Glorifying God Through Jesus' Prayer in John 17

In John 17, we find Jesus in the Upper Room with His disciples, having just shared a Passover meal. This moment is filled with gravity as Jesus prepares His disciples for His imminent departure. He knows that in a few hours, He will be betrayed, arrested, and crucified. Despite the looming trials, Jesus offers His disciples words of peace and assurance, reminding them that He has overcome the world. This chapter is unique because it contains the only extended prayer of Jesus recorded in the New Testament, revealing His heart and priorities.

Jesus begins His prayer by lifting His eyes to heaven, following the traditional posture of prayer of His time. He prays for the glorification of the Father through His impending crucifixion, emphasizing that the cross, though seen as a place of shame by the world, is actually a manifestation of God's glory. Jesus is not merely in survival mode; He is focused on glorifying God through His actions. This challenges us to consider how we can glorify God in our own lives, not just in extraordinary circumstances but in our everyday activities.

Jesus also speaks of the authority given to Him over all flesh, which gives us hope for evangelism and missionary work. He prays for His disciples, acknowledging their faith and commitment, despite their imperfections. He emphasizes that eternal life is found in knowing God experientially, not just intellectually. Jesus' prayer is not for the world at large but for His disciples, through whom He intends to reach the world. This highlights the importance of discipleship and the role of believers in manifesting God's character to the world.

Finally, Jesus expresses His desire for His disciples to glorify Him, just as He glorifies the Father. This prayer is a reminder that our lives should reflect the glory of Jesus, and it challenges us to live in a way that makes His love, truth, and power visible to others.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus' prayer in John 17 reveals His heart for His disciples and His focus on glorifying God, even in the face of suffering. This challenges us to consider how we can glorify God in our own lives, not just in extraordinary circumstances but in our everyday activities. [09:38]
• 2. Jesus emphasizes the importance of knowing God experientially, not just intellectually. This experiential knowledge is the source of eternal life and invites us into a deeper relationship with God. [17:10]
• 3. Jesus' authority over all flesh gives us hope for evangelism and missionary work. Even if people currently reject or are ignorant of Him, His authority means they are not beyond His reach. This encourages us to pray for those who do not yet know Him. [14:28]
• 4. Jesus prays specifically for His disciples, highlighting the importance of discipleship and the role of believers in manifesting God's character to the world. Our lives should reflect the glory of Jesus, making His love, truth, and power visible to others. [29:16]
• 5. The prayer of Jesus in John 17 is a reminder that our lives should be lived for something greater than personal success or comfort. We are called to live in a way that brings glory to Jesus, reflecting His strength, love, and goodness to the world. [31:36]
  ** [31:36]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:17] - Setting the Scene: The Upper Room
• [01:15] - Preparing the Disciples
• [02:22] - The Importance of Prayer
• [03:00] - The Unique Prayer of Jesus
• [04:41] - Traditional Posture of Prayer
• [06:08] - A Prayer of Triumph
• [07:12] - The Hour Has Come
• [09:38] - Glorifying God Through the Cross
• [12:27] - Authority Over All Flesh
• [14:28] - Hope for Evangelism
• [17:10] - Experiential Knowledge of God
• [20:18] - The Trinity and Shared Glory
• [21:26] - Praying for the Disciples
• [31:36] - Living for God's Glory

1. What is the significance of Jesus lifting His eyes to heaven as He begins His prayer in John 17:1? How does this reflect the traditional posture of prayer at that time? [04:41]
2. In John 17:2, Jesus speaks of the authority given to Him over all flesh. How does this authority relate to His mission and purpose as described in the sermon? [12:27]
3. According to the sermon, what does Jesus mean when He says, "I have glorified you on the earth" in John 17:4? How did Jesus glorify the Father throughout His life? [18:01]
4. How does Jesus describe eternal life in John 17:3, and what distinction does the sermon make about the type of knowledge that leads to eternal life? [17:10]

1. Why does Jesus emphasize the importance of glorifying God even in the face of suffering, as seen in His prayer in John 17:1? How does this challenge the common perception of suffering? [09:38]
2. How does Jesus' prayer for His disciples in John 17:9-10 reflect His strategy for reaching the world? What does this imply about the role of discipleship in the church today? [29:16]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that knowing God experientially differs from knowing Him intellectually? How might this impact a believer's relationship with God? [17:10]
4. How does the authority of Jesus over all flesh, as mentioned in John 17:2, provide hope for evangelism and missionary work according to the sermon? [14:28]

1. Reflect on a recent situation where you faced a challenge or trial. How did you respond, and in what ways could you have focused more on glorifying God through that experience? [09:38]
2. Jesus speaks of knowing God experientially as the source of eternal life. What practical steps can you take this week to deepen your experiential knowledge of God? [17:10]
3. Consider someone in your life who currently rejects or is ignorant of Jesus. How can you pray for them, knowing that Jesus has authority over all flesh? [14:28]
4. Jesus prays specifically for His disciples, highlighting the importance of discipleship. How can you actively participate in discipling others within your community or church? [29:16]
5. In what ways can your everyday activities reflect the glory of Jesus, making His love, truth, and power visible to others? Identify one specific action you can take this week. [11:02]
6. Jesus' prayer in John 17 is a reminder to live for something greater than personal success or comfort. What is one area of your life where you feel called to shift your focus towards glorifying Jesus? [31:36]
7. How can you manifest the character and nature of God in your interactions with others this week? Identify a specific relationship or situation where you can be more intentional about this. [24:23]