Small Group 7/30/20

Prayer

Jesus is hours away from the cross and He comes to God in prayer.

What is it like to hear someone else pray for you?

Jesus gives the disciples a window into His prayers for them and for the world.

First section—The relationship of the father to the Son

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.

We must remember that Jesus’ goal was to bring glory to God. The way He did that was to save men but we must remember the salvation of men is to serve the glory of God.

How does this truth change our perspective on life?

How do we live for the glory of God?

Jesus is given authority over all flesh. To give eternal life to all whom God has given Him.

How does Jesus define eternal life?

The word for “know you” in vs 3 implies an experiential relationship. I mean, you can know who I am (Daniel Bryan, Pastor). But to really know me you get to experience my dad jokes and love for Apple technology.

What does it mean to really know God?

Holman New Testament Commentary: John A. Relationship of the Father to the Son (17:1–5)

“However fully man lives in the world, he ultimately reaches the point where nothing is new because he has reached human limits. Only the knowledge of God can give enduring satisfaction, because God alone is eternal. Contact with God will provide the fullest experience, and the experience of God’s eternal being will be eternal life” (Tenney, pp. 245–46).

We can spend a lifetime knowing our friends and family and both love the complexity of them and tire of their predictableness.

Imagine a lifetime of getting to know God in His beauty.

He is the one.

Who painted the sunsets with such extraordinary beauty.

Who filled the coral reefs with explosions of color.

Who thrust the mountains into the air and dug out the grand canyon.

Who created you and I as creative, beautiful human beings.

If he can architect all these things for thousands of years, what can He continue to do in the future?

Jesus has a new role.

vs 4—Jesus will finish the work God assigns him.

Will you finish the task God assigns to you?

Will you stay faithful growing and loving as a spouse until the day you die?

Will you work faithfully, ethically, and diligently in your job until you retire?

Will you step up and work hard in the ministries He puts on your plate?

Will you step into the life of the friend God wants you to reach and not quit stepping in until God tells you to stop?

vs5—Jesus’ new role is actually quite old.

Jesus returns to His glory with the Father.