The Prayer Of Jesus

The prayer of Jesus

John 17:1-17:18

Introduction-

Happy Father’s Day!

This morning we look at Jesus praying what is called the priestly prayer to the Heavenly Father.

We definitely can tie this to a Father’s day message in the fact that Men, we should be leading and praying for those that God has put in our lives.

John 17:1-18 (Bible)

(1) After Jesus said this- (said what?) v33 of chapter 16

“In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Continue reading verses 2-18 from Bible

Jesus prays for Himself

Jesus prays for His disciples

Jesus prays for future believers.

(20) “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.”

I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I think Jesus is trying to tell us there is benefit in praying!

(1) Jesus looks toward heaven, customary attitude of prayer which Jesus is talking to the Father.

Father used here of God about 120 times in the book of John.

The glory of the Father closely connected by Jesus in a relationship and communication we call prayer.

Jesus expresses and records His words with the Father to tell Him that He has done everything He was asked to do to reveal the Father to the world that He has come to save.

The mission of Christ was not self-centered, it was to reveal the Father, and give humanity an opportunity to have a relationship with God.

This week on Wednesday night we looked at Luke 18 and the persistent widow and an unjust judge.

Parable showing us that if an unjust judge who does not care anything about people would give her justice because of her persistence, how much more does God want to answer prayer with people that He loves.

Were quick to sight acronyms.

P.U.S.H .- Pray until something happens!

F.R.O.G. - Fully relying on God

They are cute and catchy but how many of us are actively in a relationship with God that we are communicating with Him daily and actively seeking direction from Him?

Prayer is the most unused weapon in most Christians arsenal.

It is the last thing instead of the first thing.

It is the words of pity bounced off a spiritual wall in hopes that somehow something would change in our circumstances.

George Barna says that 54% of believers pray daily- out of the 54%, 87% of them actually believe that God answers prayer.

God is not like the unjust judge who is corrupt and is only looking out for himself. God cares about us. God desires to listen with a heart of love and compassion. God desires to respond to us with what is best for us.

God cares.

God listens.

God responds………….write them down and remember them.

We take prayer out of school, out of government, out of public buildings, we take him out of commencement speeches, or at best we make Him generic and say don’t pray in Jesus name!

In Jesus name is where the power of prayer is energized.

The world takes Jesus out- tells us that we don’t really have to have a relationship with God, and we wonder why we are experiencing such a traumatic change in culture.

Prayer is not getting God to see it your way, it is us getting to see it God way.

It Is no wonder people cannot pray- no relationship with God will result in prayers that seem to bounce off the ceiling of heaven.

(6) Jesus says- “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world.”

(8) “For I gave them the words you gave me.”

(9)” I pray for them- I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.”

Listen to His prayer-

“All I have is yours, and all you have is mine, and glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name- the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.”

(15) “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one.”

Everything comes from you- Jesus words to the Father.

The disciples had to understand that – we have to understand that today.

3 things the disciples had to realize

(1) They had to accept Jesus teachings- hear it and receive it – not like the Pharisees who heard it but rejected it.

(2) They had to understand Jesus divine origin. The revelation of Jesus Christ will reveal God’s truth to them.