John - Chapter 17: Jesus Prayed for His Disciples

Application: The student will understand that while facing death on the cross, Jesus prayed for His disciples and for all believers.

MOST OF US CALL THE PRAYER INSTRUCTION GIVEN BY JESUS TO HIS DISCIPLES EARLIER IN JOHN “THE LORD'S PRAYER”.

BUT IT IS MORE APPROPRIATE TO CALL THAT “OUR FATHER” PRAYER A MODEL PRAYER AND TO GIVE THE PRAYER IN JOHN 17 THAT WE STUDY TODAY “THE LORD'S PRAYER” FOR IT IS TRULY HIS PRAYER TO HIS FATHER.

THESE RECENT STUDIES WE HAVE DONE IN JOHN HAVE HAD SOME THEMES TO BUILD US UP TO THIS LESSON TODAY:

JOHN 13 / JESUS WASHES THE FEET, OBSERVES THE PASSOVER,

IDENTIFIES JUDAS AS THE BETRAYER, AND 

INSTITUTES THE LORD'S SUPPER FOR ALL TIME.

John 14 / JESUS COMFORTS HIS DISCIPLES, KNOWING THEIR

HEARTS WERE TROUBLED AND TOLD THEM IF YE

BELIEVE IN THE FATHER, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME.

JOHN 15 / JESUS TAUGHT THAT HE WAS THE VINE AND WE ARE

THE BRANCHES AND THE FATHER IS THE ONE WHO 

PRUNES. IF WE ARE TO BEAR FRUIT, WE MUST ABIDE.

JOHN 16 / JESUS REVEALS THE ARRIVAL AND WORK OF THE 

HOLY SPIRIT AND TOLD HIS OWN THAT HE WAS 

LEAVING TO RETURN TO THE FATHER.

NOW AFTER THESE TEACHINGS, HE IS READY TO FACE HIS HOUR WHICH HAS NOW COME AND TO HAVE A FINAL CONVERSATION WITH HIS FATHER CONCERNING THIS MOMENT WHICH HAS BEEN PLANNED

SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. (REV 13:8)

IT WAS FIRST ANNOUNCED TO US IN GENESIS 3:15 IN THE GARDEN.

NOW JESUS PRAYS CONCERNING HIMSELF.

THIS PRAYER IS BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT IN ALL THE BIBLE.

WE HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED BY SOLOMON'S PRAYER IN 1ST KINGS 8,

AND ABRAHAM'S PRAYERFUL CONVERSATION IN GENESIS 18, AND BY THE PRAYER OF MOSES IN EXODUS 32, BUT NONE OF THESE COME CLOSE TO OUR LORD OPENING HIS HEART IN HIS LAST MOMENTS IN THE LIKENESS OF MAN.

HERE IN JUST A FEW VERSES JESUS EXPLORES MORE THAN A FEW

CRITICAL ISSUES SUCH AS GLORY, GLORIFY, SENT, BELIEVE, WORLD, AND LOVE.

HE LIFTS UP HIS EYES TO HEAVEN.

THIS POSTURE IS NOT ONE WE NORMALLY IDENTIFY WITH PRAYER, SINCE WE PRAY IN A POSTURE OF HUMILITY, HEAD BOWED, EYES CLOSED.

THERE WAS NOTHING DOWNCAST IN THIS MOMENT BY THE LORD.

HE KNEW WHY HE HAD COME, AND HE HAD COME TO THE COMPLETION OF HIS PURPOSE WITHIN A FEW MORE HOURS AND WAS SPEAKING IN CONFIDENCE OF HIS VICTORY SOON TO BE SEEN BY ALL.

HE WAS FULLY FOCUSED ON HIGHER THINGS.

HE ADMITS HIS HOUR WAS UPON HIM AND ASKS THAT HE BE GLORIFIED SO THAT HIS WORK MIGHT GLORIFY THE HEAVENLY FATHER.

WE NOTICE HERE THE INTENSE RELATIONSHIP SHOWN TO US AND HEARD BY THOSE NEARBY, ONE OF FULL LOVE & TRUST AND CLEARLY DEMONSTRATING THAT JESUS & THE FATHER ARE ONE.

HIS CROSS WOULD BRING NO GLORY IF HIS MISSION HAD FAILED.

NOW HE WAS PREPARED TO DRINK OF HIS CUP COMMANDED.

HIS REQUEST THAT THE FATHER GLORIFY HIM EMBRACED HIS DEATH, RESURRECTION, APPEARANCE ALIVE AGAIN TO THOSE CHOSEN (ACTS 10:40-41), AND HIS PLACE SOON GRANTED AT THE FATHER'S RIGHT HAND.

WHAT PROOF DO WE HAVE IN THE WORDS JESUS SPOKE?

• HIS HOUR HAD COME 17:1

• THE FATHER WILL NOW BE GLORIFIED 17:1

• AUTHORITY HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVE TO GRANT ETERNAL LIFE 17:2

• JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO THIS LIFE ETERNAL 17:3

• THE WORK GIVEN HAD BEEN FINISHED 17:3

TO MEN THE CROSS WAS THE ULTIMATE MOMENT OF HUMILIATION AND SHAME BUT TO JESUS IT WAS THE MEANS OF TRUE GLORY.

THIS WORK OF THE SON GLORIFIES THE FATHER BY CLEARLY SHOWING IN THIS ACT, THE SOVEREIGNITY OF GOD OVER EVIL, AND THE FINAL REDEMPTION OF ALL WHO BELIEVE BY THIS ONCE AND FINAL ATONING SACRIFICE.

JESUS HAS BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY OVER ALL THINGS AND PAUL CONFIRMS AGAIN THIS POWER IN PHILLIPIANS 2:5-11 WHEN HE PROMISES EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW & EVERY TONGUE CONFESS.

JESUS TELLS THE FATHER THAT HE HAD ALREADY GLORIFIED THE FATHER BY HIS MINISTRY.

HIS WHOLE LIFE OF SINLESS OBEDIENCE FULFILLED THE ANCIENT LAW, SATISFYING THE REDEMPTION NECESSARY TO PROVIDE SALVATION OUTSIDE OF THE LAW.

(FOR BY THE LAW IS NO FLESH JUSTIFIED)  ROM 3:20

JESUS STATES CLEARLY, NOT FOR HIMSELF, BUT FOR US, THE FACT THAT HE HAD GLORY WITH THE FATHER BEFORE THE WORLD WAS CREATED.

WHY IS THIS STATEMENT SO VERY IMPORTANT?

BECAUSE THE WORD GIVEN BY GOD'S HOLY PROPHET. ISAIAH, IN 42:8 & 48:11 CLEARLY SAYS YAHWEH SHARES HIS GLORY WITH NO ONE.

IF THE FATHER AND THE SON BOTH SHARED THIS EVERLASTING GLORY THEN THEY MUST BOTH BE ONE AS YAHWEH.

THIS GOSPLE WRITING OF JOHN HAS ARRANGED MANY EXAMPLES THAT JESUS MANIFESTED GOD'S GLORY THAT JESUS RECORDS IN THIS HOLY PRAYER:

1:14 THE LIFE OF JESUS BROUGHT FORTH THIS GLORY AND THE DISCIPLES SAW IT AS EYEWITNESSES.

2:11 THE MIRACLES OF JESUS MANIFESTED THE GLORY OF GOD.

7:18 & 8:50 JESUS ONLY EVER SOUGHT THE GLORY OF THE FATHER.

11:40 HE TAUGHT THE REVEALATION OF GLORY IS THE REWARD OF FAITH.

7:39 & 12:16 & 12:23 & 13:31

MANY TIMES JESUS SPOKE OF HIS WORKING TOWARD

SUFFERING AND THE CROSS AND THE COMING GLORY.

NOW IN VERSES 6-8 JESUS TURNS HIS ATTENTION IN HIS PRAYER FOR THE DISCIPLES.

HE SPEAKS OF HIS MISSION AMONG THESE MEN AND THEIR RECEPTION OF IT.

HE HAS MANIFESTED THE NAME OF THE FATHER TO THEM.

HE HAD CHOSEN THEM OUT OF THE WORLD AFTER A NIGHT OF PRAYER WITH THE FATHER (LUKE 6:12-16).

HE SAYS THESE MEN BELONGED FIRST TO THE FATHER WHO THEN GAVE THEM TO HIM.

THEY HAVE KEPT YOUR WORD.

FOR ALL OF THEIR FAULTS AND HUMAN FAILINGS, THEY WERE REMAINING IN DEVOTION AND WOULD CONTINUE BEING DEVOTED AFTER JESUS DEPARTED.

THEY HAVE KNOWN THAT JESUS CAME FROM THE FATHER.

THEY TRULY BELIEVED THE FATHER SENT JESUS TO THEM.

NOW IN VERSES 9-10 JESUS PRAYS STRONGLY FOR THESE MEN AND CLEARLY SAYS HE DOES NOT PRAY FOR THE WORLD.

HE SAYS HE HIMSELF HAS BEEN GLORIFIED IN THEM AND WE SEE HERE THAT EACH OF US, AFTER OUR BORN AGAIN MOMENT, ARE EXPECTED TO DO THE SAME,  GLORIFY JESUS.

PAUL LATER TAUGHT THIS MESSAGE VERY STRONGLY IN COLOSSIANS 1:27 “CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY”.

NOW IN VERSES 11-12 JESUS ASKS THE FATHER TO KEEP THESE MEN THROUGH HIS OWN HOLY NAME.

HERE HE DIRECTS HIS TOTAL COMPASSION FOR THESE DISCIPLES ASKING THE FATHER TO BE WITH THEM AS THEY WILL SUFFER MUCH THEMSELVES SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY PREACH & TEACH HIS GOSPEL.

WE NOTICE JESUS DID NOT ASK FOR A SPECIAL GUARDIAN ANGEL FOR EACH DISCIPLE, RATHER HE ASKED THAT THE FATHER HIMSELF KEEP THEM AND ASSURE THEIR CONTINUED DEVOTION TO THE WORK.

HE SAYS THIS REQUEST IS SO THEY MIGHT BE ONE TOGETHER AS HE AND HIS HEAVENLY FATHER ARE ONE.

HE PRAYS CLEARLY FOR THE UNITY OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE, FIRST FOR THESE DISCIPLES AND THEN FOR ALL THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE THE GOSPEL THROUGH THEM.

THIS IS US!

WE NOTICE HERE THAT JESUS SAYS NONE THAT WERE GIVEN TO HIM WERE LOST, SAVE ONE, THE SON OF PERDITION, JUDAS.

HE SAYS THIS HAPPENED THAT THE SCRIPTURES WERE FULFULLED.

PSALM 41:9 “YES, MINE OWN FAMILIAR FRIEND, IN WHOM I TRUSTED,

… HATH LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.”

PSALM 109:8 “LET HIS DAYS BE FEW; AND LET ANOTHER TAKE HIS OFFICE.'

ACTS 1:20 REMINDS US LATER OF THIS PROPHECY.

IN VERSES 13-16 JESUS EXPANDS HIS REQUEST ASKING THAT THESE MEN BE KEPT IN HIS JOY AND AWAY FROM THE EVIL ONE.

JESUS REFERS TO HIS OWN JOY HERE WHICH WAS ROOTED IN HIS UNBROKEN RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER AND WAS NEVER DIMINISHED BY SIN OF ANY KIND.

JESUS DOES NOT ASK THAT THESE MEN BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WORLD.

HE INTENDS FOR THEM TO REMAIN IN THE WORLD AND TO GO TO THE WORLD CARRYING HIS MESSAGE TO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF IT.

JESUS KNOWS THE EVIL ONE, WHO WILL BE DEFEATED BY HIS RESURRECTION, WILL STILL BE IN THE WORLD.

SO THESE MEN NEEDED THE FULL POWER OF GOD TO LEAD THEM ONWARD IN THE CHALLENGE HE HAD GIVEN THEM.

IN 17-19 HE ASKS THAT THESE BE SANCTIFIED (MADE HOLY) FOR THE WORK AHEAD.

IN VERSE 23 JESUS PRAYS FOR A UNITY FOUNDED IN LOVE.

IN THIS PORTION HE REFLECTS ON THE DESIRE HE HAS FOR THE CHURCH TO COME, UNIFIED AS ONE, AND MADE HOLY BY HIS GOSPEL.

JESUS HAD MADE A PROMISE TO HIS DISCIPLES IN 14:2-3 THAT HE IS PREPARING A PLACE FOR THEM WHEN HE DEPARTS.

NOW HE ASKS THE FATHER TO ALLOW THEM TO SEE HIS GLORIFED FORM AFTER HIS RISING SO THAT THEY HAVE PROOF THAT THIS PROMISE IS BEING KEPT. (JOHN 1:14 TAUGHT US THIS REQUEST WAS

GRANTED “... WE BEHELD HIS GLORY, THE GLORY OF THE ONLY ONE BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER.”)

HE ASKS THAT THEY MAY BEHOLD HIS GLORY, AND THEY DID.

AND IN THE FINAL VERSES JESUS CONCLUDES HIS GREATEST WISH WHICH IS THAT THE LOVE WITH WHICH THE FATHER LOVED THE SON BE IN THESE MEN, AND IN ALL THOSE WHO WOULD COME AFTER.

DOUBT

THE CHOSEN ELEVEN WERE GIVEN BY THE FATHER TO JESUS AND WERE SAVED AS JESUS SAID AS NONE WERE LOST SAVE JUDAS. SPECIAL POSITIONS WERE ARRANGED FOR THEM IN THE KINGDOM. BUT DID THIS SPECIAL PROTECTION SAVE THEM FROM DOUBT?

John 17:12 “... those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost,

but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled...”

Matthew 28:16-17 “... then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshiped him: but some doubted.”

(NOTICE NOT ONE ONLY DOUBTED SUCH AS THOMAS BUT SOME)

Luke 22:29-30 “And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”