Jesus, the God-man: Gospel of John
“The Glory of Salvation”
John 17:1-5
Introduction: What makes a parent proud? For some it is first steps, learning to talk, going potty by himself, obedience, having a personal relationship with Jesus, or being a consistent follower of Christ.
In this new chapter we will listen in as Jesus begins a prayer to His Father in which He tells His Father that He has brought Him glory. This is an amazing chapter.
It is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus not only in length but also in scope (He prays for Himself, His disciples, and believers in the future). It has been called the Real Lord’s Prayer because it is a prayer that only the Lord could have prayed.
This chart by John G. Mitchell summarizes this prayer:
Verses Persons Key Word
1-5 Christ and His Father “Glory”
6-19 Christ and His Disciples “Kept”
20-26 Christ and His Church “One”
So let’s begin the study of this fantastic prayer as we first discover “the glory of salvation.”
1. Only Jesus can give eternal life. (vv. 1-2)
Jesus has finished talking to His disciples and now it’s time for Him to talk to His Father.
WOW! Imagine being there and hearing Jesus pray, not only for Himself, and you, His disciple, but also for all those that would come to faith in Jesus through your ministry!
OH MY! How awesome would that be?
Jesus knows what is ahead and knows that He needs to be strengthened through prayer.
“lifted up His eyes” – John rarely speaks of Jesus’ posture in prayer, but here He tells us it is the traditional Jewish way of praying with eyes lifted (and perhaps His hands too).
Illustration: I told this to my youth group one time and one girl liked it so much that she began to pray that way. It was unnerving to some and it freaked her parents until she explained why she was doing it. So, if you choose to do that you may want to explain yourself.
“Father” – This would have been unusual in that day, but we are rather used to it now. This word demonstrated not only relationship, but love as well.
“hour has come” – “My reason for coming has arrived. I will willingly go to the cross to pay for man’s sin debt.”
Jesus has said for a long time that His “time” or “hour” had not yet come and thus no one could or would kill Him, but now that time has arrived demonstrating that Jesus has always been in charge of what was to come. He is sovereign!
“Glorify Me so that I can glorify You.” – The word glory means “to make manifest hidden values, hidden riches”.
If we were to pray such a thing it would be audacious and extremely boastful and proud, but for Jesus to pray such it is not because He is God.
How would He glorify God? Through His death on the cross, the Father would be glorified and ultimately so would the Son because of His obedience.
The Father’s glory was important to Jesus. It should be to you and me as well. Is it your heart’s desire to bring glory to God? If so, keep paying attention.
v. 2 – Jesus points out in His prayer that the Father has given Him all authority as He will again do at His ascension.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Matthew 28:18 (NIV)
Why? Read on. Jesus is given authority so that He can give eternal life to those that have given their lives to Him. God gave them to Him in order that they could be saved!
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
John 6:39 (NIV)
Salvation is not your work. It is His!
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
So do you want salvation? Then you need to come to Jesus Christ. He is the only way! Don’t believe it? Read on…
2. Eternal life comes through knowing Jesus.
(v. 3)
“THIS is eternal life…” - In His prayer, He is about to give the answer to eternal life. He is not giving characteristics of eternal life but the mode of receiving it.
“KNOW You, the only true God” – Know is ginosko which means to know through experience or through an intimate relationship.
Having a relationship with the only true God IS the way of salvation. This implies that there are other false gods that people follow, but each of those end in eternal death, but knowing the only true God leads to eternal life.
“And Jesus Christ” - This is unusual for Jesus to refer to Himself in the third person, but in this He is calling Himself the God-Man that was sent by God the Father.
Forever let us thank God that the hope of a Christian rests on such a solid foundation as a Divine Savior. He to whom we are commanded to flee for pardon, and in whom we are bid to rest for peace, is God as well as man. –J.C. Ryle (1816-1900), Expository Thoughts on Luke
He adds this because Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
The Jews would have accepted the first part of that statement, but they have fully rejected Jesus thus demonstrating they did not really know God. It is only in knowing Jesus through experience that you can have eternal life.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12 (NIV)
As Jesus is praying, He is essentially saying, “Father, I pray they would know that I am their only Hope!”
Illustration: Years ago as a youth pastor I was invited to answer questions about Christianity in a sociology class in a public high school. One of the questions asked was “Does it really matter what we call God or His Son?”
The answer I gave was the verse I just read. There is no other way and Jesus just said as much in His prayer.
The cross reveals both His Lordship and His Saviorhood. He is the source of life to all who come to Him. – Ray Stedman (1917-1992), former pastor, Peninsula Bible Church, Palo Alto, CA
Jesus: “THIS IS eternal life – Know the Father and know Me! Any questions?” Jesus is the connection point.
For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 1 Timothy 2:5 (NIV)
3. Salvation glorifies God. (vv. 4-5)
“glorified you on earth” – How? Through His miracles, holy life, words, obedience, etc.
“I have finished the work you sent me to do” – Remember in the temple at the age of 12?
And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49 (NKJV)
Amazingly He says this before He goes to the cross! He is so certain of His obedience that He speaks of it as complete before it is done! It is as good as done.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! I did what I was sent to do.
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30 (NIV)
On the cross one of His final words was “It is finished!” TETELESTAI. Does not mean what His critics thought which was He is finished, but rather it (salvation, my work, my mission) is completed. Salvation has been purchased and the debt has been paid in full! He stamped the words “PAID IN FULL” across our sin debt.
v. 5 – “now” – Based on my finished work.
“glorify Me together with Yourself” – Literally reads glorify Me alongside or together with Yourself.
“Glorify Me with the same glory that we shared before we spoke the world into existence!”
WOW! There is the eternal nature of Jesus – His pre-incarnate glory.
Salvation brings Him and the Father glory!
Conclusion: Do you see how all of this fits together? His glory results in our salvation which results in His glory!
1. “You gave Me power to save.”
2. “I am the only way of salvation.”
3. “I am glorified by providing salvation through My death on the cross.”
4. “We are glorified by salvation.”
God is glorified by your salvation and mine because it was His plan from start to finish!
When you are saved you can’t say anything except: “Glory to God! Thank you, Jesus!”
And that is “the glory of salvation.”
