Divine Intimacy
1/15/17
John 17:1-3
INTRODUCTION
What's on your wish list? Buzzfeed regularly makes some suggestions for items to add to your wish list on Amazon. Here is some of their recent top suggestions.
Rainbow projector
A Peanut butter cake mix for your dog's next birthday
A gift basket with throwback candies form the 1960's
A yodeling Pickle? Bacon Bandages?
T.S. Wish list. Items.
We laugh at some of those but each of us probably has things on our wish list, our hope list, our desire list that are so significant that we pray for them.
Some of us have prayed for a spouse, for children, for jobs for wisdom, for healing, for strength, for renewal. For many of us the top items on our wish list can be discerned by simply examining our prayer list.
There is an account in scripture late in Jesus ministry when we get a clear picture of what is on the top of the forgivers wish list, the things that he desires so much that he it become the first thing that he prays for.
Turn with me to John 17:1-3
Chapters 14-17 of the Gospel of John are known as the Farewell Discourse given by Jesus to eleven of his disciples immediately after the conclusion of the Last Supper in Jerusalem, the night before his crucifixion.
The discourse is generally seen as having distinct components
First, Jesus tells the disciples that he will be going away to the Father, that he will send the Holy Spirit to guide the disciples.
The next part of the discourse contains the allegory of The Vine which positions Jesus as the vine (the source of life for the world) and the disciples as the branches. The section ends with a warning/promise. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
In the final part of the discourse (John 17:1-26) Jesus prays for his followers and the coming Church. This is the longest prayer of Jesus in any of the gospels, and is known as the Farewell Prayer or the High Priestly Prayer.
The Forgiver's life is now measured in hours and we can assume that what he prays for is of the highest importance and significance.
.John 17:1-3
17 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
RECOGNIZING JESUS DESIRE, THE PURSUIT OF DIVINE INTIMACY SHOULD DEFINE US.
I. What do we mean be divine intimacy?
For me to live is Christ to die is gain. I currently have 1,198 friends on facebook. 5,000 friends on Facebook? Scientists prove 150 is the most we can cope with. www.dailymail.co.uk
A. Divine Intimacy and Eternal Life are tantamount, synonymous, equal.
3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Divine Intimacy means experiencing the presence of God in a knowable way, definable relational way. It is the key characteristic of life now and life to come.
Phil 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
1. Knowing
Going way beyond knowing about him, divine intimacy is out growth of spiritual disciplines that tune our hearts and minds to his presence, his desires, his urgings, his leading.
We know when we have been intimate with God.
2. Defining
A key defining quality of eternal life. Eternal life is more than just endless ages of existence. Eternal life focus on knowing God, experiencing him.
B. Divine Intimacy Glorifies God.
"Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
1. Divine Intimacy was impossibly prior to the Cross
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
2. Divine Intimacy was authorized, willed, enacted by the Jesus
2 since you have given him authority over all flesh,
C. Divine Intimacy is a gift unwrapped not earned.
to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
Eph. 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
II. How Do We unwrap it?
The lunacy of packing way the wrapped Christmas presents. Gift is to be unwrapped, discover appreciated, and explored.
A. Recognize that it is discovered through Jesus.
Author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2).
Missing intimacy focus on Jesus
B. Develop two-way communication.
Relationship are developed through as we share who we are and learn who the other person is.
1. Talk through Prayer
We pray to admit to god what he already knows
* I'm so angry
* So hurt
* So afraid,
* So happy
* So grateful.
* So we draw closer to him
We pray to share with God our greatest desires.
* Free me from this sin,
* Give me patience at work
* Show me how to love my rebellious child.
* So we draw closer to him.
We praise and give thanks as an expression of the relationship
* You aided--thankyou
* You are so forgiving
* You are so faithful
* You are so Caring
* So we draw closer to him
2. Listen through the word.
Reading and studying the word allows us to hear his desires, his like, his dislikes, his concerns, his hopes, his purposes. And every time we read it draws us closer.
Missing intimacy reembrace prayer and the word.
C. Experience bonding through service.
Guinea Build Picture
When we labor together with someone we tend to draw closer, there is a great bond of shared experiences
Some of you will say I was there the night we beat the Baylor Bears. Shared experience.
When we serve, we draw closer not just to those we serve with but with him who we serve for.
Missing intimacy find new avenues of service for him.
RECOGNIZING JESUS DESIRE, THE PURSUIT OF DIVINE
SUMMARY
Divine Intimacy
We are the cmaChurch of Morgantown. We value people going deep in a real and thriving relationship God through Jesus Christ. We go out of our way to challenge people to drink deep of the water of life, to be ever changed, constantly discovering more and more in their Journey with Jesus. We encourage this intimacy to be discovered through the study of his word, experiencing the power of prayer and acts of service.
WHERE TO BEGIN OR TO RENEW.
Join a growth or life group.
Join a pray group.
Choose to serve.
