Hope of Christ

Introduction:

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we gather today with hearts that long for the peace and hope that only God can provide. We live in a world filled with uncertainty, pain, and darkness, yet we are called to be people of hope. But what does true hope look like? How can we be certain of the promises of God when everything around us seems so fragile?

In John 17, we are granted a glimpse into the intimate prayer of Jesus just before His arrest and crucifixion. This passage is part of what we call the "High Priestly Prayer," where Jesus speaks directly to the Father about His mission, His relationship with the Father, and His desire for His followers. It is a powerful and deeply profound moment in which Jesus, even in the face of His impending suffering, remains focused on the eternal hope He offers to His people.

Today, we will explore how the words of Jesus in this passage speak to us of the hope we have as believers. This hope is not a fleeting, wishful thinking but a confident expectation grounded in the finished work of Christ.

John (Structure and Literary Form)

Jesus prays that the purposes of God may be perfectly fulfilled through the work he is about to accomplish and later through the work of his disciples. Although the prayer has long been known as “The High Priestly Prayer,” at least since the sixteenth century and even in some patristic commentaries (e.g., Cyril of Alexandria), it was best described as “The Prayer of Consecration.” For by this prayer Jesus in the presence of his disciples “consecrated Himself to death as the effective sacrifice upon which their sanctification was to depend, and He solemnly dedicated them to the mission which was to be the effective result of His death and resurrection.”

1. Hope Through the Glorification of the Son (John 17:1-2)

The first part of this passage reveals Jesus praying to the Father, saying, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you" (John 17:1). Jesus is fully aware of the weight of the moment. His "hour" has come — the time for His crucifixion, death, and ultimate glorification.

In the world’s eyes, the crucifixion seemed like the moment of defeat. It was the death of a man who had been rejected, tortured, and humiliated. Yet, in the mind of Christ, it was the moment of His glory. For it was through His death, resurrection, and ascension that Jesus would fulfill His mission to save His people and bring glory to the Father.

Although we have complete salvation through his death, because we are reconciled to God by it, it is by his resurrection, not his death, that we are said to be born to a living hope (1 Peter 1:3).

John Calvin (French Reformer)

For us as believers, this gives us an unshakable hope: the glory of Christ is directly tied to our salvation. His glorification through His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection is the foundation of our hope. We no longer place our hope in the uncertainty of the world but in the certainty of Christ’s completed work on the cross.

We know that Christ’s glorification was not the end; it was the beginning of the new creation, of a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And so, our hope is anchored in the reality that Christ has already won the victory. The cross, though a symbol of suffering, is now the symbol of hope. It is the place where we see God’s great love and the place where we are reconciled to Him.

2. Hope Through the Eternal Life Jesus Grants (John 17:3)

In verse 3, Jesus defines eternal life: "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." Here, we are reminded that eternal life is not just a future reality, though it certainly includes it. Eternal life begins now, in the present moment, as we come to know God through Jesus Christ.

This is a profound hope: eternal life is not simply about the duration of life but about the quality of life that we experience. To know God, to have a relationship with Him through Christ, is to have life in its truest and fullest sense. In a world that often feels empty and fleeting, the hope we have is the knowledge that we can know the Creator of the universe and be known by Him. This relationship, secured by Christ, transforms everything.

Our hope is that this relationship is not just something we experience in part, but something that grows deeper each day. Christ’s prayer in this passage is a reminder that He desires for us to know Him fully — and this knowledge is the wellspring of all true hope. This eternal life, grounded in a relationship with God, will never end. Our present suffering, our struggles, and even death itself cannot sever us from the love of God in Christ.

Christian word ‘hope’ (elpis), which means ‘a joyful and confident expectation of eternal life through Jesus Christ’

John Robert Walmsley Stott (English Preacher)

3. Hope in the Glory of God’s Plan (John 17:4-5)

In verses 4 and 5, Jesus continues, saying, "I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed." Jesus speaks of having completed the work the Father gave Him, a work that includes His life, His teaching, His miracles, and His ultimate sacrifice. And now, He asks to be glorified once again in the presence of the Father.

Here, we see that the hope we have is based not only on the work Christ has done but also on the promise of future glory. Just as Jesus was glorified in His resurrection and ascension, so too we, as His followers, share in that glory. Jesus’ prayer looks forward to the time when He will be restored to the glory He had before the foundation of the world. This speaks to the truth that God’s plan is not reactive or accidental; it is eternal, and we are included in it.

Our hope, then, is not just for our present comfort but for a future that is assured — a future where we will share in the eternal glory of God. The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in Romans 8:18, where he says, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." No matter the trials we face now, we can hold fast to the hope that one day, we will behold the glory of God in its fullness.

The helmet of salvation is that great hope of final salvation that gives us confidence and assurance that our present struggle with Satan will not last forever and we will be victorious in the end.

John F. MacArthur

Romans 8:18 ESV

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Conclusion:

Brothers and sisters, the hope we have in Christ is not wishful thinking or a vague desire for things to improve. It is a confident expectation based on the completed work of Jesus Christ. Our hope is founded on His glorification, on the eternal life He grants, and on the promise that God's glorious plan will be fulfilled.

In a world of suffering, pain, and uncertainty, we are called to live in the hope of Christ’s victory. His prayer in John 17 reminds us that our hope is secure because it rests not in our own strength or circumstances but in the unshakable work of our Savior. We have been granted eternal life through the knowledge of God, and we await the day when we will see Him face to face in all His glory.

So let us hold fast to this hope, knowing that it is not just for today, but for all eternity. May this hope sustain us in every trial, and may it be the light that shines in the darkness.

Let us pray.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus. Thank You for the eternal life that we have through knowing You and for the glory that awaits us. Help us to live with this hope, trusting in Your plan and finding joy in the finished work of Your Son. Strengthen our faith, and may we share this hope with those around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.