4 Things Jesus Prayed For Shiloh
4 THINGS JESUS PRAYED FOR SHILOH
JOHN 17
INTRODUCTION: THERE ARE OVER 650 PRAYERS RECORDED IN BIBLE. THE GOSPELS RECORD NINETEEN OCASSIONS ON WHICH JESUS PRAYED.
THIS IS THE ONLY LONG PRAYER OF JESUS WE HAVE AND IS THE ONLY ONE WHICH GIVES US THE SUBSTANCE OF WHAT HE PRAYED.
THIS PRAYER OCCURRED IN THE UPPER ROOM AND IN THE PRESENCE OF THE DISCIPLES.
SOMEONE HAS WRITTEN THAT AS YOU COME TO JOHN 17 IT IS AS IF THE VIEL BETWEEN THE HOLIES OF HOLIES HAVE BEEN DRAWN ASIDE AND WE ARE ALLOWED TO LISTEN AT THE HIGH PRIEST HIMSELF MAKE HIS PETITIONS.
SO THIS MORNING LET US LIKE MOSES APPROACH THIS IN REVERENCE AND AWE. THIS IS A HOLY PLACE AND WE ARE LISTENING TO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD THE SON TO GOD THE FATHER AND BY THE GRACE OF GODTHE HOLY SPIRIT WE ARE PRIVILEDGED TO READ AND WITNESS.
THIS IS A SIMPLE PRAYER THAT AS YOU READ YOU WILL SEE THREE SECTIONS;
- VERSES 1-5, HE PRAYS FOR HIMSELF
- VERSES 6-19, HE PRAYS FOR THE DISCIPLES
- VERSES 20-26, HE PRAYS FOR THE CHURCH
AS WE READ THIS PRAYER TWO THINGS ARE REVEALED TO US:
- CHRIST’S PRESENT WORK FOR US—HE IS PRAYING FOR US MAKING INTERCESSION FOR US, RIGHT NOW.
- CHRIST’S PREFECT WILL FOR US—BY READING THIS PRAYER WE SEE HIS AGENDA, HIS PRIORITIES FOR US, HIS PERFECT WILL FOR US.
THESE ARE 4 PRIORITIES AT THE TOP OF HIS LIST FOR US.
I. THAT HE (JESUS) WILL BE GLORIFIED
John 17:1, 5
1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,
5. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. NKJV
JESUS PRAYED THAT HE WOULD BE GLORIFIED WITH THE GLORY HE DISPLAYED BEFORE HE LEFT HEAVEN FOR EARTH.
WE ARE NOT ONLY TAUGHT THIS FROM GOD’S WORD THAT WE GLORIFY JESUS BUT FROM THE EARLIEST CHURCH CREEDS WE ARE TOLD OUR CHIEF AIM IS TO GLORIFY GOD.
HOW DO WE DO THAT?
OUR ACTIONS SHOULD REFLECT JESUS. IN OTHER WORDS ALL ARE TO SEE US AND GLORIFY JESUS BECAUSE WE REFLECT HIS GLORY.
DONNIE SAID SOMETHING LAST WEEK AS WE WERE TALKING, HE SAID THAT WE OUGHT TO BE SUCH A CHURCH FOR JESUS CHRIST THAT IF WE WERE TO CLOSE THE DOORS OF THIS CHURCH THE PEOPLE WOULD DEMAND WE RE-OPEN THE DOORS.
EVERY ACTION WE DO SHOULD REFLECT HIS GLORY.
EVERY WORD WE SAY SHOULD REFLECT HIS GLORY.
II. THAT WE SHOULD BE SANCTIFIED!
John 17:15-17
15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. NKJV
THE WORD SANCTIFY MEANS:
· HOLY
· SET APART
RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS PRAYER HE PRAYS THAT WE WOULD BE HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, SANCTIFIED, SET APART FROM THE WORLD.
IF EVER A PRAYER WAS NEEDED IN THE 21ST CENTURY WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN IT IS THIS ONE.
THE 21ST CENTURY CHURCH HAS BECOME SO MUCH LIKE THE WORLD AND INVITED SO MUCH OF THE WORLD INTO THE CHURCH THAT IS HARD TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.
WHEN I AM TALKING ABOUT THE WORLD, I DO NOT MEAN THE PHYSICAL WORLD BUT THE ATTITUDE OF THE WORLD THAT IS CONTROLLED BY THE PRINCE OF THE AIR.
A FEW YEARS AGO AUTHORS JAMES PATTERSON AND PETER KIM PUBLISHED A BOOK TITLED: “THE DAY AMERICA TOLD THE TRUTH; WHAT PEOPLE REALLY BELIEVE ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT MATTERS.”
IN THAT BOOK THE AUTHORS WANTED TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN CHURCHES, PARISHES, AND SYNAGOGUES.
AT FIRST THE FINDINGS WERE GOOD WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THAT 90% OF THOSE INTERVIED BELIEVED IN gOD.
bUT WHEN THEY ASKED OTHER QUESTIONS LIKE: HOW DO YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND ON ISSUES OF RIGHT AND WRONG.
THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE INTERVIED, DID NOT MAKE UP THEIR MINDS BY DEPENDING UPON WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS OR EVEN WHAT THEIR CHURCH TAUGHT AND BELIEVED. IN FACT THEY DID NOT RELY UPON THEIR FAITH TO MAKE MORAL DECISIONS.
tHEY BASED their BELIEFS UPON THEIR OWN JUDGMENTS, THEIR OWN REASONINGS.
1 IN TEN DIDN’T BELIEVE ALL THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
40% OF THEM ONLY BELIEVED 4 OR FIVE OF THE COMMANDMENTS.
wHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE 21ST CENTURY CHURCH IS THAT WE HAVE BECOME THE AUTHORITY ON MORALITY, BY CHOOSING WHAT WE LIKE OR DISLIKE OR WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT IT NOT WHAT THE bIBLE SAYS.
iLLUSTRATION:
a MAN TOLD THE STORY ABOUT BEING BEHIND A CAR STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. hE SAID THERE WAS A CHROME FISH SYMBOL WITH jESUS’ NAME in the MIDDLE OF IT. A BUMBER STICKER WITH A DOVE ON IT, AND A NAME OF A CHRISTIAN COLLEGE ON BACK WINDOW.
hE COULDN’T HELP BUT NOTICE HANGING FROM THE REARVIEW MIRROR A AIR FRESHENER IN THE FORM OF A PLAYBOY BUNNY.
we ARE TO BE SET APART, WE ARE A PECULIAR TREASURE TO THE lORD FOR HIS USE.
2 Timothy 2:20-21
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. NKJV
III. THAT THE CHURCH MIGHT BE UNIFIED
John 17:21-23
21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
NKJV
hE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT WORLD WIDE MOVEMENT OF ONE CHURCH.
HE IS TALKING ABOUT SPIRITUAL UNITY
tHIS SPIRITUAL UNITY WILL DO FOUR THINGS
1. THE WORLD WILL BELIEVE WHEN THEY SEE THIS UNITY: that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me
2. THE GLORY OF GOD WILL BE SEEN: And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one
3. THE CHURCH WILL BE COMPLETE: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one
4. THE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT JESUS WAS SENT BY THE FATHER AND THAT WE ARE LOVED.
YOU KNOW WHAT THOUGH, THE PROBLEM TODAY IS THAT CHRISTIANS—GENUINE BLOOD BOUGHT BELIEVERS IN THE RISEN CHRIST—CAN’T GET ALONE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
IT IS NOT A MATTER WHETHER THE SAVED BAPTISTS CAN GET ALONE WITH THE SAVED METHODIISTS, THE SAVED PRESBYTERIANS, THE SAVED LUTHERANS. IT IS THAT SAVED BAPTISTS CAN’T GET ALONE WITH SAVED BAPTISTS.
SOMEONE TOOK A COUPLE OF OLD HYMNS AND REWROTE CERTAIN PHRASES TO EXPLAIN THIS DISSENT IN THE CHURCH:
aMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE YOU!
THE STRIFE IS O’ER, THE BATTLE DONE, THE CHURCH HAS SPLIT AND OURSIDE WON.
i WONDER IF THE lORD’S HEART IS NOT BROKEN WHEN WE ACT THE WAY SATAN WANTS US TO ACT.
YOU SEE THE GREATEST THING SATAN CAN DO IS GET THE CHURCH AGAINST EACH OTHER AND THEN THEY LOSE their FOCUS, THEY FORGET THEIR PURPOSE; THEY FORGET THEIR LORD’S COMMAND.
WE ARE A CITY SET ON A HILL, WE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHAT HAPPENS IF WE ARE NOT?
Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers [meeting] together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become 'unity' conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.
IV. that the world be evangelised!
John 17:18-21
18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. NKJV
the word of jesus needs to be spread
the word of salvation needs to be shared
JESUS IS SAYING, “FATHER AS YOU SENT ME, I AM SENDING THEM THAT THE MISSION OF SALVATION WILL CARRY ON.”
PAUL SAID:
2 Corinthians 5:20
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. NKJV