The Praying Savior, Part 1

John 17:1–5 ESV

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

The Message of John a. Jesus Prays for Himself (17:1–5)

As Jesus prays in the shadow of Calvary we learn what are his deepest concerns. In fact he has only one, and one that does not surprise us, the glory of his Father (1; cf. 12:28).

Questions:

What hour is Jesus talking about?

Six times in the book of John, it is mentioned that “His hour had not yet come...”

Is Jesus talking to Himself?

Do you pray that your struggles would bring God glory?

Do you believe that your endurance and perseverance through tough times will bring glory to Him which will lift you up?

The Obvious Application: If Jesus Christ thought it important to stay in contact with His father through regular prayer, then we ought to as well.

The idea of lifting our eyes is a biblical posture for prayer.

1. Jesus always kept His Father the main thing.

2. Jesus did all that he was meant to do and charged to do.

3. Jesus had confidence in who He is.

Was this prayer answered?

Philippians 2:5–11 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.