The Time Has Come...to Pray #5 Series

November 12, 2003

Title: The Time Has Come...To Pray #5

Text: John 17:7-8

Introduction

1. As we continue to observe Christ as He prays to His Father...

2 weeks ago we saw that Christ turned His attention from praying for Himself...

and began to pray for His disciples.

in verse 6, we saw that Jesus revealed what God was like through His actions...

and through His teachings...

(which, incidentally, is exactly the way that WE reveal what God is like to the people we come into contact with).

We saw that after Jesus revealed God to His disciples...

that the disciples obeyed God...

Obedience is the key.

and that sets the context for the next 2 verses in this, "The Lord’s Prayer"

Read text (back up to verse 6, to get the context)

John 17:6-8

Body

1. "NOW they know that everything You have given Me comes from You"

A. The small word "NOW" is very important.

It means "Now,--at this present time"...

and it also has the meaning "from this time forward"

B. Something has happened so that the disciples finally realize that God and Christ are so interlinked...

and that Christ was indeed Christ, God’s Son...

and that all the teachings...

all the miracles...

the life that Christ portrayed...

it was all divine in nature

C. But what happened that caused this revelation?

what was it that happened that "NOW" they know...

but before that they weren’t sure?

we find the answer to that in Verse 6.

And that tells us that the disciples "have obeyed Word"

D. In verse 6, we saw the divine initiative...

God reaching out to the disciples...

but it isn’t until the disciples respond...

it isn’t until they put it into practice...

it isn’t until they actually "obey God’s Word"

that they come into the knowledge that Christ is real...

and that He really is who He says He is.

E. This is the defining ingredient ...

this is the thing that separates those are just "good people"..

and those that are truly Christians...

You can STUDY the Bible...

You can read about Jesus Christ...

You can listen to preaching about Christ and who He is...

You can sing the songs...

and put the tithe in the offering plate...

You can "believe" that Jesus is the Son of God...

but if you don’t OBEY Him...

if you don’t do what the Bible says...

if you don’t actually invite Christ into Your heart...

and allow Him to make a change in your life...

well, then I guess you will never really know...

F. BUT, if you DO invite Christ into your heart...

if you DO obey His teachings...

if you DO follow the Bible and accept it as God’s Word...

well, then you KNOW!

2. Verse 8 then expands upon this knowledge...

A. Jesus said, "For..."

Again, another small word with great meaning!

It means "because of this..."

or "and that is why"

B. That is why Christ gave them the words of life...

They listened to the words of Christ...

They observed His life...

and they obeyed...

And because of this, Christ gives them the teachings of divinity...

the words of God Himself...

C. And verse 8 tells us that the disciples did 3 things with the words of Christ...

1. First of all "they accepted them"

this is in contrast to the Pharisees and others...

They also HEARD the teachings of divinity...

they SAW the life of Christ also...

It wasn’t kept a secret from them...

it wasn’t hidden from them...

Christ was there, offering His life...

offering His teachings...

but many didn’t accept Him.

It’s like giving someone a present...

I can go shopping for just the right present...

I can put a lot of thought and love in trying to select the perfect gift for someone...

and I can wrap the present in pretty wrapping paper...

and I can hold out the present to that person...

offering them the gift that I put so much time and effort and money into...

but if that person doesn’t actually take the gift...

if they don’t open it and accept it...

well, then a couple of things happen...

a. First of all, they obviously miss out on the blessing and the value of this free gift that I was giving them.

B. Secondly, they’ve hurt my feelings...

I was offering them something of value...

something that was important to me...

something that I really wanted them to have...

but they rejected my gift...

and I guess, in a way, when they reject my gift...

it is a rejection of me as well.

The same thing happens when people don’t accept the words of Christ...

They are missing out on the blessing of the free gift that Christ has for them...

and I’m sure it hurts Christ deeply when people reject Him...