Chambersburg Bible Church

Text: John 17:1-19John 17:1-19
17 ¹ 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. sanctified...: or, truly sanctified  

Topic: An examination of Christ’s prayer for the Church as recorded in the book of John

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James 5:16James 5:16
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  
tells us that the effectual prayers of a righteous man availeth much. If a man is right with God, that man is on praying ground, and God will not only hear his prayer, but He will answer it (e.g. Elijah).

1 John 2:11 John 2:1
2 ¹ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  
& Hebrews 7:25Hebrews 7:25
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. to the...: or, evermore  
tell us that Jesus Christ, our High Priest, is constantly making intercession for us.

John 17 records the nature of Jesus’ prayer for the believer.

• Verses 1-5, Jesus prayed for the mutual glorification of the Father and the Son
• Verses 6-26 record Jesus’ prayer for the saint
  • Personal preservation
  • Spiritual sanctification
  • Familial unification

• A request for the spiritual sanctification of the saint
  • The meaning of sanctification – Set apart for service / Dedicate as a sacrifice
    • Sanctification is the process whereby we become more and more like Christ as we become less and less like the world.
    • Romans 12:2Romans 12:2
      2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  
      – Be not conformed to the world….
    • Romans 8:28Romans 8:28
      28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  
      – Predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ

• The means for sanctification
  • God accomplishes the sanctification process through his Word (John 17:17John 17:17
    17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.  
    )
    • The Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:152 Timothy 3:15
      15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  
      )
    • All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, for instruction in righteousness
    • The Scriptures are able to transform us into the image of Christ (John 17:17John 17:17
      17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.  
      )

• The measure of sanctification
  • Jesus sanctified himself (John 17:19John 17:19
    19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. sanctified...: or, truly sanctified  
    )
    • He sanctified Himself by dedicating Himself to the will of God.
    • He was committed to the will of the Father
    • Nothing else mattered to Him

Supporting Texts:

• Hebrews 4:12-13Hebrews 4:12-13
  12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ¹³ Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.  
  

Text: John 17:1-5John 17:1-5
17 ¹ 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.  

Topic: Understanding how the Lord Jesus prayed for our greatest needs

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One of the greatest dilemmas that Christians face today is how they are to relate to the world in which they live.

• Philippians 3:20Philippians 3:20
  20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: conversation...: or, we live or conduct ourselves as citizens of heaven, or, for obtaining heaven  
  – Our citizenship is in heaven
• Romans 12:2Romans 12:2
  2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  
  – Be not conformed to this world
• I John 2:15John 2:15
  15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;  
  – Love not the world
• James 1:27James 1:27
  27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.  
  – True religion and undefiled is to remain unspotted by the world

The word “world” is used in three (3) different ways in the Scripture

• Can refer to the physical earth
• Used to describe mankind (John 3:16)
• Frequently, used to describe the world system which is in organized rebellion against God – Domain and influence of Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4)

Galatians 1:4Galatians 1:4
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:  
states that Jesus gave Himself for our sins in order to save use from this present evil world.

• John 17:6-26John 17:6-26
  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. sanctified...: or, truly sanctified 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.  
  describe what this deliverance looks like
• John 17 has been called the High Priestly Prayer of the Lord
• Verses 1-5 Jesus prays for the mutual glorification of the Father and the Son
• Verses 6-26 Jesus prays for the believer’s deliverance from the world

• A request for the preservation of the saints
  • That the Father would protect them from the hatred of the world
    • There is an attitude of open hostility in the world
      • John 17:14John 17:14
        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.  
        – We are not of this world!
      • John 17:6John 17:6
        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.  
        – Although, we used to be!
      • At salvation that all changed! (Colossians 1:13Colossians 1:13
        13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: his...: Gr. the Son of his love  
        )
    • Not to be taken out, that they Father would keep us

Have you ever wondered why God did not decide to take the converted sinner immediately to glory? Wouldn’t it be better just to go to be with the Lord (John 17:18John 17:18
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.  
)

In light of the world’s contempt for the believer, Jesus prayed for our personal preservation. If it is true that the world hates us, why are so many believers embracing the world? James 4:4James 4:4
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.  
refutes this lifestyle for the believer – The world is at enmity with the believer.

• • That the Father would protect them from the power of the world (John 17:15John 17:15
    15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.  
    )
    • “The evil” is probably better “the Evil one.” (1 John 5:191 John 5:19
      19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.  
      )
    • Jesus asks the Father to keep us from the evil one because we are in a spiritual battle.

What must we do in light of this truth? (2 Timothy 2:3-42 Timothy 2:3-4
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.  
)

• We must not allow ourselves to be conformed by the world
• We must not allow ourselves to be comfortable in the world

Robert Murray McCheyne once said, “If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies.  Yet distance makes no difference.  He is praying for me.”