Him this week

How about you thank Him this week?