Clarity about Identity (2)

Introduction:

Jesus has completed the introduction of his prayer.

What makes us special in the world?

It is not moral superiority.

It is not our relationship to government.

Jesus, as he prayers, reminds his disciples of their unique relationship with the Father through their relationship with him.

Our identity is wrapped up in his and in his teaching.

One astounding reality is Jesus’ obvious knowledge of himself. He knows who He is and what He is supposed to do.

He is clear on that issue.

He knows he’s done the will of the Father.

As a matter of investigation this week (for John 17:7-9), we do need to consider the truth as essential to our identity in the world.

Jesus’ claims, his teachings, are truth claims.

He offers evidence for those claims including his “signs” as well as his words and works.

Jesus Demonstrates Doing the Will of His Father

No doubt a play on words is happening in John 17:6.

“The name” refers to the person of God.

Jesus states that he revealed the person of the Father to those whom the Father gave him out of the world.

Through listening to Jesus and through watching him, they had the privilege of learning what God is like.

They learned of His character in a richer way that human intellect alone would be incapable of ascertaining about him.

One of Jesus’ responsibilities, then, was to ensure those who follow him know the Father.

John had prepared the way before Jesus.

When he pointed out “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world,” those who had believed his message and who had been baptized were to leave him and follow Jesus.

Through Jesus, they would learn of the Father.

Jesus, then, took what the Father had given him and had cared for them through teaching them of God.

He was entrusted with the work of revealing the Father to them.

This group with Jesus “have kept your word.”

They have obeyed what being in Jesus’ person reveals, namely, they have understood and believed that Jesus came from the Father.

They also have obeyed the teaching of Jesus, most of the time, thus far.

Jesus Explains How His Followers Differ from the World.

Three sentences are important here:

John 17:7: Now they know...

This must refer to their realization that all of the actions and words of Jesus came from God.

It must also refer to the reality of his identity as the Son of God. They know he is responsible for “ta panta.”

John 3:31-36

Revelation of the truth through Christ. Goes with v. 8 below. Character and utterance.

John 17:8: “And they know truly...”

John 10:37-38: What Jesus did and said were vital to understanding his person.

Notice John 8:47 on the uses of “words” from the Father and their importance.

John 14:10

John 17:8: “And they believe...”

Note John 5:36

Teaching requires two parts: one must teach the truth, the other must accept the truth.

What makes believers unique is our relationship to the truth.

It is what we know and believe.

Belief derives from knowledge.

It does not derive from the self or from the person.

Biblical faith is obedient trust in response to knowledge of the truth learned through the evidence of the Word of God.

Jesus is the evidence, and he taught it.