Temple Baptist Church - 6-12-2024
John 17:1
Introduction:
1. As I begin to look at the Lord’s Prayer, I realize that there is more teaching of Theology here than just topical preaching.
2. There is much that we can learn through both interpretation and personal application that will help to understand our position in Christ and His will for we children of God.
3. There is devotion as well as instruction. John Knox, a Scottish Reformer and founder of the Presbyterian Church, on his deathbed in 1572, asked his wife to read John 17 to him. He is noted to have said, “Read to me John 17, where I cast my first anchor.”
A. Last week, by way of introduction to John 17, I dealt with several different kinds of prayers that we often offer.
1. Prayer was a vital part of our Lord’s ministry while living on earth robed in flesh. If prayer was so vital to our Lord, and it was, then prayer should be a vital part of our lives also.
2. We saw public praying (specific prayer), devotional praying (family prayer), closet praying (private prayer), and unceasing praying (conversational prayer).
3. In John 17, we have the divine privilege to listen in on the “closet praying” or private prayer of our Lord Jesus. Here we find “His heart” as He communes with the Father concerning His impending propitiation for the sins of the world and His love and care for those who would follow.
B. Our Lord now has accomplished all that was needed for His disciples except for the main reason for His coming, the Cross. A place called Golgotha (the place of the skull), Mount Calvary.
1. The completed Gospel: His substitutional death—for our propitiation, His burial, and His glorious resurrection for our justification.
2. The impeccable Son of God, Who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
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.
C. In the Lord’s Prayer found in John 17, I will make both interpretation and application as it shows us both His relationship to the Father and also His relationship with His children.
D. As I preach through this wonderful chapter of the Bible, I want us to see some of the aspects of our Lord’s prayer in Gethsemane, but I am sure that there was also a communion of our Lord with His Father here that was not written down.
1. I also believe that our Lord’s Pray in the Garden of Gethsemane just before His death, burial, and resurrection, was so much more than 26 verses that took me, at moderate speed, to read in 3 minutes and 20 seconds.
2. His disciples did not all fall asleep in that short of a time.
Luke 22:41-45 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, (42) Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. (43) And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. (44) And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (45) And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
E. The reason that I said this is that prayer is a very personal thing where we tell God things that need not be heard by anyone else. As our relationship with the Father is very personal, so our Lord’s relationship with the Father was also very personal.
F. “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said” There are several great prayers found in the Bible (all prayers in the Bible are great but these are more notable):
1. Solomon’s Prayer at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple in 1 Kings, chapter 8.
2. Abraham’s Intercessory Prayer for Sodom in Genesis, chapter 18.
3. Moses’ Intercessory Prayer for Israel when they made the Golden Calf in Exodus, chapter 32.
4. The Prayers of the Apostle Paul, in the New Testament.
5. But, John, chapter 17, is by far the greatest prayer recorded in the Bible, as it is the longest and most continuous prayer of Jesus recorded in the Bible.
“There is no voice which has ever been heard, either in heaven or in earth, more exalted, more holy, more fruitful, more sublime, than the prayer offered up by the Son to God Himself.” (Melanchthon, cited in Boice)
G. Our Lord did not pray as He guided His disciples to pray. The Lord’s Prayer found here is not a prayer made by sinful man to a thrice holy God but rather a prayer of Co-equality as the Son of God prayers to God the Father. One mind and one spirit!
H. There are Seven Petitions found in our Lord’s Intercessory Prayer that will look at in detail:
1. That Jesus may be glorified as the Son who has glorified the Father – John 17:1; Philippians 2:9-11.
2. For restoration to the eternal glory – John 17:5.
3. For the safety of believers from:
a) The World – John 17:11
b) The Evil One – John 17:15
4. For the sanctification of believers – John 17:17.
5. For the spiritual unity of believers – John 17:21.
6. For the world to believe – John 17:21.
7. For the believers to be with Him in heaven to behold and share His glory – John 17:24..
I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins” without naming any of them.
I Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your cares upon Him” without naming any of them.
Matthew 5:44 says, “Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” without naming any of them.
2. Our relationship with God is a very personal one and should be kept that way. There are things that need only to mentioned to God as publicly discussing them might be detrimental.
J. Tonight, just verse 1 as there is so much here to look at in the few minutes that we will be here.
1. Verse 1 begins with the words, “These words spake Jesus.” This phrase is the summation of the previous chapters, 14-16. He ended His discourse concerning His going away and their staying for a while but coming later.
2. In the Lord’s physical absence, He would send the Spirit of Truth along with the Word of God given to them. Abiding in the True Vine along with these two things would keep the believer in the will of God while equipping them with all they needed for the task ahead.
K. Now, the Lord “lifted up his eyes to heaven.” Here, the Lord’s Prayer begins.
1. Jesus Defines His Relationship – “Father … thy Son”
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.”
a. As on earth, our fathers will always be a part of us and we will always be a part of them, so the unity of the Godhead, often called the Trinity, is Oneness!
b. God is one God, manifesting Himself in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are all co-equal in power and attributes.
c. By application, we that are saved will always be a part of the Father and the Father will always be a part of us.
Ephesians 3:14-15 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (15) Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
1 John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
d. Though children of God, we are not His children by physical birth, they become His children by a supernatural new birth. We are His adopted children!
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
2. Jesus Declares His Resolve – “the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: ”
a. God the Father glorifies the Son of God through the Gospel.
Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
b. Our Lord Jesus glorifies His Father through His obedience and works.
John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Hebrews 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Matthew 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
c. As sons of God, we are to be glorified by the Son of God through the Gospel .
Romans 1:5-6 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: (6) Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
b. As sons of God, we are to glorify our heavenly Father in all things.
Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (2) Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) (3) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
1 Corinthians 10:31-32 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (32) Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
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