The prayer of Jesus
John 17:1-17:18
Introduction-
Happy Father’s Day!
This morning we look at Jesus praying what is called the priestly prayer to the Heavenly Father.
We definitely can tie this to a Father’s day message in the fact that Men, we should be leading and praying for those that God has put in our lives.
John 17:1-18 (Bible)
(1) After Jesus said this- (said what?) v33 of chapter 16
“In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Continue reading verses 2-18 from Bible
Jesus prays for Himself
Jesus prays for His disciples
Jesus prays for future believers.
(20) “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.”
I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I think Jesus is trying to tell us there is benefit in praying!
(1) Jesus looks toward heaven, customary attitude of prayer which Jesus is talking to the Father.
Father used here of God about 120 times in the book of John.
The glory of the Father closely connected by Jesus in a relationship and communication we call prayer.
Jesus expresses and records His words with the Father to tell Him that He has done everything He was asked to do to reveal the Father to the world that He has come to save.
The mission of Christ was not self-centered, it was to reveal the Father, and give humanity an opportunity to have a relationship with God.
This week on Wednesday night we looked at Luke 18 and the persistent widow and an unjust judge.
Parable showing us that if an unjust judge who does not care anything about people would give her justice because of her persistence, how much more does God want to answer prayer with people that He loves.
Were quick to sight acronyms.
P.U.S.H .- Pray until something happens!
F.R.O.G. - Fully relying on God
They are cute and catchy but how many of us are actively in a relationship with God that we are communicating with Him daily and actively seeking direction from Him?
Prayer is the most unused weapon in most Christians arsenal.
It is the last thing instead of the first thing.
It is the words of pity bounced off a spiritual wall in hopes that somehow something would change in our circumstances.
George Barna says that 54% of believers pray daily- out of the 54%, 87% of them actually believe that God answers prayer.
God is not like the unjust judge who is corrupt and is only looking out for himself. God cares about us. God desires to listen with a heart of love and compassion. God desires to respond to us with what is best for us.
God cares.
God listens.
God responds………….write them down and remember them.
We take prayer out of school, out of government, out of public buildings, we take him out of commencement speeches, or at best we make Him generic and say don’t pray in Jesus name!
In Jesus name is where the power of prayer is energized.
The world takes Jesus out- tells us that we don’t really have to have a relationship with God, and we wonder why we are experiencing such a traumatic change in culture.
Prayer is not getting God to see it your way, it is us getting to see it God way.
It Is no wonder people cannot pray- no relationship with God will result in prayers that seem to bounce off the ceiling of heaven.
(6) Jesus says- “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world.”
(8) “For I gave them the words you gave me.”
(9)” I pray for them- I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.”
Listen to His prayer-
“All I have is yours, and all you have is mine, and glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name- the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.”
(15) “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one.”
Everything comes from you- Jesus words to the Father.
The disciples had to understand that – we have to understand that today.
3 things the disciples had to realize
(1) They had to accept Jesus teachings- hear it and receive it – not like the Pharisees who heard it but rejected it.
(2) They had to understand Jesus divine origin. The revelation of Jesus Christ will reveal God’s truth to them.
(3) They had to believe
The world was hostile and still is to the things of God.
Jesus desiring that God’s people would have the relationship that they have- “They were one.” And He desires that “We could become one with Him.”
Once we put God and Jesus in the right prospective, it is a lot easier to communicate. You try to create your own God and the communication is going to break down.
You don’t understand that God cares, God listens, God responds, you will not be listening for God’s voice of direction for your life.
When you realize that God is much smarter than you are, you become okay in those moments that you feel like God has left you. Why? Because you realize God has your best interest in mind and you can patiently wait for His answer.
God can answer you:
Quickly
Latter
He could have something better, but you must wait.
No!- No is an answer! We don’t like it, but it is a response to our prayers sometimes.!
We ask God to take our minds and make them like Christ.
We ask the Holy Spirit to pray and operate through us and for us.
Pastor Jim cymbal is a man of prayer.
In 1972, he was asked to go to a small church in New York.
Everything appeared wrong:
Church had no money
Bad location
Building falling apart
Not many people
God told him, if he would teach his people to pray, lead them, that He would take care of all the negatives. 40 years later Tuesday nights is bigger than their Sunday morning service. Over
Why? Because God is in it!
Do you realize what God can do with praying Fathers and Mothers.
Do you know what God can do with praying churches.
Christ power is adequate for every need.
The world is where the disciples were to do their work. It is where each one of us who professes Christ is to do their work that He called us to do.
Stop asking God to take you out of some of your situations, and start asking him what He desires for you to do while you are in those situations.
Closing,
Jesus prayer for us is this-
(15) “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth- your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them ai sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”
Jesus will not bring us out of the world until our work is complete:
As a Father, mother
As a church in a community with a job to do.
Jesus sent you- in the power of His name to accomplish the task at hand.
You may be long for heaven, but it us earth that the work needs to be done.
Sanctified- set apart- consecrated to Jesus Christ. In a relationship that has daily communication.
Jesus didn’t only die to save you, but to equip you for work of ministry and have a relationship with Him.
The unity of believers should have an effect on outsiders.
Being set apart is not a bad thing or a punishment.
Thoughts
God’s speedy is not the same as ours.
Devine delays does not necessarily mean divine reluctance.
Don’t give up-
Average people do what is expected- Godly people do what is expected ….and then some. The difference is the …and then some.
Prayer takes time and effort
Prayer needs a reason.
Prayer needs and requires passion.
Prayer demands faith.
I have prayed a lot of silly prayers in my life- and I know you have too. Some I am glad that the Lord did not answer.
As we close, make this a prayer to the Lord
Father, protect me by the power of your name.
Sanctify me- set me apart.
May I draw close to you daily.
Jesus your will, be my will.
In Jesus name!
Amen
