Pastor Peter Linnecar looks at the prayer of Jesus in John 17, looking at what Jesus had to say about Himself, what He said to the disciples, and what He speaks directly to us. Because of what He did on the Cross, we can share with Jesus the life of delight, peace and rejoicing that He knows with the Father in heaven.
I want to say something very personal to you. At various places in the Word of God, we are made aware of what it is like in heaven. Before the foundation of this world, there was God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit.
We’re going to listen in to Jesus’ prayer with the disciples, two days before He died. But first I want to point out what it was like in eternity when Jesus was the Father before He came.
Proverbs 8:22 - 31
This is Jesus: Proverbs 8:30
There is a peace, a delight, and joy in heaven always. And before Jesus came to this world, He was daily, His Father’s delight.
John 1:1 - 5
When Jesus was with the disciples, life in all its fullness was walking with them. He is life. He was daily, His Father’s delight before He came. He was Father’s delight when He came, because He fulfilled the Father’s will all the way to the Cross where He gave His life for us and then rose from the dead.
In John 17, we hear Jesus praying. At some point in their journey with Jesus, the disciples asked Him to teach them to pray.
Prior to John 17, we go back to the last supper. Jesus washed the feet of all the disciples – Judas included. Jesus shared things with the disciples but said they wouldn’t apply to all of them because one would betray Him. The disciples couldn’t figure it out who it could be, so Peter told John to ask Him who He was talking about and Jesus said it was the one to whom He would give a piece of bread, and He gave it to Judas. At that point Satan entered into Judas and he went out. Once Judas had left, Jesus opened things up, and in chapters 14-16, He shared His heart with them. He spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, and later when the disciples looked back, everything fell into place.
When God speaks a word, it isn’t wasted. When you see Him at work in your life, He never ever wastes time. There is never ever a plan B, because He knows what He is doing. And He loves you.
John 16:33
The glimpse we had in Proverbs and John 1 was that there is complete harmony, peace, joy and rejoicing in heaven. We’re passing through this world now, and our life is a discovery of how much God loves us and of how He is. More than that, He comes to live His life inside us so that when we look at the empty cross, we know it is empty because He went through death, came back to life, and in Him is life. He can’t but be life and love. It’s His character. He is always the same. So when we have difficult circumstances in life it’s good to step back and see things in God’s perspective.
It’s significant for us what God reveals here because it has a direct impact on your life. You’ll see that because He’s alive, He keeps and sanctifies you and keeps you from evil. He is at the right hand of God making intercession for you – right now. The work on earth was finished when He cried out on the cross, but He still makes intercession for us.
John 17:1 - 5
These verses are to do with Jesus Himself.
The Disciples
The next section deals with the disciples and the last part with us.
Everything begins and ends in God. Your faith is from God, and He will complete the work He has begun in your life. What is that work? It’s to prepare you for when you will see Him face to face.
John 17:3
That’s a church. We might have various structures and doctrines, but life eternal is that we might know Him the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.
John 17:5
Ephesians 1:3 - 4
When did He choose you? Before the foundation of the world. Before the foundation of the world He made provision for you. At this very point in time, before the foundation of the world, God has sorted everything for you. The power of sin in life which you were born with, the consequences of that sin He has taken away, and the power has been broken, because He finished the work.
John 17:6 - 8
Imagine the disciples looking at Jesus. You would just be so aware of His heart for you.
John 17:9 - 11
In v5 we had ‘glorify’. Now in v11, we have ‘keep’. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee” because when your mind is focused on the fact that everything is organised that you might know Him and His perfect love.
The word ‘keep’ is eternal.
John 17:12 - 13
Your life as a Christian is one where it doesn’t matter what the circumstances are in your life. What God is doing is showing you how much He loves you and that He has heard and answered your prayers. There has never been a time when He hasn’t heard you pray. There’s harmony between a Christian and heaven. You have God’s life inside you, and there is peace in heaven. Everything is joy and peace.
“But I live on this earth”. I know. But as a Christian you were in God before the foundation of the world. He put the faith in your heart to believe. He’s sorted things out in your life. It may be that your experience of this differs from someone else’s. No matter. Each one of us is unique.
John 17:14 - 19
You and Me
At that point He steps back again to talk about you and me, the Church as it is, at this point in time. Up to v19 He had been revealing His heart to the disciples. We’ve thought a lot about Peter recently, and as Jesus prayed, everything slotted into place – how He called him and changed his life about. The words He said had power. He is life. He lives.
In v20, He incorporates us. His life has been incorporated in our bodies. As you go about your life, it’s His power inside you. He’s keeping you until you see Him face to face, and it is a life of joy. That doesn’t mean things don’t go wrong, but we know that all things work together for good to those who love God. And the reason we love Him is because of the love He’s given us.
So now we have Jesus praying in front of the disciples, but praying for you.
John 17:20 - 21
“That the world may believe that thou has sent me”. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.
Are we ready for outreach? Who’s given you your faith?
John 17:22 - 26
What Jesus reveals here is the fulfilment of His purpose on earth in verses 1- 5; then how things would work out for the disciples; and now, as He turns to you and me, it’s all to do with the people He upholds.
He’s alive. He fulfilled what Father wanted with the work He did when He gave His life, on the cross. He bought the Bride of Christ: worldwide, millions of people from all round the world, brothers and sisters in Him, fulfilling His purposes.
Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
At this second, He is making intercession for you and me to Father.
Hebrews 7:24 - 25
Forever. He ever liveth to make intercession for them. He’s alive – forever. He reigns. He’s Lord.
John 17:26
He is for you. And there is no problem in your life for which He does not have the solution. So during this week, take the time to link up with Him. Don’t race for the news or the newspaper too quickly. Communicate with Him. Share your heart with Him. Read His word. He loves you.
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