John 17:11-19: Jesus Prays for the Church

Scripture Reading

1 Timothy 3:14–16 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Intro

In the High Priestly Prayer Jesus prays for His Church.

He prays for us.

And in His prayer we hear the heart the Savior… Jesus’ heart for His people, His Bride.

The people entrusted to Him by the Father before the foundation of the world and purchased in time by His death on the cross with His own precious blood.

We hear what Jesus prays and in hearing what Jesus prays for us we hear what we as a church should strive for and aspire to be.

What does Jesus want for us as a Church?

What’s His will for us?

And what should we be striving for and fighting for together as His people?

We are going to have 5 points today… five things Jesus prays for us as the Church.

Jesus prays for the Church’s Perseverance

Jesus Prays for the Church’s Unity

Jesus Prays for the Church’s Spiritual Protection

Jesus Prays for Our Holiness

And Jesus Prays for the Church’s Mission

Let’s start with point number 1…

I. Jesus Prays for the Church’s Perseverance

John 17:11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me…

When Jesus says I am no longer in the world He has His eyes set on the cross.

In John 16:28 He said and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.

But while Christ was leaving the world, the Disciples were going to be left behind.

I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.

That they is first and foremost Christ’s Disciples but given that the whole church is built on the foundation of the Apostles… this includes all the church as well (Ephesians 2:20).

So Jesus is praying here for the Church Militant… the Church left behind on earth as She exists today.

Its the Church engaged in the spiritual warfare of the gospel against sin, Satan, death, and the world as we strive to take the gospel to the ends of the earth and every tribe, tongue, and nation.

So Jesus here is praying for us.

And what He prays is Holy Father… keep them in your Name.

In your Name is The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty… (Exodus 34:5-7).

Its the Name, Christ says, you have given me.

The Name Christ Himself has revealed… He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature (Hebrews 1:3).

So essentially, what Jesus is praying for is our Perseverance in Salvation.

He is praying that the disciples would be kept in God’s name.

That as they remain in the world they would persevere and while they persevere remain faithful to Him… Faithful to his Name.

So Jesus prays for… our perseverance… and our faithfulness.

This is one of the sweetest doctrines of the Christian faith.

You might call it the Perseverance of the Saints, God’s Preservation of the Saints, or the Eternal Security of the Believer but the idea is that we persevere because God keeps us.

That we are saved from beginning to end by the Almighty Power and Grace of God.

Once saved… Always saved.

All who trust in Christ will surely be saved to the End.

Keep them in your name… God keeps us and upholds us by His almighty power.

The grace of the Perseverance of the Saints is that you cannot lose your salvation.

Your salvation does not depend on your strength… your resilience… or anything with in you.

It all depends on God’s Grace.

Yes we are called to Persevere… We are called to be Holy…

But all of that is the outworking… the fruit of God persevering us… Preserving us and Keeping us in His Name.

As Calvin said “The salvation of all the elect is as certain as God’s power is invincible.”

Daniel, The History and Theology of Calvinism, 584.

We are safe because God is strong.

Your salvation is safe and secure in Almighty Hands of Almighty God.

John 10:27–30 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.

That never is the strongest possible Greek negative.

They will never, no never, not ever perish.

And why?

No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and not one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s Hand.

No one and nothing can wrestle you from the Almighty Hands of Almighty God.

We are kept safe in His sovereign hands.

And we are kept safe because Jesus prays for us.

Will the Father not answer the prayers of His Holy and Beloved Son?

Of Course He will!

Jesus and the Father are one.

One in will… One in Mission… One in purpose… Love and Unity.

If Jesus prays that the Father Keep us in His Name then that is the Father’s will to do so!

What a great comfort and promise to the soul.

Remember this is a prayer for the Church Militant!

The Church and entrenched and embattled on every side.

And Jesus says, “No danger can threaten your eternal soul.”

Not Satan… Not persecution… not temptation or hatred from the world!

Not even your own weakness!… because you are kept safe in God’s Almighty Hand.

Jesus prays for the Church’s Perseverance and that we would remain faithful to Him… Holy Father Keep them in your Name.

Number 2…

II. Jesus Prays for the Church’s Unity

John 17:11 Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

So notice that the purpose that the Father would keep them in His Name was that they would be one, even as we are one.

In other words… one of the evidences or fruits of being kept in the Father’s Name is the unity of the Church… of the Church striving for and fighting for unity with one another.

Now we aren’t going to get into all of it because Lord willing we are going to look at more in depth next week… but what we need to see is that unity must be a priority of our church.

Notice that Jesus says that they may be one, even as we are one.

We just saw how Jesus said I and the Father are One.

Not one person… God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

He is One God in Three Divine Persons all co-equally eternally God.

God is Trinity.

So when Jesus says I and the Father are One He is saying they are One God… In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… (John 1:1).

And they are of One Mind, Will, Mission, Purpose, Love and Unity.

They are united and perfectly one in their Mission to save sinners.

So for the Church… we are to be One Church… one body… members of one another.

Romans 12:5 So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

1 Corinthians 10:17 Because there is one bread, [Christ] we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

We are a family… brothers and sisters of one another in Christ.

And as a family… we should all be pulling the same direction… being of one Mind… one w\Will… one Mission… one Purpose… one Love and Unity.

That purpose being the glory of God and Christ-likeness.

Joined together… Committed to One Another.

Ephesians 4:13 Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

It is a shame and scourge on the church when there is chaos… division… disunity within the body.

Jesus said a house divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25).

And a church divided against itself is soon to fall.

Rivalries, dissensions, and divisions are all works of the flesh.

Paul says Galatians 5:19–21 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery… [and then our key words]… enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Jude even says that those who cause divisions [are] worldly people, devoid of the Spirit (Jude 19).

Fight for Unity

The Church must fight for unity.

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit… so in other words for yourself or out of pride…

but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Jesus prays for our unity as a church because when a church is divided and fighting against itself it…

Number 1. Robs our joy as a church.

Instead of a spirit of love and unity and peace there is a spirit of bitterness, anger, and division.

I don’t know if you’ve ever been part of a family that has an awkward Thanksgiving dinner but no one wants to be there.

Number 2. It destroys our witness to the world.

John 13:35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

In in John 17:21 Jesus prays that we would be one, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

The world looks at a house in disarray and says there’s a problem there… that’s no different than the hatred and division of the world.

And 3. It robs Christ of His glory glory as the one Lord and Savior of all.

Our unity testifies to the work of Christ and that He really does reconcile sinners to God and one another.

And our unity testifies that we are all united in Christ and One in Him.

So the Church must fight for unity… Its what Jesus prays for.

Ephesians 4:1–6 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

So a walk worthy of Christ and the Gospel…

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Eager to maintain… doing everything necessary.

Why? For…

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

The Church must strive for unity… building one another up… all pulling the same direction.

One mind… one will… one purpose… the glory of God and the building up the body of Christ to the unity of faith and mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).

How?

And how? By following the example of Christ.

He took the form of a slave and washed the disciples feet.

He laid down His life.

He made Himself lower than the low and said A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you (John 13:34).

To fight for unity we must do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves… counting ourselves as slaves of Christ and as slaves of Christ slaves of all (Philippians 2:3-11; Mark 9:33-35).

He must increase I must decrease… (John 3:30).

An ever increasing of Christ and ever decreasing of ourselves.

That’s the secret to a unified church.

Jesus prays for the Church’s perseverance…

Jesus prays for the church’s unity…

And Number 3…

III. Jesus Prays for the Church’s Spiritual Protection

John 17:12–15 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

That’s Judas…

But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

These things Christ prays for… the Perseverance… the Unity… the Protection, Holiness, and Mission…

These all produce joy in the Church.

A comfort and hope… these are all things that are necessary for our joy and life as the body of Christ…

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

Now its crucial that we understand what Jesus is saying here.

Jesus is not promising that we won’t suffer persecution or have sorrow in the world.

His prayer keep them from the evil one does not mean that we will be protected from all hardship or all sorrow in life.

Jesus said earlier If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you (1 John 5:18-20).

He said In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

So what does Jesus mean by keep them from the evil one?

What kind of spiritual protection is He praying for us?

What comfort and encouragement does this give?

Satan

Well the Evil One is Satan and Jesus is praying that we would be protected, kept from, from his wiles and schemes.

Not that we would not face them but that we would be preserved through them.

And I think there’s two main ways that Jesus prays we would be kept from the Evil One.

Jesus prays that we would be kept from Apostasy and that we would be kept from Temptation.

Apostasy

First… Apostasy… Falling away… losing your salvation.

We see a picture of this in the life of Peter.

Jesus foretold that Peter would deny Christ 3 times (John 13:36-38).

And in Luke 22:31, Jesus said…

Luke 22:31–32 Simon, Simon, [Peter’s original name] behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.

That he might sift you like wheat is to crush you… press you… shake you violently that you might fall.

Judas… we already saw… fell away.

Satan entered into him because he did not have genuine faith in Christ (John 13:27).

He was lost as the Son of Destruction.

But Jesus prayed for Peter… and Jesus prays for us.

I have prayed that your faith may not fail.

This is part of God preserving us and keeping us in His Name.

We persevere because Christ intercedes for us.

If you are truly a Christian… Satan cannot touch you.

He cannot touch your eternal soul.

1 John 5:18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

The full weight of Satan’s malice could be thrown against you and your faith will not fail because Christ prays for you.

I give them eternal life… and no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28).

Satan’s rage against the Church will not overcome the Church because Jesus keeps us by His prayers and almighty power.

Temptation

Jesus also prays that God would keep us from temptation.

In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus said And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil… or the evil one (Matthew 6:13).

Its the same word John uses in John 17.

So Jesus prays that we would remain steadfast and stalwart against our sin and all the Devil’s temptations to destroy our soul.

The Fight

Because here’s the fight.

There’s a lot of confusion out there about spiritual warfare and the Devil.

He can’t touch your soul… we already saw that.

So what’s Satan trying to do?

He’s trying to destroy your Life… your Doctrine… and your Witness.

Jesus said The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10).

Look what Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8-9…

1 Peter 5:8–9 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

A Roaring Lion represents Satan’s power, strength, and ruthlessness.

He’s a ferocious lion on the hunt.

And he’s seeking someone to devour.

Not as in destroy our faith or make us fall away.

We are sealed with the Holy Spirit and seated with Christ in the heavenly places with Christ Himself interceding for us! (Ephesians 1:13-14, 2:6).

Satan can’t touch you in Heaven… so He attacks you on earth.

He’s looking for someone to devour… to steal, kill, and destroy…

Your Life - as in your hope… your joy… your vitality in Christ.

Your Doctrine …your faith as in what you believe… False Teaching trying to corrupt the doctrine and teaching of the church and lead you astray.

And Your Witness… whether by your sin or by cares for the world Satan wants to eat you alive and make you ineffective or ruin your reputation for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That’s where the War is fought.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

The War is fought for your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

And that is what Christ prays for us.

Encouragement

Can you imagine what kind of encouragement this would have been to John’s original Audience?

The same kind of encouragement it is to us.

They were persecuted… suffering… not only the hatred of the world but also their own sin and temptation.

And Christ says I’m praying for you… that your faith may not fail but remain strong… steadfast… and firm.

Already we’ve seen Christ’s victory over the Devil.

John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.

John 16:11 the ruler of this world is judged.

John 14:30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me.

And if He has no claim on Christ He has no claim on you.

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

Jesus Prays for our Spiritual Protection.

Number 4…

IV. Jesus Prays for the Church’s Holiness

John 17:15–17 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

What does it mean to be in the world, but not of it?

What does it mean to be salt and light? (Matthew 5:13-16).

It means that we are separated from the World unto the Word of God.

Nehemiah 10:28-29 The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands… so all who have separated themselves from the pagan nations… to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding… to walk in God’s Law… and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord and His rules and His statutes.

Christ prays that we would be a Holy and Sanctified People… a Holy Community… a beacon… a light… in this dark world.

And the way we do that… all by God’s grace and power through the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit… is by separating ourselves unto the Word of God.

Devoting ourselves to live our lives and all of our lives according to God’s Word.

Jesus said Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

The Word of God is our highest authority.

And what Jesus prays for the church is that we would live all of our lives by it.

What God’s Word says goes.

This is the mark of the Christian.

Jesus said, If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31).

Free from our slavery to sin and life of darkness (John 8:12, 34).

As Christians we should strive for holiness.

To live more and more of our lives according to God’s Word.

Jesus is essentially praying that we would not be conformed to the World but be transformed by the renewal of our mind and conformed… pressed into the mold of.. God’s Word (Romans 12:1-2).

What this means practically is that God’s Word trumps our hearts… our thoughts… our wisdom… our feelings.

God’s Word trumps what our eyes can see (Hebrews 11:1).

We believe God’s Word over our thoughts and circumstances.

We trust God’s Word and follow God’s Word more than our own feelings.

A Christians obeys the Word.

That’s the mark of a disciple.

Jesus started this whole prayer by saying “Holy Father.”

That’s the only time in the whole New Testament that phrase is used.

God is our Holy Father and we are consecrated… devoted to Him for His own holy service and purpose.

God says Be holy, for I am holy (1 Peter 1:16).

We as a Church should strive to be Holy to the Lord.

A Holy People… a Holy Community of faith spurring one another on towards Christ-likeness and godliness.

And How?

By devoting ourselves to the Word.

Separating ourselves from the peoples… they are not of the world just as I am not of the world… unto the Word of God.

Your word is a lamp to my feet (Psalm 119:105).

Is that true of your life and is that true of our church?

Is every step lived according to the Word?

Jesus prays for our Holiness.

Finally Number 5…

Jesus prays for our Perseverance.

Jesus prays for our Unity.

Jesus prays for our Spiritual Protection.

He prays for our Holiness.

And…

V. Jesus Prays for the Church’s Mission

John 17:18–19 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

The Church is a sent people.

As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them.

Christ came into the world to proclaim and reveal the glory of God.

His grace and salvation (John 1:1-3, 14-18).

And we as a Church are sent on that same mission.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 18:18-20).

And this mission Christ has sent us on is a victorious mission.

He said He’s with us and here He prays for our success.

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

We go in the Power of the Holy Spirit who Jesus said will bear witness about me and convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (John 15:26, John 16:8).

And why I say this is a victorious mission is because this prayer is given in the context of Jesus’ promise in John 14:12-14.

Jesus said…

Greater Works

John 14:12–14 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Now contrary to what some people might think, Jesus is not saying that we will do more miracles or greater miracles than He did.

The Apostles obviously did amazing miracles, but in the context of the Gospel of John, the “greater works” specifically are… gospel ministry.

If you go back to John 5:20… the same phrase… greater works… is used in that passage.

For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel (John 5:20).

Well what are these greater works?

The following verses tell us.

John 5:21, 25-26 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

So the greater works are works of life and resurrection.

The New Birth! Spiritual conversion!

Calvin called these greater works the quote “wonderful conversion of the world.”

(John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on the Gospel according to John, vol. 2 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 89–90).

The greater works are the works of the gospel leading the salvation of the world… the gospel going forth to all nations.

And its a victorious mission because Jesus said If you ask me anything in my name I will do it.

He is with us supplying us with His own heavenly power and resources.

So essentially when Jesus says I have sent them out into the world, He is saying I will build my church.

Matthew 16:18 I will build my church, and the gates of [death] shall not prevail against it.

Gates are a defensive weapon.

The Church is on the offense and anywhere the gates of death are… they will come tumbling down like the walls of Jericho.

Why? Because the Gospel [of Life] is the power of God for salvation to all who believe (Romans 1:16).

Jesus prays for the Church’s mission.

Conclusion

Jesus prays for the Church’s:

Perseverance.

Unity

Spiritual Protection

Holiness

And Mission.

And there are two things we can take away from Jesus’ High Priestly prayer for us.

Christ’s Purpose

First… if these are Christ’s prayers for us… these are surely things Christ will work in us.

We will persevere.

We will strive for and fight for unity.

We will be kept from the evil one, grow in holiness, and carry out the Great Commission.

Jesus’ prayer gives us a great assurance that these things will be done and accomplished in us by His grace and power.

It gives us a great assurance that Jesus plan and purpose and blessing will be accomplished in us.

Strive

And second in hearing Christ’s prayer for us we know what He wants us to strive for and be as a Church.

We know His will for us and together can set our hearts to that task.

Perseverance

He prays for our Perseverance so we as a church should strive to persevere.

To stand firm and hold fast and do all that we can as individuals, families, and a church to remain faithful to God and honor His holy name.

Unity

We should fight for unity.

Strive to love one another and in patience bear with one another (Ephesians 4:2).

Don’t let petty differences and squabbles get in the way.

Forgive.

Love one another.

Serve one another.

In humility count others more significant than yourselves and count yourselves as slaves to all.

Protection

Jesus prays for our spiritual protection.

Our war is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, authorities, [and] the cosmic powers over this present darkness… the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).

We are in a spiritual war.

So put on the armor of God and stand firm against the schemes of the Devil (Ephesians 6:11).

Resist Him, firm in your faith… and he will flee from you (1 Peter 5:9, James 4:7).

Guard your life… your doctrine… and your witness and do all things necessary to maintain your sincere and pure devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3).

Holiness

Strive for holiness.

Guard and defend the borders of your godliness killing sin it puts a seige work up against your heart.

Mission

And commit to the mission and spend your life serving Christ and His Kingdom.

That’s what Jesus prays for the Church and that’s what Jesus prays for us at RBC.

Let’s Pray