John 17:1-5 - Why Christians Pray
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Silas teaches me to pray.
Prayer is connection with God.
The Lord speaks to us through His Word, we communicate our hearts, concerns, desires back to God.
Prayer communicates our dependence and reliance on God.
Jesus just finished teaching the disciples that the hour is coming for Him to return to the Father.
The Father loves them because they have loved and believed the Son of God.
The hour is coming for them to be scattered and Jesus will be put on trial and ultimately die on the cross.
Jesus speaks is very open with them that they will have trouble
But then Jesus leads them into prayer.
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, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
The Posture of Prayer
Jesus lifts His eyes to heaven (v. 1b)
This is not a common stance for prayer.
Often head bowed, eyes closed, hands clasped.
Reverence; respect
As if we are speaking to one mightier than we are—The Creator of the universe
Jesus’s positions Himself to speak to God with familiarity
Jesus is not uncomfortable here.
Jesus is speaking with confidence.
His stance communicates that in His affections, He might as well be in heaven to have this conversation.
His posture also communicates that the majesty of God is far above any other creature!
This is why we lift our hands when we sing and pray with lifted hands
That posture says that we are lower than God and He is higher than we are!
We need Him to lift us to heaven because we cannot get there ourselves!
Jesus’s stance should encourage us that we no longer have to hide from God, but that we can go to Him confidently in Christ!
We can come to God comfortably!
Notice that Jesus addresses God as “Father!” (v. 1)
Familial language
Those who believe in Jesus, have the right to become children of God
We have the privilege as Christians of being in God’s family!
Through Christ, we can go to God boldly and communicate our needs and desires.
Prayer requires our hearts to be in a position of bold reliance
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
We pray because we need our Father.
But there’s more than that.
The Father welcomes believers and desires us in His presence!
Silas, simply wanted to be with his dad when he asked me to play in the middle of the night!
APPLICATION: We pray to be with God
APPLICATION: We pray to be with God
Prayer is a place where we get to be with God.
We don’t pray just because we want/need something
We pray because we want that relationship with God.
The Purpose of Prayer
Jesus asks for His Kingdom to be glorified so that He may also advance the glory of the Father! (v. 1-2)
He says the hour has come
Up to that point, He had manifested His glory as the Son of God through miracles.
But, Jesus came for a purpose.
Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus is about to do what He was sent to do.
Jesus came from heaven on a mission: to seek and save the lost.
John 18 would begin the betrayal and unjust trial that would lead to the crucifixion and death of Jesus.
He knew it was coming. And it would glorify God.
God’s glory is God’s motive in everything He does.
There is a clear connection between the glory of Jesus and the glory of God.
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Everything Jesus is and does glorifies God because Jesus is the glory of God.
Jesus glorifies God by bringing us eternal life (vv. 3-4)
Gospel presentation
APPLICATION: We pray to excite our hearts to the glory of God!
APPLICATION: We pray to excite our hearts to the glory of God!
Our most enduring motive in prayer is that our God is worthy of being sought.
He is glorious, and we have the privilege of seeking Him!
The Presence of Prayer
Jesus now reiterates His request to be glorified, but is specific to the place.
“Glorify me in your presence.” (v. 5)
The presence of God is the safest place for a Christian.
In this world, we experience the brokenness
We’re continually blindsided by the sin of this world.
We’re constantly comparing ourselves to other people
Hurting our own feelings or looking down on other people.
We often get so focused on other people that we wander from true happiness in Jesus.
The presence of God is the most desirable place for a Christian.
The Psalms are Bible’s expression of the human heart.
It’s full of songs and prayers to God.
It is not uncommon for the Psalms to express that absolute desire to be in the presence of God!
Psalm 51:10-11 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.”
Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 84:1-2 “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”
Psalm 84:10 “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
He is not a God that stands far off and hopes that we figure it out
He is a Father that is intricately involved with us.
He does not leave us to our own vices
He invites us into His presence
Where there is life, goodness, and mercy!
The Person of Prayer
We want to be a people of prayer.
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
APPLICATION: We pray because we need God
APPLICATION: We pray because we need God
Prayer is neediness, reliance, dependence.
God wants us to ask!
There is nothing that He cannot supply!
He is a loving and generous God who does not withhold good things from His people!
Prayer is an invitation to be with Him!
Conclusions
We have the privilege of being with God.
Psalm 84 Prayer Prompts
Psalm 84:1-2 “1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”
“Jesus, there is nothing better than being with you! You are glorious because...”
Psalm 84:3-4 “3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah”
“Jesus, you care for your creation! I need your help with...”
Psalm 84:8-9 “8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah 9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!”
“Jesus, protect me from....”
Psalm 84:10 “10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
“Jesus, I want to spend more time with you. Lead me to...”