Let's start off today talking about art. I am no artist but I appreciate art. When we look at a piece of art, we don't marvel over the canvas that it's painted on, or the type of paint that is used. We marvel over the artist. I am amazed how an artist can paint his thoughts on a canvas, or how he can envision something in his or her mind and produce these amazing sculptures.
Think about the sculpture David by Michelangelo. It's considered to be one of the finest sculptures in the world. But no one looks at this sculpture and marvels over how white the marble is. Even though it is considered to be an exceptional piece of white marble, people are amazed and drawn to what Michelangelo did with it. The
sculpture is almost seventeen feet tall. This was no weekend project. Michelangelo worked for 2 years on this sculpture.
But we don't glory in the sculpture; We glory in the Sculptor. It's not simply David, It's Michaelangelo's David. It's hard to look at the sculpture and not think of Michaelangelo and his amazing talent.
As God's creation, our lives are supposed to point to the glory of our Creator. God calls us to live for His glory. And it's in His glory that we find our greatest purpose.
For the past few weeks, we have been talking about discerning God's voice in what we hear preached or taught or what we read. Yet another way to discern the voice of God is to ask the question, “Is it honoring to God? I ask, " Can people discern God's voice by listening and watching you?" Let's talk a little bit today about how we can honor God. PRAYER
On Wednesday nights, for the past two plus years, we have been studying the Gospel of John. We are now in chapter 17 of John. As we were studying that chapter, it came to my attention that this chapter explains to us how we can honor God through what Jesus prayed. Let me explain that. We will be using John 17 today.
The passage that we will look at today comes at the end of Jesus's upper room discourse that actually began in John 13. The Passover meal was over and Judas had left to betray Jesus. Jesus looked up to heaven, which was the traditional way to pray. People typically prayed with their eyes open while looking toward heaven. Jesus prayed to His Father, which was His preferred term for God when He prayed.
John 17:1-2 – “Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him.”
Notice that Jesus mentioned “the hour has come.” He was very aware of what was coming in the next few days. His mock trial and crucifixion were just hours away. He didn't ask God for anything too soon or too late. But he asked exactly in God's perfect time.
He prayed that God would glorify the Son. This might sound self-centered to some? But it was an extremely God-centered request. The way that the Father was going to glorify the son was to have Him crucified. It would be on the cross that Jesus would bring the greatest glory to His Father. When Jesus prayed for His time on the cross to come, He was accepting His Father's will even though it meant torture on the cross.
Jesus used to the word ‘glorify’, which also means to magnify or to lift up. It gives us the idea of taking a closer look at something to see it more clearly. So, in this prayer, Jesus was asking His Father to lift Him up on the cross so that people could take a close look at Jesus and come away with a higher view of God, the Father, a view that draws them to faith and trust.
As we think about our walk with God and how close our relationship is with Him, we should pray a similar prayer. "God let people take a close look at my life. Particularly when I am suffering so that they can be drawn to glorify You."
As we stand back and look at this prayer, we see that Jesus prayed that His Father would glorify Him on the cross so He could provide life to everyone His father had given to Him. His prayer was very unselfish. Can you see that He prayed, that by going to the cross, He would glorify His Father and bring eternal life to those who believe? His prayer continues.
John 17:3 – “This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent —Jesus Christ.”
Do you want this eternal life that God offers freely? Eternal life is only found in a relationship with God the Father and Jesus the Son. Do you realize how real God and Jesus are?
Jesus explained what eternal life is; it involves knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ. God is not one of many. He alone is God. He is not a fake god that is made up by false prophets. There's only one true God and only one God who can give eternal life.
Eternal life doesn't merely describe the length of your life when you live forever with Christ. It describes the quality of your life as you live in relationship with God the Father and God the Son. Eternal life doesn't come from a casual or intellectual relationship. But from a bond that is intimate and loving. Eternal live begins the moment that you accept Christ and become a Christian.
The quality of our lives as Christians ought to be dramatically superior to the life lived by unbelievers. This isn't because Christians earn more money, live in a nicer house, or drive fancier cars. It's because when we abide in Christ, His joy fills us to overflowing and His peace guards our hearts and minds. Eternal life means that we live each day with a keen awareness of our close relationship with God. Does this in any way describe you? Can people watch you and have no doubt that you love God and are His child? If not, then why not?
So how do we honor God?
John 17:4-5 – “ I have glorified you on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.”
We honor God when we continue the work that God has given us. Jesus said that He had glorified the Father. He did so by completing the work God gave him to do. I think all of us would agree that Jesus’ assignment was not easy.
- He spoke to large crowds.
- He healed countless people.
- He trained His disciples and He traveled everywhere by foot.
- He faced constant criticism and opposition.
- And then the climax of His work was one He died on a cross.
If He had quit before going to the cross all of His previous efforts would have been for nothing. In order for all of His work to glorify His Father, He had to complete it.
3 1/2 years ago, God brought this church together with a children's ministry in Karachi, Pakistan. Every week since February, 2021, God has used me to put together and record a video lesson for the children in Pakistan.
As most of you know, I will be retiring at the end of this year. I have been asked countless times what is going to happen with the children's ministry in Pakistan. There is no way I can just walk away from this ministry that God brought me into. The job is not complete.
God is not honored or glorified by me simply walking away from this ministry just because I am retiring as pastor of this church. God is glorified when we complete the work that He has given us to do. I will continue this ministry until God directs differently. I will follow the Apostle Paul's teaching in:
Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”
“But brother, Jerry. That's not really retirement if you continue that ministry.” Look what Luke says in:
Acts 20:24 – “But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.”
At times our obedience to God's will can be costly. It will cost me some time and effort to continue ministering to the children in Pakistan. But if I leave before I finish the work God has called me to do, then I've only partly obeyed. Partial obedience is disobedience. I guess that's where the term “Once a minister. Always a minister” comes from.
Now let's put you into this picture. God has a job for each of us to do. Most of you, know what God wants you to accomplish for Him. It might be to sing to enhance the worship service. It might be to teach children or adults in Bible class. It might be to work and maintain the church property. It might be to be a mentor to someone.
Yes, you will experience some set-backs or difficulties in a God-given task. But when that occurs, simply go in prayer to God and ask Him for His wisdom to know how to face these challenges and then follow through to complete the work God has given you to do. God will let you know when you have completed what He's called you to do.
John 17:6-9 – “I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, 8 because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me. 9 “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they are yours.”
In this portion of Jesus's prayer, He begins praying for His disciples. He had revealed God's name to them. He had taught them what God's character was like. He had done all of this through both His teaching and His example because Jesus knew His Father had given Him these men. He'd been diligent in teaching them about God's character and leading them into their own personal relationship with God.
As you support this ministry in Pakistan, for example, you are glorifying God because you're passing on to others what we have learned from God. The disciples knew that everything Jesus had taught them had come from God, the Father. Jesus recognized the fact that His disciples had come from the world. That's why they often acted like the world. For instance, when James and John asked Jesus for positions of honor, they were acting the way the world does, coveting what the world treasures.
But in the process of disciplining these men, Jesus gave the disciples the words God had given, and now He declares in His prayer that they have kept that. The disciples knew that everything Jesus had given them had come from God, the Father. They were convinced that Jesus is the Son of God and had been sent by God, the Father.
Jesus prayed for those that His Father had given to Him. He knew they would be scattered by fear into the night. That happened at Jesus’ arrest. He knew that Peter would deny knowing him. That happened that same evening. Satan would do everything he could to destroy the church before it was successfully started.
So Jesus prayed for them. And it should be so comforting to us that Jesus continues to intercede and pray for us today. As He prays for us, we can continue to honor God as we intercede for others and disciple them as Jesus discipled His followers.
We can help others to discern the voice of God by teaching them what God has taught us. You don’t need to be degreed theologian to tell others about Jesus. Show them by your actions that you love and serve a mighty God that can be their God, too.
And in all that, you are helping others hear the true voice of God and to know how awesome He is.
