The Lord's Prayer
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Kids dismissed
Good morning everyone, my name is Dustin Alley and I’m the lead pastor here at Liberty. If this is your first time with us, thank you for being here. I’d like to invite you to scan that QR code and let us know you were here. I like to send a letter and a gift to you to say thank you for worshipping with us.
We have been going through the Bible from Genesis to Revelations to see the Gospel Story unfold throughout scripture. We are going to take a 3 week break for Easter from that and go through a series entitled, “The Final Words.”
A person’s last words are usually considered important things to remember.
Winston Churchillls last words were “I’m bored with it all.”
Isaac Newton said “I don’t know what I may seem to the world. But as to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore and diverting myself now and then in finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than the ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.”
James W. Rodgers who was being put in front of a firing swuad and was asked if he had any final requests said “Bring me a bullet-proof vest.”
What were Jesus’ last words though? Yes, the great commission was the final words he gave before his ascenssion. However on his way to the cross and tomb He said a number of things.
We are going to see what Jesus’ final words were as he traveled to the cross, was crucified, and culminating in the post resurrection interaction with others on Easter.
Today we are going to examine the Lord’s Prayer.
Many of you may be familiar with something known as the Lord’s prayer that starts out “Our father who art in Heaven...”
That’s not actually a prayer the Lord ever prayed. That was how he instructed us to pray. Here in John 17 we can find the real Lord’s prayer. We have insight into a conversation God the Son had with God the Father hours before his crucifixion.
Follow along with me and let’s see what Jesus said to the Father knowing His crucifixion was coming.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Mat 26:39
1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
John 17:1-5
Exegete:
First in matthew we see Jesus’ humanity. Remember, Jesus was 100% man and 100% God. He faced temptation, fear, anxiety, just like the rest of us. He petitioned the Father in this moment to remove the cup of crucifixion from Him IF it was the fathers will.
then in John we see the continuation of this prayer.
In the first 5 verses Jesus prays for Himself. He approaches God with worship. He asks that He may be glorified so that the Father may be glorified. He wasn’t seeking his own worship in this moment, He was seeking for the father to be glorified through His life.
He reiteratess the accomlishment of the work He was sent to do.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10
He had lived the perfect life, He was making a way for God’s creation to have eternal life through Him.
In His final hours before facing a brutal death, He did not call on angels to rescue Him, He did beg God to change His will, He prayed for God’s will to be done through Him so that the Father may be glorified.
He establishes His deity and confirms His identity with the Father as He is approaching the purpose for which He came to earth.
Illustrate:
Why is this important to take note of? Why should we see that Jesus in his final recorded prayer with the father before the Cross, affirms who He is in the Father?
You know, one of my all-time favorite movies is Remember the Titans. You’ve seen it right? Denzel Washington plays the coach of a newly desegrated football team.
As the team comes together and begins to form their identity they come up with their own way of warming up. They sing adn doa little dance. In that song or diddy as some may call it, they say “we are the titans, mighty mighty titans” all while doing a fun dance.
Another sports analogy you may be familiar with is with Marshal University in West Virginia. The year they lost most of their team and football staff they would often state before a game, at motivaitonal meetings, “We are, Marshall”
Why? What did this do? It reaffirmed their identity. IT reminded them of who they were.
stories are of sports teams, they saw what they had to accomplish inW winning a championship as a mighty task. In order to accoomplish something gret you have to be sure of who you are and where your identity is from.
Argue:
Jesus knew who He was. The eternal son of God. The Messiah. The one who is, who was, and who Is to come. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, The second person of the trinity, coequal and copowerful with the Father.
30 I and my Father are one.
30 I and my Father are one.
While I can’t pretend to know the mind of God and why He prayed this prayer for Himself. I can look at it and see the example He left for us.
Apply:
Knowing the Great task at hand he wasn’t praying for it to be easy. He said if it could be removed, removed but if not…if not…because of who I am in God, glorify yourself through me.
We don’t know when we will face difficulty in life. Trials can come upon us in the blink of an eye. Having our identity grounded in Christ on a daily basis can empower us to accomplish great things for Him because we know who He is and we know who we are in Him.
Praying like this daily to affirm His deity, worshipping Him, and unlike Jesus who was perfect, bringing our sins and weaknesses to Him so that we may see His strength will allow us to know who we are in Him.
I. Knowing our identity in Christ, helps us to know Christ
I. Knowing our identity in Christ, helps us to know Christ
When we know who we are in Jesus we can know Jesus more. We can know His mercy, His grace, His forgiveness, His power, His faithfulness to us regardless of our weaknesses.
Knowing who we are in Jesus and knowing Jesus more helps us to know our purpose and how to pursue it.
Jesus knew His purpose.
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
John 17:6-19
Exegete:
After praying for Himself, Jesus lifts up His Apostle’s in prayer.
He prayed for them to have faith and keep it. He prayed for them to have His joy fulfilled in them as they lived for Him.
He prayed for their future. Not that they should be removed by death but that they should be protected as they continue the work He started.
He prayed for them to have fruit.
After confirming His identity in God, He prays over the purpose He was sent for.
Yes, we know Jesus came to save the world through His death burial and resurrection and also to disciple the Apostle’s into the men they would become to spread the gospel to every creature.
Hours before His cruccifixion, Jesus does what He has done His entire life and seeks to bless others.
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:28
Even in the final moments of His life He is thinking of others.
How is He able to do this?
Illustrate:
I recently read about a young soldier who knew he looked good in uniform. NO matter which one he wore, he and the ladies both were keenly aware of his atractiveness.
As a young man this soldier was ambitious, often hot tempered, and passionate about many things.
This young soldier was one day given dictatorial control over the army and government for which he fought. At the peak of his power and at the victory of his army, he laid down his sword and power.
Who was this man? George Washington.
Instead of seeking to maintain control and power of the army and government he lead to establish, he laid down his sword and allowed for a democratic process to lead to his election.
What happened to that young prideful soldier? What lead to this great act of service to others?
Over time, Washington realized his own pride and changed his view of himself. He stopped seeking power and started seeking service. He started serving others.
He stopped seeing himself for something he wasn’t and starteed seeing himself for who he truly was. A sinner like everyone else.
He knew his identity and that alllowed him to truly live out his purpose.
Apply:
To truly serve others in a great way like Washington did and an even greater way like Jesus did, you must see yourself for who you truly are.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Matthew 10:39
As I read this verse this past week I believe I understood it differentlly than I had before. And when I had looked at it in context, it truly help me understand it.
Notice that it could be said “He who finds his life in me shall lose his life and find life through me.”
While that may sound confusing let me tie this all together.
Finding your life, finding your identity in Christ leads you to losing your own personal self driven ambitions and will turn into him placing desires in your heart that when you pursue from an identity in Him will bring you great fulfillment as you are truly fulfilling your life’s purpose as designed by God.
II. When you know Christ, you can know your purpose
II. When you know Christ, you can know your purpose
Jesus is God and you have to understand His time on earth had multiple purposes. One of them was to be an example to us on how to live. In His example and understanding of this prayer we can know that we too can confidently live out our purpose in life by knowing who we are in Christ. It keeps us humble and willing to serve rather than be served.
Through Jesus’ prayer here we have understood that we need find our identity in Christ to know our purpose for Christ.
Then He goes on to close the prayer out
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
John 17:20-26
Exegete:
Jesus closes this prayer with a prayer for us. A prayer for those that would believe through the words of the Apostle’s. We have the written word of the Apostle’s and others that we believe on Christ because of.
He prays for unity amongst believers. He prays for unity between believers and God.
Jesus obviously knew who He was in God. He knew His purpose and living it out He say an amazing result.
I mentioned before knowing our identity in Christ brings us desires.
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psalm 37:4
9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: But the Lord directeth his steps.
Prov 16:9
1 The preparations of the heart in man, And the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; But the Lord weigheth the spirits.
3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, And thy thoughts shall be established.
Prov 16:1-3
That final verse in proverbs makes it apparent, when we commit our works and I’m gonna say our lives to the Lord then our thoughts are established in and through Him.
He gives us desires in our hearts and weighs the spirit behind it. He determines if it is good or not and then directs our steps in accomplishing it for His glory.
Illustrate:
have you ever heard of William Carey?
William Carey was a missionary in the 18th and 19th century who was thought to be radical for his willingness to travel to remote areas because of what he belived about the great commission.
He is known as the father of modern missions.
At a meeting of Baptist leaders in the late 1700s, a newly ordained minister stood to argue for the value of overseas missions. He was abruptly interrupted by an older minister who said, "Young man, sit down! You are an enthusiast. When God pleases to convert the heathen, he'll do it without consulting you or me."
That such an attitude is inconceivable today is largely due to the subsequent efforts of that young man, William Carey.
He preached a message in 1792 titled “Expect great things from God. Attempt Great things for God.”
Becuase of His identity and life being grounded in Christ, He knew His purpose. The result of His efforts have lead to hundreds of years of international missions work.
Apply:
Where is your identity found? What is your purpose? What would be the result if you humbled yourself before God, repented of a selfish life lived only for you and your benefit, and gave it all to Him so that He could direct your steps to see a result like William Carey?
Are you here today and think God can’t use you for something great? Why not? If you think that it tells me you don’t know God. if you don’t know God then you can’t have your identity in Him.
Some of you may think I’m too old, I’ve got too many problems…don’t you think God knew that about you when you saved you? Did that change his willingness to die for you or His willingness to place the privilege of the great commission on your life?
Let’s scale this purpose idea down a bit and make it a little easier to consume.
While you may not be able to see what your big picture purpose is right now, can I ask you something?
As you go throughout your day and interact with people, do you find yourself doing so in a way that reflects Jesus and the gospel?
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Phil 1:27
Knowing who you are in Christ, Understanding your general purpose of
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matt 22:37-39
Allows you to make decisions daily when it comes to your interactions with others.
Jesus daily chose to serve others and to forgive 70 x 7 as he told Peter. He chose to be humble, He chose to live out His purpose because. His purpose was great and the result was great.
As our example, I believe when we follow after God’s purpose in our life that He created us for we will see something great happen.
Let me clarify that for moment: The salvation of 1 soul is something great. The family that remains together is something great. When forgiveness is sought and offered, it is something great.
Greatness in the sight of God is not counted by how many people know you, it’s counted in how people know Him through you.
III. Living your God-given purpose leads to God-glorifying results
III. Living your God-given purpose leads to God-glorifying results
Jesus time on earth was meant to glorify the Father. In this prayer He asked God to glorify Himself through what was going to happen to Jesus.
He lived out His purpose and God brought the results.
The results of your obedience to the Lord are not in your hands. They are in His. The command for us is not to produce, it is to be faithful.
Have you been faithful to the Lord’s calling on your life? Have you asked God what His calling on your life is?
If you understand the general purpose of loving God and serving others, what comes to mind when think about this last week and ask “Did that glorify God?”
Is there a relationship that needs to be made right? Is there a sin that needs to be confessed?
Confess those things to God, get your relationship with Him back on track, and then live out His purpose for you.
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