Divine Intercession

Divine Intercession

Reading: John chapter 17 verses 1-19

Ill:

• One night a father heard his young daughter speaking,

• Although she was alone in her room.

• The door was open just enough;

• That he could see that she was kneeling beside her bed in prayer.

• Interested to find out what subjects a child would bring before God,

• He paused outside her door and listened.

• After tuning in to her speech he was puzzled to hear her reciting the alphabet:

• "A, B, C, D, E, F, G …" She just kept repeating it.

• He didn’t want to interrupt her,

• But soon curiosity got the best of him and he broke into prayer,

• "Honey," he asked, "what are you doing?"

• "I’m praying, Daddy," she replied.

• "Well, why are you praying the alphabet?" he asked.

• She explained,

"I started my prayers, but I wasn’t sure what to pray.

So I decided to just say all the letters of the alphabet and let God put them together however he thinks best."

Unlike that little girls prayer:

• This high priestly prayer of Jesus:

• Reveals the heart of someone who knows exactly what he wants to say.

Quote: The great British Baptist preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon;

"Some brethren pray by the yard; but true prayer is measured by weight, and not by length."

• The greatest prayer ever prayed is recorded in John 17,

• You can read it out loud in about six minutes.

Quote: Allesley Park;

“The longest prayer in the Bible is Solomon’s, it is 1,050 words in the King James Version, it can be reading ? minutes - Behold one greater than Solomon!”

• I would suggest long prayers should be for private;

• Short prayers for public gatherings.

This evening we are looking at the Lords prayer:

• I am referring to the one recorded here in John chapter 17.

• The other prayer often called the ‘Lord’s prayer’ is really mis-titled.

• The most well known prayer (piece of the Bible) which starts ‘Our Father’;

• Should really be called the disciples prayer, for they said, “Lord, teach s to pray”.

• And Jesus could never pray it himself;

• Because of the line; “Forgive us our trespasses”.

• Because he never trespassed the law of God and sinned!

So here in John chapter 17 we see Jesus praying ALONE to his Father;

• His disciples were not invited to unite with him in it;

• As we will see, it will be a prayer that they could not pray for themselves.

• It really is the greatest prayer ever prayed!

• There is not much length, but there is certainly a great deal of depth and weight!

• Quote: According to Dr. Herbert Lockyer, Sr.,

• There are 650 definite prayers recorded in the Bible;

• But not one of them can match our Lord’s "High Priestly Prayer" in John 17;

• Nor I would add, can any prayer recorded outside the Bible.

THE PRAYER MAY BE OUTLINED AS FOLLOWS:

(a). Jesus prayed for himself (verses 1-5):

• The gospels tell us that Jesus frequently prayed;

• But they hardly ever tell us what he prayed or how he prayed.

• This prayer gives us a glorious insight into the heart of Jesus.

“After Jesus said this, he looked towards heaven and prayed:

Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.

2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.

3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.

5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

Two things to note:

(a). a celebration.

4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.

• Jesus came into the world with a purpose;

• That purpose was to do the will of the Father.

• The only way to glorify God the Father is to obey him;

• And Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father’s will!

• Ill: A child brings honour to their parents when they obey them.

• Ill: A citizen brings honour to their country when they obey it.

• Ill: A scholar brings honour to their teacher when they obey their teaching.

• Ill: Jesus brought honour and glory to the Father by his perfect obedience.

• Throughout his life Jesus had always obeyed the Father;

• Now at the end of his life he could say he had accomplished his goal.