John 17- Jesus; Intimate Prayer to His Father

WELCOME

SPRING BREAK

SHARING THE GOSPEL:

Over and over in the book of John Jesus offers people an invitation…to come and see..

one way that you can offer this same invitation is by sharing the gospel- the truth about Jesus- with those in your life who do not know Him.

We want to equip you to feel confident in sharing God’s truth with those God has brought into your life.

So- next Wednesday, during lecture in the multipurpose room- you can go and learn HOW to share the gospel.

As always, the lecture will be recorded and posted on mybsf.org for you to watch after class so that you can go and get this training.

AT: BSF is part of an international organization with classes meeting all over the world. To provide support to class staff, BSF HQ trains and equips AT’s to guide and direct local classes. These women are a huge support to myself and the rest of our staff as we serve in BSF. And today, I am excited to get to introduce them to you- so please help me welcome Nicole Stultz and Judith Cheeseman.

REGISTRATION:

As we announced last week- Registration for the Book of Revelation has begun.

If you are currently registered in our class- then you are automatically registered for next year and there is nothing that you need to do. Your registration is complete.

Your GL will be reaching out to you soon to confirm whether or not you plan to attend next year.

If you bring children to either our preschool or student program- their registration is NOT complete UNTIL a new permission form has been signed.

To do this…

Go to mybsf.org

hit the register tab

then select “register my children”

and follow the instructions to sign the form.

You MUST sign an individual form for each child.

You should receive an email after you sign the form. If you dont receive an email, then that means that the form was not complete.

all forms MUST be signed by a legal guardian- so if you bring a child, and you are not the legal guardian, then the parent or guardian can create an account on mybsf.org for our class and sign the permission. Within the permission they can then give YOU permission to bring their child to BSF.

Also- If you would like to invite friends, they can register at bsfinternational.org and search for our class here at Kenwood or you can send them the link through the QR code behind me.

If you have ANY questions about registration feel free to reach out to our admin. team- they are always around in the back after class.

or you can email our CA-Cindi Nugent at [e-mail]

alright..

and now…let’s pray.

INTRODUCTION

I have a close friend who I have had now for many, many years.

While I don’t see her very often in person, her and I talk….almost daily.

In the fall I got to go and spend the night at her house.

We talked…listened to each other…shared our joys…shared things that were hard…things we were worried about….and we laughed until it hurt..

We stayed up way too late- losing all track of time as we simply enjoyed being with each other.

Talking to her is easy…when I’m with her I don’t have to think hard about every word that I say or worry about how she is going to perceive me- because I know her…and I know her heart…we’ve literally spent years building our relationship…our trust with each other…

So when I’m with her instead of worrying about saying the right things… my focus is simply on being with her…on getting to know her more…

If you came and sat in on one of our conversations and simply listened- you might feel confused….because you would be entering into what is most likely an ongoing conversation…one that we are picking up, right where we left off.

as we open up John 17- we see Jesus continuing a conversation he has previously had with God.

It’s a prayer…which is simply a conversation with God.

Prayer is about getting to know a person…about getting to know God…

Prayer is not about saying the right words or asking for the right things…When we stress and worry and focus on prayer itself and the words we are saying- we miss the person on the other side…

Our focus today is not on prayer…even though we are reading one of Jesus’ prayers…

our focus is on knowing the heart of the one we GET ACCESS to through prayer..our focus is on knowing more of God.

As we look at Jesus’ conversation with His Father in John 17, many have said that this is the Greatest prayer ever prayed on earth.

Jesus’ words here give us the longest prayer of Jesus recorded in the Bible…we are given access to his most intimate relationship- his relationship with the Father.

and as we hear Jesus’ own words to his Father….we get a glimpse of his heart…and in it we find a heart that beats for the glory of God and intercedes for the good of His people.

So, as we open up John 17- We are going to see Jesus’:

1. Devoted Heart 17:1-5

2. Protective Heart 17:6-19

3. Loving Heart 17:20-26

Open Bible’s or app’s to John 17

1. DEVOTED HEART 1-5

TRANSITION: Jesus starts his prayer in the 1st 5 verses by showing us His DEVOTION to His Father as He prays for God’s glory to be REVEALED and His own glory to be RESTORED.

a. through GLORY REVEALED (1-4

vs 1. After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.

remember…ongoing conversation…Jesus is acknowledging a change here…in their previous conversation- the hour hadn’t come…they probably talked about that.

but now…the hour is here…and we know from the book of John that the hour that Jesus is referring to- is his hour to die.

So the hour has come……and what does he ask God for…

he asks…to be glorified

The word Glory is used 5x’s in these verses, 8x’s in the prayer overall

I think GLORY can become one of those church words that we talk about and sing about a lot but don’t really understand.

But the truth is, Glory is difficult to put into words. It’s sort of like the word “beauty,” in order to understand it- you have to see it in action.

The Greek word for glory is doxa which means to praise, magnify or honor- its where the word doxology comes from.

It’s God’s visible goodness…

It’s the character of God on display for all to see.

So when Jesus says glorify me- he is saying display your goodness through me…

Glorify me..so I may glorify you.

Jesus came to make God’s glory comprehensible.

His heart was so devoted to the Father that everything he said and did was about bringing glory to Him.

vs 2: For you granted HIM authority over all people that he might GIVE eternal life to all those you have given.

He says God—-if you glorify me…then those you GAVE me will have eternal life…

because through Jesus’ death on the cross eternal life was given to those that believe in Him.

and in vs 3 we learn that Eternal life…is about knowing God.

Several months ago I picked my girls up from school and they go “Mom, did you know Taylor Swift is spending Christmas with Travis Kelce.”

..oooookkk….the truth is…I didn’t really care..

I dont know her…

now- if I ever did meet her and lets say we became friends- then knowing about her would matter to me.

Knowing my friends likes and dislikes, there preferences and certainly their relationships matters to me.

But without the connection..without the relationship- you have nothing more than random facts about a person that is far off and essentially non-accessible.

The knowing described in vs. 3 is a deep, personal intimate knowing…it’s actually the same word that is used to describe a relationship between a man and a woman that leads to a baby…

there is only one way that happens- you can look into each others eyes all day long..but there is only one way of knowing that leads to babies…

and that is the type of depth of knowing God that is found in eternal life.

God has given you his word..so that you can know Him

he says here are my words to you……I want you to really, deeply, and truly know me.…

God has given you FULL 24/7 access to Him through prayer.

I can assure you that if I tried to reach out and get access to Taylor Swift- I would instantly be DENIED.

Many in the world felt this rejection from her personally when they attempted to get tickets to her concert and were told they were too late.

but through Jesus- God is accessible..through Jesus we are NEVER denied access to God…

God wants relationship with you right here..right now…

b. through GLORY RESTORED 4-5

TRANSITION: and then in vs’s 4-5 Jesus again shows us his heart of devotion to the Father as he goes on to pray for his own glory to be RESTORED…so that God’s glory would be known.

It’s important to understand that in this context, when Jesus say’s glorify me…he is saying..Father- crucify me…

Now the cross was a place of torture…and not something that people would look at and instinctively say-…..(sarcastically) well there is the glory of God!

it was ugly..bloody..and horrific…

unless..

the glory was RESTORED…

The hour has come……He left his glory in heaven to come and fulfill his mission on earth..

and now..

Jesus here is saying…FATHER GOD…I KNOW IT’S TIME…CRUCIFY ME…and make the cross into something GLORIOUS..

turn the shame of the cross…into praise.

turn the rejection into celebration.

and…ladies…God the Father fully and completely answers this prayer.

Jesus is lifted up on the cross…and as he is, his glory is RESTORED and the Father’s glory is REVEALED..

One commentator said: We cannot adequately understand how glorious God is without the cross…..The Father glorifies the Son, and the Son reveals the unparalleled goodness of the Father to us.

PRINCIPLE: Jesus’ heart was fully devoted to bringing glory to God.

Jesus’ heart was devoted to the Father and seeking his glory above all else.

Every detail of your life was intended to reveal and celebrate the goodness of God.

But often we live for ourselves…for our own glory…

we get hurt when people don’t recognize our accomplishments

we try to draw attention to ourselves in conversations

we love titles and positions

we rarely pause to think about how what we are saying or doing will reflect God

we judge others

we think our opinions are always right and always the best

we get irritated when others get the praise we think we deserve

To glorify God means living recognizing that life is not about us. 

You glorify God as you:

worship him

believe in him

follow him

love people like him

tell others about Him

give generously

thank Him

and exalt Him.

In what small way can you bring glory to God this week? Glory isn’t about doing all the big things for God..it’s about pointing to Him in all that you say and do…

2. PROTECTIVE HEART: 6-19

TRANSITION: In vs. 6-19 Jesus shows his PROTECTIVE heart for his disciples as he affirms that they were GIVEN to Him and asks that they would be GUARDED and GROWN.

GIVEN 6-10

In John 17- The word GIVE is used in one form or another 17x’s

and in vs 6-10- Jesus identifies the disciples as those who have been GIVEN to Him by God.

and because there were given BY GOD, Jesus had FULL confidence that they could and would accomplish the mission God had given them to do.

Jesus here shows his protective heart for his disciples as he FIRST claims them as his own…

I am much more protective of my own family than I am of those not a part of my family.

It’s not that I don’t care about others, but there is something in me that jumps into gear in a different way when I sense my family headed for danger.

in vs 8 &9 Jesus says: 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with CERTAINTY that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.

The disciples had SHOWN their belonging to Christ as they:

- BELIEVED in who he was,

- ACCEPTED his words as TRUTH,

- and OBEYED His words.

The 11 disciples were FAR from perfect..But they were GIVEN and NOW BELONGED to Christ.

SECURED/GUARDED 11-16

TRANS. …and because they were given to Jesus…and had become a part of him- connected to Him…like any good parent…Jesus shows his protective heart as he prays that they would be GUARDED in vs’s 11-16.

vs 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.

Jesus was about to physically leave this earth.

and the protection of his disciples is at the top of his mind.

But- protection from what exactly?

Most of the disciples sitting in that room- would be killed for their faith in Jesus.

They were going to be tortured, kicked out of the synagogue and hated by the world.

So..did God not answer Jesus’ prayer for protection?

Actually- we know that the opposite is true.

because Jesus wasn’t praying for physical protection…he was praying for spiritual protection.

We know that God DID answer Jesus’ prayer because the disciples died PROCLAIMING THE TRUTH ABOUT WHO HE WAS.

While Jesus was with them he had been guarding them from falling away from the TRUTH.

And his prayer for them is that they would continue to hold on to that truth after he was no longer there physically.

Now Jesus isn’t praying for eternal security…throughout John’s gospel it’s clear that no one that has been GIVEN to Jesus can be lost. They were eternally secure in Him.

But we know from scripture that every believer is prone to wander…to walk away from truth

Jesus is praying that they would be GUARDED and protected as they stay in the world and that through HIS name they would find unity.

This isn’t a name drop moment where you pray hoping that you will get whatever you just prayed for by ending with…IN JESUS NAME…

Names were incredibly important in the Jewish culture. A person’s name represented their whole personality and character.

Praying in Jesus’ name is about a relationship where you take on the character and attributes of the one you are claiming…

and the more that they experienced the attributes and character of God in them..the more they would experience unity with God and with each other.

and where do we learn about the character and attributes of God?

THROUGH THE WORD OF God..which, in vs 14 Jesus points out that he has already given them…they have what they need.

Jesus is the word…he brought them the word…and he left them with his word…

That is what GUARDS believers…the WORD OF GOD protects you because it renews your mind…it keeps you focused on God and his plans and purposes as you pray and live your life.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask God for things…remember prayer is about communication…God wants you to bring your requests before Him..but what he wants more than anything, is to align your heart with His…

and as his disciples are protected in the truth and united to each other…vs 13 tells us that they will be given the full measure of Jesus’ joy within them.

Did you notice that Jesus is so concerned about their joy that he initiates it for himself?

In his prayer that they would be guarded…he is praying that they would live with joy.

as Jesus goes on in 14-16, He prays that they would be protected from the evil one as they remain in the world.

The evil one is the Father of lies…so he is praying again…that they would be guard by his words of truth.

Notice that Jesus doesn’t pray that they would be taken out of the world!

In the book of Matthew he commissions believers to GO out into the world….AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF EVERY NATION…

Have you attempted to isolate yourself from the world out of fear or even because you simply enjoy the comfort of being in the presence of God’s people?

on the flip side..

Are you so consumed with the ways of the world that you look more like the world than Christ?

This is a constant balancing act.

Christ is not praying for isolation from the world or assimilation to it…he is praying for mission…

and mission is dangerous…

But the danger lies in NOT staying grounded and guarded in TRUTH….Jesus is praying that his disciples would be EMPOWERED by His word to keep following Him..even when it’s hard…

GROWN 17-19

In the final verses of his prayer for his disciples in vs’s 17-19 Jesus prays that they would be sanctified…as He is sanctified…

To be sanctified means to be set apart for God’s purpose’s.

Jesus set himself apart so that his disciples could also be set apart.

This means that God’s people will stand out in the world because of the way that they live their lives.

For those who follow Christ, the work of sanctification is a GROWTH process.

You don’t just wake up one day and BOOM..you look and think and act EXACTLY like Jesus.

Sanctification comes from internalizing the truths of God’s word- by spending time in prayer as you allow God to align your heart to His and over time…you grow more and more like him.

One pastor described God’s word like food- you can chew it all day long, but unless you swallow it-you get no health benefits.

but over time- as you continue to internalize and swallow God’s word- he becomes a part of you…

Growth takes times…swallow God’s word..be changed by Him…trust Him…obey Him and slowly- over time- watch Jesus grow in you as you continue to ingest him day after day after day

PRINCIPLE: Jesus guards and grows believers through the truth of His word.

Are you ingesting God’s word?…knowing God’s word is about knowing Him…again..it’s all about relationship..

How might you pursue deeper relationship with Jesus and other believers through being grounded in His word this week?

3. LOVING Heart 20-26

TRANSITION: In our final verses Jesus has one more prayer…

one more prayer before he goes to the cross..

and if you are a believer…this prayer was and is for you.

In vs’s 20-26 Jesus reveals his loving heart as he prays for all future believers to be one, to be with, and to be known by Him.

a. 20-23- Be one

3x’s in vs’s 20-23 Jesus prays specifically for ONENESS or unity

vs 21- that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.

vs 22- that they may be one as we are one

vs 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.

Jesus is praying for a unity that is modeled and enabled by the trinity.

Here we see God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit working together to unite believers….the unity believers experience comes from the core of their being- from the Holy Spirit living inside of them.

In these verses Jesus is praying for the oneness- or the unity- of future believers SO THAT those who see their unity will be drawn to BELIEF in Jesus through them.

Jesus came and died BECAUSE of his love…and his prayer is that believers would experience his love as they come together as one…

This doesn’t mean that believers are going to be united on EVERYTHING….

being unified doesn’t mean Christians all read the same books, carry the same version of the Bible, go to the same restaurants, and have the same career paths..

Christ prays for unity NOT Uniformity.

In the sport of rowing- unity is essential..

In order to maintain speed….Each oar must enter the water and exit at the exact same time.

So, the coxson- does not row- but instead calls out the strokes.

The ability of the rowers in the boat to listen and obey the voice of the coxson is what makes a team unified.

When they are in sync- then there is unity and the boat FLIES over the water.

If one person attempts to go rogue and row harder on his own- out of sync with the coxson- the boat slows down…every..single..time…

Jesus is the coxson….His voice is the one that guides and directs and propels believers forward as ONE…

and when believers come together and follow his VOICE- pushing out the voices of the world…then they move forward…together..with the mission God gave them-

As I look out in this room...I see women from different denominations.…I see different colors and nationalities…I see different ages and life stages…different socioeconomic status’s, political beliefs and backgrounds.

and to the outside world..there is absolutely no reason why we should all be sitting in the same room together week after week….

but what we share is more powerful than just a common interest or experience.

We share a unity and oneness in Christ through His truth despite diversity of thought, style, and opinion.

b. 24- Be with

TRANSITION: In vs 24 Jesus goes on…

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

Here Jesus is praying that future believers would experience eternity with Him forever.

The unity and relationship with Jesus that we experience right now on earth is only a picture of what believers will experience in fullness as they enter eternity with Christ.

Jesus says- I want you to be with me…forever…to see my glory in it’s fullness…

because in my glory is JOY..and MY glory is for your good.

Jesus is longing to bring believers home.

to live and be with him..forever…

c. 25-26 Be known as Jesus closes his prayer…He ends with a promise to future believers…

in vs 25-26 he PROMISES to CONTINUE to make his name known…

to increase the Fathers Love in them…

His promise is that HE would be visible..that future believers would find Him…so that they would KNOW Him more fully..and so that in him their joy may be complete

PRINCIPLE: The unifying love of Jesus in believers reveals His glory to the world.

Are you living in a way that pursues the unity of God’s people?

In what ways might you be causing division?

Is there a personal preference or opinion God might be asking you to put aside?

Jesus’ prayer is that believers would reflect his LOVE to the world through your unity to each other…so go..be unified…and watch God be glorified.

CONCLUSION

Through Jesus’ personal prayer to the Father, his heart of devotion, protection, and love is revealed…but more than that, here we simply see a son, talking with His Father…a personal and intimate relationship.

and Because Jesus’ prayer to his Father was answered…access to our own, personal relationship with the Father is possible through Jesus..

and because of Jesus …we can know God…we can talk to him…anytime…and anywhere..

so…with that…let’s talk to God right now…