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Summary: As I read and meditate on this passage of Scripture, I find myself in awe of the profound truth of Jesus’ prayer. For many Christians it is hard to comprehend, much less receive. Yet, Jesus words are truth...

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John 17:20. "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21. "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22. "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

23. "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24. "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25. "O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26. "And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.’’

As I read and meditate on this passage of Scripture, I find myself in awe of the profound truth of Jesus’ prayer. For many Christians it is hard to comprehend, much less receive. Yet, Jesus words are truth. Jesus is praying to the Father and He is declaring… 22. "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

This is not talking about some type of self glorification. We are not trying to promote ourselves, or glorify ourselves, God forbid. The Lord Jesus has graciously and wonderfully given us something we could never have gotten on our own, lets receive it as such, and begin to believe what the Word of truth is saying to us. Let’s start at the beginning and look to the Word, as always…

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’’

Man was created in the very image and likeness of God, and was put on the Earth to rule and have dominion over it. Dominion means to lord over. We were put here to be lords of this world, but with Adams fall we lost that distinction. Jesus the second Adam came to restore us to what we were originally called to be. God created this world for us and put all things under our feet. We’ve made a pretty big mess of things. We can’t blame God for the mess this planet is in, as the responsibility was given to us. Sin brought with it a curse. Although Jesus has redeemed us from that curse, we are still only enjoying the first fruits of it. We have not seen the full benefit of it yet. Mankind will have to rise up to his place for that to happen. We have a part to play in this. Our part is to be obedient and to receive the things God has so graciously given to us.

After Adam sinned and the fall of mankind, the world itself was cursed. There will come a time when we are called to take it back. Creation itself is waiting for that to happen.

Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23. And not only they, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Although as Christians we have born again spirits, our bodies have not yet been fully redeemed, we only have the first fruits of that inheritance. Lets take a look at what God has called us to be. How can we rise up to it if we don’t know what we are supposed to become in the first place?

Hebrews 2:5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6. But one testified in a certain place, saying: "What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? 7. You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands.

This is referencing Psalms 8: . Lets look at it… 3. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4. What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? 5. For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

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Andrew Moffatt

commented on Jan 17, 2010

Thanks for this sermon Mark.

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