Jesus Prayed for Himself,

Jesus Prayed for Himself,

No matter what events occurred later that evening, this prayer makes it clear that Jesus was and is the Overcomer. He was not a "victim"; He was and is the Victor! "Be of good cheer," He had encouraged His disciples; "I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). The word world is used nineteen times in this prayer, so it is easy to see the connection between the prayer and John 16:33. If you and I will understand and apply the truths revealed in this profound prayer, it will enable us to be overcomers too.

John 17 is one of the greatest chapters in the Bible, and certainly one of the most treasured. Some refer to it as the "Holy of Holies of Sacred Scripture," the revelation of the inner sanctum of Christ's heart as he bared his soul in a final public prayer to the Father before he stepped out into the night and onto the cross. Preaching the Word - Preaching the Word – John: That You May Believe.

Introduction: this passage begins the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus (John 17:1-26). In this great chapter Jesus is revealed to be the great Intercessor. He reached the summit of prayer: He prayed for Himself (John 17:1-8), for His immediate disciples (John 17:9-19), and for future believers (John 17:20-26).

John 17:1-8 (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. 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.

John 17:1 (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,

He asked only two things for Himself.

Jesus Christ, Hour of: Jesus' hour had come. "His hour" refers to His death. Note that Jesus lifted up His eyes to heaven and called God "Father." He was claiming to know God intimately, to be the very Son of God. In 17:1 Jesus announces, “The hour has come.” For the past three years, the disciples have followed Jesus on an expedition. The journey has covered rocky terrain. At times it’s been hazardous. Now they’re cresting the final rise, and stretched out before them is the summit. Back in chapter 2, when Jesus performed his first miracle, he indicated his hour had not yet come (2:4). In chapters 7 and 8 he twice reiterated his hour had not yet come (7:30; 8:20). Finally, in chapter 12, he indicated the hour was coming (12:27). Here in chapter 17 everything has taken place that’s necessary for the hour to come. The hour has finally arrived.

John 17:2-3 (ESV) 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.

Jesus Christ, Glory of:

This was Jesus' only request for Himself in His entire prayer (cf. v. 5)—that the Father would grant Him the glory that would be His through His death, resurrection, ascension, just as it had been planned in eternity past.

The first thing Jesus asked was, "Father...glorify thy Son." But quickly note why: "That thy Son also may glorify thee." The whole purpose for God sending Jesus to earth was to give eternal life to men; so in asking the two questions, "How is God glorified?" and "How is Jesus glorified?" the answer is simply: "by men receiving eternal life." Both God's glory and Jesus' glory are found in the completion of the great work of salvation. There is...

• the glory of righteousness which Jesus secured by a perfect life.

• the glory of the cross itself.

• the glory of Jesus' resurrection which vindicates beyond question His Messiah ship.

• the glory of Christ's ascension and exaltation.

All is summed up in the glory of man's salvation, in man receiving eternal life.

1. How is Jesus glorified? By God giving Him the power and authority over all flesh.

2. The reason Jesus was exalted to be the Sovereign Majesty of the universe is one fold, and it is the most wonderful news in all the universe. Jesus was glorified so that He could give eternal life to men

a. He gives eternal life. John 10:10 (ESV) 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

b. God gives Jesus the persons who are to receive eternal life. Note: a man must be moved upon by the drawing power of God (Holy Spirit) in order to receive eternal life John 6:44 (ESV) 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

John 17:4 (ESV) 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

The reason Jesus was now ready to be glorified is simply stated: He had finished the work God had given Him to do. In doing the work God had given Him to do, He had glorified God on earth.

The only way a person can glorify God on earth is to do what God says. If a man is interested in glorifying God, he will obey God.

1 John 3:23 (ESV) 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

Matthew 7:21 (ESV) 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

John 15:8 (ESV) 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

John 17:5 (ESV) 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

Jesus Christ, Glory of; Exaltation: the second thing Jesus asked for Himself was to be restored to His former glory, to His preexistent exaltation John 1:1-2 (ESV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.

Jesus dwelt in a preexistent, eternal state and glory with God.

Hebrews 1:3 (ESV) 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Jesus set His glory aside when he came to earth as Man

Philippians 2:7 (ESV) 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Jesus knew that He would return to the Father and be restored to His former glory.

Philippians 2:8-11 (ESV) 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, God the Father.

There are two reasons why Jesus asked to be restored to His former glory.

John 17:6 (ESV) 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.

1. Jesus had revealed God's name. By "name" is meant the whole character and nature of God—all that God is.

This is a phenomenal claim, for Jesus was claiming to be the very revelation of God, the One who reveals God to men.

a. Jesus revealed God (the full revelation of God) to the people whom God had given Him. He shared the message of God, but He did not scatter the seed among the unthankful and unreceptive. He had even told His followers not to waste time on the unreceptive.

b. It was God who gave Jesus the believers who were to be shown and taught all about Himself. God is Sovereign, so He led both Jesus and the disciples together. God stirred and led these men, the first believers out of the world to follow Jesus and to receive and to be shown the revelation of God. They learned of God—of His Person and nature, of His love and salvation—because God drew them to His dear Son.

John 6:44-45 (ESV) 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

c. The first believers belonged to God. They were His because He drew them to His Son by His Sovereignty and power and by His foreknowledge. He knew that they would believe on Jesus.

d. These men kept God's Word. They obeyed and did exactly what Jesus commanded.

In addition to recognizing that they were a gift from His Father, the Lord also described the disciples as those who have kept the Father's word. That statement introduces the element of obedience essential to salvation. That obedience, of course, is not a good work that contributes something to salvation.

Galatians 2:15-16 (ESV) 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

But is rather the inevitable result of genuine saving faith

Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Thus, to say that the disciples had obeyed the Father's Word is merely another way of expressing that their faith was genuine.

The New Testament joins saving faith and obedience, so much so that obedience is often used as a synonym for faith.

It is also the sure mark of sincere love for Jesus Christ. Obedience

John 17:7-8 (ESV) 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.

2. The men now knew that Jesus was the Son of God, the very revelation of God Himself. They knew "that all things" which He had were given by God (John 17:7). They knew that He was the very embodiment and revelation of God. (Note: Jesus was looking ahead beyond the resurrection in saying this. It would be the resurrection that would confirm all He had been revealing to them.)

a. They had now received His words as the very words of God

b. They now knew His origin: He had come out from God.

c. They now believed that God had sent Him, that He had come to earth as the Ambassador of God to proclaim and reveal the salvation of God.