John 17:1-24, Christ's High Priestly Intercessory Prayer

Objectives

• Congregants will make God's glory their highest aim.
• Congregants will seek to apply the Bible to their life specifically.
• Congregants will understand the need for unity
• Congregants will display the love of Christ to others.

Main Body

Setting The Stage

• In John 15 Jesus taught his disciples about their relationships. Relationships with Christ, relationships with each other, and relationships with the world.
• In John 16, Jesus teaches his disciples about the coming Holy Spirit and imminent departure.
• John 17 records the prayer of Jesus before his arrest. In the 16th century, theologian David Chytraeus labeled the prayer as "Christ's high priestly intercessory prayer" a label that has stuck.
• The prayer of Jesus will give us insight into both His heart for His Father, His people and His people's deeper needs.

Main Proposition

As Christians, we must prioritize God's glory by displaying the love of Christ in unity, depending on God's grace to carry us through a fallen world.

Point 1, The Priority of God's Glory (V. 1-5 )

Way back in John 2:4 at the wedding of Cana, Jesus had stated "My hour has not yet come." Tracing through the book of John we see repeated reference to the time that is to come. Here finally, we see that the hour has come. The story that began in eternity past with "in the beginning was the word" written before the foundations of the world has reached its climax. What is this climax?

In the first three verses of John 17 no fewer than three ινα clauses show the purpose behind cosmological events.

Grammatically, ινα introduces a subordinating conjunction. That is,

1. 1. introducing a subordinate clause expressing a purpose: in order that, so that, so
   2. introducing a clause of effort, indicating what someone is trying to accomplish: that

Christ's Priority Was God's Glory (V. 1)

Verse 1

• Jesus addresses the Father first in this verse and then again, no fewer than six times in the passage.
• The hour refers to the time of Jesus's death. The significance of calling it "the hour" is important. In some sense this is the moment that all of time turns upon. The fulcrum of time. From Genesis 3:15 until now all of creation earnestly waited for this moment.

• Notice the purpose even of Christ's glory was ultimately God's glory. In the greek Christ uses a ινα clause. In order that Your Son also may glorify you.

Eternity Is Focussed on God's Glory (V. 2-3)

Verse 2

• yet another ινα clause demonstrates that God gave Christ authority in order that Christ might give eternal life.

Verse 3

• In verse 3, the third ινα of this chapter introduces the idea of what eternal life actually is: knowing God and Christ. Have you ever heard someone say "he lived a full life" or "he is enjoying all life has to offer?" According to Christ, eternal life is not experiencing all there is to experience. No, eternal life is knowing God.

It Is All About God's Glory (V. 4-5)

Verse 4

• Notice the implication, everything Christ did was purposed for the Glory of God.
• Notice also how Jesus brought God glory. Jesus did not bring glory to God by building a grand temple, or going through a careful perfect ritual. No, Jesus did not even break into ecstatic jubilant praise. Jesus brought God glory by completing the job he was sent to do.
• No matter who you are, you have the capacity to bring God glory by doing the work he has asked of you!

Verse 5

• The priority is God's glory. But don't miss the fact that in God's glory, Christ is glorified as well. We should aim for God's glory and realize that God's glory is also what is best for us.

• Romans 8:28 states
  • And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

As Christians, we must make God's glory our highest aim.

• What has God asked you to do? What job do you need to complete in order to bring God glory? Are you letting outward displays get in the way of the obedience that will bring God glory?

Transition (V. 6-8)

• Sandwiched between two rich sections on Christ and God are some specific prayer requests that Christ makes. From these prayer requests we can learn a lot about our own needs.

Verse 6

• Notice the ownership. As Christians, we belong to God.

Verse 7

• Notice the source

Verse 8

• Notice the belief
• Two areas of belief are key to ultimate understanding of the redemptive mission of Christ.
  • The words of Christ
  • The deity of Christ

Point 2, We Have Not Arrived (V. 9-19)

• I worry that too often we set ourselves on a pinnacle and then apply Biblical teaching to everyone else around us.

We Need Keeping (V. 9-12)

Verse 9

• Christ makes a strong contrast that He is praying not for the world, but for His disciples here. The world may have a multitude of problems, but Christ chose to pray for His disciples.
• John quotes Christ as using the greek εγο (I am) to introduce his praying (I am praying). The personal pronoun is not needed in the Greek but its presence emphasizes that Christ was personally making intercession.

Verse 10

• Nothing we have done or ever will do will warrant God's gracious provision of salvation. Chosen, before the foundation of the world, we have nothing with which to brag or stand self-righteously.

Verse 11-12

• Notice the contrast, while Christ is no longer on Earth, we are. This might seem obvious at first, but think about it. The implication is that we are susceptible to the wiles of the world. We must not get complacent in our walk. We must not get complacent in our application of scripture to ourselves.
• Notice that Christ prays for unity. I do not believe Christ prayed for the sake of praying. I believe Christ prayed for something that we desperately need, the unity that only comes through God.

We Are Here Now (V. 13-15)

Have you ever thought to yourself. I just wish I could be done with all of this and get to heaven, it would b so much easier. Well, while it is good to long for heave, we must realize we are here now and God put us here for a reason so we need to get to work!

Verse 13

• The message of scripture is unified in the statement; true, lasting joy only comes through God.

Verses 14-15

• It is not that our permanent place of belonging is in the world but rather that our mission right now is a mission in the world.
• Christ does not pray that we would be taken out of the world, that would be contrary to our mission, God's plan, and hence, our joy.
• Instead Christ prays for spiritual protection.
• A desire to be out of the world is actually out of sync with the plan of God. God's plan for you right now is for you to be a part of the world. Don't lose sight of this, God has placed you right here, right now for a reason, a mission.
• We have our sites set in heaven, and rightfully so, but with our sites set on heaven don't lost sight of the mission now.
  • Philippians 1:21 states "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

We Are Destined For Something More (V. 16-19)

Verse 16

• For the moment, we have been placed in the world and asked to serve in the world, but we must remember that at the moment of salvation we are positionally sanctified, set apart, no longer of the world but in the world bound for our real home.

Verse 17

• The word we translate as "sanctify" is αγιασον and means to separate of make holy. It has a root that literally means holy. The word in this passage carries the idea of dedicating a person for a holy task.
• Now look at the means or mechanism, truth. In John 14:6 Jesus stated "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
• Jesus continues, your word is truth. In this passage he probably means more than scripture, he probably means the message of the father, as communicated in the person and work of the Son. For us today this is the gospel itself.
• Notice that the Word is the agent of sanctification or setting apart for the mission to the world.
• When people come home from an extended stay foreign country they often want to eat something from their home. A young man who worked in an islamic area of China came home after two years and could not get enough bacon and pepperoni. Someone visiting him back in the US might see bags of pepperoni in the refrigerator, a snack. Those who stay for an extended time long for some of the comforts of their home. We are not of the world, and we may long to be home, but we at least have access to something from our home. The word of God!
• Do you long for the word of God like it is a rare commodity that represents all you hold dear from home?

Verse 18

• Christ was obedient to God, we must in turn be obedient to Christ.
• It is not that we have the same mission of Christ, but rather that Christ has given us a mission. Christ's mission was the revelation of God and provision of salvation. Our mission is assigned by Christ and is the proclamation of the completed work of Christ.

Verse 19

• Just incase are you are thinking this is too much to ask. Christ has one final reminder. He gave up everything for you. He completed his mission and in so doing set each of us apart for our mission.

As Christians, we must be cautious about becoming to comfortable with where we are.  We have not arrived, yet we are asked to serve in a fallen world, knowing that our ultimate home and sanctification awaits.

Point 3, Unity is in Christ (V. 20-23)

We are Part of a Long Line of Christians (V. 20)

• This passage is replete with purpose clauses. Christ strings together an explanation of God's plan.

Verse 20

• We are united in Christ across nearly 2000 years of time.
• Wouldn't it be really cool to have a time machine to go back in history and watch people? To see how their mannerisms and customs play into their everyday life. To watch a family interact across the timeline of history. To hear a conversation before the era of TV and Radio. To observe the first dinner conversation after the printing press is invented and newspapers become common. For many of us, the idea of generational knowledge is fascinating.
• We are connected with generations of Christians who have come before, united as one in Christ.
• United through the Word of God passed to the disciples from the Father through the son.

United In Christ (V. 21)

Verse 21

• Paul explained unity in Ephesians 4:4-6,
  • There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in [a]you all.
• In all things, our unity comes from Christ and the Father.
• Notice the purpose of that unity. The purpose of the church's unity is to foster belief on the part of the world. When the church is functioning as the church should function the world is forced to take note!
  • In Acts 2 we see a Jerusalem church that modeled true unity. At times, the standard they set seems impossible but don't use that as an excuse. In Acts 2:47, the unity of the church had an interesting effect. "having favor with all people." There will always be people to oppose God and there will always be people who reject God. However, a functioning church cannot help but show people the unity that only comes from Christ.

Enabled by the Father (V. 22-23)

Verses 22-23

• Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the believer is able to participate in all the attributes and essence of God.
• In verse 23 Jesus summarizes
  • Jesus is in us
  • and God is in Jesus
  • Therefore we have complete unity
  • With which we can bear divine testimony
  • Of the reconciling love of God

As Christians, we must find our identity in Christ and thus live united as one.

Point 4, Christ Loves Us (V. 24-26)

Christ Desires For Us to Be With Him (V. 24)

Verse 24

• Look at that again, Christ desires for us to be with Him.
• If you are married or widowed then you can hopefully understand what it means to desire to be in the presence of someone. A longing to spend time, discuss the day, and interact.
• Jesus wants to be with us. I don't think we can fully appreciate this, the God, creator of the universe desires to be in your presence.
• He desires to show His glory to you.

Ultimate Love (V. 25-26)

Verses 25-26

• What does the love of a father for his son look like?
  • Even our imperfect model of a Father's love for a son still demonstrates the profundity of the love.
• The Father's love for the Son must be even greater and that is the love that is called upon for us, and through us.

As Christians, we must realize the profound love Christ has for us and act upon that love by loving others.