WHAT JESUS PRAYED WHEN HE PRAYED FOR YOU

John 17

It’s His "High Priestly Prayer" • It serves as the "holy of holies"

of revelation.– Intimacy with the Father– Victory in the face of what

we might see as defeat.• It is the mountain peak of

communion with the Father– He prays for Himself – He prays for his disciples– He prays for future believers

We read this prayer with reverence and awe

• Note the phrase “I am.”• The term “I am” is used 7 times in this

chapter.– Could just be a coincidence?

unless it’s a God thing.– But if it’s a God thing,

I wouldn’t want to miss it would you?

RECOGNIZE HIS DIVINITY

"I am coming to you now..." vs 11, 13

The nature of His return can only be understood in light of who He is.

• "...and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” -- Jn 1:1

• "Who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." -- Phil 2:6

• "And now Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” -- Jn 17:5

This is not relational only, it is also positional

• Jesus had not been "away from" God the Father.

• He had left his position and was returning to it.

REVEL IN HIS INCARNATION

"but I say these things while I am still in the world..." --13

In Jesus Christ, God has come to us!

• "He was in the world...He came to that which was his own." -- Jn 1:10, 11

• "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law...”-- Gal 4:4

One of the tests of the spirits is…

• the acknowledgment "that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh" --I Jn 4:2-3

• This must become personal. – He came to me because He

loves me & I need Him – He alone is infinite So there

is no other name give under heaven whereby men might be saved.

– I receive Him because of who He is.

“…so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them." --v13

• Our Joy is the product of a relationship with God.– In transparent honesty of

confession.– In the freedom of love and

trust.

• It’s also a product of doing right.– But motivated by love not fear

RELISH HIS HOLINESS

"...they are not of the world any more than I am of the world" --14

He prays for protection from the evil one,

• rather than for deliverance (15).

He prays "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth".

• It is in "believing" God that we are sanctified.– His word accepted over all other opinions

and options.– His word trusted above even our own

perspective.– Trusting His promise, even though we don’t

feel worthy.

• To Sanctify is to make Holy.

PRESERVE HIS UNITY

"Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us...that they may be one as we are one.“--21,22

God is interested in unity

• There is unity in the Godhead (21) – "Father, just as you are in me and I am in you."

• We can have unity with God. (21b) – "May they also be in us..."

• We must have unity with each other (22b) – "That they may be one as we are one."

REMAIN WITH HIM FOR ETERNITY

"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am.” --24

More than a Heaven

• A relationship that begins here and now.

• A promise and a hope in the life hereafter.

Here’s What We Have…

• In completing His mission, Jesus made it possible for us to be like Him. – Not Christs.

– But Christians.

• Because of who He is, it’s possible for us to have Eternal Life [see v. 3].– The quality of the Life of God.