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The High Priestly Prayer - Part 1 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
All right, so before I go into reading it, just to kind of let you guys know this is Jesus' prayer.
0:07
And he starts off by praying for himself, and then he transitions on praying for his disciples, and then he prays for those who will believe.
0:16
And I'm going to take a pause when he's switching themes on who he's praying for, just so you guys can see that shift.
0:22
All right, so I want you all to hear the Lord, like Jesus Christ, trust in the Father's sovereignty in this passage.
0:31
So John 17, starting in verse 1.
0:35
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted his eyes to heaven and said,
0:41
Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
0:47
since you have given him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
0:54
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
1:02
I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave to me to do.
1:08
And now the work that you gave me to do, and now, Father, glorify me in your own presence,
1:14
with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
1:20
I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world.
1:25
Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
1:29
Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.
1:33
For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them,
1:37
and I have come to know in truth that I come from you.
1:41
And they have believed that you sent me.
1:44
I am praying for them.
1:45
I am not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me.
1:49
For they are yours.
1:51
All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
1:56
And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.
2:01
Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me,
2:05
that they may be one, even as we are one.
2:09
While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me.
2:14
I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the Son of Destruction,
2:21
that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
2:23
But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world,
2:28
that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
2:32
I have given them your word, and the world has hated them,
2:36
because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
2:40
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
2:46
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
2:50
Sanctify them in the truth.
2:52
Your word is truth.
2:55
As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
2:59
And for their sake, I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
3:06
I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
3:16
that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you,
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that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
3:27
The glory that you have given me, I have given to them,
3:31
that they may be one even as we are one,
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I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one,
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so that the world may know that you sent me and I,
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and loved them even as you loved me.
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Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me,
3:50
may be with me where I am to see my glory that you have given me,
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because you loved me before the foundations of the world.
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O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you,
4:03
I know you, and these know that you have sent me,
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I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known,
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and the love with which you have loved me may be in them,
4:18
and I in them.
4:20
Amen.
4:20
So we're going to get through all that today.
4:31
Really just the first five verses.
4:33
We're going to start a series on John 17.
4:37
It's one of those passages that have just mesmerized me over the years,
4:42
and it's kind of just tucked inside the Gospel of John,
4:45
and it's really just always stirred my heart when I read it,
4:49
and really just elevated my mind toward the eternal realm.
4:56
You know, I've been feeling this week,
4:59
even as I've been studying,
5:02
for some reason,
5:04
just have felt very alone,
5:07
and very isolated.
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And even though I've had people around me,
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I've had my wife around me,
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I've had friends around me,
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I've even had a warm, furry,
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little chocolate lab puppy named Doc
5:22
that was studying with me most all week,
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but even he didn't really do the job.
5:27
He doesn't even talk back to you.
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He just sits there and looks at you.
5:31
But I have felt just really alone,
5:33
and I just want you to look,
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in chapter 16,
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just before this,
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and this was something that was just
5:43
brought to my attention last night.
5:47
But look at verse 31 of chapter 16.
5:52
He says,
5:53
Do you now believe?
5:56
Behold, the hour is coming.
5:57
Indeed, it has come
5:59
when you will be scattered,
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each one to his own home,
6:04
and will leave me alone.
6:06
Yet I am not alone,
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for the Father is with me.
6:10
And I got a little emotional last night
6:15
as I thought about this,
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but not to the same intensity
6:19
or degree at all,
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but I feel like God's allowed me
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just to feel a little bit,
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a tiny fraction of how
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Christ must have felt in this hour,
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to feel really alone.
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But then he's like,
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All of you are going to desert me.
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Can you imagine just all
6:35
your closest companions
6:38
just leaving you
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after they swore
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they wouldn't leave you
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and been just sitting
6:42
in the dark by yourself?
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He says,
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I'm not alone though.
6:47
The Father is with me.
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And so I've tried
6:49
to keep that in my mind.
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As I was saying earlier,
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John 17 has been really revered
6:57
and treasured by many,
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many, many people
7:01
throughout the history
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of our family,
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the history of the church.
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And one old Puritan said this
7:08
about this prayer.
7:10
He says,
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If it be lawful
7:12
to prefer one Scripture
7:14
above another,
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we may say
7:17
that though all be gold,
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this is a pearl in the gold.
7:23
And though all be like the heavens,
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this is as the sun and stars.
7:28
And I believe that's true.
7:31
I think that many people
7:32
have found that to be true
7:33
as they've studied this passage.
7:35
On my various pilgrimages
7:38
to Scotland,
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I've had the opportunity
7:43
to visit the home
7:44
of John Knox in Edinburgh
7:45
there on the Royal Mile twice.
7:48
Knox was the reformer
7:49
who brought the teachings
7:50
of the Reformation
7:51
back to Scotland.
7:53
God used him
7:54
in a mighty way
7:55
to preach the gospel.
7:57
But I've been to his house there
7:59
on the Royal Mile,
8:01
the house he actually,
8:03
I believe,
8:04
passed away in.
8:05
And while he was
8:06
in that house,
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he had his wife,
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mainly his wife,
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but also other people,
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read to him various passages
8:13
of Scripture
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while he was laying
8:14
on his deathbed.
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So the Psalms,
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different Psalms,
8:19
Isaiah 53.
8:20
But then,
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this is what he said,
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But most of all,
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please read John 17,
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because that is the place
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where I must first
8:32
cast my anchor.
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And so,
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God used John 17,
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I think it was even
8:39
being read out loud
8:40
when he crossed over
8:42
into the next life,
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to go and be with the Father.
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And it's such an overwhelming,
8:52
immense passage.
8:55
And I really just want
8:57
to give you,
8:59
you can spend a whole message
9:00
on just an introduction
9:01
to this chapter,
9:03
so that you can really
9:04
get your teeth into it.
9:06
But I'll give you a little,
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try to give you
9:08
a little introduction.
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So,
9:11
this passage has ministered
9:14
so much to me
9:14
over the years,
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and I really pray
9:16
that it does for you
9:16
as we look at it
9:17
over the next few weeks.
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But,
9:20
in all truth,
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this is the real,
9:23
the true Lord's Prayer.
9:27
You may say,
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well,
9:28
what about,
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you know,
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the Lord's Prayer
9:30
in Luke 7
9:31
and in Matthew
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where,
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you know,
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Father,
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hallowed be your name,
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your kingdom come,
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etc.
9:36
Like,
9:37
isn't that
9:37
the Lord's Prayer?
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Well,
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first off,
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the disciples
9:43
are asking Jesus
9:44
to teach them
9:45
how to pray.
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So,
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He's like,
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how should we pray?
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So,
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that's how that starts.
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But then,
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secondly,
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there's a petition
9:54
in that prayer
9:55
that Jesus
9:56
could not pray
9:57
and would not pray.
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Does anybody
10:00
take a guess
10:01
at what it is?
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Forgive us
10:02
our sins.
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Right?
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Jesus could never
10:06
pray that prayer.
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He was the sinless
10:09
Lamb of God.
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Peter wrote of Jesus,
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He committed no sin,
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neither was any deceit
10:15
found in His mouth.
10:17
So,
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it's more accurately
10:18
called the disciples'
10:20
prayer in many ways
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because it's a pattern
10:22
for us to follow
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and for us to think of
10:24
as we pray.
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And Jesus taught them
10:27
to pray in that way.
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But this before us,
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John 17,
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is the real
10:32
Lord's prayer.
10:36
Though we know
10:37
Jesus
10:37
was constantly
10:39
in prayer
10:39
and devoted
10:40
His life
10:41
to prayer,
10:42
very little
10:43
if we don't know
10:45
much of the content
10:46
of Jesus' prayer.
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What did He pray?
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And here we have
10:52
a whole chapter
10:53
of what He actually
10:55
spoke to the Father.
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So,
10:57
very little
10:58
is recorded
10:58
about the content,
10:59
but here we have
11:00
all of this.
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And here we are
11:03
ushered into
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the very throne room
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of God
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by Jesus,
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our great
11:09
high priest.
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And we are
11:12
permitted to
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eavesdrop
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on this beautiful,
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intimate,
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secret communion
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with the Son
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and the Father.
11:21
And the veil
11:22
is drawn back
11:24
and we are admitted
11:24
into the Holy of Holies.
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it's almost,
11:28
if you remember
11:28
those of you
11:29
who have been
11:29
doing our Bible
11:29
reading plan,
11:30
if you read
11:31
some of Exodus
11:32
where Joshua
11:34
would sit
11:35
near the tent
11:37
of meeting
11:37
just watching
11:38
Moses engage
11:39
with God
11:40
and was just
11:41
mesmerized
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by that interaction.
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That's sort of
11:44
the privilege
11:45
in a greater sense
11:46
that we have here
11:47
to sit and listen
11:48
to this exchange
11:50
between
11:51
the Son
11:53
and the Father.
11:55
And here
11:55
we are admitted
11:56
to the secret place
11:57
of the Most High
11:58
is open
11:58
for us
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to listen.
12:01
So,
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a very
12:03
amazing,
12:06
amazing text
12:07
before us.
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So I pray
12:09
that we would
12:10
listen to it
12:11
and go through it
12:11
with humble hearts
12:13
that we would,
12:14
our hearts
12:15
would be stirred
12:15
in reverence
12:16
towards God.
12:18
But,
12:19
again,
12:20
to get our
12:21
hands around
12:22
this fully,
12:24
we have to
12:24
look at the
12:25
setting
12:25
of where this
12:26
is a little bit.
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But,
12:28
I promise
12:29
it won't
12:29
be the whole
12:30
message,
12:31
but let me
12:31
just think,
12:33
just hold your
12:33
hand there,
12:34
look at John 13.
12:36
Just go back
12:37
a little bit.
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John 13
12:41
is what
12:42
has been called
12:43
Jesus'
12:44
farewell
12:44
discourse,
12:46
or even
12:47
the discourse
12:47
of the upper
12:48
room.
12:49
It's John 13
12:50
through 16.
12:52
And it's
12:53
basically
12:54
this long
12:55
discourse
12:58
on Jesus
12:59
basically preparing
12:59
to leave the
13:00
world and to
13:01
encourage his
13:01
disciples.
13:03
But if you
13:03
look at
13:04
13,
13:04
verse 1,
13:06
it says,
13:07
Now before
13:07
the feast
13:08
of the Passover,
13:10
when Jesus
13:10
knew that
13:11
his hour
13:11
had come
13:12
to depart
13:13
out of this
13:14
world to the
13:15
Father,
13:16
having loved
13:17
his own
13:17
who were in
13:18
the world,
13:18
and he
13:19
loved them
13:20
to the
13:21
end.
13:22
So this
13:24
is near
13:25
the feast
13:25
of the
13:26
Passover.
13:27
He knows
13:27
that the
13:29
time he's
13:29
been on
13:30
earth is
13:30
coming to
13:30
a close.
13:32
And I
13:32
love the
13:33
fact that
13:33
it says
13:34
that he
13:34
loved all
13:35
who were
13:35
given to
13:35
him,
13:35
even to
13:36
the very
13:37
end.
13:38
And the
13:39
disciples
13:39
are anxious,
13:41
they are
13:42
afraid,
13:44
worried,
13:44
confused,
13:45
listening to
13:46
him,
13:47
saying like
13:47
I'm about
13:48
to leave
13:48
you and
13:49
go back
13:49
to the
13:50
Father.
13:52
If any
13:52
of you
13:53
have had
13:53
a hero
13:54
or a
13:55
leader or
13:55
mentor in
13:56
your life
13:56
that's
13:57
really invested
13:58
into you
13:58
and was
13:59
getting ready
13:59
to go
14:00
and die
14:01
to be
14:01
with the
14:02
Father,
14:02
and you
14:02
would feel
14:03
so alone,
14:04
this is
14:05
how they
14:06
felt.
14:07
In John
14:08
13,
14:08
they shared
14:09
the Last
14:09
Supper,
14:10
and Jesus
14:11
humbly
14:12
washed
14:12
their feet
14:13
and gave
14:14
them the
14:14
commandment
14:15
to love
14:16
one another
14:16
as he
14:17
had loved
14:17
them.
14:18
He even
14:19
tells Peter,
14:20
you will
14:20
deny me.
14:22
In chapter
14:22
13,
14:23
you will
14:23
deny me
14:23
three times.
14:25
It's a
14:25
heartbreaking
14:25
moment for
14:27
Peter.
14:28
Then in
14:29
chapter 14,
14:30
the discourse
14:31
continues.
14:32
Jesus tells
14:33
them,
14:33
I am the
14:33
way,
14:34
the truth,
14:35
and the
14:35
life.
14:37
No one
14:37
comes to
14:38
the Father
14:38
except
14:39
through me.
14:41
And he
14:42
speaks of
14:42
the promised
14:43
Holy Spirit.
14:44
He's saying,
14:44
I'm not
14:45
going to
14:45
leave you
14:46
alone.
14:46
The
14:46
helper,
14:47
the
14:47
comforter,
14:48
the
14:48
teacher,
14:49
he's
14:49
going to
14:49
come and
14:51
teach you
14:51
all things
14:52
and remind
14:52
you of
14:53
all that
14:53
I have
14:54
said.
14:55
So a
14:55
very amazing
14:56
passage in
14:58
14 on
14:59
the Holy
14:59
Spirit.
15:01
And then at
15:01
the very end
15:02
of the chapter,
15:03
close to it,
15:04
verse 31,
15:05
he says to
15:06
them in the
15:06
upper room,
15:07
rise and
15:08
let us go
15:09
from here.
15:10
So they
15:11
leave the
15:11
upper room,
15:12
begin that
15:12
long walk
15:13
to
15:13
Gethsemane.
15:16
And in
15:16
chapter 15,
15:19
Jesus continues
15:19
to share
15:20
with his
15:20
disciples as
15:21
they walk
15:22
through the
15:22
small,
15:23
closed-end
15:24
streets of
15:25
Jerusalem.
15:26
And we
15:27
know that he
15:27
would have
15:28
walked because
15:28
of where he
15:29
was going.
15:30
He would have
15:31
walked right by
15:32
the outer
15:32
core of the
15:33
temple.
15:34
He would have
15:34
gazed up at
15:35
the temple
15:36
on that
15:37
night.
15:39
And no
15:40
doubt a
15:40
stirring
15:40
emotional
15:41
sight to
15:42
think that
15:43
all of the
15:44
lambs,
15:45
other things
15:45
that have
15:45
been offered
15:46
there,
15:47
I'm about
15:48
to bring
15:48
all of that
15:48
to a
15:49
close.
15:50
I am
15:51
the final
15:52
lamb of
15:53
God,
15:54
the sacrificial
15:55
lamb.
15:57
And he
15:57
tells the
15:58
disciples that
15:58
since the
15:59
world has
16:00
hated him,
16:01
they also
16:02
will hate
16:03
his disciples.
16:05
They will
16:05
persecute
16:06
them.
16:07
And finally
16:08
in 16,
16:09
so you can
16:10
imagine just
16:10
the intensity
16:11
of all the
16:11
stuff they've
16:12
been hearing,
16:12
they're quite
16:14
frankly panicking
16:15
in some
16:15
measures.
16:18
But one of
16:18
our favorite
16:19
verses,
16:20
some of you
16:21
are troubled
16:21
today,
16:22
some of you
16:22
are really
16:23
having a
16:23
rough time.
16:26
And I
16:26
feel like a
16:27
whole book
16:27
could be
16:28
written on
16:28
this one
16:28
verse.
16:30
But look
16:31
at just the
16:31
end of
16:32
chapter 16,
16:33
the last
16:33
verse,
16:33
before we
16:34
get into
16:34
the prayer.
16:36
Jesus
16:37
closes this
16:38
discourse by
16:40
saying,
16:40
I have said
16:41
these things
16:41
to you,
16:43
that in
16:43
me you
16:44
may have
16:44
peace.
16:45
In this
16:46
world you
16:47
will have
16:48
tribulation.
16:49
Take courage,
16:51
I have
16:51
overcome the
16:52
world.
16:54
So that's
16:54
his final
16:54
words to
16:55
them.
16:55
That's how
16:56
he wraps
16:56
up this
16:57
whole
16:57
discourse.
16:59
So that's
17:00
how he
17:00
ends up the
17:00
time of the
17:01
twelve,
17:01
and he's
17:01
like,
17:01
yes,
17:02
I'm going
17:02
to die.
17:04
Yes,
17:05
on my
17:06
account you
17:06
will suffer
17:07
and you
17:07
will be
17:08
persecuted,
17:09
but I
17:10
promise you
17:10
I've
17:11
overcome
17:11
this world.
17:13
So hold
17:14
fast to
17:14
me,
17:15
because I
17:16
will triumph
17:16
in the end,
17:17
and you
17:17
will triumph
17:18
in me.
17:19
This is what
17:20
he's told
17:20
them.
17:22
So we
17:24
look at
17:24
chapter 18,
17:27
you look at
17:27
verse 1,
17:28
and it
17:28
says that
17:28
Jesus
17:28
kind of
17:29
pauses
17:29
right before
17:31
he goes
17:32
over
17:32
Kidron
17:33
Brook
17:33
that led
17:34
to the
17:34
Garden of
17:35
Gethsemane.
17:35
He stops
17:36
right there
17:37
and he
17:38
prays.
17:38
He lifts
17:39
his eyes
17:39
to heaven
17:39
and he
17:41
prays.
17:42
And think
17:43
about the
17:45
tone of
17:45
Jesus'
17:46
prayer.
17:48
The fact
17:49
that even
17:49
just in a
17:50
few minutes
17:51
he'll be in
17:51
the garden
17:52
praying alone
17:54
and sweating
17:56
great drops
17:57
of blood
17:57
was such
17:59
a huge
18:00
cosmic
18:00
burden
18:01
laid on
18:01
him at
18:02
that time.
18:03
The thought
18:04
of the
18:04
cross
18:04
and bearing
18:05
the wrath
18:05
of his
18:06
father
18:06
all on
18:07
his
18:07
shoulders.
18:09
Yet,
18:10
okay,
18:11
yet all
18:11
that is
18:11
there.
18:13
The tone
18:13
of Jesus'
18:14
prayer is
18:14
one of
18:15
confidence
18:16
and quiet
18:17
trust in
18:19
his sovereign
18:19
father.
18:21
Deeply
18:22
intimate,
18:22
deeply
18:22
reverent,
18:24
deeply
18:24
humble
18:25
and bold.
18:27
So,
18:27
right before
18:28
he's about
18:29
to be
18:29
betrayed,
18:30
arrested,
18:30
beaten,
18:31
crushed,
18:32
crucified,
18:34
Jesus
18:34
prays.
18:36
And as
18:37
Caleb told
18:37
you,
18:38
sort of
18:39
an outline
18:39
for this
18:40
prayer is
18:41
one through
18:42
five,
18:42
Jesus prays
18:43
for himself.
18:44
The key
18:45
in this
18:45
is the
18:45
father's
18:46
glory.
18:48
And in
18:48
six through
18:49
nineteen,
18:50
he prays
18:51
for his
18:51
disciples.
18:52
And the
18:52
key for
18:53
that passage
18:53
is preservation.
18:56
And then,
18:57
this will be
18:58
an emotional
18:59
week for
18:59
me,
18:59
but Jesus
19:01
actually
19:02
prayed for
19:02
you and
19:03
for me.
19:05
And the
19:07
key to
19:07
that is
19:08
oneness,
19:09
our unity.
19:10
He prays
19:11
for that.
19:12
So,
19:13
we're going
19:13
to go over
19:14
a few
19:15
points here.
19:17
We're going
19:17
to go over
19:18
four facets
19:19
of God's
19:20
saving
19:21
purpose.
19:22
Four facets
19:23
of God's
19:24
saving
19:24
purpose.
19:25
Each that
19:26
is centered
19:26
on the
19:27
cross of
19:27
Christ and
19:28
his redemptive
19:29
work on
19:29
the cross.
19:31
Alright?
19:33
So,
19:33
number one.
19:36
Well,
19:37
let me just
19:37
read that.
19:38
Let's go back
19:38
and just read
19:39
one through
19:39
five again
19:40
really quick.
19:40
when Jesus
19:42
has spoken
19:43
these words,
19:45
he lifted
19:45
his eyes
19:46
to heaven,
19:47
a sign
19:47
of reverence,
19:49
and said,
19:50
Father,
19:50
the hour
19:50
has come.
19:52
Glorify
19:53
your Son,
19:54
that the
19:54
Son may
19:55
glorify you,
19:56
since you
19:57
have given
19:57
him authority
19:58
over all
19:58
flesh,
19:59
to give
20:00
eternal life
20:00
to all
20:01
whom you
20:01
have given
20:01
him.
20:03
And this
20:03
is eternal
20:04
life,
20:05
that they
20:05
know you,
20:06
the only
20:06
true God,
20:07
and Jesus
20:08
Christ,
20:09
whom you
20:09
have sent.
20:10
I glorified
20:11
you on
20:12
the earth,
20:13
having accomplished
20:14
the work
20:14
that you
20:14
gave me
20:15
to do.
20:16
And now,
20:17
Father,
20:17
glorify me
20:18
in your
20:18
own presence
20:19
with the
20:20
glory that
20:21
I had
20:21
with you
20:21
before the
20:22
world
20:22
existed.
20:24
So,
20:25
here we
20:25
go.
20:26
Facets of
20:27
God's
20:27
saving
20:27
purpose,
20:28
each centered
20:29
on the
20:29
cross of
20:30
Christ.
20:31
Number
20:31
one,
20:33
the
20:33
reverence
20:34
Christ
20:35
deserves.
20:37
The
20:37
reverence
20:37
Christ
20:38
deserves.
20:39
You see
20:40
this in
20:41
verses
20:41
one and
20:42
verse
20:42
five.
20:43
So,
20:44
the main
20:44
burden on
20:45
the heart
20:45
of Jesus
20:45
in this
20:46
prayer is
20:47
glory.
20:48
The
20:49
Father's
20:49
glory,
20:50
and in
20:51
turn,
20:51
his own
20:52
rightful
20:53
glory.
20:55
We could
20:56
spend forever
20:56
unpacking what
20:57
the glory of
20:58
God means,
20:59
but I just
21:00
want to say
21:00
this morning,
21:01
simply put,
21:02
God's glory
21:03
is the sum
21:04
total of
21:05
all he is
21:06
and all
21:07
he has
21:07
done.
21:09
His
21:09
attributes,
21:10
his
21:10
character,
21:10
his manifold
21:11
perfections,
21:12
his excellencies,
21:14
his works,
21:14
his accomplishments
21:15
in creation,
21:16
redemption,
21:17
how great
21:18
he truly
21:19
is,
21:19
how awesome
21:20
he is,
21:21
all summed
21:21
up into
21:22
one word,
21:23
glory.
21:25
Glory in
21:26
the Bible
21:26
is an attempt
21:27
to put into
21:27
words what
21:28
cannot be
21:28
contained in
21:29
words.
21:30
That's the
21:31
immensity of
21:32
just the
21:32
word itself.
21:33
So,
21:34
as fallen
21:36
human beings,
21:38
you and
21:38
I,
21:39
we struggle
21:39
with the
21:40
idea of
21:41
someone
21:41
asking for
21:43
glory.
21:45
So,
21:45
if I came
21:46
in here
21:46
and I
21:46
said,
21:47
worship me,
21:48
glorify me,
21:49
I am
21:49
awesome,
21:50
hopefully I
21:51
would be
21:51
kicked out
21:52
of here.
21:53
But why?
21:55
Why would
21:56
it be wrong
21:56
for me
21:57
to ask
21:58
that?
21:58
Or for
21:59
you to
21:59
ask that?
22:01
The answer
22:02
is,
22:02
every one
22:04
of us
22:04
in here,
22:05
myself,
22:05
you,
22:06
we have
22:06
countless
22:07
imperfections,
22:10
failures,
22:10
and sins.
22:11
We are
22:11
broken people.
22:12
We are
22:12
not worthy
22:13
of that
22:14
kind of
22:15
attention,
22:16
that kind
22:17
of glory.
22:18
That's why
22:18
we struggle
22:19
with that.
22:20
I like
22:21
you,
22:21
but not
22:21
that much.
22:23
You're not
22:23
worthy of
22:24
that amount
22:25
of glory.
22:27
However,
22:28
we mistake
22:30
God seriously
22:32
when we
22:32
put him
22:32
in that
22:33
category.
22:34
He's the
22:35
only being
22:35
in existence,
22:37
period,
22:38
that is
22:39
completely
22:39
flawless,
22:41
infinitely
22:41
perfect.
22:43
He alone
22:44
is worthy
22:44
of all
22:45
our worship,
22:46
all our
22:46
praise,
22:47
all our
22:47
love.
22:48
So I had
22:49
to get a
22:49
quote in
22:50
from Jonathan
22:52
Edwards,
22:52
my homeboy.
22:53
God,
22:54
in one
22:56
of his
22:56
books,
22:56
he wrote
22:56
this,
22:58
and talking
22:58
about why
22:59
we should
23:00
glorify
23:01
someone and
23:01
why we
23:01
should not.
23:03
Our
23:03
obligation
23:04
to love,
23:06
honor,
23:06
and obey
23:07
any being
23:08
is in
23:09
proportion
23:09
to his
23:10
loveliness,
23:11
honorableness,
23:12
!
23:12
and authority.
23:14
God is a
23:15
being of
23:15
infinite
23:16
loveliness
23:17
because he
23:19
is infinitely
23:20
excellent and
23:21
beautiful.
23:21
honorable.
23:23
He is a
23:23
being of
23:24
infinite
23:24
greatness,
23:26
majesty,
23:26
and glory,
23:27
and therefore
23:28
he is
23:30
infinitely
23:30
honorable.
23:32
So in
23:33
short,
23:33
what he's
23:34
saying is
23:35
that it
23:36
is right
23:36
for us
23:37
to give
23:37
glory to
23:37
someone in
23:39
proportion to
23:40
that person's
23:41
excellence.
23:42
So our
23:43
excellence ends
23:44
at some
23:44
point,
23:45
but God
23:45
does not.
23:46
He has
23:47
infinite
23:47
excellence
23:48
and therefore
23:49
worthy of
23:50
infinite glory.
23:51
glory.
23:51
Get your
23:51
head around
23:52
that.
23:54
So he
23:55
prays for
23:56
the Father's
23:56
glory and
23:57
uses the
23:58
term glorify
23:59
three times
24:01
in these
24:02
two verses.
24:04
Simply put,
24:04
again,
24:05
no big
24:05
analogies,
24:06
no much
24:07
time to
24:07
spend on
24:08
this,
24:08
but to
24:09
glorify
24:10
really just
24:10
means to
24:11
expose,
24:12
unveil,
24:13
put on
24:13
display one's
24:14
glory that
24:15
was formerly
24:16
kind of
24:16
hidden,
24:17
if you
24:17
would,
24:18
to put it
24:19
on display.
24:20
So Jesus
24:21
is simply
24:21
saying,
24:22
Father,
24:23
at this
24:23
time,
24:25
reveal,
24:25
unveil,
24:26
put on
24:26
display the
24:27
greatness of
24:28
all you
24:28
are through
24:30
this cruel
24:30
death I'm
24:31
about to
24:32
endure.
24:33
And also,
24:34
Father,
24:34
at this
24:35
same time,
24:35
expose and
24:36
reveal who I
24:37
truly am as
24:38
your Son.
24:40
If you
24:41
remember,
24:42
Christ's glory
24:43
has been
24:44
hidden.
24:45
Much of who
24:46
he is has
24:46
been hidden
24:47
throughout most
24:47
of his life.
24:49
We had
24:49
glimpses of
24:50
that from
24:50
time to
24:51
time,
24:51
but most
24:52
of you will
24:53
recall the
24:53
phrase that's
24:54
repeated a lot
24:54
throughout the
24:55
Gospels.
24:56
What is it?
24:56
My time has
24:57
not yet
24:58
come.
24:59
The hour
24:59
has not
25:00
yet come.
25:02
It's not
25:02
time for my
25:03
true identity
25:04
and my true
25:04
mission to
25:05
be revealed
25:06
yet.
25:08
Right?
25:09
But,
25:10
remember,
25:12
Christ's glory
25:13
was hidden,
25:15
but now is
25:15
it about to
25:16
be made
25:17
known.
25:18
So,
25:19
how would
25:19
this happen?
25:21
The Father
25:22
on the cross
25:22
would display
25:23
both his
25:24
perfect justice,
25:26
his perfect
25:26
righteousness,
25:27
and at the
25:28
same time
25:29
reveal love
25:31
and mercy
25:31
and grace
25:32
to sinners.
25:32
At the same
25:33
time,
25:33
he would be
25:34
both the
25:35
just and
25:35
the justifier
25:36
of the one
25:37
who has
25:38
faith in
25:39
Christ.
25:40
So,
25:41
we saw
25:41
glimpses of
25:42
Christ's glory
25:43
even at the
25:44
transfiguration,
25:45
salvation,
25:45
but the
25:46
cross,
25:47
the time
25:48
had now
25:48
come for
25:49
Jesus to
25:49
face it,
25:50
and the
25:51
cross was
25:51
the climax
25:52
of the
25:53
Son's desire
25:54
to glorify
25:55
the Father.
25:56
and it
25:57
would result
25:59
in the
26:00
Father
26:01
glorifying and
26:02
honoring the
26:02
Son.
26:04
Only a few
26:04
places to
26:05
turn,
26:05
but look at
26:06
Philippians
26:06
chapter 2.
26:08
Hold your
26:08
hand in
26:08
John 17.
26:09
And I want
26:14
you to see
26:14
in Philippians
26:15
2,
26:16
verse 6
26:17
through 11,
26:19
that Christ
26:20
had our
26:21
desire,
26:21
though He
26:22
was equal
26:22
with the
26:23
Father,
26:24
had our
26:25
desire to
26:25
glorify His
26:26
Father through
26:27
His work here
26:28
on the
26:29
earth.
26:30
But then,
26:30
the Father
26:31
would turn
26:31
around and
26:32
honor the
26:33
Son for
26:34
that work.
26:38
Look at
26:38
verse 6.
26:39
He's talking
26:39
about Jesus,
26:41
who,
26:42
though He
26:42
was in
26:43
the form
26:43
of God,
26:45
did not
26:46
count equality
26:46
with God
26:47
a thing
26:48
to be grasped,
26:49
but emptied
26:50
Himself by
26:50
taking on
26:51
the form
26:52
of a
26:52
servant,
26:53
and being
26:54
born in
26:54
the likeness
26:55
of man,
26:56
and being
26:56
found in
26:57
human form.
26:58
He humbled
26:59
Himself by
27:00
becoming obedient
27:01
to the point
27:01
of death,
27:03
even death
27:04
on a cross.
27:06
Therefore,
27:06
God has
27:07
highly exalted
27:08
Him,
27:08
and bestowed
27:09
on Him
27:10
the name
27:10
that is
27:10
above
27:11
every name.
27:12
So at
27:13
the name
27:13
of Jesus,
27:14
every knee
27:15
should bow,
27:16
in heaven
27:16
and on earth
27:17
and under
27:17
the earth,
27:19
and every
27:19
tongue confess
27:20
that Jesus
27:21
Christ is
27:21
Lord,
27:22
to the glory
27:23
of God
27:24
the Father.
27:26
Do you see
27:26
that?
27:27
This was
27:27
Christ's
27:28
humility.
27:28
He came,
27:30
though He
27:30
existed in
27:30
the form of
27:31
God,
27:31
He stepped
27:31
down from
27:33
the high
27:33
place and
27:34
came and
27:35
walked among
27:36
us in
27:37
human flesh,
27:39
took on
27:39
the form
27:40
of a
27:40
servant,
27:42
doulos,
27:43
bond
27:43
servant,
27:44
or bond
27:45
slave.
27:46
He walked
27:47
among us
27:48
and He
27:48
humbled
27:49
Himself,
27:50
He was
27:50
obedient every
27:51
minute,
27:52
every second
27:52
to the
27:52
Father here
27:53
on earth,
27:54
and that
27:55
climaxed,
27:55
right,
27:56
even to
27:57
death on
27:58
a cross.
28:00
And so
28:00
because of
28:00
that,
28:01
right,
28:01
the Father
28:03
then glorified
28:04
the Son,
28:05
gave Him
28:05
that name
28:06
above every
28:07
name.
28:09
Then eventually,
28:10
right,
28:10
every tongue
28:11
will confess
28:11
that Jesus
28:12
Christ is
28:12
Lord.
28:13
So,
28:14
amazing
28:15
passage,
28:17
amazing
28:17
passage,
28:18
that the
28:19
giver of
28:19
life gave
28:20
Himself
28:20
to die,
28:22
and that
28:23
the one
28:23
who honors
28:25
the Father
28:25
will in
28:26
turn be
28:26
honored.
28:28
So,
28:29
Jesus is
28:30
asking for
28:30
that.
28:31
But go
28:32
back to
28:33
John 17.
28:35
This is
28:35
probably one
28:36
of the
28:37
verses in
28:37
this little
28:38
small text
28:38
that I've
28:40
been particularly
28:40
caught by.
28:42
Look at
28:43
verse 5.
28:45
Jesus takes
28:45
this idea
28:46
for glory
28:47
even further
28:48
by asking,
28:51
Father,
28:51
glorify me
28:52
in Your
28:52
own presence
28:53
with the
28:55
glory that
28:55
I had with
28:56
You before
28:56
the world
28:57
existed.
28:59
Jesus is
29:00
not being
29:00
selfish here.
29:01
It's not
29:03
selfish to
29:03
ask for
29:04
what rightfully
29:05
belongs to
29:06
You.
29:08
Jesus is
29:09
praying for
29:09
that intrinsic
29:10
glory that
29:12
belongs to
29:13
Him by
29:13
virtue of
29:14
being the
29:14
Son of
29:14
God.
29:16
Do you
29:16
see that?
29:18
Do you
29:18
see what
29:19
He's asking?
29:22
Jesus
29:23
existed
29:24
eternally
29:25
with the
29:26
Father before
29:27
you and I
29:28
ever existed,
29:28
before the
29:30
world was
29:30
created.
29:32
Ponder that.
29:34
He existed
29:35
in sweet,
29:36
joyful
29:36
oneness and
29:38
communion with
29:40
the Godhead.
29:42
So that
29:43
means that He
29:43
didn't create
29:44
us because He
29:45
was lonely
29:45
and because He
29:46
needed us.
29:47
He was
29:47
perfectly
29:47
satisfied in
29:49
all His
29:50
glory before
29:51
the world
29:51
existed.
29:53
He did not
29:54
need to
29:55
create anything.
29:56
So why
29:58
did He?
30:01
St.
30:01
Augustine
30:02
wrote this,
30:04
talking to
30:05
God in
30:06
a prayer.
30:06
He said,
30:07
God,
30:08
what would
30:09
have been
30:09
lacking in
30:10
your good,
30:11
which you
30:12
yourself are,
30:13
even if these
30:14
things of
30:14
creation had
30:15
remained
30:15
unformed?
30:17
You didn't
30:18
create them
30:18
out of any
30:19
lack,
30:20
but out of
30:21
an abundance
30:21
of your
30:22
goodness.
30:23
You ordered
30:24
them and
30:25
turned them
30:25
toward form,
30:26
but not
30:27
because your
30:28
joy had to
30:29
be perfected
30:29
by them.
30:31
So out of
30:32
abundance of
30:33
His goodness
30:33
God created,
30:35
not because
30:35
of a need.
30:37
So Jesus is
30:39
saying He
30:39
existed eternally
30:40
with the
30:41
Father and
30:42
all the
30:42
splendor and
30:43
majesty that
30:44
existed.
30:45
And He's
30:46
saying,
30:46
Father,
30:46
take me
30:47
back to
30:48
that.
30:49
What I
30:49
left behind
30:50
to come
30:51
here,
30:52
bring me
30:53
back to
30:53
that place.
30:54
restore to
30:55
me that
30:55
glory I
30:56
shared in
30:56
your own
30:57
presence.
30:59
Glory to
31:00
God.
31:02
Secondly,
31:04
saving
31:05
purposes of
31:05
God on
31:06
the cross.
31:07
This is all
31:08
about Jesus.
31:09
The second
31:09
point,
31:11
the right
31:11
Christ
31:12
possesses.
31:13
The right
31:14
that Christ
31:15
possesses.
31:16
Look at
31:17
verse 2.
31:18
Since you
31:18
have given
31:19
Him authority
31:19
over all
31:20
flesh to
31:21
give eternal
31:22
life to all
31:23
whom you have
31:23
given Him.
31:25
Jesus is the
31:26
rightful King
31:27
over two
31:29
things,
31:29
over all
31:30
mankind,
31:30
over everyone
31:31
to ever have
31:32
lived.
31:33
And then it
31:34
says to
31:34
grant salvation,
31:36
to grant
31:37
eternal life
31:38
to all the
31:39
Father has
31:40
given Him.
31:41
And both
31:42
areas of
31:43
authority are
31:43
given to
31:44
the Son
31:45
by the
31:46
Father.
31:47
They're
31:47
granted to
31:48
the Son
31:48
by the
31:50
Father.
31:50
Father.
31:51
And this
31:52
is this
31:53
idea that
31:54
Jesus lived
31:55
a holy,
31:55
submissive,
31:57
obedient life,
31:58
and that
31:58
reward,
31:59
really,
31:59
if you want
31:59
to call it
32:00
that,
32:00
was that
32:01
He would
32:01
be given
32:01
authority
32:02
over all
32:03
people.
32:04
So,
32:05
God
32:05
granting
32:06
authority
32:06
to the
32:09
Son
32:10
marks the
32:11
dawn of a
32:11
new era
32:12
in redemptive
32:13
history
32:13
that was
32:14
prophesied
32:15
about by
32:15
Isaiah,
32:16
by Daniel,
32:17
700 years
32:18
prior to
32:19
this even.
32:20
Daniel
32:21
prophesied
32:22
in chapter
32:23
7,
32:23
verse 13,
32:25
I saw
32:26
in the
32:26
night visions
32:27
and behold
32:29
with the
32:29
clouds of
32:29
heaven there
32:31
came one
32:31
like the
32:32
Son of
32:33
Man.
32:34
And He
32:34
came to
32:35
the Ancient
32:36
of Days
32:36
and was
32:37
presented
32:38
before Him.
32:39
And to
32:40
Him was
32:40
given
32:40
glory,
32:42
dominion,
32:43
and a
32:43
kingdom,
32:44
that all
32:45
peoples,
32:46
nations,
32:46
and languages
32:47
should serve
32:48
Him,
32:49
His
32:49
dominion
32:50
is an
32:50
everlasting
32:50
dominion
32:51
which shall
32:52
not pass
32:53
away,
32:53
and His
32:53
kingdom
32:54
one that
32:55
shall not
32:55
be destroyed.
32:57
Christ is
32:58
that King.
33:00
He is
33:00
that King.
33:01
He was
33:01
the one
33:02
that God
33:02
granted
33:03
that authority
33:04
to.
33:05
If we
33:05
remember
33:06
toward the
33:07
very end
33:08
of the
33:08
Gospel of
33:09
Matthew,
33:10
Jesus said
33:10
to them,
33:12
all authority
33:13
in heaven
33:13
and on earth
33:14
has been
33:15
given to
33:16
me.
33:16
authority.
33:17
So,
33:18
He's been
33:18
granted
33:19
this
33:19
authority
33:20
as the
33:20
rightful
33:21
king
33:21
because of
33:22
His
33:22
obedience
33:23
to the
33:23
Father.
33:25
So,
33:25
first,
33:26
let's break
33:27
this up
33:27
over two
33:28
areas.
33:28
It says
33:29
that Jesus
33:29
has been
33:30
granted
33:30
authority.
33:31
first,
33:32
over all
33:32
creation,
33:33
over all
33:33
things,
33:34
visible and
33:35
invisible,
33:36
all mankind.
33:39
Throughout
33:39
His earthly
33:40
ministry,
33:40
Jesus
33:40
demonstrated
33:41
that authority
33:42
on multiple
33:43
occasions
33:44
through His
33:45
teaching,
33:47
through His
33:47
healings,
33:48
exorcisms,
33:49
miracles.
33:51
Divine
33:51
Divine
33:51
authority
33:52
seemed to be
33:52
coming from
33:53
Jesus,
33:54
and people
33:54
recognized
33:55
this.
33:56
Yet,
33:56
perhaps the
33:57
most shocking
33:58
to the audience
33:59
was the fact
34:00
that He
34:00
claimed He
34:01
could forgive
34:02
sins,
34:03
and claimed
34:04
that He
34:05
was God,
34:07
and that He
34:07
would judge
34:08
the world,
34:10
right?
34:11
And so,
34:12
even in our
34:13
context today
34:14
in John 17,
34:15
what's amazing
34:16
is not for one
34:17
second did
34:17
Jesus relinquish
34:18
that power.
34:21
Here's what I
34:22
mean by that.
34:23
He humbly
34:24
submitted to
34:25
His captors
34:25
and allowed
34:26
Himself to be
34:27
dragged off
34:27
to death
34:29
when He
34:29
could have
34:29
ended it
34:30
at any
34:30
moment,
34:31
but He
34:32
didn't.
34:33
Even before
34:34
the Roman
34:34
governor,
34:35
Pilate,
34:36
He said to
34:37
Pilate,
34:37
sitting there,
34:38
you know,
34:38
beaten,
34:39
bloody,
34:39
bruised,
34:41
Pilate basically
34:41
says,
34:42
I have the
34:42
power to
34:43
set you
34:44
free.
34:45
And Jesus
34:46
responds to
34:46
him,
34:47
you have no
34:49
authority over
34:49
me at all
34:52
unless it has
34:53
been given to
34:53
you from
34:54
above.
34:55
And then
34:56
earlier in
34:57
John,
34:57
Jesus says,
34:59
for this
35:00
reason,
35:01
the Father
35:01
loves me
35:02
because I
35:03
lay down
35:05
my life
35:05
that I
35:05
may take
35:06
it up
35:06
again.
35:07
No one
35:08
takes it
35:08
from me,
35:09
but I lay
35:09
it down
35:10
on my
35:10
own accord.
35:12
I have
35:12
authority to
35:13
lay it
35:13
down,
35:14
and I
35:14
have authority
35:15
to take
35:16
it up
35:16
again.
35:17
This is
35:17
the charge
35:18
I have
35:18
received
35:19
from my
35:19
Father.
35:20
So,
35:21
though He
35:21
had that
35:22
authority,
35:23
humbly
35:24
laid Himself
35:24
down to
35:26
die.
35:27
And this
35:28
would result
35:30
in the
35:30
redemptive
35:31
work that
35:32
we needed.
35:33
So,
35:34
that's the
35:34
first area
35:34
of authority
35:35
over all
35:35
creation.
35:36
He ruled
35:36
even all
35:37
things through
35:39
the Word
35:39
of the
35:39
Father.
35:41
But secondly,
35:42
and we'll
35:42
spend more
35:42
time on
35:43
this next
35:44
week and
35:44
the weeks
35:45
to come.
35:46
Secondly,
35:48
it says that
35:49
He had been
35:49
given authority
35:50
by the
35:50
Father to
35:52
give eternal
35:52
life to
35:54
all whom
35:54
the Father
35:55
had given
35:55
Him.
35:56
Verse 2,
35:57
So,
35:58
this is the
35:59
truth,
35:59
the reality,
36:01
that the
36:01
Father has
36:02
chosen and
36:02
given a
36:03
people to
36:04
the Son to
36:05
save and
36:06
to be His
36:06
people.
36:07
It's repeated
36:08
three times
36:09
in this
36:09
prayer.
36:10
Look at
36:11
verse 6,
36:14
I have
36:15
manifested
36:15
your name
36:16
to the
36:16
people who
36:16
you gave
36:17
me out
36:17
of the
36:18
world.
36:19
Yours
36:19
they were
36:20
and you
36:20
gave them
36:21
to me.
36:22
Verse 24,
36:24
Father,
36:25
I desire
36:26
that they
36:26
also whom
36:27
you have
36:27
given me.
36:29
So,
36:29
this was
36:30
God's
36:30
eternal
36:31
plan to
36:31
call out
36:32
a people
36:32
to save.
36:35
The plan
36:36
of redemption
36:36
was not
36:36
left up
36:37
to a whim.
36:38
It wasn't
36:38
left up
36:38
to the
36:39
will of
36:39
man.
36:40
It wasn't
36:40
left up
36:41
to just
36:42
luck.
36:44
It was
36:44
ordained
36:45
by the
36:45
Father.
36:47
It was
36:48
the plan
36:48
that was
36:49
being worked
36:49
out from
36:50
eternity
36:51
past.
36:52
And it
36:53
says that
36:53
he has
36:54
authority
36:54
to give
36:55
eternal
36:55
life
36:56
to all
36:57
those
36:57
whom
36:57
the
36:57
Father
36:58
had
36:58
given
36:58
him.
37:01
Amazing.
37:03
John 6.
37:04
Go ahead
37:05
and turn
37:05
there.
37:05
You're in
37:06
John anyway.
37:06
Flip back
37:06
a few pages.
37:07
Just
37:07
so eternal
37:16
life is not
37:17
something
37:17
that God
37:18
rewards
37:19
man with
37:20
is something
37:21
that's only
37:22
granted
37:22
by his
37:23
grace.
37:24
He's not
37:24
obligated
37:25
to save
37:26
anyone.
37:28
But
37:28
as we
37:29
see
37:29
it is
37:30
the
37:30
Father's
37:31
desire
37:31
that a
37:32
people
37:32
be given
37:33
to the
37:33
Son
37:33
to save.
37:35
John 6
37:36
verse 36
37:37
But I
37:39
say to
37:39
you
37:39
you have
37:41
seen
37:42
me
37:42
and you
37:43
do not
37:43
believe.
37:44
Listen to
37:45
this.
37:45
All that
37:46
the Father
37:46
gives me
37:47
will come
37:48
to me
37:48
and whoever
37:49
comes to
37:50
me I
37:50
will never
37:51
cast out
37:51
for I
37:53
have come
37:53
down from
37:54
heaven not
37:54
to do
37:54
my own
37:55
will but
37:55
the will
37:56
of him
37:56
who sent
37:57
me.
37:58
And this
37:58
is the
37:59
will of
38:00
him who
38:00
sent me
38:00
that I
38:01
should lose
38:02
nothing of
38:02
all that he
38:03
has given
38:03
me but I
38:04
will raise
38:05
it up
38:05
on the
38:06
last day.
38:08
So a
38:08
guarantee
38:09
that he
38:11
says they
38:12
will come
38:12
to me.
38:13
The people
38:14
that the
38:14
Father has
38:14
given me
38:15
to save
38:15
will come
38:16
to me and
38:17
when they
38:17
do I
38:17
will not
38:18
cast them
38:19
out.
38:19
It is the
38:19
Father's
38:20
desire that
38:20
I not
38:21
lose any
38:22
that he
38:22
has given
38:22
to me.
38:23
Let that
38:24
be a
38:24
comfort to
38:25
you.
38:25
Don't
38:25
let that
38:25
bother you.
38:26
Let it
38:26
be like
38:26
God has
38:28
worked in
38:28
me.
38:29
He
38:29
started
38:30
something and
38:30
he will
38:31
finish it.
38:32
See it
38:32
that way.
38:33
We'll talk
38:34
about this
38:34
more weeks
38:35
to come but
38:35
this is
38:36
another area
38:37
of authority
38:37
that the
38:38
Father has
38:39
given to
38:39
his Son to
38:40
give eternal
38:40
life to
38:41
all that
38:41
he has
38:42
received.
38:44
So thirdly,
38:46
point number
38:47
three, just
38:48
this one and
38:48
one more,
38:50
but this
38:50
was, as my
38:52
dad said,
38:53
this is the
38:53
big one.
38:57
The
38:57
relationship
38:58
Christ offers.
39:00
the
39:01
relationship
39:01
Christ offers.
39:02
Verse
39:02
three,
39:04
and this
39:04
is eternal
39:05
life.
39:05
They know
39:05
you, the
39:06
only true
39:06
God and
39:07
Jesus Christ
39:08
who you
39:09
have sent.
39:11
What comes
39:12
to your
39:12
mind when
39:12
you hear
39:13
the phrase
39:13
eternal
39:14
life?
39:16
Many in
39:16
our world
39:17
and even
39:17
in church
39:18
culture think
39:19
it simply
39:19
means to
39:20
not die,
39:22
to live
39:23
forever,
39:23
and to
39:26
go to
39:26
heaven,
39:26
not perish.
39:28
All true,
39:29
right?
39:29
All those
39:29
things are
39:29
true.
39:31
All those
39:31
things are
39:32
true.
39:33
But though
39:34
they're true,
39:35
that's not
39:36
exactly what
39:37
eternal life
39:37
means.
39:39
In fact,
39:39
those are
39:40
the result
39:41
of something
39:41
else that
39:43
comes.
39:44
And we see
39:45
in our verse
39:45
that it's
39:46
knowing God.
39:48
You see
39:49
that?
39:50
A long
39:51
time ago,
39:51
I was
39:54
reading a
39:55
book in
39:55
the hospital
39:56
by John
39:57
Fiber called
39:58
God is
39:59
the gospel.
40:00
He says
40:01
it's probably
40:02
the most
40:02
important book
40:03
he's ever
40:03
written.
40:03
So check
40:04
it out.
40:05
God is
40:06
the gospel.
40:08
And in
40:08
that book,
40:09
he asked
40:10
something like
40:11
this.
40:12
If you
40:13
could die
40:13
right now
40:14
and go to
40:15
heaven and
40:16
have all
40:17
the pleasures
40:18
that this
40:19
earth has to
40:19
offer you,
40:20
everything,
40:21
all the
40:21
food,
40:22
all the
40:22
rest,
40:23
all the
40:24
entertainment,
40:25
all the
40:25
sex,
40:26
whatever it
40:26
is,
40:27
have that
40:27
for
40:28
eternity,
40:29
have basically
40:30
everything in
40:30
this world
40:31
maximized
40:32
for eternity.
40:34
Would you
40:35
go there?
40:36
But the only
40:37
catch is
40:38
Jesus is not
40:38
there.
40:40
Do you
40:40
still want
40:40
to go?
40:42
And that
40:43
scared me a
40:44
little bit.
40:45
I stood
40:45
back.
40:46
What have
40:46
you turned
40:47
heaven into?
40:48
you?
40:49
Is it
40:49
something that
40:50
separated from
40:51
the Son of
40:51
God?
40:53
In our
40:54
text today,
40:55
Jesus said
40:56
eternal life
40:57
is knowing
40:59
the only true
40:59
God in
41:00
Jesus Christ
41:01
and he is
41:01
sent.
41:03
So just
41:04
being shut
41:06
out of a
41:06
relationship
41:07
with God
41:07
was a
41:09
consequence of
41:10
the fall.
41:11
So now
41:12
entering back
41:12
into that
41:13
relationship is
41:14
central to
41:14
having eternal
41:15
life.
41:16
it's that
41:17
simple.
41:17
Like what
41:18
we lost
41:18
in Genesis
41:20
3 is now
41:21
being restored.
41:22
That's what's
41:23
so central
41:23
is this
41:24
relationship.
41:26
So the
41:27
Greek word
41:28
for know
41:28
here is
41:30
an experiential
41:31
involvement,
41:33
personal
41:34
involvement.
41:35
The Greeks
41:36
used this
41:37
word to
41:38
imply a
41:39
mystical
41:39
secret
41:40
communion
41:40
with the
41:41
deity.
41:43
A
41:43
transcendent
41:43
knowledge that
41:44
went beyond
41:45
the mundane,
41:45
beyond what
41:46
the common
41:46
people knew.
41:49
And then
41:49
the Hebrew
41:50
equivalent of
41:51
this word,
41:53
know,
41:54
is an
41:54
intimate
41:54
knowledge,
41:55
union,
41:56
love bond,
41:57
and even
41:58
use of
41:58
intercourse
41:59
at times.
42:00
Very
42:01
intimate
42:01
word.
42:03
So this
42:03
idea of
42:04
know has
42:05
both the
42:05
idea of
42:05
transcendent
42:06
knowledge
42:07
with the
42:08
deity,
42:09
but also
42:09
an intimate
42:10
love bond.
42:12
What a
42:12
warming
42:13
theological
42:14
concept for
42:15
us to
42:16
have,
42:16
knowing
42:17
God and
42:17
knowing
42:18
his
42:18
son.
42:20
So I
42:20
pray this
42:21
morning that
42:22
you're not
42:23
just someone
42:23
who knows
42:24
about God,
42:25
who can
42:25
explain who
42:26
God is,
42:26
but you
42:26
actually
42:27
know God.
42:28
There's a
42:28
difference.
42:30
We know
42:31
about the
42:32
president,
42:33
but none of
42:33
us know the
42:34
president.
42:35
Bad example,
42:37
but you know
42:37
what I'm trying
42:37
to say.
42:39
None of us,
42:40
you have
42:40
to know
42:41
Christ.
42:42
This is so
42:43
central to
42:44
the New
42:44
Testament.
42:46
Many years
42:47
ago, I
42:47
saw a
42:47
book on
42:49
a friend's
42:50
shelf that
42:50
I took
42:51
off, and
42:52
it says,
42:53
the tragedy
42:54
of religion
42:55
without
42:55
relationship.
42:56
And I
42:56
read a
42:57
part of
42:58
it, and
42:58
it points
42:58
out in
42:59
Matthew
42:59
7, where
43:01
many people
43:01
will come
43:01
to Jesus
43:02
on that
43:02
day of
43:03
judgment,
43:04
and will
43:05
say to
43:05
him, we
43:05
did all
43:06
these things
43:06
for you,
43:07
Jesus, we
43:08
cast out
43:09
demons in
43:09
your name,
43:10
we did all
43:11
these magnificent
43:12
works in
43:12
your name.
43:14
So, and
43:15
then Jesus
43:15
says, I
43:17
will look at
43:18
them, and I
43:18
will say to
43:18
them plainly,
43:19
depart from
43:20
me, I
43:21
never knew
43:22
you.
43:23
The same
43:23
word, you
43:25
who practice
43:26
lawlessness.
43:28
We must
43:29
know Christ,
43:30
and we must
43:30
know the
43:31
Father through
43:32
the Son.
43:34
So, rejoice
43:36
the fact that
43:37
Jesus,
43:37
has opened
43:38
that up for
43:38
us.
43:39
What we
43:39
lost is now
43:40
being restored
43:41
by him,
43:43
through the
43:44
perfect obedience
43:45
of Christ on
43:46
the cross.
43:47
So, knowing
43:48
Jesus as our
43:48
Savior, our
43:49
Messiah,
43:50
deliverer from
43:51
the wrath of
43:52
God, but
43:53
also as our
43:54
rightful king,
43:55
who we would
43:55
die for, who
43:56
we follow on
43:58
a daily basis.
44:00
But then our
44:01
treasure, our
44:01
most prized
44:02
possession, that
44:03
nothing in life
44:04
compares to
44:06
him.
44:06
I would
44:10
have you turn
44:11
here, but I
44:11
feel like I've
44:12
had you turn
44:12
enough, but a
44:14
very familiar
44:14
text, Philippians
44:15
3, 7 and
44:17
8.
44:19
Paul says,
44:20
whatever gain I
44:21
had, I
44:22
count it as
44:23
loss for the
44:25
sake of
44:25
Christ.
44:26
Indeed, I
44:27
count everything
44:28
as loss
44:29
because of the
44:31
surpassing worth
44:32
of knowing Christ
44:33
Jesus my
44:34
Lord.
44:35
For his
44:35
sake, I have
44:36
suffered the loss
44:37
of all things
44:37
and count them
44:38
as rubbish
44:39
in order that I
44:41
might gain
44:42
Christ.
44:43
Christ.
44:45
So, are you
44:47
willing to take
44:48
everything in this
44:49
world, money,
44:50
possessions,
44:51
finances, wealth,
44:52
land, houses, and
44:54
consider them as
44:55
garbage in
44:57
comparison to
44:58
knowing Christ
44:59
Jesus our
45:00
Lord?
45:02
Would you
45:02
trade a
45:03
lifetime of
45:04
spending your
45:06
days on
45:08
hobbies, books,
45:09
movies, TVs,
45:10
smartphones?
45:10
Would you
45:12
trade an
45:12
entire life
45:13
of that for
45:13
just one
45:14
hour with
45:15
the king?
45:18
Are you
45:18
willing to
45:19
take your
45:19
food, your
45:20
diet, your
45:20
exercise, your
45:21
clothes, your
45:22
physical appearance
45:23
and count them
45:25
as rubbish, as
45:27
trash compared
45:29
to being accepted
45:30
by the king?
45:34
Are you
45:34
trying to win
45:35
the approval of
45:36
man with those
45:36
things?
45:37
Or is it
45:37
enough that
45:38
Jesus accepts
45:39
you and the
45:40
you belong to
45:41
him?
45:43
Are you
45:43
willing to
45:44
take all your
45:45
earthly relationships,
45:46
your friends,
45:46
your family,
45:47
husband, wife,
45:48
children,
45:49
grandparents, all
45:51
these things,
45:52
boyfriends,
45:52
girlfriends,
45:54
can you place
45:55
them on one
45:55
side of the
45:56
scale and
45:57
then put Christ
45:57
on the other
45:58
and say that
45:59
Christ outweighs
45:59
all of them?
46:01
Could you do
46:01
that?
46:02
Could you
46:02
count all
46:03
things lost
46:03
as rubbish
46:04
compared to
46:06
the worthiness
46:07
of Christ
46:07
and knowing
46:08
him?
46:08
Some people
46:10
will be
46:11
miserable in
46:11
heaven because
46:12
they didn't
46:13
want to go
46:14
there because
46:14
of Jesus.
46:16
And then,
46:17
in fact,
46:17
they won't
46:17
be there.
46:19
Jesus is
46:21
all the
46:21
glory in
46:22
heaven.
46:24
A hymn
46:25
that's been
46:25
really dear to
46:26
me the last
46:26
couple of
46:27
years,
46:28
written by
46:28
Ann Ross
46:29
in the
46:29
1800s,
46:31
is called
46:32
The Sands
46:32
of Time
46:33
Are Sinking,
46:34
and it's
46:34
about eternity.
46:35
But,
46:37
speaking of
46:38
the bride,
46:38
us as the
46:39
church,
46:40
in Jesus
46:41
the bridegroom
46:41
it says
46:42
this,
46:43
The bride's
46:44
eyes are
46:45
not on
46:45
her garment,
46:47
but on
46:48
her dear
46:49
bridegroom's
46:49
face.
46:51
I will
46:51
not gaze
46:52
at glory,
46:54
but on
46:54
my King
46:55
of grace.
46:57
Not on
46:58
the crown
46:58
that he
46:59
giveth,
47:00
but on
47:00
his
47:01
pierced
47:01
hands.
47:02
the Lamb
47:04
is all
47:04
the glory
47:05
in
47:05
Emmanuel's
47:06
land.
47:08
I pray
47:09
that that's
47:09
our
47:11
confession,
47:12
that that's
47:12
where we
47:13
want to
47:13
go,
47:13
because
47:14
Jesus
47:14
is there.
47:16
We would
47:16
go right
47:16
now,
47:17
even if
47:17
we could.
47:19
So,
47:20
lastly,
47:21
the
47:22
requirement
47:22
Christ
47:23
meets.
47:24
Fourthly
47:25
and lastly,
47:25
the requirement
47:26
that Christ
47:27
meets.
47:29
And look
47:29
at verse
47:29
four.
47:31
I glorified
47:31
you on
47:32
the earth,
47:32
having
47:33
accomplished
47:33
the work
47:34
that you
47:35
gave me
47:35
to do.
47:37
This was
47:38
a work
47:38
that none
47:39
of us
47:39
could
47:40
accomplish.
47:41
None
47:41
of us
47:42
individually
47:42
or combined
47:43
could ever
47:44
accomplish.
47:45
The law
47:46
of God,
47:47
the holiness
47:48
of God,
47:49
totally
47:50
without of
47:50
our grasp.
47:52
So,
47:53
what work
47:53
is Jesus
47:54
referring to
47:55
here?
47:56
It's the
47:56
work of
47:57
accomplishing
47:58
all that
47:58
is required
47:59
in the
48:00
Father's
48:00
plan of
48:01
redemption.
48:02
Everything.
48:04
Jesus
48:04
sought to
48:05
glorify
48:05
His
48:05
Father
48:06
by
48:06
accomplishing
48:07
that
48:07
redemptive
48:07
plan
48:08
that
48:09
He
48:09
had
48:09
set
48:09
forth
48:10
to
48:10
save
48:10
sinners.
48:12
This was
48:13
the eternal
48:13
plan from
48:14
the Father
48:14
that would
48:15
reverse the
48:15
effects of
48:16
the fall,
48:17
that would
48:17
restore us
48:18
back to
48:19
God,
48:20
save us
48:21
from His
48:21
wrath,
48:22
and make
48:23
us be
48:24
able to
48:24
live a
48:24
life that
48:25
glorified
48:25
Him once
48:26
again.
48:26
So,
48:29
the work
48:30
of pleasing
48:30
His
48:31
Father
48:31
consumed
48:32
Jesus
48:32
His
48:33
entire
48:33
life.
48:35
My
48:35
food is
48:36
to do
48:36
the will
48:36
of Him
48:37
who sent
48:37
me and
48:38
to accomplish
48:39
His
48:40
work.
48:40
I can
48:42
do
48:42
nothing on
48:43
my own
48:43
because I
48:44
seek not
48:44
my own
48:45
will but
48:45
the will
48:46
of Him
48:46
who sent
48:47
me.
48:48
A few
48:48
places in
48:49
John where
48:49
that's
48:50
repeated.
48:51
Jesus
48:52
accomplished
48:52
that plan,
48:54
okay,
48:55
He accomplished
48:56
that plan
48:56
by living
48:58
His entire
48:58
life in
48:59
joyful
48:59
obedience
49:00
and humility
49:02
service
49:03
towards the
49:04
Father.
49:05
He lived
49:06
a totally
49:07
sinless,
49:07
upright,
49:08
and blameless
49:09
life.
49:11
And He
49:11
even challenged
49:12
His adversaries,
49:13
people that
49:14
were attacking
49:14
Him.
49:15
And He's
49:15
like,
49:16
which one
49:16
of you
49:17
can convict
49:18
me of sin?
49:20
Which one
49:20
of you?
49:21
And none
49:21
of them
49:21
could.
49:23
The writer
49:23
of Hebrews
49:24
says that
49:24
He was
49:24
tempted in
49:25
all ways,
49:26
in all
49:26
things,
49:27
just as
49:28
you and
49:28
I were,
49:29
yet without
49:30
sin.
49:32
We were
49:32
even tempted
49:32
by the devil
49:33
himself in
49:34
the wilderness,
49:35
but yet he
49:35
resisted.
49:37
And later,
49:38
the writer
49:38
of Hebrews
49:39
describes Jesus
49:40
as holy,
49:41
innocent,
49:43
undefiled,
49:45
separated from
49:46
sinners.
49:47
7, 26.
49:49
So this
49:50
life work of
49:51
Jesus glorifying
49:52
the Father
49:52
culminated,
49:54
climaxed at
49:55
the cross,
49:56
which we just
49:57
read in
49:57
Philippians.
49:59
So the result
50:00
of that work
50:00
was this
50:01
blameless life
50:02
that He lived
50:03
had two
50:04
sides of it.
50:04
first,
50:06
that perfect
50:06
life,
50:07
that perfect
50:08
righteousness
50:09
was given
50:10
to us
50:11
so that we
50:12
could stand
50:13
righteous and
50:13
clean,
50:14
blameless before
50:15
the Father.
50:16
And then our
50:16
sin was put
50:17
on Jesus,
50:19
and then He
50:19
bore the
50:20
punishment,
50:21
the wrath
50:22
of God.
50:23
We know
50:24
2 Corinthians
50:25
5, 21.
50:27
For our
50:29
sake He
50:29
made Him
50:29
to be
50:30
sin,
50:30
Jesus,
50:31
who knew
50:32
no sin,
50:33
so that in
50:34
Him we
50:35
might become
50:35
the righteousness
50:36
of God.
50:38
So though
50:39
Jesus was
50:39
sinless,
50:40
God treated
50:40
Him as if
50:41
He had
50:41
sinned.
50:43
And though
50:44
we were
50:44
sinful,
50:45
now God
50:45
treats us
50:46
as though
50:47
we had
50:47
not because
50:48
of the
50:48
perfect
50:48
righteousness
50:49
of Christ.
50:52
Huge
50:52
stuff there,
50:53
but basically
50:54
the requirement
50:55
that Christ
50:56
meets,
50:56
the work
50:56
He accomplished
50:57
was everything
50:58
needed for
50:58
the plan
50:59
of redemption.
51:02
So,
51:03
are you in
51:04
awe of
51:05
these words
51:05
today?
51:07
Jesus would
51:08
open up to
51:09
sinners like
51:10
us a
51:11
secret,
51:12
intimate place
51:12
with the
51:13
Father for
51:14
us to look
51:14
into.
51:16
And does
51:16
your soul
51:17
rejoice at
51:18
seeing these
51:18
glimpses of
51:19
glory that
51:20
are ahead
51:21
of us in
51:22
these saving
51:22
purposes that
51:24
are revealed
51:25
in the
51:25
cross of
51:26
Christ.
51:28
So,
51:28
in the weeks
51:28
to come,
51:29
we'll talk
51:29
about how
51:31
Jesus goes
51:32
on to pray
51:32
for His
51:33
disciples.
51:34
But then,
51:35
astoundingly,
51:36
He prays
51:36
for you.
51:38
In all my
51:39
years in the
51:39
hospital,
51:40
I had a lot
51:40
of people
51:40
come pray
51:41
for me.
51:42
People I
51:43
revered,
51:43
people that
51:44
I would
51:45
just tremble
51:46
when they
51:47
prayed.
51:48
I can't
51:48
imagine if
51:49
Jesus was
51:49
just sitting
51:50
there by
51:51
you and
51:52
then prayed
51:52
for you.
51:53
Could you
51:54
not face
51:54
anything after
51:55
that?
51:56
Well,
51:57
He did.
51:57
He prayed
51:57
for you.
51:59
And He
51:59
prayed for
51:59
me.
52:01
So,
52:02
glory to
52:02
God.
52:03
Let's pray
52:03
together.