JESUS PRAYS FOR HIS OWN
JOHN 17:1-5
Introduction:
This is the real “Lord’s Prayer” and is often called the High Priestly Prayer of Christ. Here He prays first for Himself and then for His own – the disciples, v. 6, “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.” And He also prays for all who will believe in Him in the future, v. 20, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;”
I. JESUS APPROACHES THE FATHER
A. Through their Father-Son relationship, Matthew 6:9, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
1. We approach the Father in the name of Jesus because of our relationship with Him, John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
2. He is our Mediator between God and man, 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
B. Jesus used the word “Father” three other times in this prayer…
1. Jesus prayed for the glory that He and the Father had in eternity past, John 17:5, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
2. He prayed that the disciples would be unified as He and the Father, John 17:21, That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
3. He prayed that they might be with Him, John 17:24, “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 lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”
II. THE HOUR HAD COME
A. To glorify the Son by redeeming man from his sins, v. 1; John 12:27, “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.”
1. Jesus knew what lay ahead, John 13:21, “When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.”
2. He knew that He was to die for our sins, Psalm 88:3, “For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.”
B. “I have glorified you on the earth,” v. 4; John 12:28, “Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying , I have both glorified it , and will glorify it again.”
C. I have finished the work, v. 4.
1. He had kept God’s commandments, John 15:10, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”
2. He had done the will of God, John 4:34, “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”
a. His “meat” was to do God’s will, John 4:32, “But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.”
b. His goal was to please the Father, 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.”
c. His determined purpose was to finish God’s work, John 17:4, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”
D. That the Son might GLORITY the Father, v. 1; John 13:31-32, “Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.”
1. God had glorified the Lord Jesus, Acts 3:13, “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.”
2. God has exalted Him above every name, Philippians 2:9-11, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
3. God has raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, 1 Peter 1:21, “Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”
CONCLUSION:
Jesus is glorified in the saints also. That is the primary purpose of our being on this earth, v. 10, “And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.”