Text – John 17:15; 20-21
INTRODUCTION
How many times have we heard or even said “Prayer changes things!” Almost every Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ at one point will probably take the occasion to make that statement. I remember hearing my former pastor say: “prayer doesn’t change anything . . . GOD changes things!” I have since modified his statement to say that: “Prayer doesn’t change anything . . . but praying to God can change everything!” 1 Kings 18 shows us how Elijah exposes Jezebel’s false prophets praying to their false gods.
Luke 11:2-4 and Matthew 6:9-13 are passages of scripture commonly referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer.” They have been given these titles because Jesus is giving us a wonderful outline and formula for offering a prayer to God the Father. However, just as Jesus was getting ready to be betrayed by Judas. In John the 17th chapter, we are shown an awesome prayer that Jesus prayed to His Father. Even though we are using verses 15; 20-21as our text, Jesus’ prayer is filled with so many awesome elements.
A lot of Believers spend time praying for people and asking people to pray for them. I ask that you pay very close attention to our subject today as I ask the question:
“WHAT ARE YOU PRAYING TO GOD FOR?”
“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. 7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. 9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. 11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one, as we are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
POINTS
- “Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.” (v.1) – We notice that Jesus always acknowledged that everything He did was under the command of His Father and to His glory. Even as Jesus was in the very shadow of the cross, He did not ask His Father to see that men glorify Him alone, but Jesus prayed that they would glorify Him in light of His Father.
- “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” (v.2) – Jesus is not only recognizing that His Father has given Him the power to grant eternal life to all, but Jesus is again stating that He will grant eternal life to those whom the Father has already given Him (expound).
- “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (v.4) – Jesus is letting us know that by completing the things that His Father sent Him to do, and by acknowledging His Father in all of the wonderful things He did among men, He was giving glory to His father.
- “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” (v.9) – Jesus is letting us see that He prayed for His Disciples; Jesus also recognized that His disciples were given to Him by His Father. This is a lesson that many church leaders need to understand; they need to understand that those faithful “members” they have in their church were given to them by God (expound).
- “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one, as we are.” (v.11) – We Jesus praying to His Father for Him to keep those disciples whom He has given to Him; to keep them together just as He and His father are together (expound).
- “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” (v.15) – Jesus is showing us what He is praying for His Disciples for (expound).
CONCLUSION
Beloved, after Jesus prayed for those Disciples who were with Him then, He proceeded to pray for the Disciples to come . . . US!
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (Vv. 20-21)