John 17 Sermon 3

John 17

Sermon #3

June 29, 2025

John 17:11-19

Anyone want to take a guess what the cost of gold per ounce was in 1997? I know that seems like an arbitrary date and question. But, in 1997, the price per ounce of gold was between $283-331/ounce. The price of gold now is $3,338.38. My wedding ring is about .25% gold (disappointing how little amount of actual gold is in a 14K ring). So, that makes my ring worth about $834.60. When Heidi bought it, it should be roughly $100.00.

Now, my ring is more than just gold, though. I know Heidi paid way more than $100. You had to pay for the finished product not just the gold. But let’s all agree that this ring is worth about $1,000.00 +/-. So, allow me to ask, Sawyer, what would you do with $1,000? If you can pull this thing off, you can have it.

I was very confident that Sawyer could not do this. Why? First, I am 100% fatter than I was when I first put it on, meaning there is no way to get it over my fat finger. Secondly, it is now a part of me. Even if he could get it to budge, I would have curled my hand. I am not going to allow him to remove it. It has been there so long that without it, my hand would be missing a key part.

The love that Heidi and I share is represented to the world in this shiny object. As believers, we have our own version of a wedding ring. It is a love that is shared between the Father and the Son that reveals a relationship that moves us into a deeper relationship with Him. This relationship causes us to then reveal it to the world.

Let’s review where we are. In John 17, we are reading the most important prayer ever recorded. It is the apex of God’s Word. Like I have said for the last two weeks, John 17 is the thesis of God’s plan of redemption. Like I said two weeks ago, if you had one page of God’s word and you were stranded on an island, this would be the page you would want. It has everything you need to know about how God plans to save His children.

Today we will see the security offered in Christ’s prayer directed to His followers. In this security, they will be equipped to stand successfully against a world that hates them. The ability to stand is found in the unity with Christ and with each other.

READ the entire text. Our section for today is verses 11-19

1. Security in His unity.

Vs 11 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, that they may be one, even as we are one[1]

The verse seems pretty clear, that is, until we get into the “keep them in your name, which you have given me…” What does He mean by that? The “My name” is not necessarily a physical name but a name in theme. How the Greek renders this passage is not a noun, but rather a theme. What He says here is “I have kept them (the 11) in the mission, plan, and goal. The goal/mission was to set them apart from the world and IN Him. This plan was from the start. From eternity past to eternity forward.

There is no more intimate representation of what God has done in your life than to put the third person of the Triune God (the Holy Spirit) into you, the believer. “I in them, They in Me, I in You.” They are secured in Christ, in a communal sense, in a community of faith through His plan of the Gospel.

If you go through our passage today and count how many “ins” there are, you would find that there is a clear message of intimacy between them (the 11): The Son, The Father, and by nature of the promise, those who would be IN Christ today. This passage screams “in” or unity with Christ, and because of that, unity with our brothers and sisters.

Church, do you not see that Christ’s main form of comfort for the lost, broken and imprisoned is His people? Last week, I talked about being “chosen” by God. The critic would say, “if God chooses, then why bother telling people about Jesus? Please remember what we have been teaching. God is 100% sovereign and man is 100 responsible to respond. We are not in a position to question His Sovereignty. Rather, we are to respond to it. So, why bother if I have no ability to save people?” Listen please! I will now answer that question.

Through the bride of Christ (the Church) or the community of believers, God chooses to reveal the Gospel to the lost. It is the plan from the start that the Church be the mouthpiece of the most important message known to mankind. It is a mystery that He uses this broken community of broken people, but He does. In this room are all kinds, construction workers, farmers, doctors, nurses, cops, critter catchers, moms/dads, grandpas/grandmas and sales guys. For what?

Again, if God chooses those whom He saves, why tell of the Gospel?

a. He told us to! Mark 16:15 “15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.[2]

This should be enough right here! Why go? Because he told us to! His last instruction to the disciples, GO into ALL the world and tell of this great plan of salvation. For the hyper Calvinist that is the frozen chosen, this should chip the ice. For the hyper Arminian, John 17 should remind you that it is Him who saves not us. For both hyper calvinists and hyper arminians, both are unbiblical. The point is that we obediently go as directed to the those who need to hear Jesus.

This mandate unifies the church to go into the highways, byways and ends of the world. It should push us to the spiritually isolated, the broken hearted the lost and share of the greatest message for hearts that are starving for the light of the world. Church there are those who are starving for this message and it is us that is to GO.

b. The second reason for us to Go is that He empowers us to go.

Christ has given us the ability for this mission and guarantees the results (remember last week, He calls, choses, guarantees and secures). But Paul writes in 1 Cor 1:27-29 that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God uses, employs and sends the week to educate the strong. He uses the insignificant of the world to call the proud.

Like a car is meant to drive, a hammer is meant to drive nails, a gun is meant to shoot, we are meant to Go! For those of us who used to be in shape, what happens when you don’t use a muscle? It goes into atrophy, it gets smaller and less strong. When we as the church refuse to use the muscles that Christ has blessed us with, other muscles are used.

Church, God will get His message out! When a church no longer sees the need to do what they are told, to exercise this muscle, God will hold that church accountable. Read the first several chapters of Revelation where our Lord holds churches accountable. It should sober us to the mission that He has given us.

God uses His people: For some reason, the God of the universe uses knuckle draggers to further His kingdom. Again, the body of believers it is the primary mechanism for evangelism. In His sovereignty God chooses us as the means to accomplish His will.

Guys, for the last 3 years, have you noticed that every final point in all of OUR sermons is an action item? Where do you think that we get it? The reason why is that our LORD is telling us to go get them! Offer the healing message of the Gospel. Allow them the opportunity to respond to the invitation to the LORD.

We must be on fire for this directive. All of God’s people are equipped, now, church, let’s do it! We are unified together, and we are unified to Him.

2. Guarantee in His unity.

This chapter called the “Highpriestly prayer” is for the protection of the 11 and by means of the Savior, us as well. He asks His Father to “keep” His followers. You can hear His heart for His believers. Again, a prayer is the best way to see a person’s heart. In the final few minutes of His life, His final thoughts are for His followers. He is casting them, His true sheep, into the capable hands of the Father.

He asks His Father to “KEEP”- (tēreō). vb. to keep; to guard, watch, protect.

Our Lord is calling on the Father, the Creator/God of the universe to guard these 11. The natural question is, why protect them? Why pray for their protection? Protect them from whom? Look at verse 11, 14, 15. The list of enemies are there.

a. The world will hate them- (vs 14 “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world.”

On our own, we are ill-equipped to stand against the world system. The system is too strong, too big, and too vile for a person to overcome. The world, by nature of the gospel message, will do everything possible to destroy these 11 and by nature of the message they were obedient to, us as well. The world system will seek to destroy any message that shines light at its sin. We as believers MUST be in unity with Him to withstand this adversity.

b. The evil one will hate them- (15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”

Church, he is alive and well. Satan does exist. Our Lord has us here for the time that He has chosen. You are here for your time. He has not taken you from the world yet. While you are here your adversary is seeking to destroy you. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith,[3]

c. Themselves! They are their own worst enemies. In just a few short minutes, the 11 most inspirational and monumental men for the sake of the early church will utterly fall flat on their faces because their flesh is week.

Before we are quick to pass judgment, how much does your flesh make you fall during the week? Our worst enemy is found in our natures. Christ is asking the Father to protect these 11 and us from the enemy within.

Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.[4]

Did you cath the last part of that verse? “All who are led…” This is a key marker in the CHristian’s life. Allow me to ask, in your life, would you say it is marked by the HS? You need to be! Can you see why we must be in perfect unity with Christ? Our adversaries (the world, the devil and ourselves) are a trifecta of failure if we are isolated. We must be in Christ, and even more important, He in us.

There is a clear and present teaching that I want us to understand. Having Christ IN us and us IN Him is more than a mental exercise. Again, look at all the “ins” in this passage. I do not use the word unity by accident. By His Word, we see Him personally. I can not over stress this enough. We have His revealed will in our laps. But, church, how does that equate to your heart?

Is He in perfect unity between His Spirit and your heart? Look, this is more than a mental exercise, your security against the world, satan, and yourself depends on your heart getting this. Yes, it is revealed in print, but is it revealed in your heart? Do you see the unity with the LORD of the universe in your heart? You MUST! There was one of the 12 that did not. He had the WORD walking with him for 3 years and still, his heart did not understand.

Vs 12 “I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

Here, the critic will say, okay, so even Jesus couldn’t save them all. You can say, “What good is this unity if Judas betrays the Lord of the universe?” How should I rely on you if you lose one of your own?

The style of writing of this verse looks a lot like Paul’s writing. Paul uses questions and answers to teach. He asks himself questions and then answers them. When John writes this, he employs the same logic. He is answering the question of the critic who will say, “how can we rely on you if you lose one of your own?” Allow me to answer that.

Here is the free will of man on display. There is no clearer examples of free will on display than with Adam and Eve, and here with Judas. The son of destruction was granted the opportunity to exercise free will, and the result is the son of destruction. Judas was not a surprise to the LORD. Judas was called for such a time as this that the Scriptures may be fulfilled. (Psalm 109)

For three years, Judas had the Word in flesh walking with him. For three years, he saw with his own eyes as the Word manifested, taught, and showed the Father to him. He had the intellectual understanding of the word and still missed the heart knowledge. There is a strong lesson for us here. We have the revealed will of the Father in print, but, if it is not in heart, we are just like this son of destruction.

Judas did have a choice! I am not teaching that Judas was a robot. Judas was allowed to act according to his free will. The key to understanding Judas is understanding sin. Anyone left to their own desire without God “holding back sin” is left to do despicable things. So the perspective is not God is making him do this. It is that left to himself, he will betray The Lord.

We have free will to choose many things like Judas did. If it was not for God and HIs grace, our free will is found in our sin (like Judas’s). Morally we are incapable to to choose righteousness (Eph 2). The difference between Judas and the 11 was and act by Christ. Christ did not pray for Judas. Before we say, “that’s not fair.” Again, you have no right to say that to God. He is the only owner of “fair” and it is His plan.

Do not confuse “fair” with Just. We talked about fair last week. Fair would be to not save anyone. Grace is an undeserved, unmerited act. God should never be questioned on “fair” according to our assessment of “fair”. What God decides to do for one does not mean He does for all. God is not obligated to act according to our idea of fair.

What is amazing is that God redeems Judas’s action to fulfill the plan of salvation for the children of God. By God’s Grace, God changes the wretched heart of men like Peter and us away from our natural free will. He changes our want to by His grace! Why? Because He is in us, we are in Him. We who are believers are IN HIM!

3. Abide in His unity.

Here is your action step! Here it is brothers and sisters! My desire, God’s desire is that we all abide in this unity that He is offering.

Vs 17-19 “17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth[5]

As John records this prayer, it points us to the same theme captured in John 15:4 where Jesus says, “4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me[6]

The word “ABIDE” meno- to stay, remain or reside. Judas did not abide in Him where as the 11 did. My question is where do you stand here? To abide in Him means that you believe the Gospel message. Allow me to remind you what that is. Jesus, the Son of God, came as a perfect payment for the sin debt that you have. That debt has one outcome, death in hell. Eternal distance from a Holy, Just and righteous God who MUST require full payment for that debt. If He did not, He would stop being just.

We all want justice until it comes to us. Then we want mercy. He is granting you mercy through the only means to get that mercy, HIS SON. To reject this offer is unforgivable. It is the sin that will cast your soul into the just payment for your debt. Jesus is the ONLY way, ONLY truth, ONLY life.

It takes more than just knowing those. It takes abiding in it. It takes meno to remain, stay and live in Christ. By doing this, it changes our hearts. We are no longer the judas. We are now the children of the light. We are HIS children.

In verses 17 to 19, the word “sanctify” means to set them apart from the world and set them in this relationship with HIM for the purpose of the mission. The word here is not speaking of the process like Paul writes about. Think of me taking a mug from the cabinet for the purpose of using it. I separated this mug for this purpose. That is how the word is being used here.

Christ is asking the Father to “set them apart” for this mission! What mission? The mission of the Gospel. HE is asking that the Father keep them from the world system for the purpose of the unity with Him. Just as He asks the Father to “consecrate” Himself (same Greek word as Sanctify), He is asking that the Father set these 11 apart from the world for the purpose that they will fulfill.

Why would He ask this for Himself? It is because by Him being set apart, we are afforded the same opportunity to do as He did. His purpose is now our purpose- we are being directed to set apart as His image barrier. We are children of the light, children of the Son, Children of the mission to abide in Him and His role.

Conclusion:

As I wrap this up, allow me to ask a rhetorical question. During Jesus’s ministry, was He a man of action? Did He make use of every minute of His time? I would argue, there was not an idle moment, wasted breath, or wasted conversation. He was moving.

To go back to my wedding ring, it says something. It tells everyone that there is an unbreakable relationship with my wife. I am one with the one who put it on my hand in 1997. Our lives together are living testimonies of what happened on Aug 16, 1997. Our lives are one. My ring is a representation of a life in harmony and unity.

May I ask, how does your life represent the wedding ring that Christ has put on your finger? Does your life show a sanctified, set-apart life? Does the Word that you read represent and change the life that you live?

If not, what is the difference between you and Judas? If it does, where are you allowing the world to chip away at the unity you should be enjoying with the One whom you call Lord? It should be very obvious. We should be like Him! On the move to the world. Showing what the LIGHT of the world has done to us. It should cause us to MOVE

Matthew West “DO something”

I woke up this morning Saw a world full of trouble now Thought, how’d we ever get so far down How’s it ever gonna turn around So I turned my eyes to Heaven I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?” Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of People living in poverty Children sold into slavery The thought disgusted me So, I shook my fist at Heaven Said, “God, why don’t You do something?” He said, “I did, I created you” If not us, then who If not me and you Right now, it’s time for us to do something If not now, then when Will we see an end To all this pain It’s not enough to do nothing It’s time for us to do something I’m so tired of talking About how we are God’s hands and feet But it’s easier to say than to be Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves It’s alright, “somebody else will do something” Well, I don’t know about you But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire I don’t want a flame, I want a fire I wanna be the one who stands up and says, “I’m gonna do something” We are the salt of the earth We are a city on a hill But we’re never gonna change the world By standing still No we won’t stand still No we won’t stand still No we won’t stand still

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2016. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2016. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2016. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

[4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2016. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

[5] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2016. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

[6] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2016. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.