Main Idea: Learn Christ’s desires for glory and commit your life to the same desires.
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Our passage this morning is going to be John 17. We'll get to reading it in just a moment. I want to set the stage for understanding this passage again, just briefly. Um, but we will get around to reading that entire chapter. Again, our passage is John 17. I've titled this morning's message based off of what I think we need to learn from the Lord's prayer that we're going to read in just a minute here. The title is glorious prayer. And the big idea as we read this as we seek to understand it and apply it to our lives, seek to understand what it means. As far as how we need to respond to it. Here's what here's the challenge. Here's the instruction, I believe we need to follow as we read this passage, main idea, learn Christ's desire for glory, and commit your life to the same desires, learn Christ's desires for glory and commit your life to the same desires. Again, we're in the Gospel of John and John's gospel, his account of Jesus's life. How he tells it, how he spells it out for us, it's kind of laid out like this and chapters one through 11. He devotes those chapters entirely to the ministry of Jesus all the way up to the last week of his life, that chapter, that's chapters one through 11. Chapter 11, then is a turning point. In John's account of the life of Jesus, it's where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, proving himself to have power over death, proving himself to be God, proving himself to be a loving Savior. And from that point on the Jews plot to kill Jesus, and their plot intensifies for the rest of the story. From chapter 12, and on the second half, the entire second half of John's gospel is all devoted to the last seven days of Jesus's life that shows us how important those days were. Jeff chapter 12, is the triumphal entry in the city of Bethany where he rides in on a colt on a donkey. They hail Him as King. least they think they do. Chapters 13 through 16 is the final evening really 13 through 17, the final evening that Jesus spends with his disciples, just hours before he's going to go to die for their sins on the cross and those chapters 13 through 16 shows us what Jesus wanted them to know. It shows them what he thought was important for them to know in his last words, what he desired for them. Well, he taught them. Chapters 18 through 19. Jesus is anointed, crucified, killed and buried.
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Chapters 20 to 21 is the resurrection. But in that final evening, at the end of his time with his disciples, what does John show us and John 17.
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Before Jesus crosses over the Kidron Valley before he's betrayed, and arrested, and get 70, John shows us what's going on in the heart of Christ, through his prayer, through telling us what Jesus prayed. It's the longest prayer of Jesus is of Jesus that we have recorded. Certainly he prayed at other times and at greater length, most likely, but it was recorded for a reason. And I think we're going to see why. It's his last act of public ministry with his disciples this this prayer that we're about to read. In many cases, our most natural selves come out, when we're with people who are most familiar, the ones that are most familiar to us, the way we talk in those contexts, the way we think how much we let down and relax what we display, who we really are, is probably best portrayed in those kinds of contexts where we're where we are with the people that we're most natural with, most comfortable with. And I'm not proposing that we have more multiple different editions of ourselves that we publish to different groups of people. I'm simply just observing the fact that it's natural that there are certain contexts in which we feel most at home, which we feel natural. Who is that person for you? Who's that group? What's that context for you? What are you like, and that kind of context. We're coming through a holiday season right now, I'm thankful that on both sides of my family, it is a very pleasant experience to be around them in their most natural state to hang out and have fun to just love on each other and have a good time. Perhaps that's not the case for everyone. And I understand that. What what is what are those times bring out for you bring out in you, maybe for better maybe for worse. Imagine what that version of Jesus might have been like. Certainly one of the contexts that he was probably felt most natural and most comfortable in the company he most felt at home with was probably his disciples while he was here, probably his his family as well. And yet, we understand Jesus never really felt at home, here on this earth did he? Who Was Jesus Jesus was 100%, man, body and flesh. And yet he was the God man he was God, deity in human flesh, taking on the form of human flesh. We have sung this this season, haven't we? We've sung veiled in flesh, the Godhead, see, Christ hailed the incarnate deity. Taking on the form of man for Christ, in no way took away from his nature as God. While that's true, Jesus still left the comfort of his heavenly home. He left the place where he was most free to manifest the beauty and the power of His holiness, He left glory. Why did he do this? Two reasons. One, to make it known on Earth, who God is, what does God look like? What is he like? How does he love? What is his power, like look at Jesus. And secondly, to make it possible for those who are in Christ to be brought back with him to glory, with his Heavenly Father in eternal glory one day, those are the two reasons to make God known and bring home his people with him. Those are the reasons he came. If you've ever moved to a new city, a new state, a new job, a new church, a new country, a new school. You know what it's like when you get on the phone with that familiar voice, or FaceTime, or WhatsApp or whatever medium you use, you know what it's like when that that natural feeling comes where you can just be yourself, you can feel what you need to feel, you can say what you need to say. You can be comforted in the ways you need to be comfort, you can express what you're thinking you can express your desires, because you're comfortable with this person. Who is that familiar face for Christ? Who is that familiar voice for Christ. It was the only person who really knew who he was. It was the only person who was actually like him. That could relate to him. And there was only one that was like that. It was God the Father. As far as his DD is concerned, there was only one person who could relate to him, God, the Father, the one whose presence Jesus had enjoyed, not for five or 25 years of familiarity, but for all eternity past, he knew the presence and the love and the glory of His Heavenly Father. And here in John 17, we get to put our ear up against the door, so to speak, and we get to listen in on the natural desires of Jesus expressed to his Heavenly Father in prayer. That's what we get to do is we read this passage. But the Heavenly Father wasn't the only one listening. We know that from the context, the surrounding chapters. Heavenly Father wasn't the only one listening His disciples were listening to and Jesus made sure of it. What we see here is it's not like other accounts of Jesus's prayer, where he escapes to an isolated, quiet place to be alone. And I think we take something from that. And we take something from the fact that this prayer is recorded for us. We take it from it that we need to learn from it. We need to observe and learn and apply from it. He wanted to make sure his disciples heard it. You wanted to make sure it was recorded and that it got to us. Why Well, Jesus could multitask unlike most men, and he could entreat the father at the same time that he was teaching his disciples. He was teaching them well, he most desired for glory, and what he most desired for them. And it seems they listened to seems like the disciples listened and they learned from it because the rest of the New Testament shows us that what they learned from Jesus that night they committed their lives to. And so must we face our church.
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What are your desires for the upcoming year? As you're considering that, let me encourage you to learn from glorious prayer this morning. Once again, our main idea, learn Christ's desires for glory, and commit your life to the same desires.
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Please stand with me for the reading of John chapter 17. It is a long chapter. So if you feel the need to sit down, or whatever you need to do, that is totally understandable. And what you're going to notice as I'm reading through this is I'm going to replace the words glory, and glorify with longer expressions of those words, it'll be helpful for you to see it in the text up there, and then hear me say a little bit differently. Because this word glory that we say so often, I think we probably have already said at 10 or 15 times or sung it this morning, this glory, this word glory, it's possible that has become Ultra familiar to us, and maybe boring. And we need our hearts and our minds to once again understand the impact of what this word what this passage is commanding us to learn and understand and obey concerning God's glory. So I want to help with that if I can, as I read this, so I'm going to change the word of glory and glorify a little bit to match the context to match what I believe Jesus is what he means when he prays these words. And as I'm doing that, I'm also going to give you the outline of the rest of the message just so that you can kind of track with this long passage that I'm going to read. And then we'll come back to it. So point one is going to come from verses one through five, here's those verses. And the point is Jesus wanted his glory to be known through his obedience, verses one through five. When Jesus had spoken these words, after he had taught his disciples, he lifted up his eyes to heaven. And he said, Father, the hour has come, make it known who your son is, so that the Son may make known who you are, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom You have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you father, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I made you known on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now Father, make me known in your presence with the powerful display of holiness and love I had with you before the world existed. Point two, verses six through 19, Jesus wanted his glory to be known among his disciples, I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world, yours they were, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. Remember, this is still Jesus praying for I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them, and have come to know in truth that I came from you. And they have believed that you sent me. I'm praying for them. I am not praying for the world. But for those whom You have given Me, for they are yours. All mine are yours and yours are mined, and I am made known in them. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. And I am coming to you, Holy Father, keep them in your name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which You have given me, I have guarded them and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. And these things I speak in the world that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I've given them your word. And the world has hated them because they are not of this world. Just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, that 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. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world and for their sake, I consecrate myself that they also may be sanctified in truth. Point three from verses 20 to 23. Jesus wanted his glory to be made made known to his elect, verse 20, I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 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 the powerful display of holiness and love that you have given me. I have given to them that they may be one even as we are one I in them You and Me that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and loved me even as love them isn't even as he loved me. Point for Jesus wanted His people to be in eternal glory one day verses 24 to 26. Father, I desire that they also whom You have given me, may be with me where I am. To see my powerful display of holiness and love that you have given me because you love me before the foundation of the world, oh, righteous father, even though the world does not know you, I know you. And these know that you have sent me, I made no to them your name, I will continue to make it known that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them. And I and then these are the words of our Lord. Let me pray and we'll keep going.
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God has become to your word we are forced to acknowledge that in this past week, we have not desired what you desire, we're forced to acknowledge that our hearts have drifted from you at times, and we've loved other things. And yet, we also see in this passage, that for those who are yours for those who have bent the knee to Christ, and put their faith in Him, despite our sin, we can come back to you as our merciful, loving father. You keep us in your name. And if we are kept in the power of your name, we are safe. And we rejoice in this.
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As a church, we rejoice in this. As representatives for you, we rejoice in this guide. And we pray that this morning as we hear the heart of Christ in this prayer, as we come to understand that a little better by Your Grace, God the US send us out, desiring what you desire, committed to what you have called us to do.
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pray these things in Christ's name, Amen. May be seated. So what does Jesus's prayer that we just read teach us about his desire for glory? Let's look at those four points that I mentioned along the way. Point number one, Jesus desired glory. To be known through his obedience, Jesus desired for glory to be known through his obedience verses one through five. There are two reasons Jesus wanted this. There are two reasons Jesus wanted glory to be known through his obedience, very simply, for the sake of those that God had given him and for his own sake, because he knew how good God's glorious. And if that language is a little bit confusing to anyone that, that he wanted glory for the sake that God had given him. You just need to know that there's a doctrine taught in God's Word that explains that justice, God determined all things for all of human history, and how they were going to happen before time justice, he determined that he also determined who would be purchased by the perfect life and death and resurrection of his son. Those souls are those whom God has given his son, any saved sinner, past, present, or future. So how does Jesus prayed for glory for those who would be saved? Let's look at that for a second. Look at verse one through three, please try to track around the track with me as I'm going through here. This is obviously a massive text that we're going to be flying through, it'd be helpful for you that if I say Look here that you do it, because it'll, it'll help you track along. Look at verse one, Jesus wanted us wanted it to be unmistakably known who he was, so that he could make it unmistakably known who God was. Christ. Here's what he did. He lives he left heavens joy, in order to show us who the God of Heaven is so that by knowing who the God of Heaven is, through Christ, we could have eternal life. Listen to how he prays it in verse three, look there. He says to his heavenly father. I'll paraphrase a little bit. He says to His Heavenly Father, Father, if they know us, if they know you, Father, if they know me, they'll have eternal life period. That's eternal life, knowing God, knowing Christ, having life with him. So he's asking the Father, Father, show them that I'm the one you have sent, prove to them who I am, that I am your son, I am God in the flesh. And he says this, right after praying, Father, the hour has come in verse one. Watt hour had come. It's not talking about what time of day it was. It was the hour. Were what the one who had healed the sick and the dying through his ministry would now be wounded on the cross. It was the hour where the holy one would bear our grief and our sin. The final act They will display the love of God and the power of God to us, Christ, who wore the crown of thorns so that we could wear a crown of glory. That's the hour that is coming. Jesus is praying father, make it known that everything they've seen for me, everything they've heard from me is from you. If they've seen me, they've seen the Father, show them the father helped me endure this cross for them. And then give me victory over death so that they will see the holy power and the holy love of God on display. That's what he's praying. Why? Why does he want us to see that? Okay, verse two, since you have given me authority over all flesh, to give eternal life. The second person of the Trinity left to the realms of heaven, took on human flesh, lived in that flesh, God, in flesh, living in that flesh, blamelessly, before God blamelessly before man, and he was killed in that flesh, as our sacrificial lamb in our place. And then he rose from the dead with that body, so that he could take man to glory one day, defeating death, defeating the power of sin, putting his stamp of authority, stamp of ownership over life and death, saying, I decide who goes where. And I'm going to bring mine with me. Did it so that sinful man in the flesh could be brought to glory. And if you're wondering why God did it this way, believe me. If there was another way, he would have done it. There is no other way for man to dwell with God, but through faith in the God man who gave himself faith in Him confession of Him as King, and as Savior. This is the glory of God for our sake. This is what Christ wanted. This is how the obedience of Christ leads to glory for us forever knowing the Triune God. That's what his life death resurrection accomplishes. This is the holy power in the holy love of God on display through Christ. So he prays father, one last time, make it known who you are through the cross. And then hours later, he's on the cross.
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And now, that was for our sake. But now since Jesus faithfully accomplished everything there was to accomplish, he now prays for his own sake, because again, he knows how good God's glorious. Verse five, look at that, very simply put, I'll paraphrase a little bit. He's praying father, I left your presence to make you known on Earth. I've done that. Once you're finished making me known father that I'm the one sent from you bring me back to the fullness of glory with you that I once enjoyed, bring me back to you. That's what Jesus desires for glory for his own sake, he wants to be back with the Father. After he's purchased those that he's loved. This was always his motivation for obedience, his entire life. 30 ish years of life was motivated by that he would be back at the father side, Hebrews 12, to write that down, tells us Hebrews 12 two tells us that the founder and finisher of our faith endured this difficult life. Whatever difficulty in life you endure right now, Jesus understands it to the fullest and more. And he endured it. And he endured the dreadful cross for the joy that was set before Him to be seated with God the Father again. And that's our hope, too, if you are in Christ, that's what anchored his desires. That's what kept him going. So Jesus desired for glory to come from his obedience, glory for us. Praise God, and glory for himself. How does this matter for us today? Seems like a lofty thing to talk about. Let's bring it down to ground ground level. What do we what do we usually mean? Think about it? What do we usually mean? When we pray for God's glory in our lives? We might pray for his will to be done God make it known who you are. We pray this in Christ's name for your glory, amen. We say things like this and we ought to it's good, it's right. It's appropriate. It's honoring to God. We probably do want God to make as himself known through us. But interestingly, we often pray this in such a way that says, God, I'm not sure how you're going to glorify yourself, but I know you will. And please He's doing it. True. But did you notice Jesus didn't pray that way? Jesus said, Listen to this. Jesus said, Father, I've accomplished the work you gave me to do. The hour has come. glorify yourself. So what did we learn from this? We learned that if, if we're going to pray for God's glory in our life, right next to that has to be the prayer God helped me obey helped me obey you. To pray for God's glory is to pray for your own obedience. We ought to think that way is this missing from our attitude and our prayer life, God, glorify yourself. And by default, let that mean that I obey you. Our obedience is one of the primary means that God uses to glorify himself in the church, and our families in the world. In the workplace. It's one of the primary means that God uses to make himself known. So the attitude we ought to have when we pray for God's glory in our lives is something like this, God, glorify yourself in my life today. No matter what obedience that requires of me. Or might sound like father, I want you to be glorified. But I know, I know that I'm going to be tempted with sin, A, B, C, and D, God, help me obey so that I glorify you today. It might sound like that, or it may sound like God, I'm having a really hard time understanding what's going on in this difficult situation. But I still want you to be glorified in it. God in this difficult situation, show me how you would have me obey so that you're glorified in this difficult situation. And it may sound like God, thank you for your kindness today. Thank you for how good you've been to me this year. Thank you for how you've taught me how to obey thank you for how you've corrected me when I haven't obeyed. And God looking ahead, I pray for your glory and your goodness to be displayed through my life and God. Just as this past year, this past week, you display your kindness, do it once again, and glorify Me, by keeping me faithful to obeying you. It might sound like that. When we sign off our prayers with for the glory of God, we sign an agreement saying I will obey. That's what we need to be doing. I'll do my part to make your glory known God, gladly and joyfully, as we've seen, it's for our good. And as we see in the rest of the passage, it is for our good and for the enjoyment of His glory. So what we see next is where God's glory is best seen on this on this earth. It's among his people, it's among his disciples. That's where God's glory is best seen point two, verses six through 19. Jesus desired for glory to be made known among His disciples to be known among his disciples, verses six through 19, Jesus desired for glory to be known among his disciples again, be skimming the verses as I fly through this in rapid fashion. There's a few emphases to make in this section to help us track what Jesus is devoting his desires to in this prayer, let me print them out for you. There are some key statements about glory, that show us that Jesus is still primarily concerned about his glory in this world. Secondly, there's character portraits of his disciples, what did Jesus's disciples look like? What are their lives like? How do they think? And third, there's requests to the Father for the protection of God's people. So Jesus is still as he continues praying, he's still primarily concerned with his desires for glory. He sees His glory at work among his disciples. And then he asks God the Father to keep making his holy power and His holy love known among them by keeping them safe. So first, key elements about his glory in this in this point, his glory as it relates to his disciples, as Jesus prays to the Father, he's essentially carrying on what he started saying, in our first point, Father, I've glorified You. Now keep this glory going. Keep this glory going among those whom I've shown your glory to use my obedience father, among my disciples, track with me as I fly through these just to point out that Jesus is still praying for His glory, verse six, I manifested your name, Father, I made it known. Verse eight, I've given them your words, Father, so that now they can make it known. Verse 10, the people you've given me, I've taken care of them, Father, I've kept them in your name. And because I've done this, so good, verse seven, eight and 10, verse seven, they now know that everything I've said and done is from you, Father, verse eight. Now they know I've come from you. Verse 10. Now because of these things, because of what I've done because of what they know. I am being glorified in them. Verse 10. They're making me know and they're making you known for the work of eternal life is in their midst. And Jesus wants to see this keep happening, which begs the question, How are Jesus's disciples as he's praying as he's reflecting on their lives? How has he been doing this? And as we asked that question, we ought to be asking how our lives reflect the portrait he paints for us here of his disciples. So here's some character portraits of Christ's disciples of Jesus looked back on the few years he spent with his, his people, his, his disciples, his students, those who have followed him, what did you recall about their lives? First, verse six, he recalls that when he gave them the word of God, they kept it. Looking for six shows us that they sought out that's what they were keep, they kept it, they have kept it, it means they've sought out how to obey it. They've held it in honor, they've held it in authority over them. They said, This is good. This is right, this is true, I will obey this Lord in the Savior. Verse a second, Jesus recalls about his disciples that when they received words about specifically who he is, when he taught them who he is, and showed them from Old Testament scripture, who he is, they received it as truth, and they embraced it as absolute complete final truth. First Aid shows us that thing about it. They understood, what they understood of Christ transformed the very reality. They live if you believe, if you believe, if you actually believe that perfect deity stepped down from his eternal realm of glory, and he walked this earth as a man, you drop everything, and you follow Him. If you believe that, that's what you do. That's what Disciples of Christ do. That's what genuine faith looks like, because they get it, they get who Christ is. And it means everything to them. Verses 14 and 16, the third observation of disciples of Christ. Disciples of Christ are characteristically and fundamentally different from the world. And we know this because verse 14, says that the world hated Christ's disciples. Why? Because they live by God's word. Hate doesn't always mean up abuse and violence. It could mean indifference and behind the scenes mockery. Press people are hated. Because they love his word. What does God's word do?
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It's different from the world that corrects the world. It rebukes the world's thinking, it calls to repentance, the world's thinking, rightfully so God, the Creator, world, let God the Creator inform the world of what's right. So why do Jesus's disciples live this way? Because they understand that they share identity with Christ, which doesn't find its home. And it's hope. In this world, we're not looking to be satisfied by this world. We're not born, what it offers and in Jesus's disciples gladly declare with their lives and with their identity and with their words, that their identity, their security in Christ demolishes the significance of any identity they might seek to attain on this earth. No matter how haughty or humble those earthly desires, those earthly identities pose to be. Christians are children who belong to the All Holy, all powerful, all loving Father of glory. That's how disciples think. That's how they seek to live. We all admit we don't do it perfectly. Christ is working in us. But that is our desire, if we love Christ, if he is who he says he is to our hearts, and they make God known when they do that. And as we listen to the heart of the Savior, in this prayer, we can see, the Christ just wants them to continue on this obedience, in this commitment in this desire, commitment to their call, but he's also all too familiar with what they're going to face in this world. Anything that opposes Christ will oppose them. And indeed, by this point, it already has. By this point, or at this point, Jesus is now asking the God the Father who guarded him to guard them, to guard you. Which is why he expresses what he does in verses 11 1215 and 17. Again, this is just a shotgun blast of John 17. And we're just hitting all the most significant verses that we can you, you would do well to devote a couple of weeks of study to this, this chapter buffer Since 11 1215, and 17, express why Jesus, or what Jesus asked the father to do for us, he desires that God the Father would protect us like a shepherd, protecting his sheep, that he would keep his disciples devoted to him and keep them unified in the truth. God has done it, he's been doing it. It's been his desire, and he's been fulfilling it by the Holy Spirit, by his word, and by the church by the, the obedience of the church. That's how he guards his people against the schemes of the devil and the lies of the devil. That's how he does it. So some, some simple application comes from these things. Do you resemble or are you growing in your resemblance and pursuit of the description Jesus gives her of his disciples is their steady pursuit to keep God's word as their steady pursuit to hold it in high honor in your life as authority over you, and to Let Christ be the ruler of your heart? Is there a steady pursuit of this? This area, this area, this area, this area and everywhere, area that relates to that area? It's Christ's whenever I have to do to make sure it's clear that Christ is on the throne, I'm doing it. Granted again. We know that until glory, we won't be like Christ. But we're pursuing these things as his disciples. And there will be progress. Why not? Because you're doing it right. But because if you're doing it, God will accomplish the fruit.
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Are you committed to doing your part in garden God's people, Jesus asked God the Father to guard his disciples to keep them safe. Are you doing your part and guarding God's people? Are you doing your part to keep them devoted to the glory of God? In your relationships with believers? Are you speaking God's truth to each other? We ought to enjoy fellowship and have fun together. But we also ought to make sure that our hearts are in pursuit of Christ. Are we helping each other with that as you? Or are you a part of God's work to sanctify each other in the truth? This ought to be one of the main motivations you get in the word every day, so that you can help those around you to be sanctified in the truth. Let your the word sanctify you so that you can sanctify others help others be sanctified. What does that mean? What does it mean to help others be sanctified? Are you helping others remain and become more set apart? For God's purposes, that's all sanctified means? That's all Sanctification means It means growing and being continually and increasingly set apart for God? Are you helping each other do that? How about personally? Do you see your relationship with God this way? The you are saved for his purposes. And that that's, that's his glory for you that you would live for His purposes? Or is he simply something or someone you keep set aside for your own purposes and your own desires and your own plans and your own troubles when you need him? Or do you see yourself as set apart for his purposes, during your short time in this life? If you are taking on the name of Christ this morning, you're taking on a commitment to his desires. If you claim the name of Christ this morning, do you also claim his desires to remote to promote the glory of God being known through your life being known through the church, be known throughout the world, you you can't be a Christian and not make this what your life is about. You you can't be a child of God and not make this what your life is about. But if you do take on the name of Christ, Christian, make him known. speak of him, make him known. Well, as God keeps us and protects us and helps us toward these things, amazing things will happen. Maybe not explosive, obvious giant things all the time. But over time, amazing things will be accomplished through the sovereignty and the power of God through our obedience to Him, namely, chief among those things is the salvation of his elect. And that's our our second point, the salvation or third point. The salvation of those whom God has chosen to be saved. Point three Jesus desired for glory to be made known to his elect, verses 20 to 23, Jesus desired for glory to be made known to his elect. Here we have another section where it may be helpful to read it again. While expounding some of the words that are in there, you're gonna look at it and you're gonna see that there's a ton Have these and they and them and their statements and it feels like a jigsaw puzzle that you have to figure out. And my whole family knows, I am horrible at jigsaw puzzles, so I had to spell it out for myself. So I'm going to try to do that for you, I'm going to assume you're smarter than me and better at jigsaw puzzles. But at the very least, I can help you understand these verses a lot better. The affections of Christ. His the desires of Christ, as they relate to his elect, what has happened as he prayed this over 2000 years ago, they have, they've overflowed the bounds of time they've overflowed the bounds of human history, and they've broken through to us. And they've broken through to people all around the globe. The glory he most treasures has reached us. It's gotten to us. It's saved us. It's secured us for eternity if we are in Christ this morning. So let's read the section again with that in mind. Verses 20 through 23. Again, I'm going to read it a little bit differently for you, and I hope it hope it's helpful. 20 to 23, Jesus prays to the Father, I do not ask for those already saved, but also for those not yet saved, who will believe in me through the word of those already saved? I pray that those already saved me all be one, just as you father are in Me and I in you that those already saved may be in us so that those in the world not yet saved me believe that you have sent me see what's happening here. The glory that you have given me, I have given to those already saved, those already saved, maybe one even as we are one i in those already saved. And you in me that those already saved may become perfectly one, so that those in the world who are not yet saved, may know that You sent Me and loved those not yet saved, even as you love me. Does that clarify things a little bit? I hope it does still feel like a jigsaw puzzle. Maybe it's at least half completed. You got the borders, okay? It's not here's what's here's what's happening. After everything Jesus has prayed up to this point, he stops. He says, Father, all of these things that I've prayed, I want them to be true of those that you've given me that you haven't saved yet. The Unity the oneness, the glory, that the love, I want it to be true of them as well. But the so that's in that prayer, tell us the but but that is only going to become true of those not yet saved, if those already saved, do the work of glorifying me and do the work of obeying. He lays out for us the if then is of the church's trajectory for success. If the church stays committed to pursuing these things, Jesus says, the world will see Christ. So what are the things we have to be committed to verse 21. We have to be committed to oneness in the truth of God's word, as a church. As families, we have to be committed to oneness and the truth of God's Word. If there's a yellow dotted line that you follow in this life, if there's a rock, you're going to anchor yourself to, if there's a pitch, you're going to sing for the tune of your life. And if there's a drum that you're going to beat, let it be the truth of God's Word. Both in the church and in your own life. Walk with the Triune God by walking with the triune God's word
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and stuck with it. First wanting to what else are we to be committed to
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we are to be committed to growing up in Christ growing up in oneness with him. This is what Jesus desires for those who would make him known so that others can know Him that we'd be growing up in Christ, with the with the desire of growing in one identity with Him. Jesus prays to the Father, Father, I desire that they may be one even as we are one. God the Father, God, the Son, God, the Holy Spirit, that they may be one even as we are one. There's a there's a status of oneness with God that you are a child of God, you belong to Him. You have the righteousness of Christ credited to your account, there's a there's a status, and then there's a life. And the life the way that the life becomes more lined up, what's the status is when we grow up into oneness with Christ by more and more putting off ourselves and more and more putting on Christ and we not only begin to look more like him, but we also enjoy the fellowship of the Triune God and the love and the joy that is there. The more that we pursue this a joy that the world cannot offer. I'm challenged by this. And we're not healthy men. As if Christ Church if we're not making him known to the world through that kind of a pursuit, if we're not living out and speaking of Christ to unbelievers in our lives, and we're not fulfilling the elemental role Christ gives to those who take on his name. I don't even have to ask if you've ever been discouraged by lack of fruit in your life, lack of success, so to speak, from perhaps your evangelistic efforts, I don't even have to ask if you've ever been discouraged by that. We've all come to those points. Maybe you're there today, where you feel like you're lacking this, this clear cut concrete, measurable, tangible, countable evidence of the Word of God, for the work of God's holy power and holy love in your life. I know some of us struggle with that we struggle with wondering what's happening, wondering if I'm being useful? How do I know that either I've talked to you or simply because you exist, and I just know that as a follower of Christ, that's difficult. And it's hard to know, what's happening, what God's doing through our lives. But we ought to take a wider view if we can fit the Bible Church and we can. You want to see some measurable, concrete, tangible, countable clear cut evidence that God's work. God's glory is, is always at work, even when we can't see the process. Here it is, here's here's the evidence Jesus prayed this prayer over 2000 years ago, and His Church still stands beating the same drum. Do you want proof Look around you. There are hundreds of his disciples in this room. There were hundreds of disciples in the previous service. There's 1000s, millions of disciples around the world that have been purchased by the blood of Christ as a result of this prayer, and as a result of his obedience, and as a result of the obedience of Christians through the generations, making him known. We've seen 24, baptisms at Faith Bible Church just this year, than any of you realize that 24 baptisms just this year, there are 565 members here, and a dozen or more added every membership class and then a couple other 100 who attend regularly. Our involvement with the seminary, here is now training 18 Men 18, either current pastors or soon to be pastors to go out across the country, in some cases across the world, to continue making him known. Then look at the scope of the lifetime of this church, this church has been here, that's faith Bible Church for 31 years get this. There were babies born in this church, that are now being sent out across the globe with their babies to make Christ known. In the last few years, we've seen several families sent out there are people from other states coming to this state to this church, they're being trained, they're being discipled. And then they're being sent back out to tribes that you've never even heard of. To make Christ known. There's a Bible study for Spanish speakers getting going right now. There's a special needs ministry catching momentum. Every week I hear about slow but steady progress from someone and an evangelistic conversation and evangelistic relationship they have listened, the evidence is there. Christ's prayer is being answered. And the reason is, is because if it's the desire of Christ, if it's the desire of his heart, that his chosen people are reached through our obedience, than his desires cannot fail. If we obey, if we make Him known. And if you're not seeing it in your life right now, if you're not seeing the fruit of your obedience, but you are fighting daily, for obedience, for the glory of God with all of your heart, then you will see it one day. And if not in this life, then in eternal glory, one day you will see it Christ's guarantees it takes us to our fourth and last point, Jesus desires for his people to be in eternal glory with him one day, verses 24 to 26. Jesus desires for his people to be in eternal glory one day
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my son Bennett has taken notice of the homeless situation and spoken once I'm sure you have as well. The other day at the at an intersection he sees a man holding a sign he says, mommy, what's you doing? Oh, honey, he doesn't have a home. He's he's asking for food. Then it's response was, oh. And then 10 minutes go by and it becomes pretty evident pretty soon that Bennett hasn't stopped thinking about that homeless man that he saw on the corner a strange thing for him to to try to understand it. 10 minutes go by. And he interrupts the plot of Adventures In Odyssey. And out of the blue completely out of context by this point. He goes, Why doesn't the man just go to Trader Joe's? There's food there. Claire, bust up laughing He doesn't understand
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if you don't have Christ if you don't have a saving relationship with Christ, if you he is not what you love. You are homeless. You are spiritually homeless. We might be at church this morning. But on any given week, there's unbelievers that come and go, there's unbelievers that are here regularly.
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So I know that not everyone here has bent the knee to Jesus as King and Savior. And I know that you have people in your life that you know, that have not bent the knee to Jesus as King and save your end. If you haven't, and you're here or if you know someone and they haven't. They are spiritually and eternally homeless. Sure, like the man on the street corner, they'll get by day to day, they'll probably go to bed with a full tummy. That night, they'll probably find somewhere to sleep, they probably have friends they associate with so to speak. But if you don't have Christ, I'm going to confidently venture out and say, you haven't ever felt like you really know where home is. You're not comfortable? You're not certain? Yeah, perhaps you've gotten your your tarp and your shopping cart up. But you know, it's temporary. There's nothing secure about that. But you don't know what to do. You don't know what else you don't know what else you should do. What will you do? Where will you go? What will you do when there? What will you do when there are no more corner? sebagai? What will you do? When you come to your last breath? What are you going to say? When the last person whose favor you have the chance to beg is the king that you have supposedly not needed your entire life your entire life? What are you going to do in that moment?
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He's merciful now. He's gracious now. But then he has to be just let me urge you not to wait for that moment before you know, before you do what you know you need to do. I asked you with my son. Why don't you just go to Jesus. There's food there. There's shelter there for eternity. You're safe, you have all you need. There's peace. It may very well be that there are some here this morning, who are not yet God's people but are elect to be God's people. It may very well be that God is calling you this morning to know His holy power. To know his holy love. It may very well be that he is calling to you this morning. It's calling you to turn away from trying to be the puny king of your tiny life. It gives your life and put your faith in the king of infinite glory who has eternal life. He's holding the key to the Kingdom out the window and you can take it for free and you can be His child. You can be secure. You can have eternal life you can know eternal glory with the Triune God who created you. And for those who do have a home with Christ this morning, rejoice. Rejoice in that hope live in light of that hope. Commit to Christ's desires for you. Looking forward to that hope every day. Our confidence in this hope isn't isn't one where we anxiously await to see if it's going to work out like a vacation plan or something. Our hope our hope that we put our all of our coins in is that God Himself wants you with him. If the God of the universe wants you with him, is there anything that will stop him from getting you? Is there anything that will stop him from bringing him to yourself? And he's already sent the right man to get the job done. Look at verses 24 to 26. As we wrap this up, verse 24. God wants us God the Father, God, the son wants his Jesus asked the Father, Father, I want them to see my holy power and my holy love. I want them to see my glory where I am verse 26, Jesus asks the father to let us enjoy the love. He has enjoyed with the Father for all eternity. If you think God is just someone hammering a gavel that you keep the rules, do you see that Jesus says, I want them in our love? Why does Jesus want this for us? Why do you love inviting people to your family gatherings? Because you know how great your family is? Why do you love inviting people to things that you love to do? Because you know how great it is? Why does Jesus want us to be there? Because he's been through this world already. And he knows that nothing compares to knowing the glory of God. Nothing at all. Verse 24, at the end of it, look there again, Jesus has known the love of the Triune God since before this world even existed. Verse 25, Jesus knows Yahweh God Almighty, and he is one with Him. And He wants us to join that fellowship with Him. To realize that this is why God the Father, God, the Son, God, the Holy Spirit, made the universe in the first place. To spoil us with His glory. To let us be in a relationship with Triune God who is all loving, all powerful, infinite, and holy and holiness, glorious and good. He didn't need you. He didn't need the world. Jesus just said for all eternity past, he was happy with the Triune God. And so they invented the created man to enjoy it with him. We've ruined that relationship with our sin. So Jesus God, the Son was sent to bring us back to God. And he has he's made God known he's paid for our relationship to be restored. It's not just a better alternative. This is what we were made to know. And just to convince you a little bit more, notice this isn't just Jesus's idea, listen to this. This isn't just Jesus saying, God, I want something fun. Let me go do it. Listen, what verse 24 and 25 say, verse 24, God the Father gave God the Son, the people, that he would go get God the Father, gave God the Son, his glory, to share with us. Verse 25, God the Father then sent the Son to go get us. Here's the gift I want you to get. Here's the money, here's the car, go get it. God, the Father, God, the Son, God, the Holy Spirit, this is what they want for us. And it is good and it has everything we need.
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Jesus was homesick for 30 years, so that you could be brought home for all eternity. If that is his commitment to us, may we commit our lives to his desires, and His glory as well? Let's pray.
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Christ, you are so good. God, you are so gracious and kind, you're so generous
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that we acknowledge maybe even perhaps in this season, that we tend to be distracted from your glory and we tend to be more enamored with the things of this world. You give us gifts that are good to enjoy, and we thank you but most of all, you've given us yourself. So we ask for forgiveness for any way that we have ignored you that we have not dwelt upon your glory and, and we've not pursued your desires as we ought. I gotta thank you for the reminder that we see from this passage this morning that your glory isn't just a command to keep to check off a box your glory is a command is a desire to pursue because it is what is good for us. It is what we were made for. cause us to believe this God cause us to commit to the pursuit of that commit to the declaration of your glory. And we pray these things in Christ's name. Amen.
Former college pastor at Faith, Jared and his family are currently preparing to move to the Czech Republic and work as global outreach partners in 2024. He and his wife, Claire, have three children.
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