Jesus' Prayer Wed. Night

John 17

As the troubled night/morning draws night for Jesus, He prays to His Father! No one is actually sure where and when this takes place, whether or not it is in the garden of Gethsemane or near the garden, whether or not this is connected to the agonizing prayer in the garden.

John 17 seems to speak to a continuation of Jesus’ “farewell discourse”.

With the content of the prayer in mind, where Jesus was at and what time of night it was, is of no concern, except for us to know that He was just a few hours from His crucifixion and burial.

This is the true Lord’s prayer, Jesus teaches how to pray in Matthew 6, however that was a prayer that was not necessary for Him. It is evident because of one request in that prayer: Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Jesus had no debts (sins) to God or anyone! He was perfect. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

This prayer is the Lord’s prayer, it is a High Priestly prayer! Jesus is drawing near to the end of His earthly ministry and will not long from this will begin His Heavenly Intercessory work; in which this prayer is a great example. Hebrews 7:23-25 “And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man (Jesus), because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

That phrase “ever lives” can carry the meaning of that is His life’s work and you can also add to that, His life’s work never ends!

Jesus continually goes to God on our behalf.......listen to these verses:

Romans 8:34 “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

1 John 2:1-2 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

We have an Advocate with Father God the Son of God, Jesus Christ! I will read one more verse about Jesus’ intercession: Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:”

Some say, that there is no further need for any action on our behalf; true our sins are paid for but that saving is continued as Jesus’ life continues. We are in constant need of intercession from the Perfect One that is at the Right Hand of the Father!

Jesus follows, basically the same pattern as the priests:

He prays for Himself (verses 1-5)

He then prays fro His disciples (verses 6-19)

Lastly, He prays for those that will believe His Gospel in the future (verses 20-26)

Let’s look at the first part of this powerful moment in history........

Verse 1......Jesus lifts His eyes toward Heaven......

Do you remember the Lazarus? John 11:41 “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.”

Also, do you remember the publican in Jesus’ parable: Luke 18:13 “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

There is a big difference!

We have that same boldness now, to approach the Father through Jesus Christ!

Father.........personal.........”the hour is come”.......Jesus is nearing the climax of His earthly humiliation!

“Glorify Your Son”.............In what Jesus was sent to do, he asks His Father, God, to glorify Himself, that God the Father may be glorified......

John 8:28 “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.”

When Jesus is nailed to the cross, that is when God pours out His wrath on Jesus because of our sin......in that Jesus is glorified because the Mercy of God is given to the world and when Jesus rises from the grave that solidified the Glory of God through Jesus Christ!

No other way for Jesus to be glorified, but just doing the will of the Father, Who sent Him! John 6:40 “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Do you remember what God promised to Jesus in John 12:28? Jesus prayed as He was telling of His death..........“Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

Jesus asked the Father that in and through His perfect life, His atoning death and His resurrection, would reveal to the world that He is the Son of God and the promised Messiah.

In all of that it would in turn reveal the Righteous Justice and the Tender Mercy of Father God!

This glorification would as reveal what Paul declares in Philippians 2:9-11 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Verse 2.......This verse seems to say to me, that in Jesus Christ, through His life and finished work, all people’s lives are hinged on Jesus Christ! If they believe they are saved, if the don’t they will die the 2nd death!

It is all through Jesus Christ that this is done! There is no other work in Heaven and on earth that can change this!

In my humble view that is POWER! Eternal life is based on the glorifying of Jesus Christ

This eternal life is available for all........Jesus Christ has been given for all of human race.

Verse 3.........This is a continuation of “eternal life” which is spoken of in the positive.....Everlasting life in the presence of God.

This is “eternal life” that they may “know”......... meaning to be familiar with or learn to know, through personal experience.

One writer wrote: “The essence of eternal life is to know and experience the true God. Eternal life is not just to live forever, but to live in intimate communion and fellowship with God. God has facilitated this communion by revealing Himself through His Son. Therefore men come to know God by accepting and believing on His Son. Thus the glorification of the Son, which serves to convince men of His true identity, will cause them to truly believe in God and thereby experience eternal life.”

The essence of all reality lies in how we choose to know God and His Son Jesus Christ!

I would dare say that in Christ we can see fully the True God and through His teaching we can understand that Jesus does nothing of Himself, but just what the True God (Father) tells Him!

Through Christ the essence of the 10 commandments (God’s nature) is revealed!

Through Christ Exodus 34:6-7 is revealed“And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”

In this knowing carries to me what that writer said an intimate communion and fellowship with God and His Son Jesus Christ.......

James, when he is talking about faith without works being dead, tells us: James 2:19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

James tells us that merely believing, but the proof of life is in how it is lived! Works doesn’t save, Christ does, but the communion and fellowship with Christ will produce a work that declares the true believer’s life!

The believer that has come to the place of self-denial and willing to take the earthly rejection of doing so, by that action will make clear his eternal life!

Verses 4-5........Jesus declares His faithfulness to the Father on earth........

Walked perfectly, taught perfectly, healed perfectly........lived according to the reason He was sent!

He will die perfectly atoning for the sins of the world.......

Verse 5 Jesus looks past the cross and asked to be returned to the glory that He shared with the Father.

This seems to be on a very personal and intimate level.

Jesus refers to His rightful place as God the Son.......John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

1 Peter 1:19-21 “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”

Philippians 2:5-7 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:”