How Our Savior Prayed in the Shadow of the Cross - Part 4
How Our Savior Prayed in the Shadow of the Cross
Part 4: Christ's Urgent Prayers for His People
The Gospel of John
John 17:9-26
Sermon by Rick Crandall
Grayson Baptist Church – April 18, 2018
(Revised May 13, 2020)
BACKGROUND:
*Please open your Bibles to John 17. Here God's Word continues an in-depth focus on the night before Jesus died on the cross. Led by God's Holy Spirit, John wrote about this night from John 13:1 to 18:27. Surprisingly, almost 6 chapters of John are devoted to this one night, almost a third of the whole Gospel.
*Here in John 17, Jesus and His disciples were very close to the Garden of Gethsemane. But before they crossed over the Brook Kidron, the Lord paused, looked up to Heaven, and began to speak to His Heavenly Father.
*Tonight, we finish looking at this longest of the Lord's prayers recorded in the Bible. Next in John 18, Jesus and His disciples went over to the Garden of Gethsemane where the Lord was arrested.
*We know that Jesus also prayed in the Garden, but the Holy Spirit did not lead John to record those prayers. We also know that this prayer in John 17 is very important, because of all the prayers Jesus ever lifted-up to the Father, only 8 more are recorded in the New Testament. All the rest of those prayers put together total less than 150 words. But the Lord's prayer here in John 17 has almost 400 words. This is a very important prayer.
*God wants us to see how our Savior prayed on the night before the cross, and first, Jesus prayed for Himself. In vs. 1, Jesus "lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: 'Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.'" Then in vs. 5, Jesus prayed, "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." Jesus righteously prayed for God the Father to give His Son the glory He deserved.
*Then, Jesus began to pray for His followers, -- not just for the 11 disciples who were still with the Lord that night, and not just for the other people who believed in the Lord back then. Jesus began to pray for everyone who would ever receive Him as Lord and Savior.
*In vs. 6 Jesus told the Father, "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word." Then in vs. 9-10 Jesus said, "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them." Then in vs. 20 the Lord said, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word."
*Jesus began to pray for all Christians. Jesus began to pray for us, and most of this prayer is a prayer for us. We have already seen how the Lord prayed for our protection, our sanctification, and our mission.
*FOR EXAMPLE, JESUS PRAYED FOR OUR PROTECTION IN VS. 11. There Jesus said this to our Heavenly Father: "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are." "Keep" them, Father. The word picture means "keep your eye on them to guard and protect them." Jesus prayed for our protection.
*HE ALSO PRAYED FOR OUR SANCTIFICATION. In other words, He prayed for the Father to make us holy. Jesus prayed for the Father to make us like our Savior Jesus Christ.
*He prayed for our sanctification in vs. 16-17, where Jesus said this about His followers: "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." Then in vs. 19 Jesus prayed, "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth."
*How are we sanctified? -- Through the truth of God's Word! Christians: We are sanctified by the Holy Word of God, and by the Holy Spirit of God at work in our lives. That's why 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells Christians, "We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." Jesus prayed for our sanctification.
*HE ALSO PRAYED FOR OUR MISSION. We see our mission in vs. 18, where Jesus said this to our Heavenly Father: "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world."
*Jesus prayed for our protection, our sanctification and our mission. Tonight we will focus on more of the Lord's urgent prayers for His people. Let's begin by reading vs. 9-26.
MESSAGE:
*Christians: The fantastic truth here in John 17 is that Jesus was praying for you and me! Jesus was praying for us! And one of the most important things Jesus prayed for was our unity.
1. HE PRAYED FOR US TO HAVE FULL HARMONY.
*Back up in vs. 11, Jesus said this to our Heavenly Father: "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE." Why did the Lord ask His Father protect His followers after Jesus went back home to Heaven? Of course the Lord knew the trials and tribulations His followers would face. But the specific purpose in vs. 11 was so that we would all be one just as God the Father and God the Son are one.
*Christian harmony, our unity, was on the Lord's mind as He prayed for us. We see this truth again in vs. 20-23, where Jesus said:
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.
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.
*JESUS PRAYED FOR US TO HAVE FULL HARMONY. AND THIS WAS A GREAT PRIORITY FOR THE LORD.
*Remember that back in John 13, God began to give us a close look at what Jesus said on the night before the cross. And one of the things Jesus stressed the most was the great love He wants us to have for one another.
*First in John 13:34, Jesus said: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Then in John 15:12-13, Jesus said, "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
*There Jesus is telling us we should love one another enough to lay down our lives for each another! And these are not the only times God tells us to love one another.
*For example, in Romans 13:8 Paul said, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law." 1 Peter 1:22 also says, "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart."
*There are many other examples of God telling Christians to love one another. In fact, the New Testament talks about how we ought to treat one another over 60 times! Jesus prayed for us to have unity. But why was our unity such a big priority for the Lord?
[1] ONE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE JESUS KNEW OUR LACK OF UNITY WAS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.
*There has never been a perfect church in this world. I have often recalled something I heard Louis Bartet say 35 years ago: "If I searched and searched until I finally found the perfect church, then after I joined it, it wouldn't be perfect anymore."
*There is no perfect church on this side of Heaven, and on some level, all churches struggle to keep harmony in the body of believers. The main reason why is because the devil does everything he can to stir up trouble in God's Church.
*On top of that, Christians, we have different opinions, attitudes, and backgrounds. Some of us like chocolate. Some of us like vanilla. Some of us are morning people. Some of us are not. Sometimes we make false assumptions, and sometimes we misunderstand other people.
*Quite a few Christians also get stubborn and selfish about "their" church, and they want to be in control. They think God's Church belongs to them, and they get a "my way or the highway" point of view.
*There are many reasons for disunity in God's Church. And it started with the first church in Acts 6, the poverty-stricken church of Jerusalem. In that case, the widows of the Grecian Jews were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. The local widows were getting more than their fair share, and that problem is why we have deacons today.
*Acts 15 also records the bitter sting of discord between Paul and his close friend Barnabas. The contention was so sharp that they parted company for their second missionary journey. I have no doubt that both of them later regretted that bitter disagreement.
*Disharmony in the church: It was one of Paul's greatest concerns in his first letter to the Christians in Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, Paul said:
10. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.
12. Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul,'' or "I am of Apollos,'' or "I am of Cephas,'' or "I am of Christ.''
13. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
*Disharmony in the church was also one of Paul's greatest concerns in his letter to the church in Philippi. That's why in Philippians 4:1-3, Paul said:
1. Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
2. I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
3. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
*The problem of disunity is also why Paul wrote this passionate plea in Philippians 2:1-8:
1. Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2. fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6. who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7. but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
*Here Jesus prayed for harmony, because He knew it was going to be a problem in His Church.
[2] THE LORD ALSO PRAYED FOR OUR UNITY BECAUSE IT HAS A GREAT PURPOSE.
*Jesus stressed the purpose for our harmony in vs. 21. There He prayed "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."
*Then in vs. 23 Jesus prayed: "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.
*The great purpose for our unity is so the world may know and believe these most essential things:
-How much God loves them,
-That Jesus died on the cross for them,
-That He took the punishment for their sins,
-That Jesus rose again from the dead,
-And that He will save everyone who turns to Him and trusts Him as Lord and Savior.
*That is the great purpose for our unity: That the world may know and believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
*And how will they know? They will know by our united love for one another. That's why back in John 13:34-35, Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.''
*Church: If we don't sincerely love one another, lost people will miss this crucial sign. And they may never make it to Heaven.
2. JESUS PRAYED FOR US TO HAVE FULL HARMONY. THEN HE PRAYED ABOUT OUR FUTURE HOME.
*In vs. 24, Jesus said, "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world." The original word for "desire" means, "I've got it on my mind." "It's my intention." "It's my desire, my wish. And "I am delighted about it."
*Church: That's the way Jesus feels about our future home in Heaven!
*On this same night back in John 14:1-3 Jesus had told His disciples:
1. "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
2. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
*Yesterday, I looked up the most expensive homes for sale in California. You can get a 20 bedroom, 23 bath, 28,660 square foot home in Beverly Hills for 165 million dollars. The estimated payment is only $841,345 per month.
*If that's a little more than you want to spend, here's an even better deal: You can get another home in Beverly Hills. This one has 18 bedrooms, 25 bathrooms, and 20,570 square feet, and the asking price is only 125 million dollars. That's only $635,000 per month. (1)
*I'm sure those are amazing homes, but they can't begin to compare to the home Jesus is preparing for us in Heaven! And all the money on earth couldn't buy our home in Heaven! The only thing that could pay for our heavenly homes was the precious blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
*But our homes in Heaven will be among the least of our delights. Again in vs. 24 Jesus said, "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world."
*Without a doubt, our greatest delight in Heaven will be living forever in the presence of our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ! And we will see our God in all of His glory!
*In March of 2007, I got to visit with a Christian lady named Jewel Ingram. We met in a hospital waiting room, while Jewel's niece was having surgery. That day, Miss Jewel told me about a wonderful experience she had in the hospital in the summer of 2006.
*Mrs. Ingram coded when she was in the hospital, and almost died. She told me that she actually got to the edge of Heaven and saw a vast multitude of people singing. She said that the music was the most amazing, beautiful music she had ever heard. And before she was resuscitated, Jewel saw a large, beautiful white horse. She looked to see who was on it, but the light around Him was so bright that she could not see His face.
*It must have been Jesus. But since it wasn't her time, Jewel couldn't see His face clearly. But she did get a glimpse of the matchless glory of God. Jewel got a taste of the glory we will enjoy forever!
3. AND HERE JESUS PRAYED ABOUT OUR FUTURE HOME. HE ALSO PRAYED ABOUT OUR FULL HEARTS.
*In vs. 25-26, Jesus talked to the Father about His desire for us to have full hearts. Here the Lord finished His prayer by saying, "O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.''
*God doesn't want us to have empty lives. He wants all of us to have a full life. God wants us to have the kind of life David celebrated in the 23rd Psalm. There David lifted-up this prayer of praise to the Lord: "You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
*"My cup runs over." That's the kind of life God wants to give us! As Jesus said in John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
*Jesus wants us to have lives that abundantly overflow with the good things of God. And here in vs. 26, He mentioned two of the greatest things.
[1] FIRST: HE WANTS OUR HEARTS TO BE FULL OF LOVE.
*Jesus Christ wants our hearts to full of God's kind of agape love. In vs. 26 the Lord said, "I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, THAT THE LOVE WITH WHICH YOU LOVED ME MAY BE IN THEM, and I in them.''
*God wants to fill our hearts with the same kind of love that the Heavenly Father has for His Son Jesus Christ! In John 3:16 it's the kind of love that led God the Father to send His only begotten Son into the world. In John 15:13 it's the kind of love that led Jesus to lay down His life for His friends.
*And in 1 Corinthians 13 it's the kind of love Paul described with these words:
4. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5. does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6. does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7. bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8. Love never fails. . .
[2] GOD WANTS TO FILL OUR HEARTS WITH HIS KIND OF LOVE. HE ALSO WANTS TO FILL OUR HEARTS WITH THE LORD.
*Again, in vs. 26, Jesus said, "I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, AND I IN THEM.'' God wants our hearts to be filled to the brim with the Lord Himself, and He will do that by the Holy Spirit of God.
*Jesus promised this in Luke 11:11-13, where He said:
11. "If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
12. Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!''
CONCLUSION:
*That's what Jesus was praying for here. He prayed about our full harmony, our future home and our full hearts. Thank God for the Lord’s prayer requests! Thank God that we were on the Lord's mind when He got so close to the cross.