Sermon Tone Analysis

! Introduction:

Most scholars who have sought to harmonize the accounts in the four Gospels have the Lord Jesus praying the prayer of John 17 in the Upper Room after He had finished His instructions to the disciples.

Then He and the disciples sang the traditional Passover psalms, left the Upper Room, and headed for the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus had been accustomed to meet with them and pray (see Matthew 26:30–46 and Mark 14:26–42).

Whether He prayed it in the Upper Room or en route to the Garden, this much is sure: it is the greatest prayer ever prayed on earth and the greatest prayer recorded anywhere in Scripture.

John 17 is certainly the “holy of holies” of the Gospel record, and we must approach this chapter in a spirit of humility and worship.

Think about this: we are privileged to listen in as God the Son converses with His Father just as He is about to give His life as a ransom for sinners!

No matter what events occurred later that evening, this prayer makes it clear that Jesus was and is the Overcomer.

He was not a “victim”; He was and is the Victor!  “Be of good cheer,” He had encouraged His disciples in John 16:33; “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

The word /world/ is used nineteen times in this prayer, so it is easy to see the connection between the prayer and John 16:33.

If you and I will understand and apply the truths revealed in this profound prayer, it will enable us to be overcomers too.

* *

!! A.                 Jesus prayed for His disciples (v.9-11a).

!!! 1.                  “I pray for them, I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me…”  (v.9).

!!!! a)                  Jesus does not pray for the world, at least not yet (v.9a).

!!!!! (1)                 Jesus prayed for His disciples but He did not yet pray for the world.

Why?

!!!!!! (a)                 It wasn’t because He and the Father don’t love the world.

They do *(John 3:16)*.

The world was the very reason Jesus had come to earth: to save the world and keep it from perishing.

!!!!!! (b)                It wasn’t because the world did not need prayer.

It did, and He prayed for the forgiveness and conversion of men in the world (Luke 23:34).

*Remember when He was on the cross?

Who did he pray for?

He said *"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34, NASB95)

*To not pray for the world, or lost, would go against Biblical teaching, Jesus said to *"love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44, NASB95)

*Paul exhorted Timothy by saying *"I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men," (1 Timothy 2:1, NKJV)

!!!!! (2)                 There are four reasons why Jesus was praying only for His disciples.

Note that the reasons are part of His prayer.

!!!! b)                  Because they had been entrusted to Him (v.9b).

!!!!! (1)                 Jesus’ disciples had been given to Him /by His Father/ (John 17:9).

They belonged to His Father, but they had been /entrusted to Jesus and /He was responsible for them.

Therefore, He had to pray for them, that His Father would give them strength in the coming days.

*Remember, God* "chose us in Him *(Jesus)* before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love," (Ephesians 1:4, NKJV)

!!!!! (2)                 Also, this is a beautiful picture of Jesus interceding for those who are His *(Heb.7:23-25)*.

!!!!!! (a)                 The Levitical *priests* had what might be called the ultimate disqualification for permanent ministry: *death*.

None of them could serve forever.

!!!!!! (b)                God gave Israel a dramatic and significant demonstration of this *(Numbers 20:23–29)*.

!!!!!! (c)                 /The power of salvation is in Christ’s ability *(He is able – Heb.7:25).*/

!!!!!! (d)                /The way of salvation is in Christ alone/ */(those who come to God through Him – Heb.7:25).

/*

*Jesus said* "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out" (John 6:37, NKJV)

\\ !!!!!! (e)                 /The security of salvation is in Christ *(He ever lives to make intercession – Heb.7:25)*/.

We can no more keep ourselves saved than we can save ourselves in the first place.

But just as Jesus has power to save us, He has power to keep us.

*Paul puts it this way in Romans 8 *"Who is he who condemns?

It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."

(Romans 8:34, NKJV)

*There is no other way, or someone to intercede on our behalf, only Jesus *"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus," (1 Timothy 2:5)

*Jesus is our defense attorney sort of speak, John says *"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.

And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

(1 John 2:1, NKJV)

 

!!! 2.                  “”All mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine…”  (v.10a).

!!!! a)                  Because they belonged to both Jesus and God (v.10a).

!!!!! (1)                 Jesus’ disciples belonged to both Him and the Father.

All the disciples were God’s; they belonged to God.

But all the disciples of God also belonged to Jesus.

This is the mutual possession of all believers by both Jesus and God.

!!!!! (2)                 Again we see that all the believers are a gift to Jesus from the Father:

*In John 10, Jesus says *"My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”

(John 10:29, NKJV)

*Jesus says in John 6 *"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out…"  "This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.”

(John 6:37, 39, NKJV)

*In the current chapter we are in, John 17, Jesus says this in (v.2, 6, 9, 11)*

 

!!! 3.                  “I am glorified in them…”  (v.10b).

!!!! a)                  Because glory came to Jesus through them (v.10b).

!!!!! (1)                 Jesus’ disciple’s lives brought glory to Him. 

!!!!!! (a)                 They lived for Him by obeying His Word and working for Him and showing loyalty and allegiance.

!!!!!! (b)                They lifted Him up to the world and proclaimed Him to be the Savior of the world and the Lord of the universe.

He was thereby glorified, honored, and praised.

*Paul’s prayer for those in Thessalonica was *"that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

(2 Thessalonians 1:12, NKJV)

*Peter says that we are a *"chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" (1 Peter 2:9, NKJV)

!!!!! (2)                 The congregations in Philippi and Thessalonica displayed the fruits of Paul’s work:

*Paul called the church at Philippi *“my joy and crown” (Phil.

4:1).

*And of the brethren at Thessalonica he says that you are* “our glory and our joy” (I Thess.

2:20).

!!! 4.                  “Now I am no longer in the world…”  (v.11a).

!!!! a)                  Because Jesus was leaving the world (v.11a).

!!!!! (1)                 Jesus was leaving the world and returning to heaven and the Father.

!!!!!! (a)                 The whole mission of preaching the gospel to the world rested upon His disciples.

!!!!!! (b)                They were the ones who were to go out into the world as His ambassadors to proclaim His Word *(Matthew 28:19-20; John 20:21)*.

!!!!!! (c)                 As they went, they needed to be strengthened and equipped by God to stand against the forces of evil.

They definitely needed prayer!

\\ !! B.                Request 1: That God would keep them, and keep them together as one (v.11b-12).

!!! 1.                  “*/Keep/* them*/ through Your name/*, that they may be one as We are…”  (v.11b).

!!!! a)                  Because of the keeping power of God (v.11).

!!!!! (1)                 In the Bible, “name” refers to “nature,” because names so often were given to reveal something special about the nature of the person bearing the name.

!!!!!! (a)                 In (v.6) of chapter 17, Jesus said /“I have manifested your name.”

/One of the ministries of the Son was to declare the Father (John 1:18).

!!!!!! (b)                But here in (v.11) Jesus’ request to the Father is to /“keep them through Your name.”/

!!!!!! (c)                 The emphasis in this section is on the safety of the believer; God keeps His own (John 17:11–12).

!!!!!! (d)                Jesus Christ (the power of God) keeps the believer so that the enemy cannot get his hands on him.

Peter’s experience with Satan helps us to understand this truth:

*You remember when Jesus said to Peter, *“Simon, Simon,” “behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31–32).

!!!!! (2)                 Satan cannot touch any believer without God’s permission.

Peter’s faith did not ultimately fail, even though his courage failed.

God restored Peter and Peter became a mighty and effective soul-winner.

!!!!! (3)                 Whenever Satan attacks us, we can be sure that God gave him permission.

And if God gave him permission, remember that God will never permit us to be tested above our strength:

*Paul makes this clear when he says *"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

(1 Corinthians 10:13)

!!!!! (4)                 One of the characteristics of Christians is their ability to overcome the evil one *(1Jn.2:13–14)*.

!!!! b)                  Because He had kept them and had lost none, except the son of perdition (v.12b).