Jesus' Prayer part 1 - John 17

So we are still on this wonderful journey of prayer.

We got two more weeks left on this before Christmas Eve.

Are you guys excited about Christmas?

Oh, really?

Oh, let's shout for joy.

Are you excited for Christmas?

Yeah.

Come on.

I mean, I don't, we've, listen, I was like almost completely, I know others have been,

are far more in advance when it comes to Christmas, for some people, start in October.

Mine starts Christmas, Thanksgiving Day, right?

But all that being said, I've been, it's been nice just having family and to me I think

that's going to be the greatest gift.

So we're going to be dealing with this issue of prayer and Jesus' prayer and I talked to

you guys about the when and the whom.

When should you pray, whom should you pray?

I think this answers this question, these two questions quite definitively.

So we're going to be going through John 17 over the next several weeks.

But I want you to hear Jesus' prayer and how he prays for his people.

Most people when they read John 17, they have no clue when this happens.

They just think it just happens.

And in many cases, many preachers or teachers will avoid this particular prayer.

In all the years that I've known Christ, I think I've heard the message, a message or

a lesson taught on this one time in like my entire life in Christendom.

Why?

Because this prayer wrecks all kinds of theology, but they miss the glory of this amazing prayer

that Christ prays on behalf of his people.

Okay?

So just to give you some background, if you turn to chapter 13, okay?

Chapter 13, Jesus has his triumphal entry comes in and he then throughout that week

comes to this point where it's time for Passover meal.

So as you guys know the story, they go out, they find all the things they need for the

dinner.

They sit down, they have dinner.

Jesus does all these amazing things.

He washes their feet.

He breaks bread.

He institutes the Lord's Supper there.

All those things happen in John 13.

And so during this time of John 13, this is the Lord's Supper, his last meal with his

people.

And so during this time, Jesus literally goes through and he gives them a new commandment.

A new commandment I give you that you love one another as I have loved you.

He then foretells Peter's denial.

He then gives this amazing proclamation that I am the way, the truth, and the life and

no one comes to the Father except by me.

He then gives the proclamation of the promise of the Holy Spirit that I will not leave you

as orphans.

I will not leave you without a shepherd.

I will not leave you alone, but he promises the Holy Spirit and he promises that the Holy

Spirit will guide them in all truth.

He also proclaims in chapter 15, I am the true vine and you are the branches.

If a man remains me and I in him.

All of this is happening at the Supper and on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane.

Can you imagine all of these truths are happening within a very few hours?

And why does Jesus do this?

Because he's been walking with them for three years.

He's at the end of his ministry.

His hour is about to come and he wants to make sure that he gives them everything that

he has taught them and clarifies these things to them.

So much to the point that they say that he prays for them and says they know me because

of the truth.

He also lets them know that because the world hated him, they will hate us also.

Chapter 16 comes and he's letting them know that you're not alone.

He also encourages them after he says that the world hated me, it's going to hate you.

And he encourages them to stand in the truth.

In verse 26 of chapter 15 he says, but when the helper comes whom I will send to you from

the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about

me.

He then explains to them that the Holy Spirit will guide them in all truth and that he has

overcome the world so fear not.

And that's where I want us to begin.

Before we go there, I want you to know a few things.

We talked about these last week, lastly for the last two weeks, but I want to reiterate

them and then I'm only give you a statement from Dr. Sinclair Ferguson.

Here it is, you ready?

The doctrine of prayer is a means of grace offered according to the will of God expressed

in accordance with his word.

Prayer is the language of the soul and opening of our hearts before God, John Calvin.

Prayer reveals our heart.

Prayer is about aligning ourselves with God's will, Matthew 26.

Prayer is this word, pros ukami, pros meaning to be near or come before, ukami meaning to

pray or to will.

Dr. Sinclair Ferguson states it this way, praying is not an isolated spiritual exercise.

We pray and we live are not two compartments, are not two compartments.

The truth of the matter is we live as we pray and we pray as we live.

Dr. Sinclair Ferguson.

What Jesus does is he prepares his people and what's interesting, I want you to imagine

this, he gets done eating and as he's walking with them and talking with them, he's teaching

them these truths, he comes to the end of the lessons.

He has nothing more to teach, nothing more to say to them.

And on his journey, Jesus does something quite remarkable.

Turn to chapter 16, John 16 verse 25.

John 16:25

So all the things that I've just mentioned to you, I'm divine and all those things, this

is what he says, I have said these things to you in figures of speech.

The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell

you plainly about the Father.

In that day you will ask in my name and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father

on your behalf for the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed

that I came from God.

I came from the Father and I've come into the world and now I am leaving the world and

going to the Father.

In other words, what he's saying is one day you're not going to need to come to me here

on earth.

His disciples said, ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech.

What?

You mean three years and just all of a sudden you had a V8.

I understand everything you're saying to me.

Look what they say to him.

Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you.

This is why we believe that you came from God.

Three years after watching him do all these miracles, now you know because of what Jesus

said to you.

Interesting.

Jesus answered them, do you now believe?

Like now?

You believe now.

Based on what I just said to you, we had dinner, broke bread, told you I'm the vine, you're

the branches, all these things.

I say I'm not going to be speaking to you in figurative language in this type of simple

speech and now you're turning around going, now I believe you.

Interesting.

But look what Jesus says, behold, verse 32, behold the hour is coming and indeed has come

when you will be scattered each to his own home and will leave me alone, yet I am not

alone for the Father is with me.

I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace in the world.

You will have tribulation, but take heart I have overcome the world.

Do you remember previously in chapter 15, if they hated me they're going to hate you?

So Jesus says I'm not going to be talking to you in figures of speech anymore, in parables.

I'm going to talk plainly to you, I'm going away.

It's interesting that Jesus says that you guys are all going to run and you're going

to go home and you're going to leave me alone.

Because if you remember previously before this statement, Jesus predicted that Peter

would deny him.

You notice this time Peter doesn't argue because now Jesus says all of you are going to leave

me.

I'll be left alone.

Look what else it says in the end of chapter 16, in the world you will have tribulation,

but take heart I have overcome the world.

The world is full of suffering.

You cannot avoid it.

It's part of the deal.

So find joy in your suffering.

Think about that.

Jesus was joyful to suffer for you.

Why would we not be joyful to suffer for him?

The scripture says that the father counted it joy to destroy his son.

So understanding all that as Jesus is walking and having conversation with his disciples,

he stops.

Just stops walking.

Look what it says, and when Jesus has spoken these words, what words?

13 to 17.

When Jesus had told him all these things from the supper to this moment, look what he says,

when Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the

hour has come.

My work is finished is what he's saying.

This is it.

My purpose of coming is here.

Father, the hour has come.

Glorify your son that the son may glorify you.

Now what's interesting about this word glorify, many would think, hey, make him amazing.

No, it's more intimate than that.

This glorify, this word glorify here, it's dox azo.

This word dox azo means to make renown or to render illustrious.

Now there are many churches today who are always talking about making Jesus famous.

We got to make him renown.

Jesus doesn't need your help to be famous.

He is already the most famous person to ever live.

He was famous before he even created anything.

His creation will proclaim him if his people don't.

Jesus doesn't need anyone to make him renown.

He already is.

So this word here to clarify means to cause the dignity or worth of some person or thing

to become manifest or acknowledged.

Think about glory from that perspective.

In other words, Jesus is saying, Father, the hour has come for me, your son, to be manifest

and acknowledged as the worthy one.

In that your son may manifest and acknowledge you.

Think about that.

When Jesus went to the cross, who is he acknowledging and manifesting that he is the one who has

dignity and worth?

His father.

And the father was pointing to the son saying, no, he has dignity and worth.

And the Holy Spirit points to the son, he has dignity and worth.

He is the worthy one.

Revelation tells you who the worthy one is.

So when we think of glory, it's recognizing that the creation is not glorified because

of itself.

The creation is glorified because Christ is made manifest or acknowledged as the God of

its creation.

So I make manifest and acknowledge the worth and dignity of my King and my Savior.

That's what glory means.

Jesus' praise for the glorification of him and the Father.

I want you to understand, pray that God will be glorified in your life so that he is manifest

and acknowledged in your life as the King of your life.

Verse two, since you have been given authority, since you have given him, meaning Jesus talking

about himself, since you Father have given me, given him authority over all flesh.

You hear that?

Who's in charge of all flesh?

Who is the one in authority of all flesh?

God puts a monkey wrench in a whole must of stuff, doesn't it?

If he has authority over all flesh, that means Satan doesn't.

If he has authority over all flesh, it means he's the one in control.

He's sovereign.

We aren't.

If he has authority over all flesh, then he determines who he has mercy on and who he's

compassionate to.

As a matter of fact, he clarifies this, he has authority over all flesh to do what?

To give eternal life to all whom you Father, you have given him.

Ouch.

Now you know why people don't teach this.

Because this whole prayer is about the sovereignty of God.

It's all about sovereign grace.

This puts a major monkey wrench in all kinds of issues.

As a matter of fact, there's a gentleman on YouTube named Dr. Layton, and he uses John

17, and he calls it the un-Calvinism of John 17.

Really?

Have you even gotten to verse two yet?

How do you explain that away?

If he has all authority over all flesh, and he is the one who gives eternal life to whom

the Father has given him, that implies that the Father, that we belong to the Father before

the foundation of the world.

Isn't that what the scripture says?

That your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the creation of all things?

And if that's true, Jesus continues to clarify what eternal life is.

So what is eternal life?

Many would say eternal life is confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe

in your heart that God raised him from the dead.

No, that is not eternal life.

Eternal life is a person.

Look what it says, this is eternal life.

What is eternal life?

This right here.

And what is eternal life?

That they know you, the only true Elohim, and Yahshua ha-Mashiach, whom you have sent.

That's what he says in his language.

You are the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Who is eternal life?

God is eternal life.

You don't get eternal life, you are given eternal life.

And you are given life because God is your life.

That's what Jesus is saying.

You, to know you, the only true God in Jesus Christ whom you have sent, that's eternal

life.

It's not a prayer.

So what's he say?

I have made manifest and acknowledged the dignity and worth of you Father on earth.

That's what he says, I have glorified you on earth.

He has obeyed the Father in every intimate detail, not a dot or a tittle.

Was forsaken in the work of Christ on the earth.

Having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

In other words, Jesus did it perfectly and without any mistakes.

There is nothing undone.

Verse five, and now Father, and he's saying Abba, glorify me in your presence with the

glory that I had with you before the world existed.

In other words, I have veiled myself of the glory that I had with you.

And now Father, I am coming back, going home to sit at the right hand of God the Father.

And this is what Jesus says, and this word glory means the most excellent state.

Hear it in these terms.

And now Father, glorify, manifest and acknowledge the worth and the dignity of the Son in your

own presence with the most exalted state that I had with you before the world existed.

It's kind of amazing.

Because here you see the God man who was fully God, truly God, like how R.C.

Sproul says, truly God and truly man.

John MacArthur says it that way too.

And you're seeing him come to the Father saying, bring me to my most exalted state.

In other words, I'm going back to where I was.

Why?

Because God had to become man to die for his creation.

As a matter of fact, let's clarify this in John 6 verse 37.

John 6:37

John 6, turn there.

Just so you see the context, you know it's important.

John 6, 37, all that the Father gives me will come to me.

I thought I had freedom of choice.

President Ecclesiastes says it this way, love is as strong as death.

When death calls you, you've got to come.

Everyone, when it's time to die, will die.

You can't say, no, it's not my choice right now.

I'd really rather not do that.

No.

Love is as strong as death.

When the love of God calls you, you've got to come.

Jesus says here, all that the Father gives me will come to me.

And whoever comes to me, I will never cast out.

For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent

me.

And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given

me, but raise him up in the last day.

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son believes in him and should

have eternal life, and I will raise him up in the last day, except for one.

And the reason why that one was lost is because prophecy must be fulfilled, and everybody

knows who that is.

Judas was brought in for the sole purpose to betray the Son.

That being said, let's look at Jesus acknowledges the Father's will in prayer.

God's will for his people is to have eternal life.

So when you pray, are you praying for his will?

Verse 6.

Verse 17, verse 6, I have manifested your name.

You might even be able to use the word glorified your name.

I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world.

Ercomi, you gave me people out of the world.

He took you out of one place and placed you in another.

Ercomi, my favorite word, one of my favorite words.

I have made manifest your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world, yours they

were and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

Well, did we ever hear this?

Have you ever really listened to a message based on John 17?

Has this making you a little bit uncomfortable?

Not for me.

It gives me so much security.

I enjoy lavishing in the amazing faithfulness and goodness of God to me.

Look what it says in verse 17.

Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.

Wait.

What are we learning here?

What two doctrines is he proclaiming here?

There's actually three.

The doctrine of sovereign grace.

God is completely sovereign over all things.

Second, the doctrine of election.

God is the one who chooses.

God is the one who does the work.

God is the one who brings us out of the world and brings us into his family.

It's God the Father.

We were his before the foundation of the world and we always were his.

We were then given to the son because of the goodness of the Father and the accomplishment

of the work of Christ on the cross.

What's the second?

What's the third doctrine we're learning here?

Eternal security.

That whoever was the Father has always been the Father and he loses none.

So for all of our Arminian friends and charismatic friends who say you can lose your salvation,

here's a clear doctrinal proof in the prayer of Jesus that you cannot lose your salvation

if you are truly his child.

Stand in the security of our amazing God knowing that in his lavishing love toward you and

in his promises that he keeps his word consistently all the time.

Has nothing to do with you.

That should make you feel happy that you have no part in the process of what God does, that

in God's goodness and kindness, he does the work.

Because if I did any part, I'd think I'd wreck it.

Matter of fact, I would because I'm a sinful man.

I'm trying to avoid squirrels here.

So Jesus here affirms the promises and the will of the Father.

We were his from all eternity and will always be his.

Why?

Because we are elected and are secure in Christ.

What kind of comfort and surety do you have now?

Jesus says, for I have given them the words that you gave me.

You hear that?

For I have given them the words that you gave me and they have received them, meaning the

words, and have come to know in truth that I came from you.

They have believed that you sent me.

Why?

Do you remember what we read at the end of chapter 16?

Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative language.

Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you.

This is why we believe that you came from God.

I want you to hear this.

Your experience means absolutely nothing to the reality of the work of Christ on the cross.

Do we get the benefit of experiencing a loving kindness from God?

Yes.

That is not the determining factor of your salvation.

The determining factor of your salvation is solely on the truth of the word of God.

They lived for three years experiencing the miracles of the hand of the living God in

front of them.

They actually were sent out to go out and cast out demons and heal the sick.

And they still did not understand and comprehend this reality of eternal life.

Then all of a sudden when the work is done and he is about to be arrested and taken to

the cross, all of a sudden because now he is no longer talking in simple terms, he is

just talking plainly to them, they go, now we believe.

Isn't that interesting?

It is not the experience that determines your eternity.

It is the reality of the word of God being active in your life.

It is the word of God that brings you to salvation.

It is the word of God, the gospel by which the gift of faith comes and is planted in

your life by which the Holy Spirit makes alive this faith, the seed of faith, and it produces

in you fruit leading to eternal life.

That is the point.

If it is dependent on the experience, you lost the point.

But if it is dependent upon the truth of the word of God, you can absolutely bank on it.

That is what he means here.

Does that mean that I didn't enjoy seeing God at work in my life as an experience?

Yes, but that experience didn't determine my salvation.

It is the word of God, the gospel, which determined my salvation, the work of the Holy Spirit

in my life through that word.

That is exactly what happens here.

As a matter of fact, to prove that out, turn to chapter 16, verse 13.

Jesus' prayer confirms the truth in his people.

We are changed by the ministry of the truth, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Look what it says in chapter 16, verse 13.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak

on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak and he will declare to you the

things that are to come.

He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

All that the Father has is mine.

Therefore, I have said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

The work of the Holy Spirit is the same work that Jesus did on behalf of the Father when

he was on the earth.

What's that?

What did Jesus declare?

Truth.

I'm going to say this and I hope it doesn't offend you.

Well, sort of.

The Charismatics would say that the point of the reality of the truth of God is the

experience of God in the working of miracles.

That is not true.

That's a lie.

Because they want you to put your hope in man instead of putting your hope in the word

of God.

As a matter of fact, Jesus even clarifies this truth to those on the left.

Didn't we cast out demons in your name?

Didn't we heal the sick in your name?

Didn't we do all these workings of miracles in your name?

He's going to say, depart from me, you who doers of iniquity.

I never knew you.

That doesn't mean you're not going to see crazy stuff happen because it's obvious that

you do.

Some of them is charlatans.

All of it's fake.

But what does he say to those on his right?

Those who practice the word of God.

When I was hungry, you fed me.

When I was thirsty, you gave me drink.

When I was sick, you cared for me.

When I was in prison, you visited me.

When did we do that?

When you did it for the least of these, you did it for me.

That's the word of God active in the life of a believer.

So the reality of conversion is based on the full truth of the gospel.

The word of God being living and active in the life of an individual.

So when Paul says that the word of God is living and active, sharper than the double

edged sword, divides soul and spirit, bone and marrow, judges the intents of the heart,

it's literal.

Why do you think people avoid this?

Why do you think they don't teach the full counsel of it?

Because they don't want the secrets of the heart to be revealed.

John 17 verse 9, verse by verse, which we've been doing this whole time, but it's pretty

John 17:9

simple.

He starts off with this.

I am praying for them, meaning his people, specifically the disciples, and I am not praying

for the world.

Ouch.

I don't know if the world would like that today.

They would say, God is not tolerant.

He's intolerant.

Exactly.

God is exclusively inclusive.

What's that mean?

He's exclusive to those who are his people and only inclusive to his people.

He says, I am praying for them, but I'm not praying for the world.

Ooh, world's in deep trouble.

But for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

Are yours, have always been yours, will always be yours, will continue to be yours, and they

will never not be yours.

That's what this means.

Pretty clear.

All mine are yours and all yours are mine.

I know, gentlemen.

I wish we could say that in our marriage.

Because all mine is my wife's and all my wife's is my wife's.

Winter, winter, chicken dinner.

My wife's gone.

That's my boy.

It's just a joke.

I did that over in first service.

Nobody laughed.

At least you guys get it.

Millennials, I love it.

Gen Zers.

All right.

Here we go.

Look what he says at the end of that verse, verse 10, and I am glorified in them.

In other words, I am made manifest and acknowledged with dignity and worth in their lives.

And I am no longer in the world.

In other words, I'm out.

My days are done.

But they are in the world.

We're still going to be here and I am coming to you.

He said, I'm coming to you.

Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one even

as we are one.

And this is what Jesus is saying.

Jesus has been the shepherd of his sheep for three years.

He has carefully guarded and protected them.

And he is leaving.

And what he's saying to the Father is, they don't have a shepherd anymore.

You are their shepherd.

The Holy Spirit is our shepherd.

He does not leave us nor forsake us.

He does not leave us alone.

He says, I am leaving you.

I will not leave you as orphans.

I will send you a comforter, a helper, who will come for you and care for you and guide

you in all truth.

What you're seeing, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, is the work of the shepherding of

God in your life.

The Holy Spirit is more than just some force.

He's not a force at all.

He's a person.

He's not a genie who gives you everything you wish for.

He is a person who is active and living in your life, shepherding your soul.

He is your spiritual shepherd.

And I am his under shepherd, along with all the other elders in our church.

Isn't that interesting?

Look what he says, which you have given me, that they may be one even as we are one.

What did Jesus do that proved that he was one with the Father?

I only speak what my Father says I should speak.

I only do the will of my Father.

You want to know who, this whole issue of all these churches being ecumenical that we

should all be one.

That's what he wants for us.

That's what he says in his prayer.

No, he wants you to be one according to his will and his word.

I'm not going to be one with your church over there that's being pro this and pro that.

Sorry.

That's not a oneness because that's not according to the will and the word of God.

You have an issue with that, take it up with Jesus.

Not my problem.

Jesus is one with the Father because he came and accomplished exactly what the Father said

he should do and say and do what the Father said he should do.

You want to know what oneness is?

Get in line with the will of God, his word.

That's oneness.

And the reason why churches have a hard time with that is because they don't want God to

be the Lord, master in God or their life.

They want to determine.

They want to be self-determined.

Lastly, look what he says, and I will no longer be in the world, but they will be in the world

and I am coming to you, Holy Father, keep them in your name, that which you have given

me.

And what is the name?

Yeshua, the God who saves.

We will pick up on verse 12 next week.

While I was with them, I kept them in your name.

What you're going to see is Jesus is praying the doctrine of shepherding concerning his

people.

So you've seen the doctrine of election, the doctrine of sovereign grace, the doctrine

of eternal security, the doctrine of the shepherding of God.

And we'll pick up and finish off next week on the rest of this amazing prayer.

So here's what I want you to do for homework.

I want you guys to listen and read this over and over and over again all week.

Listen to what Jesus is saying to the Father on your behalf, because that's what this prayer

is about.

He's leaving.

He has done the work and he says this prayer out loud for his disciples to hear as he is

speaking to the Father so that they are left with these truths and how he prays.

When he prays, he prays instantly and immediately.

To whom he prays?

He prays to the Father.

What does he pray?

He prays that God would be glorified.

How does he pray?

He prays four things.

Prayer, praise and exaltation of God, supplication, prayers on behalf of others, petition, prayers

of requests for others and yourself.

And what's the last one?

Thanksgiving.

Give God glory and be thankful for he alone is God.

The four components of prayer all follows the model of prayer, which Jesus is doing

right here.

Yeah, I said cheer.

Right here.

All right?

So, let's pray.

Father, I want to thank you so much for your faithfulness and goodness.

Thank you for this amazing prayer.

I pray, Lord, that you would continue to guide us in all truth, that we would understand

and know your will, that the full counsel of your word is proclaimed, that we would

be clearer in understanding not only your word, but who you are, confident and sure

of our God and our Savior.

We thank you and praise you.

In Jesus' name, amen.