Sermon – The Lord’s Prayer From John 17
John 17:1-25 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began. 6 “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.
9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. 20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! 25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”
Introduction: These chapters of John are known as the upper room discourse, but really after the supper was completed, Jesus and the Eleven disciples sang a hymn and headed for the garden of Gethsemane. Much of Jesus’ final instructions were given along the garden path. Under the star lit sky, gazing into the heavens, Jesus prays this moving prayer. John 17 reveals the deepest desires and longings of Jesus as he leads this small band into the presence of the Father. This prayer is a vivid example of how every pastor and leaders should pray for his followers. In praying for one another, we should pray that they may know the Father and Jesus the Christ who He has sent and that they should know His word. We should pray that God would keep them in the world, and from the world; keep them from falling away and from the influence of Satan and false teaching. We should pray that God would fill them with His joy and that their joy might be full. We should pray that they be holy in thoughts, words, and deeds. That they may be one in purpose, persevering in the faith and faith to the mission of God. The Lord’s Prayer in John 17 can be divided into three basic parts. Christ prays for himself to finish strong; for His disciples to follow faithfully and for every believer who would follow them in the way.
1. Christ prays for Himself to finish strong – John 17:1 “After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.”
Jesus praying to His Father with great confidence, having finished his work on earth, he desires to be reunited with the Father in his presence with His former glory. He desires to be clothed with splendor even in his death. Jesus had willingly laid aside his glory and majesty, taking on the form of a servant, but now His servant role was coming to an end. The sole purpose of Jesus was to reveal the glory of God here on earth as a God who loves the whole world. For Jesus life on this earth had a single, unique purpose. He had obeyed the Father’s command and completed his assignment. Life in this world was a temporary assignment, a momentary experience. How good it is to know that our lives as well, is a temporary assignment connected to an eternal purpose and it has eternal value. Like Jesus, we will rejoice with the Father when our work is done. We too will be clothed, like our Lord, in splendor and majesty. Jesus prays aloud and his disciples could feel His joy and his unwavering confidence. Just as Jesus obeyed the Father, living for His glory, He wanted to finish strong even in death. The Father heard his prayer, He died so well that one of the Roman soldiers said, “Surely this must be the Son of God!” I watched some of the History’s channel’s colosseum series this year. The episodes called “The Martyrs got my attended. The Roman Emperor was trying to stamp out Christianity, Ignatius one of John’s disciples was taken prisoner and carry a thousand miles to Roman to be fed to the lions in the Coliseum, but he died with such victory, Christianity spread like wildfire! He died so well that one of the Roman soldiers said, “Surely this must be the Son of God!” Then Jesus prays that His disciples would follow faithfully, focused and finish well.
2. Christ Prays for His Disciples to be faithful and focused – “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”
Jesus prayed that God would keep them safe in the world, from the world, from falling away and from under the influence of Satan and false teaching. These disciples have believed on Jesus and in God who sent Him. Jesus has given them His name, His Word, and His assurance that the Holy Spirit will be with you. Jesus prays aloud, with great confidence that these disciples left in the world and kept by the Father would transform it. The Lord makes five wonderful petitions for his disciples. He prays for their (1) security and salvation (2) victory over every temptation of Satan (3) Sanctification through the Word (4) For unity with the Father and the Son and with one another in purpose and (5) finally for their ultimate glorification with the Father in Heaven.
The Father had already promised the Son that not one whom He had given Him would be lost. Why did Jesus pray the prayer for them? Jesus wanted the disciples to hear the prayer and to be clear about their assignment. What was their assignment? To be great? To be famous? To be noted evangelists? To be loved and respected by all? Hardly! God wanted a very simple thing, which every believer, no matter how humble can share in fully. God wanted His name to be manifested in the earth. He wanted all men to have an opportunity to know the Father and Jesus the Christ who he had sent. These humble disciples had believed on him, receive His word, and kept it, now they must live as lights in a dark world. Each believer is called to light up the world where we are and reaching out to others with the grace filled love of God. This is the one and only purpose of the Church and only evidence the world will see.
How can these disciples make a such difference? They were different! They were sanctified through the word and set a part by holy living. They were His witnesses filled with power, love, and joy. Every day, they were becoming more like Him. Jesus prays for himself and for His disciples, then He prays for us.
3. Christ prays for future Believers. John 17:20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”
Jesus knowing the disciples would be successful, and that His message would live on, prays for every other believer who would follow. You and I, our local churches, along with all believers throughout the centuries to come, Jesus prayed for our success. Jesus seemed to have no doubt about the survival of the church, but he was concerned about our unity. Notice the emphases on unity. “That they may be one.” John’s gospel is filled with the words Love and Unity more than any other writer in the New Testament. Jesus prays for spiritual unity not organizational unity. He mentions unity fives times in this prayer demonstrating how important it really is. This unity begins with the Father, enjoined with the Son, and practiced among his followers. The basis for our unity must be (1) abiding in Christ, loving Christ, and faithfulness to His mission (2) abiding in the world, but not of the world, living sanctified lives according to the Word (3) living as faithful witnesses in the world so may have a chance to know God.
Jesus was not praying for a cosmetic unity, or an artificial unity, but a true spirit of unity. A unity of one heart, purpose, mind, devoted to Christ, His word, and His mission for the glory of God. He prays that we would have a common attitude towards sin and righteousness; a common love for what God loves and a common hatred for what God hates; a common righteous standards based on the word of God and a common desire to seek and save the lost.
Verse 23 reveals the reason for his intense prayer. This new society of believers would be growing and multiplying in a hostile environment. We must serve as His witnesses reaching out to a lost world to rescue men and women lost in sin. There is only one source of the strength we need to carry out our mission, the power of the Holy Spirit. We can live a life for the glory of God by maintaining our union with the Father and the Son. As we live in unity with the Father and Son, and with one another, the world will know that Christ has sent us and is reaching out through us to each one of them.
We can take courage because Jesus prayed for us, and the Father heard his prayer. We have been given his life changing word. We have been sanctified by the word. We have his love within us. His security is our salvation. We have victory over Satan’s temptation. We have the power of the Holy Spirit. We are called to one purpose, and we are headed for glorification. Here, we are living in servant quarters, servant’s provisions, and with countless limitations and much opposition. Yet we do not lose heart. We will not give up. This is a temporary situation. We are headed for eternity. Let’s work while it is day. Let us finish the work we have been given to do. Let’s manifest His name on Earth. Live sanctified lives for his glory.
Mt 5:13-16 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven . Amen
