Christ’s Care for the Elect
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6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 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. 12 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. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 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. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 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.
Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Setting the Stage
Setting the Stage
Last Sunday, we looked at what it means that Christ has manifested the Father’s name to those whom the Father gave Christ out from among the world.
Manifested means:
to cause to become clearly revealed to the mind, the senses, and judgment
This is the regenerating power of God to take a heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh.
The disciples had God revealed to them by Christ.
The Father drew them to Christ by teaching them.
The disciples had heard and learned from the Father.
All promises of the NC to the elect people of God.
We also looked at:
Election by Free Grace
—> which then transitions into the…
Guardianship of Christ
And, because of the NC promises obtained by Christ in His redemptive work…
Which procures the work of the HS in the application of Christ’s work to the elect, we also saw...
Those who the Father gives to the Son kept God’s Word.
We looked at what this means last Sunday…
The disciples did not reject Christ.
They may not fully understand, but different from the world, they did not reject Him.
They received Him.
Now, this morning I want us to first look at the details we are given in v.7-8…
Details of the Kept Word
Details of the Kept Word
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
So, as we looked at last Sunday, that Christ has revealed the fulness of God in the flesh.
Now, He gives specifics, if you will…
The words Christ spoke were the very words that God had given Him to speak.
The miracles that Christ accomplished were the very deeds that the Father had given Him to do.
The behaviors, compassion, sympathy, mercy, grace, zeal, confrontations, corrections…all of it from God.
The disciples’ response—faith.
They believed everything Christ taught them.
They believed that only God could do what Christ did.
They believed that He was divine and what He did was divine in origin.
Their understanding may have been shallow.
It will certainly deepen at Pentecost.
But, by the grace of God, they perceived the divine in the person and work of Christ.
The disciples kept His word, in that they did not reject it.
The world does the opposite, the world rejects Christ.
The disciples believed that the Son came from the Father.
The disciples believed that the Father sent the Son.
And, their faith, like our faith, is a gift as the Apostle Paul states…
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Grace is by definition a gift.
Being given what you do not deserve
So, the phrase the gift of God, in this context is not describing been saved it is describing faith.
He’s already stated explicitly that you have been saved is by grace, which means the undeserved gift of God.
The gift that Paul is speaking of here is your faith.
Faith is what clings to Christ for salvation.
Faith is a gift of God wrought in us by the regenerating work of the HS in us.
A heart that loves God, believes God, and walks in His ways.
Your salvation, from beginning to end is by grace.
Listen what Paul says elsewhere…
29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
There are two things that have been granted/gifted to the believer:
Faith in Christ
Suffering for Christ
Our salvation from beginning to end is a work of grace by God.
Now, after describing the ones whom the Father gave Him…
Specifically in this part of the prayer, His current disciples…
Their being described as those who:
received Him
believed Him
followed Him
know that He is the divine Son sent by the Father
Upon this description and following this description, Christ begins requesting on their behalf…
Christ’s Request for His Disciples
Christ’s Request for His Disciples
Let’s zoom in a little…
9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
Now, the first thing I want to address is the last phrase…
—> for they are yours
Which gives us the reason for the wording of this sentence…
And, the reason for the distinction between those whom Christ prays for and those whom He does not.
Two Kinds of People
Two Kinds of People
This is not the first time we’ve heard Christ make two types of distinction regarding people.
Listen to the words of Christ, as recorded by John…
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
So, earlier in John’s gospel Jesus gives the distinction of two types of people…
Of the Father
—OR—
Of the Devil
Paul uses this same language in Ephesians 2 when reminding the saints of their former condition.
that they/we once followed the devil, who is still at work in those who are not in Christ…the children of wrath
So, you are either of the Devil, considered his offspring, behaving like he does, under his sway, following in his steps.
Or you are of God…loving Him, trusting Him, following Him, hearing His words, believing His words.
This distinction goes all the way back to garden in God’s curse upon the snake, who represented the Devil…
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
We’re told in Genesis 17 & 22 that the offspring of Sarah would be a King who would bring blessings to the nations.
This is further narrowed down to the offspring of David.
The offspring of Mary through the lineage all the way back to Genesis 3.
Paul says of Christ…
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And, then Paul tells us that in Christ we are the offspring of Abraham.
Those who are of faith are the true offspring of Abraham.
In that they mimic Abraham by believing God and that faith being accounted as righteousness.
So the Bible tells us…
Adam and Eve chose the Devil over God.
The world was cast into darkness.
The world was given as a subordinate leader, the one that Adam and Eve chose—the Devil.
The world is the offspring of the Devil.
In that they mimic him as children do their parents.
The gospel tells us…
Christ binds the strong man and plunders his goods.
Christ breaks into the Domain of Darkness and leads His people, those whom the Father gave Him, to freedom and gives them eternal citizenship in His kingdom forevermore.
Christ has conquered the Devil, plundered his goods, and will soon crush him with the ultimate blow.
All the enemies of Christ will be made subject of the wrath of the Son.
Those who submit to the Son (psalm 2) will find refuge in the Son.
They will have the peace of God, that only Christ can give…
that Christ always gives in full measure to His sheep.
So, there are two types of people in the world:
Those who are of the devil.
Those who are of God.
The mission of Christ is to deliver those whom the Father gave Him out from the Domain of Darkness into the eternal Kingdom of Christ.
The continuing mission of the church is the same.
Disclaimer on the Elect
Disclaimer on the Elect
Our Knowledge is Limited
Our Knowledge is Limited
We do not have the knowledge of God.
We do not know who the elect are...
And, God has ordained to not tell us.
He has however commanded us to spread the seed…
To preach the gospel to anyone and everyone we can.
Spurgeon once stated…
That is the elect of God had yellow stripes on their backs, he would go around London lifting shirt tales. But they do not. So, he preaches the gospel to all. And, he calls all to repent of their sin and believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
We Can Only Look for Fruit that Matches the Confession
We Can Only Look for Fruit that Matches the Confession
We preach the gospel to all, and we look for the fruit of the HS in the person’s life:
Repentance of sin
Faith in Christ
Trust in the God’s word
Love for the Lord
Love for the Lord’s people
We are justified by faith alone, but true saving faith is never alone.
—> It is accompanied by good works.
Jesus said we shall know the elect by our fruit, and by our love for one another.
So, we preach the gospel to the world.
We pray for the world to be saved.
And, we look for confession and fruit of the HS working itself out in the lives of those who confess.
Now, we return to Christ’s prayer…
9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
Prayer for the Elect
Prayer for the Elect
He prays for the elect, His sheep, His bride because those are the very ones that the Father gave Him to redeem…
And, not only redeem but keep by the omnipotent guardianship of the eternal Son of God.
Christ as Mediator
Christ as Mediator
He prays for the elect, His sheep, His bride.
Christ as the Groom
Christ as the Groom
He purifies His elect, His bride.
Christ as the Shepherd
Christ as the Shepherd
He protects, and goes before His elect, His bride, His sheep.
Christ as Conqueror
Christ as Conqueror
He conquers the devil, and he and all those who follow him are dashed to pieces.
Let’s think about this...
Let’s think about this...
Where do you stand?
Whom do you serve?
Who do you mimic?
What is your record before God?
Cast your sins upon Christ!
Cast your failures upon Christ!
Let Him pardon your sin, and impute His record to your account!
Believe Christ!
Rest in Christ!
Trust Christ!
Rejoice for your Savior, His name is Jesus!
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
