Father, Glorify your name.
Prayers on the Road to Glory • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Warren Brosi
February 9, 2025
Dominant Thought: Father, Glorify your name.
Objectives:
I want my listeners to understand the prayer language of Jesus.
I want my listeners to feel gratitude for Jesus going to the cross for us.
I want my listeners to pray the words of Jesus from John 12.28.
Jared Altcatara, preacher professor at Baylor University writes, “Prayerlessness limits fruitfulness. It impedes our ministry and wearies our souls...the nineteenth-century preacher George MacGregor, who once said, ‘I would rather train ten [people] to pray than a hundred [people] to preach” (The Practices of Christian Preaching, p. 63. Alcantara gives the background of the story quoting G. Campbell Morgan’s conversation with MacGregor, “We had been talking of the condition of the church, of the condition of the world, of the need there was for some new power with which to deal with men, and suddenly rising from the chair in which he had been sitting, and pacing the room with that earnestness that characterized him, he said, “Morgan, I would rather train then ment to pray...” (G. Campbell Morgan, “Possibility of Prayer”, p. 381).
“The medieval monastics used to say, ‘To work is to pray’ (Operare est orare)” (Jared Alcantara, The Practices of Christian Preaching, p. 67).
Today, we begin a series that will take us through Easter, Lord willing. We will look at the last 10 chapters of the gospel of John. We are calling it, “Prayers on the Road to Glory.”
Last year, we spent the early months of 2024, studying the first half of the gospel of John by looking at the seven signs that Jesus performed. We studied Jesus turning water to wine and cleansing the temple in John 2. Jesus healed the nobleman’s son in John 4. We saw how Jesus healed a lame man in John 5. He fed 5,000 plus people in John 6. He gave sight to a blind man in John 9. He raised his good friend Lazarus from the dead in John 11. Those seven signs brought halfway through John’s gospel. He probably wanted us to see Jesus raising from the dead as the eighth sign.
So today, we pick up the story in John 12 where John slows the story of Jesus down. John will spend the last 10 chapters on the final week of Jesus’ life and then a couple of weeks after he raises from the dead. As you read through the final chapters of John, you’ll find out that John continues one of his favorite words, “glory.”
In John 12.20-22, we meet some Greeks who have come to worship for the Passover Feast in Jerusalem. They have a timeless request that many preachers have place on pulpits, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus” (John 12.21). They come to Philip who in turn tells Andrew and they both tell Jesus.
These Greeks may have found a welcomed face in Philip and Andrew who’s names are Greek. In John’s gospel, Andrew features prominently in bringing people to Jesus. In John 1.41, Andrew brings his brother Simon Peter to Jesus with the words, “We have found the Messiah [Christ].” Then, in John 6.8-9, Andrew brings a little boy who’s willing to share his lunch of five loaves and two fish. A gift Jesus will use to feed thousands.
We are not sure if these Greeks meet Jesus or not. We hear Jesus tell a story about a kernal of wheat must “die” to produce many seeds (John 12.24). In a few months we will see this parable in real life when the farmers plant bean and corn into the ground.
Then Jesus teaches about the danger of loving your life and if you “hate” your life you will save it. It sounds strange on the surface, but he’s drawing out the commitment to surrender your life to follow Him.
Then we come to John 12.27-33 which is where we will spend the rest of our time. In these verses Jesus soul is troubled and wonders what shall He say? “Father, save me from this hour?” No, it was for this reason that He came to this hour. Throughout the gospel of John, we hear the refrain, “my time had not yet come” or “the hour had not yet come.” (See John 2.4 for example.)
Here’s what Jesus said, “Father, glorify your name!” (John 12.28). He asks the question, what should He say? Then, John records what Jesus said. It is our main idea for today’s message. It is a prayer that I invite you to pray this week, “Father, glorify your name!” We will look at this short prayer word by word.
Father...
From the opening chapter, John wants us to see the relationship between Jesus the Son and God the Father.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
When Jesus cleansed the temple He talks about His “Father’s house” (John 2.16). The word father appears 136 times in the gospel of John. A few times it is talking about earthy fathers. One time he tells the Jewish leaders that they belong to their father, the devil, the father of lies (John 8.44). However, the vast majority of those 136 times it refers to our heavenly Father.
Again, this concept of calling God our Father is revolutionary. In fact, the Jews were wanting to kill Jesus because He called God His Father.
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
In our text here in John 12.28, we hear God speak from heaven. This is the third time in the gospels we hear God speak out loud. First, we hear God say, “This is my Son whom I love with Him I am well pleased (Mark 1.11). The second time when Jesus appearance changes on the mountain and we hear, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him” (Mark 9.7). Did you hear the father-son language.
When we pray, we are praying to our Father. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He taught them to pray, “Our Father who is in heaven...”
I want to acknowledge that view God as father may bring up some unsettling memories or experiences with our earthly father. Please know that God your heavenly father is faithful, good, loving, and near.
I’m fortunate to have lots of good memories with my dad. My favorite ones are playing catch with my dad when he would come home from a long day of work at the meat packing plant. I still remember seeing the dried blood in his ears. Even after a long day of work, he always had time for me to play catch. Maybe it is helpful for you to remember God always has time for you to come and talk with him and listen to what He has to say for you.
Jesus begins this sentence prayer addressing God as “Father.”
This moment of Jesus praying could be similar to prayers of Gethsemane that the other gospel writers record. This is a crucible moment for Jesus. Am I going to follow my Father’s will and go to the cross?
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,
Father, Glorify...
This next word is the action word for the prayer. I want to encourage you to put some action words in your prayers--help, heal, strengthen, guide, forgive, open, close, bind, release.
For Jesus in his moment of trial, He wants God to be glorified. The word glory from the Old Testament means weighty or heavy. This word for glory in the New Testament can also mean honor, think, praise, splendor. This verb form shows up 20 times in John’s gospel with 19 of those time appearing in the second half of the gospel.
We read John 1.14 earlier, “we have seen the glory of the one and only who came from the Father full of grace and truth.”
In His moment of trial Jesus wants God to be glorified. Earlier in the gospel, Jesus confronts those who seek their own glory.
Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.
In this prayer of Jesus, “He is more concerned for His Father’s glory than his own comfort” (The Chronological Life of Christ, Volume 2, p. 150).
I’ve always appreciated John Piper’s tweak to the Westminster Shorter Catechism. The Catechism says, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Piper tweaks just one word, “The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever” (See Desiring God by John Piper, p. 15).
May we join the Psalmist in Psalm 115.1
Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
In a few chapters, Jesus will ask the Father to “glorify the Son so that the Son may glorify You” (John 17.1).
The question we should ask each day, “Who’s glory are we seeking?” For the perfect Son of God when his soul was overwhelmed it was the glory of His Father.
Father, Glorify Your...
I thought about skipping this word or adding it to name, but it stands alone as its own word in the prayer of Jesus, so let look at “Your.” It is a word describing possession. [Hold up my keys.] These keys are mine not yours.
It goes back to the question of who’s glory are we seeking?
It’s a problem as early at Genesis. In Genesis 11, a group of people said, “Let’s build at tower and make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11.4). God doesn’t think that’s a good idea and Father, Son, and Spirit come down to confuse their language, (see the phrase, “Let us” in Genesis 11.7).
This afternoon, millions of people will gather to watch the Super Bowl. As you watch the game as well as the commercials, ask yourself the question, “Whose glory are they seeking?”
The Greeks come seeking Jesus at the outset of this scene in John 12.21 with their request, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.”
Again, if we go back to the Lord’s model prayer, the word, “your” shows up again. “Your kingdom come. Your will be done” (Matthew 6.10).
This sentence prayer in John 12 sounds like the prayers the other gospel writers record Jesus praying later that week. It could be late Thursday night. Mark records it this way.
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.
“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Jesus is focused on the will and glory of His Father. Do our prayers sound more like getting your will done on earth or God’s will done?
If you go down a couple verses to John 12.31, Jesus describes the answer to His prayer.
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
Jesus recognizes the evil one and wants the Father’s name glorified. Keep an eye out for the evil one as he’ll be moving and prompting in some of the upcoming scenes in John.
Father, Glorify Your Name.
Keep an eye out for the name of Jesus. We’ll encounter more teaching on prayer in the name of Jesus. So, what’s in a name?
In Exodus 34, we hear the clearest and most repeated description of God’s name.
The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
Earlier in John 12.13, Jesus entered Jerusalem on that final Sunday before He was crucified to a parade of people. They are carrying palm branches, thus we call it Palm Sunday. And they cry out, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of he Lord” (John 12.13, quoting Psalm 118.25-26).
Do you know what your name means? Do you know any of your family history? In the past few weeks, I had two different people tell me they knew some people with the last name Brosi. I’ve only encountered that one or two other times in my life.
A couple of years ago, I took our family over the Coatsburg, IL near Quincy. We found the cemetery where my great-grandfather is buried. His name was Edgar Carl Brosi (1891-1949). On his headstone it also reads, “WORLD WAR I--ILL SGT. I REGT. FA REPL DEPOT.”
That tells you something about my family name. His son, my grandpa, Dale Marlow Brosi served in World War II and the Korean War earning a Silver Star. That’s some of our history as a Brosi.
Things changed with my dad. He went to boot camp with the United States Marine Corps, but what changed with my dad was our family started following Jesus. And the name Brosi started to mean something different.
Father, Glorify Your Name.
In a moment of sorry, Jesus pleads with His loving Father that His Father’s name be honored. The Father who is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness.
What’s special about this prayer is that God answers it immediately.
Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
God answers the prayer saying, “I have glorified it and I will glorify it again.”
Jesus continues to give us a clue of what that may mean when He continues speaking in John 12.31-33
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
The Father will glorify his name by rescuing the world from their sins through the death and life of Jesus. The cross will not be the end of the story. God’s name will be glorified when He raises His Son to life and Jesus ascends on high as king.
So, I invite you this week to pray these words of Jesus, “Father, glorify your name.” And don’t be surprised if you hear some thunder.
