The Perfect Prayer
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
The Importance of Prayer
The simple necessity of talking with God
The opportunity to express gratitude
The vehicle for confessing sin
The expression of worship
The Example of Prayer in Jesus (v. 1a)
In the Lord’s prayer - He teaches us how to pray
In the Gospel record - He shows how to pray
In the High Priestly Prayer - He invites us to listen in
Note the position of His prayer, eyes lifted up.
The Lord’s Prayer and the High Priestly Prayer are not a prayers we are to memorize and recite to God. It is an example of the things that should go into a prayer—worship, trust in God, requests, confession, and submission. We are to pray for the things the Lord’s Prayer talks about, using our own words and “customizing” it to our own journey with God. The proper way to pray is to express our hearts to God. Sitting, standing, or kneeling; hands open or closed; eyes opened or closed; in a church, at home, or outside; in the morning or at night—these are all side issues, subject to personal preference, conviction, and appropriateness. God’s desire is for prayer to be a real and personal connection between Himself and us.
His Petition
His Petition
Address - Father
Admission - that His hour had come.
Request - Glorify thy Son
The theme of glory forms the book ends in this paragraph of Jesus’ prayer
What is glory? The glory of God is the reality and manifestations of His intrinsic worth, perfect nature, attributes and beauty.
Thus to glorify God is to do, say and think things that draw attention to these realities and manifestations.
Jesus requests of the Father to make His worth, nature, attributes and beauty known. In heaven those things are perfectly known and displayed.
However, while on earth Jesus willingly veiled His glory.
Consider the implication of this request. Is there ever any scenario where it would ever be appropriate for you to ask God to glorify you? NO! We are not worthy of it, but Jesus is and therefor must be God.
The hour of His death was also the hour of His glory.
Reason - “that Thy Son my also glorify Thee”
Jesus is so consistent
His greatest concern was always the glory of the Father.
Jesus knew that the more He was glorified by the Father the more He could reflect that glory back to Him.
The Father and the Son have a relationship of reciprocal glory.
Jesus also made clear that the Spirit is a part of this glorious relationship.
John 16:13-14 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
His Authority
His Authority
Verse 2 establishes the grounds upon which Jesus’ petition in verse 1 is made.
Key word: Give
The Father has given the Son two things in this verse:
Authority
There are several very important things about this authority.
First, its scope. The text is speaking of this when it says, “For you granted him authority over all people.”
All means everyone, everyone who has ever lived or who will ever live.
It means the rich as well as the poor, the supposedly sophisticated persons of our culture as well as the native in the jungle, the strong as well as the weak, the intelligent as well as the not-so-intelligent.
It means you it means me. No one is excepted from the scope of this universal authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore he may do with them as he wishes. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Moreover, it is not just all men and women, past and future, who are subject to his authority. It is angels and demons, those in heaven and in hell as well.
Secondly, lets take time to remember how Christ manifested this authority throughout His life.
Teaching - “He spoke as one having authority.”
Healings
Exorcisms
Miracles
He claimed to have an authority higher than that of Jewish tradition and custom
He cleansed the temple
He forgave sins
He offered salvation
He will judge the world
People
Because of that perfect authority God has also given to Him a people.
Never forget that God is the one who took the initiative in our redemption.
The statement of purpose is clear in this verse. God gave Jesus this authority and this people that they might have eternal life.
In verse 3 Jesus defines for what it means to have eternal life.
Eternal life is more than just living forever.
It is a relational term or phrase
Unbelievers also exist eternally, but they are relationally separated from God eternally.
It is not what you know it is who you know. Do you know Christ?
If you are presenting Christianity as primarily a lifestyle then you are doing it wrong.
Christians live differently from the world not to earn anything but rather to grow; that is to grow closer to the one who bought us.
His Mission
His Mission
Why did God create us?
Why did God redeem us?
For His glory and as a vehicle of His character and love. Thus Jesus said “I have glorified thee on the earth.”
Christ fulfilled to perfection the mission that He was sent on.
His Glory
His Glory
Two things we learn about the glory of Jesus
Equal - to the Father
Eternal
Live for His glory