John 17
The Prayer of Jesus
John 17, Mark 14, Luke 22 and Matthew 26 all record Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Although Matthew, Mark and Luke are not as elaborate as John, in each account we see the same opening address. In each account we see Jesus call on the Father, but he uses a term that is not as formal, it is actually a term that is more informal and close, he uses the term ABBA, which is Aramaic for “Daddy” or better yet DA DA. The term expresses a reality in prayer, security that the Father is listening. Max Lucado once said; God is the awesome Creator of the universe, yet the prayers of his children move him.
In a movie called Mississippi Burning, a true story from the Deep South, two white men accost a young black girl while she was walking home from school. These two men brutalize her, and as she lay in the hospital she said to her father, “Daddy I kept calling for you but you did not come, why Daddy, I needed you.” All of us could identify with the grief the father felt hearing those words. Like that little girl, Jesus is calling out “Daddy, I need you” The Garden may have been agony, but it was also joy for the Son because he knew his Daddy was listening.
The Prayer of Jesus reveals:
1. His heart for others;
a. Disciples
i. I revealed you to them
ii. Protect them = Power
iii. They be ONE
iv. They have the full measure of JOY
v. Sanctify them.
2. His heart for those who will come because of their testimony (US)
a. Revealed by the words of the disciples
b. They Be ONE (John 13:35) 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
c. Sent by God, filled with LOVE
d. To be where HE is
He uses the terms Made Known 4 times, that is what the Disciples were to do, and what we are to do, make Him Known to others. The other request is that they be ONE. Just as Jesus and the Father are ONE so is the church. But are we? This is a spoof of another Hymn yet does it reveal where really are as a church today
Like a halting caravan, moves the church of Christ
We are feebly faltering toward our timid tryst
We are all divided, Many Bodies we
Pulled apart by doctrine, lacking Charity
Careful Christian Pilgrims, walk in doubt and fear
With the Cross of Jesus Bringing up the Rear
J. Vernon McGee
HEAVEN IS INCOMPLETE FOR JESUS WITHOUT US; WILL WE BE THE ANSWER TO HIS PRAYER?
