Jesus’s Garden Prayer, Part 1
John 17:1-12
Background: Arriving at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prays
These prayers are probably one of the most important for us to learn from
It shows His heart, what is on His mind just prior to His arrest (1/2 today, read all)
∆ Jesus prays to be glorified
Glorify your son: Jesus’s deepest passion was that God would be glorified
He is granted all authority for the purpose of giving eternal life to all
But, there is more – it’s given so that God can be glorified through it
Look at the definition of eternal life: that they know God and Christ who God sent
Jesus proclaims ministry ending: Solely by finishing what He was sent to do (v4)
Work was always to redeem because God’s desire is that this was done
APP: He has set the standard for work: Finish what God has asked us to do
Now, glorify Him by bringing glory to yourself … (v5) before the world began
Challenge: Would we pray that God would be glorified in our lives like this?
∆ Jesus’s Prayer
Jesus’s prayer is revealed for us to learn from, and to grasp His heart
First, He has shown the Father to those who were given to Him (v6)
Jesus, who is now incarnate, has done what the Father has asked Him to do
To reveal God to those who now believe in who Jesus says He is (v7)
He also edified God by revealing what He was told to tell them (v8)
APP: When Jesus spoke, He gave them the very words of life, which we have also
But notice an imp fact: They accepted and they believed (life application)
(v9) simply blows me away: Jesus prays for you and I … astonishing
He prays for those who are called; those are devoted to the mission ahead
The world will have intercessors; but at this time, they are needing the prayer
Look closely (v10), see if you can see yourself in this …
“All of these sinners, who will fail you routinely, belong to me & are yours”
Jesus says He has given us everything we will ever need; and we are His
It is time for me to leave: because it brings you Glory that I should go (v11)
Protect them Father: because they are remaining and I am leaving to be with you
Protected: by the name of Christ; the name above all names (authority)
And in that name, we have unity as the Body (no religion, no denominations)
While He walked with them, they were protected by His authority/name (v12)
None were lost, except the one (Judas) who was actually fulfilling scripture
APP: Jesus’ confession of what God has done is critical: It is because of God
They were protected because of what God has given Jesus: his name/authority
For us, there is STILL power/authority in the name of Christ
∆ Big Idea
I’d like to stop here in order to set something up for Sunday
We’ve seen tonight that there is protection in the ministry of Christ
We’ve also tonight that there is power and authority in Jesus’s name
Jesus describes believers as those who have:
• Faith (believes what Jesus said)
• Obedience (follows what Jesus said)
• Knowledge (know what they’ve been taught)
But Jesus prays for two more things for us:
• Protection in the world
• Unity among ourselves
The greatest destructor of the church is always disunity
Will we draw closer together through His words or pull farther apart?
