Jesus' Prayer: Unity, Glory, and Transformation for Believers
Summary
### Summary
In today's sermon, we delved into John 17, where Jesus prays for three distinct groups: Himself, His disciples, and all future believers. This chapter is often referred to as the true "Lord's Prayer" because it reveals Jesus' deepest desires and concerns as He prepares for His crucifixion. The central theme of His prayer is the glory of God. Jesus prays for His own glorification, which is intrinsically linked to the salvation He offers humanity. He emphasizes that eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ, and this knowledge transforms us and restores our relationship with God, which was lost in the Garden of Eden.
Jesus also prays for His disciples, knowing the trials they will face after His departure. He asks the Father to protect them and sanctify them through His truth. Jesus highlights that the disciples were chosen by God for a specific purpose and that their transformation through His teachings has set them apart from the world. This sanctification process is crucial for them to fulfill their mission.
Finally, Jesus prays for all future believers, including us. His primary request is for unity among His followers, mirroring the unity between Him and the Father. This unity serves as a powerful testimony to the world, demonstrating the transformative power of Jesus' love and the truth of His message. Jesus' prayer underscores the importance of living in harmony and love, as it points others to God.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Glory of God Through Salvation: Jesus prays for His glorification, which is directly tied to the salvation He offers. Eternal life is not just about an afterlife but about knowing God deeply and personally. This relationship transforms us and restores what was lost in Eden. Understanding God's love and His hatred for sin through Jesus' sacrifice is the essence of eternal life. [36:52]
2. Chosen and Protected Disciples: Jesus prays for His disciples, acknowledging the trials they will face. He emphasizes that they were chosen by God and have been prepared through His teachings. Jesus asks the Father to protect them and sanctify them through His truth, highlighting the importance of being grounded in God's Word to withstand the world's challenges. [45:53]
3. Sanctification Through Truth: Sanctification is a key theme in Jesus' prayer for His disciples. He prays that they be made holy through God's truth, which is found in His Word. This process of sanctification is essential for living a life that reflects Jesus' teachings and for fulfilling the mission God has for each believer. [51:00]
4. Unity Among Believers: Jesus' prayer for future believers focuses on unity. He desires that His followers be united as He and the Father are united. This unity is a powerful witness to the world, showing the transformative power of Jesus' love. It is through this unity that the world will know that Jesus was sent by God and that He loves them. [55:28]
5. Living as Children of God: Jesus imparts the same glory He received from the Father to His followers, making them children of God. This new identity enables believers to live in unity and reflect God's glory. Our unity and love for one another serve as a testimony to the world, pointing them to the truth of Jesus' message and the reality of God's love. [59:21]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[08:50] - Introduction to John 17
[21:16] - Supporting Missionaries
[32:38] - Jesus' Prayer for His Disciples
[33:30] - The True Lord's Prayer
[34:48] - Jesus' Three Requests
[35:57] - Glorification Through Salvation
[36:52] - Eternal Life and Knowing God
[37:44] - God's Hatred for Sin
[38:33] - Restoration of Relationship
[39:17] - Glorifying God Through the Cross
[40:13] - Jesus' Return to Glory
[42:09] - Jesus' Humanity and Divinity
[42:40] - Jesus' Prayer for His Disciples
[45:53] - Protection and Sanctification
[48:22] - Transformation of the Disciples
[49:18] - Jesus' Prayer for Protection
[51:00] - Sanctification Through Truth
[53:30] - Jesus' Prayer for Future Believers
[55:28] - Unity Among Believers
[57:52] - Living as Children of God
[59:21] - Reflecting God's Glory
[01:00:48] - Unity as a Testimony
[01:03:17] - Guarding Unity
[01:04:16] - Jesus' Encouragement to Disciples
[01:06:17] - Jesus' Love for Us
[01:07:20] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
[01:13:20] - Welcoming New Members
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- John 17:1-26
#### Observation Questions
1. What are the three groups Jesus prays for in John 17? ([33:30])
2. How does Jesus describe eternal life in His prayer? ([36:52])
3. What does Jesus ask the Father to do for His disciples in terms of protection and sanctification? ([45:53])
4. What is Jesus' primary request for future believers, and how does He relate it to His relationship with the Father? ([55:28])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus link His glorification to the salvation He offers? How does this reflect the central theme of His prayer? ([35:57])
2. What does it mean for the disciples to be sanctified through God's truth? How is this process essential for their mission? ([51:00])
3. How does Jesus' prayer for unity among future believers serve as a testimony to the world? What does this unity demonstrate? ([55:28])
4. In what ways does Jesus' prayer for His disciples' protection and sanctification prepare them for the challenges they will face? ([45:53])
#### Application Questions
1. Jesus emphasizes that eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ. How can you deepen your personal relationship with God this week? ([36:52])
2. Jesus prays for the protection and sanctification of His disciples. What specific steps can you take to ground yourself more in God's Word to withstand the world's challenges? ([45:53])
3. Reflect on the unity Jesus desires for His followers. Are there any relationships within your church or small group that need reconciliation? How can you take steps toward unity this week? ([55:28])
4. Jesus' prayer highlights the importance of living in harmony and love. How can you demonstrate Jesus' love in a practical way to someone in your community this week? ([55:28])
5. Jesus prays for His disciples to be sanctified through truth. What specific truth from God's Word has been transformative in your life recently, and how can you apply it more fully? ([51:00])
6. Jesus' prayer for future believers includes a desire for them to reflect God's glory. How can you reflect God's glory in your daily interactions at work, home, or school? ([59:21])
7. Considering Jesus' prayer for unity, what are some practical ways you can contribute to the unity of your church or small group? How can you encourage others to do the same? ([55:28])
Devotional
Day 1: The Glory of God Through Salvation
Jesus' prayer for His glorification is deeply connected to the salvation He offers humanity. Eternal life, as Jesus defines it, is not merely about an afterlife but about knowing God intimately and personally. This relationship with God transforms us and restores what was lost in the Garden of Eden. Understanding God's love and His hatred for sin through Jesus' sacrifice is the essence of eternal life. Jesus' glorification through His crucifixion and resurrection is the ultimate demonstration of God's love and justice, providing a way for humanity to be reconciled with Him. [36:52]
John 17:3-4 (ESV): "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do."
Reflection: How does understanding eternal life as knowing God personally change your perspective on your daily relationship with Him? What steps can you take today to deepen this relationship?
Day 2: Chosen and Protected Disciples
Jesus acknowledges the trials His disciples will face after His departure and prays for their protection and sanctification. He emphasizes that they were chosen by God and have been prepared through His teachings. Jesus asks the Father to protect them and sanctify them through His truth, highlighting the importance of being grounded in God's Word to withstand the world's challenges. This protection and sanctification are crucial for the disciples to fulfill their mission and remain faithful amidst persecution and trials. [45:53]
John 17:15-17 (ESV): "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."
Reflection: In what ways do you feel the world's challenges pressing against your faith? How can you immerse yourself more in God's Word to find strength and protection?
Day 3: Sanctification Through Truth
Sanctification is a key theme in Jesus' prayer for His disciples. He prays that they be made holy through God's truth, which is found in His Word. This process of sanctification is essential for living a life that reflects Jesus' teachings and for fulfilling the mission God has for each believer. Being sanctified means being set apart for God's purposes, and this is achieved through a deep and ongoing engagement with His truth. The transformative power of God's Word is what enables believers to grow in holiness and live out their faith authentically. [51:00]
John 17:19 (ESV): "And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth."
Reflection: How can you make time each day to engage deeply with God's Word? What specific truths from Scripture do you need to meditate on to grow in holiness?
Day 4: Unity Among Believers
Jesus' prayer for future believers focuses on unity. He desires that His followers be united as He and the Father are united. This unity is a powerful witness to the world, showing the transformative power of Jesus' love. It is through this unity that the world will know that Jesus was sent by God and that He loves them. The unity among believers serves as a testimony to the truth of Jesus' message and the reality of God's love, making it essential for the church to strive for harmony and love in all relationships. [55:28]
John 17:21 (ESV): "That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me."
Reflection: Think of a relationship within your church community that needs healing. How can you take a step towards unity and reconciliation today?
Day 5: Living as Children of God
Jesus imparts the same glory He received from the Father to His followers, making them children of God. This new identity enables believers to live in unity and reflect God's glory. Our unity and love for one another serve as a testimony to the world, pointing them to the truth of Jesus' message and the reality of God's love. Living as children of God means embracing this identity and allowing it to shape our interactions, decisions, and overall way of life. [59:21]
John 17:22-23 (ESV): "The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me."
Reflection: How does knowing you are a child of God influence your daily actions and decisions? What can you do today to reflect God's glory in your interactions with others?
Quotes
1. "Though they're going to fail, he's not going to fail. Though they're going to have trials and troubles in and because of this world, Jesus Christ has overcome this world. And as Jesus Christ comes to the end of this time with his disciples, he spends some time talking to the Father about his disciples. About what? What is to come. And what he wants to be accomplished in their lives." [33:30] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Jesus Christ knows that the time of his crucifixion has come. This is not a surprise to him. This was the reason that he came to the earth. He tells us in verse number one that his hour has come. So he asked for God to glorify him. Jesus, the Son of God, prayed for God to glorify him so that God the Father would be glorified." [35:57] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The only way to have eternal life, the only way to go to heaven is to know God. Is to truly know who God is. It's to understand who Jesus Christ is. It's to understand God's great love for us. And that Jesus Christ left heaven's glory to come down to this earth. To die as a sacrifice for our sins. That's to know God. That's to know Jesus Christ." [37:44] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Eternal life is knowing God. That's what it's all about. It's not sitting up in heaven and playing a harp. And just sitting around, kumbaya, and everything's great. It's knowing God. It's knowing who he is. That was lost at the Garden of Eden. It tells us in the book of Genesis that Adam walked with God. He knew God. He had a personal relationship with God. And eternal life is for that to be restored." [38:33] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The time has come for Jesus Christ to return back to his rightful place in heaven. The time has come for Jesus Christ to stop being ridiculed. To stop being mocked. To stop being berated. The time has come for Jesus Christ to return back to his place of majesty and glory. For Jesus Christ to return to his place as the eternal God." [40:13] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Jesus Christ was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He had these men chosen. From the very beginning. Jesus Christ wasn't just walking around one day. And said hey he looks good. Let me take him. Oh how about this guy over here. He had chosen these people. He had chosen these common men. To do this extraordinary work." [43:55] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Jesus Christ spent three years. Getting these disciples ready. For a lifetime of ministry. He prepared them by showing them the father. And by teaching them his word. Jesus has kept these men. But now Jesus is leaving. He won't be there to protect the disciples. He knows that they won't be able to accomplish. All that God has for them on their own. So Jesus prays for them." [46:53] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Jesus Christ knows that they are now going to be the main target of Satan. He knows that all attention is going to be focused on his disciples. He knows that everyone is going to try to destroy them. But Jesus doesn't pray for them to leave the world. But he prays for them to be protected while they are in this world. Though they are no longer a part of this world. Just as Jesus was no longer a part of this world." [49:49] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Jesus Christ made the way through the cross of Calvary. For us to be saved. And have the possibility for sanctification. He has also given us the means for sanctification. Through the word of God. And there is just something. About this book. There is just something about this book. That changes our lives. We have to read it. We have to meditate on it. We have to memorize it. We have to apply it to our lives." [52:00] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "The reason that you and I. Can be united. Is because now we are all brothers and sisters. In Jesus Christ. We are all part of the same family. Our DNA is now related. We all have the same head. The same leader. The only way to live in unity. Is to be saved. And therefore to be a child of God. The glory that was afforded to Jesus Christ. The praise that was afforded to Jesus Christ. Is now given to us." [01:00:17] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Sep 09, 2024. Do you have any questions about it?