Alliance Church
Pastor David Welch
“The Real Lord’s Prayer” John 17
Review
Know his love more deeply
Know his word more clearly
Love one another fervently
Trust and obey the indwelling Holy Spirit continually.
Pray to the Father passionately and He will answer faithfully
Introduction
In chapter 17 Jesus enters into intimate conversation with His Father only a short time before He is delivered into the hands of the Gentiles. What we have here is the REAL Lord’s prayer. The “our Father” prayer is technically the disciples prayer. The phrase “Jesus spoke these things” ties His prayer into the preceding time of teaching. After Jesus finished talking to His disciples He talked to His Father. What can we learn from this prayer in regard to our own prayer? Is this a good model? All through His time on earth, Jesus enjoyed and even depended upon long periods communicating with the Father. Here, we have a rare glimpse into the content and format of that conversation.
In this most intimate prayer we find a crossing of four basic fabrics.
• Relationship with the Father
• Relationship with the followers
• Requests for self
• Requests for followers
This is a unique example of the ultimate High Priest’s prayer on our behalf.
“because Jesus continues forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:24-25
There are some common threads tying the fabrics together
• The manifestation and restoration of divine glory in regard to the Father and Son
• The intimacy between Father and Son
• The importance of accepting the Son’s relationship with the Father
• The protection of the followers
• The purity of the followers through the word
• The unity of the followers with the father and the son
• The unity of the followers with each other
Relationship with the Father
“Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father” 17:1
He addresses God as – “Father” For a Jew this would be a very rare address to God.
Almighty, Everlasting, Holy, Righteous, Most Holy, Lord, but not Father. Jesus address God as Father four times in this prayer to express the closeness of their relationship.
“the hour has come”
Perfect tense verb -- the hour has arrived and is still playing itself out
John referred to “the hour” previously in the book but in terms of its future fulfillment.
John 7:30 John 8:20 12:23 John 12:27-28
What is the hour? Most likely Jesus has in mind not just the hour of his death but also the whole sequence of coming redemption events carefully calculated from the foundation of the world. This was the hour in which the Son of man would terminate his labors by becoming the one and only atoning sacrifice for the sin of mankind; the hour of fulfilling prophecies, types, and symbols; the hour of triumph over the prince of the world; the hour of dismissing the old and of ushering in the new covenant in His blood.
Request for self – glorify the son.
“glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You” John 17:1
John indicated in 1:14 that the disciples “beheld” his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth. Jesus’ first request relates to the intimate relationship enjoyed between the Father and the Son. He asks the Father to openly lay bare His true nature in all its glory through this coming hour of darkness so that Jesus may be a true reflection of the Father’s true nature. Because of their most intimate connection, whatever relates to the Son reflects on the Father. Jesus told Philip –“you have seen me, you have seen the Father” Nicodemus recognized that no one could do the things that Jesus did unless God were with him. Similar to a Son or daughter asking the support of a father or mother to achieve their full potential and as a result not only the child but the parent is honored, glorified, esteemed, admired through it all. Jesus asks for a glorious finish to the eternal plan that will bring honor to them both.
Relationship with the father
The Father gave Jesus authority over all flesh
even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, John 17:2
Jesus acknowledges the Father’s honor on Him in the past by granting Him the authority over all flesh. Jesus asks the Father to bring Him through the coming “hour” with the equal display of glory and honor as His authority over all flesh.
The Father gave Jesus followers; Jesus gave them eternal life
that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. John 17:2
Here we see the heart of that glory. The Father gave followers to Jesus. This was abundantly clear in John 10. The authority of Jesus over flesh centered in the authority to give eternal life. The Father honored Jesus by trusting Him to come down as the ultimate authority over all flesh. Now He asks the Father to extend that same glory by finishing wonderful plan of redemption in the next stage and exalting Him as promised. It was because Jesus humbled Himself and glorified the Father by his obedience, that the Father highly exalted him (glorified him) before men. (Philippians 2:8-9) Jesus affirms the mutual work of the Father and the Son in the redemption process.
Eternal life is truly knowing the Father and the Son.
"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 17:3
The Father granted the Son authority over all flesh. Continual experiential relationship (knowing) with the Father and the Son translates to eternal life.
Jesus glorified the Father by doing everything He asked.
"I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. John 17:4
Jesus confirms the fact that he has already glorified the Father already by His life of obedience and by finishing all the work assigned to Him on earth. Everything he did drew attention to the Father. “The work given Jesus to do.” Jesus used a perfect tense verb indicating a work assigned and still before Him yet. The assignment still stands.
Request for self repeated and expanded
"Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. John 17:5
Jesus repeated the request for glorification. Jesus longed to experience the glory He enjoyed before He took on limited flesh. John 1 clearly taught that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Since taking on flesh the manifestation of that glory was veiled and limited. You can feel the longing to return to a full display of His glory. Up to this point the full display of His true nature and glory had only been see at the transfiguration Jesus longed to experience the full manifestation of his divine nature as it was before. Jesus asks for mutual glory, shared honor, joint admiration so openly enjoyed before the world was even created. The eternal nature of their relationship is clearly seen from His statement. Jesus did not come into existence at Bethlehem.
Relationship with followers
Jesus then voiced his inmost thoughts and feelings to the Father regarding his disciples. He mentions at least seven pertinent facts regarding His relationship with the followers given as treasured gifts of the Father.
These followers were a special gift from the Father
they were Yours and You gave them to Me, John 17:6
Jesus manifested the Father’s name to the ones given to Him
"I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world. John 17:6
This phrase indicates where the followers came from. Jesus continually pointed them to the Father.
They kept the Father’s word
they have kept Your word John 17:6
The disciples kept or guarded the words given by Jesus.
They received the Father’s words and understood Jesus’ true identity
"Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me John 17:7-8
All through this prayer and through John actually is the absolute necessity of acknowledging the divine origin of the person Jesus. There is no salvation without an unequivocal belief in the divine origin of Jesus. Jesus is God’s direct representative to man.
Jesus asked on behalf of those given by the Father, not for the world
"I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; John 17:9
Notice Jesus did not pray for the world. Why not?
Jesus was glorified in His followers
and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. 17:10
Jesus acknowledged that what belongs to the Father belongs to Him and that He himself has been glorified in these followers that belonged to the Father. As bumbling, inept and fragile as these disciples appeared up to this point, Jesus acknowledged that he has been glorified in them. The have brought Him honor. They have made Him proud. They have caused Him to be exalted in the world. They have drawn attention to the magnificence of his character and work.
They were still in the world that Jesus was even then about to leave
"I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world” 17:11
This statement sets the background of the first request concerning the followers.
Request for followers
Since Jesus was leaving, keep them unified in the His name
I come to You Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. John 17:11
To keep means to “to keep in view,” “to note,” “to watch over”. Jesus us asks the Father to keep them unified under the name given to Jesus. “Christians”
Relationship with followers
Jesus kept them while on earth
"While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and John 17:12
Imperfect verb indicates Jesus kept them unified throughout his time on earth and guarded them.
Jesus did not lose any of them except the one predicted by Scripture.
not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. John 17:12
Jesus taught the word so His followers might have His joy in them
"But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. "I have given them Your word; John 17:14a
Knowing the truth brings eternal perspective and joy. Hebrews tells of Jesus who for the joy set before Him in the future endured the present.
The world hated them because they were no longer of the world
and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.Jo 17:14
Request for followers
Don’t take them away from or out of the evil world
"I do not ask You to take them out of the world, John 17:15a
Jesus used the word meaning “to lift up”.
Keep the evil world (one) away from or out of them.
but to keep them from the evil one. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. John 17:15b-16
Request for followers
Sanctify them in truth
"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. John 17:17
The word translated “sanctify” here is the Greek word for holy. It communicates the idea of something set aside because it is special. It draws attention to something that prompts awe and wonder. Jesus asked the Father to not only unify and protect but also to set aside these followers from the world as a special people who stand out as ones linked to the holiness of God. Unify, protect, purify.
Paul prayed
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thes. 5:23
Relationship with followers
Jesus sent them into the world
"As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. John 17:18
Jesus sanctified Himself so that they might be sanctified
"For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. John 17:19
Request for followers
Jesus asked that all believers of all ages be united with each other and God
"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:20-21
Jesus includes all believers of all ages in this request for unification. Jesus asked for the same intimate community relationship that He has enjoyed with the Father throughout eternity. Jesus asks for an unmistakable oneness between believers and a oneness with God.
Relationship with followers
Jesus extended the same glory to His followers the Father gave Him.
"The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. John 17:22-23
It is this unity that demonstrates to the world that Jesus not only came but also embraced a people and drew a people into His relationship with the Father. The same glory and brightness given to Jesus, Jesus gave to His followers. What happened to the demonstration of divine glory through the church? Followers of Christ are given the opportunity to demonstrate the glory of Christ by the same obedience the Son gave the Father.
Request for self and followers
That all believers be with Jesus and see His full glory given by the Father
"Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24
Again we see the depth of the heart of Jesus. He not only longed to be reunited with the Father but He longed to have all his followers personally witness and walk in the unity, protection, and purity of His glory.
Relationship with the Father and followers
The world doesn’t know the Father
"O righteous Father, although the world has not known You John 17:25
Jesus intimately knew the Father
yet I have known You 17:25
The followers came to know that Jesus came from the Father
and these have known that You sent Me 17:25
Jesus made the Father’s name known and would continue to make it known
and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." John 17:26
So what can we learn from this prayer?
• This prayer for us continues to this moment in time.
• He prays for continued unity among His followers in his absence.
• He prays for our protection in the evil influences of the world and the evil one.
• He prays for our continual purification and separateness in the world until he returns.
• He prays that we might experience what it means to be unified in His love.
• He prays for the homecoming of all genuine believers in one glorious reunion where we will experience the fullness of his glory and the glory of what it means to be followers of Christ.
Does the Father listen to the Son’s prayer? I would think so!
You are a priceless gift of the Father to Jesus who perceives you as a special gift. You have continual opportunity to bring Him glory as He grants us glory. Continually seek to know that unity possible through the matchless work and intercession of Christ for us. If these things are at the heart of Jesus’ prayer for us how much should they be at the heart of our prayers for each other?
Notes and thoughts
What has God asked you to know, feel do as a result of listening to His word?
