Jesus’ Prayer for His Disciples

John 17:1-531 May, 2015

This prayer is powerful and inspiring…•But has caused different reactions to different churches through the ages•Some churches elevated the disciples to a “go-between” status •Even elevated them into a special group of pedigrees as if they were nearly perfect people while they were here with Jesus

This prayer is powerful and inspiring…• They really were a motley crew• The influence which Jesus made in their lives was a true transformation by God• Every one but John was murdered for what they believed• Even John was plunged into boiling oil in Rome, but suffered nothing from it•His prayer for them is for us too…

6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; 8 for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. 9 I ask

on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; 10 and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11 I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We

are. 12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

13 But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated

them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into

the world. 19 For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

John 17:6-19, NASB

A. God’s Character in the Disciples…•Vv 6-8– to the Jew, a name is more than just one’s identity, it refers to character or the nature of the person named• i.e. Jacob– when born took hold of Esau’s heel, means “heel-catcher” or “supplanter”•Esau means, “hairy”, also was beast-like in life

A. God’s Character in the Disciples…•How, you may ask?• Jesus made the Father known to His disciples with His teachings and the way He lived•He didn’t just teach about the character and nature the Father to them, but He manifested it•Means “displayed” it as His own

A. God’s Character in the Disciples…•The disciples had been given to Jesus by the Father•The gift was irrevocable and the Father was able to guarantee it•They recognized that Jesus’ teach -ings came from God the Father and they accepted Him as a messenger of God, as their own confession declared in Jn 16:30

A. God’s Character in the Disciples…•The disciples had been given to Jesus by the Father•The gift was irrevocable and the Father was able to guarantee it•They recognized that Jesus’ teach -ings came from God the Father and they accepted Him as a messenger of God, as their own confession declared in Jn 16:30

A. God’s Character in the Disciples…• Through Jesus’ earthly ministry, the disciples had received Him as the Messiah, and their conviction of His “Messiahship” had grown progressively during the period of association with Him•Now that the supreme test of their faith was impending, Jesus prayed that they might be preserved against the persecution that could separate them from Him and from one another

B. For Them, NOT for the World…•Vv 9-10, not that he doesn’t care about the lost of the world…•At this point his intercession is confined to the 11 present, praying specifically for these men under His care•He knew well they would fail, nevertheless, He prayed for them with confidence that they would be kept by the Father’s power and presented for a future ministry

B. For Them, NOT for the World…•The same goes for us; we cannot do anything right by ourselves•But in Christ, we can do all things because He strengthens us through the Holy Spirit who lives in us•As long as we abide in Jesus and in His Word, we can overcome this troubled world

C. Jesus’ 1st Request– Father Keep Them•Vv 11-12, Our spiritual safety depends on the Character of God– not our own conduct• I’ve said before, you are bullet proof until He’s finished with you•Note the end of v11 “one as we are”•Nowhere Scripture tells us to be loners•Talks of Unity and Fellowship, why?

C. Jesus’ 1st Request– Father Keep Them•Because we need each other• In the next few hours these men will discover just how weak they are, and just how much they’ll need each other for encouragement•While I’m on this subject…•Son of Perdition? Greek word is “apoleia” •He knew Judas’ heart and prophesied Ps41

“Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.”

Psalm 41:9, NASB

D. Insolation not Isolation thru the Word•God’s purpose is to multiply joy in our lives (joy fulfilled), not subtract it– but that’s not what the worlds says• If you love the Lord, you are public Enemy #1•What do I mean by point D?•There are two types of movements in the modern church in which God does NOT want us involved, I believe…

D. Insolation not Isolation thru the Word•1.) Becoming One With The World•Under the banner of “un-believer friendly” is the Seeker Sensitive Church movement• It waters down God’s holiness and righteousness and over-emphasizes His love•No talk of sin’s depravity and need for repentance, only Grace, Mercy, Love, Forgiveness

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

Revelation 3:15-16, NASB

D. Insolation not Isolation thru the Word•You cannot have the love of God without the holiness of God– they are hand in hand•Seeker Sensitive churches are lukewarm-Jesus-is-my-boyfriend-church• It is not important for you to hear what yo’d like from me, only important what He wants me to say

D. Insolation not Isolation thru the Word•2nd) Isolating ourselves from the world•Some try to do this, some do it by default•You can try to remove yourself from the culture around you, but it WILL find you•Withdrawing to a Christian subculture is not possible; look at what He prayed in v 15•Objective not to isolate, but insolate w/ Word

D. Insolation not Isolation thru the Word•Not to evade, but to invade•We are to impact the culture without being compromised by it• If you put the Word of God in your heart, it guards you and protects you and enables you to enjoy the Father’s love for us

“If you put the Word of God in your heart, it guards you and protects you and enables you to enjoy the Father’s love for us”

Psalm 119:11, NASB

E. Jesus’ 2nd Request– Sanctify them•Vv 17-19, the Word not only brings and love, it imparts God’s Power for Holy Living•True sanctification means being set apart for God– when saved you were set apart•As you grow you become more and more like Him, love Him more, the world and sin less•You want to serve Him, to be a Blessing

E. Jesus’ 2nd Request– Sanctify them•All of this comes through the Word• Jesus set Himself apart for us, now He set us apart for Him and His purpose•Father sent Him into the World, now He sends us into the world•We are people “under orders”, better obey…

Take-Home!1. Our spiritual safety depends on the character of God – faithfulness, not our own intelligence or conduct2. We must not neglect fellowship with believers. This equals an easy target for Satan3. Believers should not isolate, but insulate themselves with the Word of God; not to evade, but to invade the unbelieving world.