Do You Want to Know God's Will?

John 17, part three. This is called the high priestly prayer. Our Lord Jesus is praying while

he's on earth. And so it's God, the son praying to God, the father to reveal himself in John,

the apostle who's close by captures the prayer and the words of Jesus. I'm going to read today,

John 17, beginning at verse 20 to the end of this chapter. As you hear this, remember,

this is God's inspired, inerrant, infallible, clear and sufficient word. It's God's very own word for

us, his people. When I'm done reading, I'll say this is the word of the Lord and you can respond,

thanks be to God. John 17, starting at verse 20.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on me through their word.

That they all may be one as thou, father, are in me and I in thee. That they may also be one in us,

that the world may believe that thou has sent me. Verse 22. And the glory which thou gavest me,

I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one. I in them and thou in me,

that they may be made perfect in one. And that the world may know that thou has sent me and has loved

them as thou has loved me. Father, I will that they also whom thou has given me be with me where I am,

that they may behold my glory which thou has given me. For thou lovest me before the foundation of the

world. O righteous father, the world hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known

that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the love

wherewith thou has loveth me may be in them and I in them. This is the word of the Lord.

Lord, thanks be to God. Indeed, you may be seated. The Bible says that the grass withers, the flower

fades, but the word of the Lord endures forever. Let's pray.

O God, help us to behold your love in Jesus Christ today.

We ask that you will be glorified by the proclamation of your word. We pray, Lord, that you will cleanse

our thoughts, renew our minds, help us to think of you exactly how you have revealed yourself through

your word. I ask, Lord, that you will protect my lips and the words that do come out that are not

pleasing to you, Father. I pray that it will be forgotten, that it will blow away like the dust,

but I pray that your word, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the ministry of your spirit through the

preaching of the word, I pray, Lord, that that will serve the purposes that you intend in your people.

Those whom you love so dearly in the Son. We ask all of this for Christ's sake alone and for his glory. Amen.

Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, do you want to know God's will?

Do you want to know God's will?

Jack Benny had a difficult marriage. His wife Sadie was, quote, a sharp-tongued, demanding, vain woman.

He had a tradition, nonetheless, of expressing his love to her by sending her roses.

Well, in the Christmas of 1974, the day after Christmas, Jack unexpectedly died.

His wife didn't expect to get the traditional roses, but they arrived.

She thought this must be the last time.

That year, Sadie trimmed the stems and placed the roses in a special vase beside the portrait of his smiling face.

She'd sit for hours in Jack's favorite chair, staring at his picture, the roses sitting there, as someone put it in a poem.

So even after he died, this expression of love stirred her heart, and it began to soften this widow.

Jack's final act, an expression of love, it revealed his heart for his bride.

Christ, in John 17, is praying hours before his final act to reveal his love for his bride.

3 p.m. on Friday, the Lord Jesus Christ will die.

In John 17, it's Thursday night, and Jesus Christ prays.

John 17 has to be one of the best chapters that we can meditate on to be reminded of God's love,

because it is the Son telling the Father how much he loves his bride, the church.

In this chapter, Jesus makes it crystal clear.

He wants his bride with him.

So do you want to know the will of God?

Well, put your eyes on John 17, verse 24.

John 17:24

This is the key verse that I want to try to hold on to and open up for you in this passage.

John 17, 24.

Jesus says,

Father, I will.

Here's what I will.

You want to know my will, church?

Here's what I will.

That word has been translated,

here's what I want.

Here's what I desire.

Jesus says in verse 24,

Father, I will that those you've given me be with me where I am.

That's the will of God.

That they may behold my glory,

which thou hast given me,

for thou loved me before the foundation of the world.

That's the will of God.

That verb, the will of God,

in this verse,

it's given to us in the first person, singular, masculine, present, active tense.

If there's ever a time to get excited about grammar,

this is one.

That means that Jesus,

actively, right now, currently,

in an ongoing way,

wills that you be with him.

And he wills that you see his glory,

the glory that his Father gave him.

Jesus says,

I, the Lord God,

I desire you.

I, the Lord God,

want you.

I, the Lord God,

chose you.

You want to know more of God's will?

It's all good news today.

It's all good news.

And here's,

here's another thought related to this.

The better you know someone,

the more you understand what they wish,

what they want,

what they will.

We think of this a lot this time of year,

where it's a tradition to give one another gifts.

The better I know my wife,

the better I'll know what this time,

in this stage of her life,

she will want.

What is it her will right now?

What would she enjoy?

Just think about that.

That's how well the Father knows his Son.

That he gives you,

the bride,

to the Son,

as a gift.

And that's the direction.

Yes, the Lord knows us,

and he knows all of our needs

can only be met in Christ.

But here, the message is that

you are the gift from the Father

to the Son.

No one knows the Son better than the Father.

What is it that the Son wants?

It's exactly what the Father's going to give.

It's you.

God proves that he knows his Son

by giving his Son

what his Son wants.

And his Son wants you.

I'm going to try to open up for us today

five insights into God's will

from this glorious passage.

Number one,

it's God's will

that you and I believe in Christ

through his word.

That's God's will.

We see that

in this prayer,

Christ is revealing

the eternal decree of God.

Christ prayed for you

whom God chose

to believe in him.

Look at verse 20.

I do not ask for those only,

referring to his apostles,

the disciples,

but for those who will believe in me

through their word.

Anyone who will believe

in the testimony

of the new covenant,

the new testament,

and receive,

this is God,

Jesus Christ,

the Son,

the mediator.

That's who Jesus

is specifically praying for.

All who will believe.

What does this mean

to believe in this way?

I love this definition

by John Gill,

to believe,

to receive the word of God.

Quote,

to believe in this saving sense

is a spiritual sight

of Jesus Christ.

Do you have that?

You need to be able

to see the necessity,

the fitness,

and suitableness

of Jesus Christ

as a Savior.

It's a going forth

unto Jesus Christ,

laying hold

of Jesus Christ,

and depending upon

Jesus Christ

for life and salvation.

that's what it means

to believe.

And Jesus,

as he prays,

he's praying

for this vast

multitude of souls

worldwide

that will believe

in him.

This is what

the New Testament

calls the elect.

It's the elect.

It's those

Christ came

to save.

That's exactly

who he's praying for.

In 1 Peter 3,

9,

we read that

God is long-suffering

toward us,

not willing that

any should perish,

but that all

should come

to repentance.

He wills that.

Man is responsible

to believe in God.

So think of that.

You're in this position,

and I am in this position

when we're born.

It's our responsibility

to behold God

and believe.

And he desires

that none should perish.

And Jesus is praying

for you

who will believe.

He desires

that all should come

to repentance.

God said

in John 3, 36,

whoever believes

in the Son

has eternal life.

This is what's at stake.

But here's the other side

of that double-edged sword.

Whoever does not

obey the Son,

Jesus said in John 3,

shall not see life,

but the wrath

of God

remains on him.

You were born

in the default state

of being under

the wrath of God

because of sin.

That's the curse

of being under

the fall from Adam.

Ever since then,

we're all born

with that sin,

and we add on

our own sin

on top of that.

Well, now we arrive

at this glorious insight.

Christ,

he prays

for you who will

believe in him

through his word.

That's his will,

is that you will

believe in him.

And we saw

in John 17,

John 17:9

verse 9,

you can look there

in your Bible

just a few verses back,

referring to

the elect

and the apostles

specifically,

and then all those

who would believe

by necessary consequence

there.

In John 17,

9,

he says,

I am not praying

for the world,

but for those

whom you have given

me,

for they are yours.

So for whom

does Christ pray

in verse 20,

I pray for every

soul who will

believe in me

through their word,

through the word

of the apostles.

I'm going to try

to lay a foundation

here that's very

important for what

I believe he's

emphasizing in verse

22 and verse 21.

And the best way

to put this dilemma,

so you have the wrath

of God remaining

on you because of sin.

Shilin,

the rapper,

church planter,

he put it this way,

because of your sin,

God's wrath on you

abides,

and hell is the place

you'll eternally reside.

That means your wrath

from God

hasn't been satisfied.

So how does the cross

relate to those

in hell?

Well,

they be saying,

Lord knows he tried,

but we believe

his mission

was accomplished

when he died.

Do you understand

what he's saying here?

He's saying that

this people,

this bride of the Lord,

the ones that Jesus

prays for now,

are those same souls

that the Father chose.

The same souls

the Father gave

to the Son

in the covenant

of redemption.

Before he purchases

those souls

on the cross,

our Lord Jesus

prays for his elect,

for his bride.

Shailene put it this way,

it's the same souls

that the Father chooses.

The Son gets bruised

for them,

and the Spirit

renews them

and produces

fruit in them.

It's the same people,

the people of God.

If you believe in Christ,

it is because God

decreed

to give you

his Son.

He chose you,

he purchased you,

he renewed you,

he is sanctifying you,

and he will one day

glorify you.

We read in Romans 8.

So it's the will of God

that you believe

in him

through his word.

And if you believe,

it's because

he has called you

through his Son.

Christ prayed for you

whom God chose

to believe in him.

Here's a test.

You want to know right now,

is Christ

praying for me?

Am I one of those

he is praying

for today?

Those who are

the bride of Christ,

you can have assurance

from Revelation 22.

the bride

prays,

oh,

return quickly,

Lord Jesus.

The Spirit and the bride

are the ones

longing and calling others

to invite Jesus back.

Come quickly,

Lord Jesus.

We desire

your second coming.

The second insight

into the will of God

is this.

God desires

to prove to the world

that Christ

succeeded

in his mission.

God desires

to prove to the world

that Christ

succeeded

in his mission.

Look at verse 21.

He prays 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 sent me.

So the unity

of the body

and the bride,

that's one of his desires,

but it's leading

to something else.

It's so that the world

can believe

that he succeeded

in his mission.

What is happening

in the church

cannot be explained

any other way

except that Christ

did it.

The apostles testified

in the scriptures.

Yes,

the Father sent the Son.

The Spirit breathed out

the New Testament.

That same Spirit

ministers the Word of God

today

to the ends of the earth

and those the Spirit

is regenerating

and calling

and opening your eyes.

You receive the Word of God

that way.

You receive it

as the testimony

about Jesus Christ

and you believe.

This is what's described

in 1 Thessalonians 2.13.

When you receive

the Word of God

which you heard from us,

you received it

not as the Word of man,

but as it is in truth,

the Word of God

which effectually

works in you

that believe.

It effectually

works in you

that believe.

Was Jesus trying

to make

the whole world

His bride?

Shailene asks.

Well, we can answer

that directly

with 1 Corinthians 7.23.

You, church,

were bought

with a price.

If Jesus bought you,

you are His.

His wrath

has been satisfied

for you.

Shailene again

put it this way

in his song.

Quote,

If saving everybody

was why Christ came

in history,

with so many in hell,

we'd have to say

that He failed miserably.

So many think

that He came

only to make it possible.

You're saying

the cross by itself

doesn't save.

That we must do something

to give the cross

its power.

That means

at the end of the day,

the glory is ours.

But Christ,

He paid for you.

He paid the price.

He ransomed you

who believe.

Why did He do this?

For the glory

of God alone.

Soli Deo Gloria.

When you believe

the testimony

of the New Testament,

the gospel

of Jesus Christ,

of how God saves you,

then your faith

is proving

to the world

that Christ succeeded

in His mission.

You can testify

like Paul in Romans 1.16,

I am not ashamed

of the gospel,

for it is the power

of God

for salvation

to everyone

who believes.

When you are united

to the spiritual family

of Christ,

the church,

your membership,

it proves

that Christ succeeded

in His mission.

Acts 4.32,

the full number

of those

who believed

were of one heart

and soul

because they are united

to Christ.

Do you want to know

the will of God?

God desires

to prove to the world

that Christ succeeded

in His mission.

And He uses us

to prove that

to the world

as 1 Thessalonians 5

says it,

we rejoice

always,

we pray

without ceasing,

we give thanks

in all our circumstances.

This is God's will

in Christ Jesus

for you.

That means

that when you pray,

when you commune

with the triune God,

your prayers

prove

to the world

that Christ

succeeded

in His mission.

A third observation,

God wants the world

to see

that He

is love.

Do you want to know

the will of God?

It's the will of God

to show the world

that He is

love.

He tells us this plainly

in 1 John 4.8,

God

is

love.

Father,

Son,

and Spirit,

the one God,

the triune Godhead,

the creator of all.

What is He?

God

is

love.

Look what Jesus

prays in verse 22.

Father,

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.

I'm going to read

a bit more

to explain

the connection

with God is love

and that's what

He wants to show

the world.

But let me clarify

one thing

in passing first.

Look at what He says

at the end of verse 22.

that My people

will be one

even as

Father and Son

are one.

That's a difficult

teaching, right?

Even as.

What does He mean

by even as?

there was a false

teacher named

Arius

and he

took what we know

about the relationship

between people

and he tried to

apply that to God

and that's the

upside down way

of doing theology.

We start with

what is true of God

and then that informs

what we make sense

of ourselves

as people.

So Arius,

here's the wrong teaching.

He said that

the church

is united

to Christ

in a way

of not being

the same essence

as Christ

and we agree

with that

but then he took

it a step further

and said

Jesus Christ

therefore can't be

of the same essence

as the Father.

That was Arius'

teaching.

So Augustine

clarified

biblically

from the full

counsel of God's word

even as

we are one.

Augustine said

this can refer

to essence

and it can also

refer to love.

So in essence

the Father and Son

are one

but in their distinction

the two persons

of Father and Son

there's a love

there's a love

between Father and Son

and that's what

Augustine said

is the correct interpretation.

Yes, Father and Son

are one in essence

because of

they're the Trinity

it's three in one God

but the relationship

between Father and Son

also communicates

a love

between the persons

and it's only

in the latter sense

not in the essence

of being united

to God in essence

but in being united

to God

with such a loving bond

as the Father and Son

have in their love.

So love is the essence

of who God is

God is

love

and God wants to

share that love

among Father, Son

and Spirit

with the Bride

of Christ.

That's how tight

the union

of God's people is

to God

through the Son.

God wants

the world

to know

that the Father

sent the Son

because He

is love

and God wants

the world

to know

that the Father

loves His elect

just as the Father

loves His own Son.

What a glorious truth.

1 John 4-7

calls the church

beloved

let us love

one another.

Why?

For love

is from God.

God shows

the world

He is love

by infusing

divine love

in us.

He shares

His glorious

divine love

with His people.

And then the world

looks on

and they could say

the words of Psalm

133.1

we testify

behold

how good

and pleasant

it is

when brothers

dwell

in unity.

Do you want

to know

the will

of God?

It's that

we share

His love

with one another.

The love

that the Father

has for the Son

that we would

share that

with His people.

God wants

the world

to see

through the church

that He

is love.

The invisible

God

shows the world

He is love

by His visible

people.

This is our

generation.

We are the ones

living on earth

now.

We're united

to Christ

but He's

leaving us

here

to reveal

His love.

It's the love

of Christ

the fruit

of the Spirit

the righteousness

of God

the Son

put on

to His people.

Paul describes

it this way

in Ephesians 4

2 and 3

The love

is made visible

with Christ-like

humility

gentleness

patience

bearing with

one another

in love

eager to

maintain

the unity

of the Spirit

and the bond

of peace.

Jesus had told

them this already

in John 13

35

By this

all people

will know

that you are

my disciples

if you love

one another.

Fourth insight

into the will

of God

is this

God

wills

you

to behold

His glory

in the Son.

You want to know

the will of God?

It's the will of God

that you behold

His glory

in the Son.

Look at verse 24

Jesus

prays

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

lovest

me

before

the

foundation

of the

world.

In

John 14

23

Jesus

had said

my Father

will love

those who

believe in

me.

We will

come

to Him

and make

our home

with Him.

Jesus

wants you

with Him

so you

behold

His glory.

We have to

ask the question

why?

Why does

Jesus

want you?

And the answer

He gives

in this

verse

is simply

Jesus

wants you

for the

same

reason

the

Father

wants

the

Son.

It's

because

He loved

the Son

eternally.

God

wants you

with Him

because He

loved you

eternally.

You were

chosen in

Christ

before the

foundations

of the

world

Ephesians

1

says.

Sinclair

Ferguson

summed this

all up

so

simply

and

correctly

I believe

He pointed

out three

things

God tells

us He

wants

in this

passage.

God

wants

you

church

to be

one.

That's

number one.

Number two

God

wants you

to see

Christ's

glory.

That's

number two.

Number

three

God

wants

you.

Simply

that God

wants

you.

We

behold

the love

of a

holy

perfect

righteous

God

and we

think

I can't

be one

with you

God

in this

way.

Even

though I'm

saved I

know

you've

washed

me

clean.

I

still

have

remaining

sin

in my

flesh.

Sinclair

Ferguson

pointed

out

the only

interest

Jesus

has

in your

sin

is to

get rid

of it.

He

only cares

to know

how can

I get

rid of

this sin

so that

there is

nothing

between

us.

Why?

Because

He wants

you.

Ferguson

said the

reason God

wants you

is because

He loves

you.

The reason

He loves

you is

because

He is

love.

1 Thessalonians

4.3

tells us

this is

the will

of God

your

sanctification.

Why?

So there

can be

nothing

between

you and

God.

He wants

you that

much.

Do you

want to

know the

will of

God?

God

wants

you and

He wills

you to

behold His

glory in

His Son

Jesus Christ.

will of

God.

Well the

fifth insight

into the

will of

God is

that God

chooses to

make Himself

known to

you.

God

wills,

God

decrees,

and God

chooses to

make Himself

known to

you.

Look at what

Jesus prays in

verses 25 and

26.

O

righteous

Father,

even though the

world does

not know

you, I

know you,

and these

know you.

They 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.

God

chooses

to continue

to make

Himself

known to

you who

are chosen

in Him.

Aquinas

pointed out

Jesus is

praying this

right before

He goes

to the

cross.

And what

He's praying

for,

His words

to the

Father

are being

accomplished

in time

in history.

What Christ

prays for

as a man,

He is also

simultaneously

accomplishing

as God.

This

glorious

resurrection

life,

Jesus

will give

to His

disciples.

Jesus

prays to

His

Father

what we

receive

as a

promise

that He

will

continue

to make

God

known

to His

people.

Jesus

says,

I will

continue

to make

known

to them

the glory

of my

resurrection

which you

Father

have given

me by

your

eternal

decree

and which

soon

will be

accomplished

in history.

This is so

that the

love with

which you

have loved

me may

be in

them and

I in

them.

God

chooses to

make Himself

known to

you again

and again

and again.

Day after

day,

week after

week,

isn't He so

faithful?

He makes

Himself

known.

He reminds

you,

I am

love.

Year after

year,

in deeper

ways than

you could

ever dream

of,

He continues

to reveal

who He

is to

you,

His

people,

whom He

called.

Do you

remember that

story I

told you

about Jack

who died

and left

the roses?

Well,

another year

went by

and his

wife was

learning to

live without

her mate.

This poem

tells it this

way,

that with

loneliness and

solitude that

had become

her fate,

then the

very hour

the doorbell

rang and

there were

roses sitting

by her

door.

She brought

the roses

in and

just looked

at them

in shock,

then went

to get the

telephone to

call the

florist shop.

The flowers

you received

today were

paid for in

advance,

they told her.

Your husband

always planned

ahead.

He left

nothing to

chance.

There's a

standing order

that I have

on file down

here and he

has paid

well in

advance.

You'll get

them every

year.

And each

year he

sent her

roses and

the note

would always

say,

I love you

even more

this year

than last

year on

this day.

My love

for you will

always grow

with every

passing year.

And for

nine years

his gift

continued to

remind her

of his

love.

Well,

this is a

mortal man

and he

can't grow

in his love

for her

from the

grave.

How much

greater is

the love

of Christ

for his

bride?

Because he

is not

dead,

he is alive

and he

continues to

make known

his love

for you

church.

Day after

day,

month after

month,

year after

year,

because he's

alive and

he wants

you to be

with him,

that you

will behold

his glory.

And it's

the glory

that he had

with the

father before

time.

He's the

lamb that

was slain from

the foundations

of the

world.

There's

nothing that

can add

glory to

God,

his glory

is full.

But now

he brings

his bride

into his

presence to

enjoy his

glory and

to see that

he is love

and to share

his love

with you,

his people.

Christ's

final prayer

reveals he

is love.

This is

Christ's

last will.

It's his

final wishes

for you

who are

his.

God's

will is

for you

to believe

in him

through his

word.

God's

will is

for you

to trust

that Christ

succeeded

in his

mission.

God's

will is

for you

to see

Christ

and know

that God

is love.

God's

will is

for you

to behold

the glory

of God

in the

sun.

God's

will

is you

that you

know him.

God's

will dear

friend

is that

you be

with him.

my

encouragement

to us

in a

special way

this week

as we

prepare for

Christmas

you get

to be

with God

because

he came

to you.

He came

to dwell

and to

be with

you.

And we

have the

promise that

he is

resurrected

and alive

and we

will join

him in

his second

coming.

We will

join him

in our

glorified

bodies

and this

kingdom

of God

will never

come to

an end.

We will

worship him

with this

vast multitude

that no

man can

count more

than the

stars of

the sky.

We will

be among

that number

because God

is love.

Let's

pray.

Oh we

praise you

our triune

God,

Father,

Son,

and Spirit.

We thank

you that

this is the

will of

God.

We thank

you that

this is

the desire

of our

Lord Jesus

Christ

to have

his people.

Proverbs

13,

12 says

a desire

fulfilled

is a

tree of

life.

And this

was Christ's

desire

which he

fulfilled

and he

became

the tree

of life

that we

could

abide

in his

city,

that we

could

enter

through

the

walls,

enter

through

the

gates

and be

us

standing

on the

foundation

of the

true

glorious

temple

that is

Jesus

Christ.

Lord,

we receive

this by

faith now.

We believe

help our

unbelief

and one

day we

trust that

you are

faithful.

You will

make our

faith be

turned to

sight.

We long

for that

day.

Come

quickly,

Lord Jesus.

And his

bride joins

in saying

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.