High Priestly Prayer

John 17:1–26 ESV

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, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. “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. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 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. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

The Seven Fold Promises

This is a farewell prayer of Jesus for His Disciples.

It is split up into three categories - Intercession- Needs first including Himself, then the disciples then future believers.

He asks the Father to Glorify His position -so it can be made manifest to all and

Everything is centered on eternal life (eternity) and the word glory which is used 8 times in this prayer

Jesus starts by saying the hour has come - The very hour he was talking about when His mother asked him to turn the water into wine- Jesus said my hour has not yet come. Now it is time. This is the time that jesus is going to make possible eternal life to all who belief on His name because He glorifies the father. He is the only one ever who can claim the title Savior and Lord. He alone was given the responsibility by the Father and He carried it out. You see there is no name under heaven to Worship except the Name of Jesus. Only Jesus has overcome the world. Only Jesus has overcome death. Only Jesus paid the price for you. It is in His name alone. All others fall short.

This is a powerful belief. Either Jesus was a lunatic or He was the Son of God. It is all or nothing. You see you cannot be new age. Pulling from one and another creating a montage of belief structures. It is Jesus and only Jesus that gives eternal life.

Vs 3 says something very enlightening he explains eternal Life. It is not endless existence.- It is that you may KNOW the Father and Jesus. That word know is the word keynosko - used 221 times, it means to be intimately familiar with. To know and understand . Now that is a deep word.

The disciples - received - then know and then believe

vs 4 talks about Jesus doing the will of God and that it was His delight

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

He rejoices in His fathers glory. There is an awesome OT scripture that goes with the thought here and it is in Zephaniah 3:17

Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV

The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

They may be Kept through His Name

defined as protection be restraint

Guarded from external peril.

The one that was lost was the son of destruction some of your Bibles might say the Son of perdition. again we see in scripture a commonality with what happend with jesus leaving and Jesus coming back lets turn to 2 thess 2:3

2 Thessalonians 2:3 NASB95

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

Ther was deception and a falling away when He left and there will be deception and falling away when he returns. Here is the part that concerns us and that is the falling away are ones that look like Christians on the outside but are not on the inside. They are sheep dressed in Wolfs clothing.

They might have His Joy in themselves

His Joy - not the joy you can muster up

Not elation or the absence of depression but a joy that runs from heaven to you.

It is as the Joy of the Father welcoming back His son . It is like the Prodical Son except this son was not a prodical.

They might be Sanctified

Not only kept but set apart

Holy unto the Father in heart, mind, works.

It can only be done within the framework of truth.

You are sent - and you have a purpose.

You have a reason for being. That reason is to glorify God

You also have a message - A charge (Illustration a charge is proclaimed by an important person during a graduation)

They might all be a Blessing to others

You are called to be a blessing. Make that your prayer !

They might all be One

Unity - Oneness of heart and purpose.

Jesus transcends all barriers.

You can look different but you are all going the same direction

Not oneness in institution - oneness in faith and we reflect the relationship the Father has with the Son

They might Behold His Glory

Jesus wants you to be with Him - He is your present and future Hope

1 Peter 1:3–4 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

They might Posses the Fathers Love

You will can experience true love.

The Day of Pentecost came with allot of ruckus but one thing we forget is God is love and the Spirit is God and that means you are filled with love and it is looking for ways of coming out.