A Time for Glory
Series: Abundant Life
Speaker: Janet Schorer
Date: 25th August 2024
Passage: John 17:1-26
00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 Well, good morning, everyone.
00:00:01 --> 00:00:02 My name's Janet Skora.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 If you haven't met me before,
00:00:04 --> 00:00:07 I have the great privilege of being one of the wardens here
00:00:07 --> 00:00:11 at St Paul's as well as a community group leader.
00:00:11 --> 00:00:15 Great to be able to open God's Word with you this morning.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:17 First, let me pray for us,
00:00:17 --> 00:00:21 and then we're going to explore this wonderful part of John's Gospel.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 Gracious God, thank you so much that you give us your Word
00:00:26 --> 00:00:27 that we might know you,
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 that we might continue to have a relationship with you,
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 and that we might use your Word
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 to spread the good news of Jesus across this world.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:40 I pray, Lord, that as we open your Word this morning,
00:00:40 --> 00:00:41 that you would speak to our hearts
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 and help us to understand more of who you are
00:00:44 --> 00:00:45 and all you've done for us.
00:00:45 --> 00:00:46 Amen.
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 So if you've been with us for the past few weeks,
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 we've been working through this particular section
00:00:52 --> 00:00:53 of the Gospel of John.
00:00:53 --> 00:00:57 Last week, Nick spoke to us about the deep sense of belonging
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 that Jesus imparted to his disciples,
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 a connection that was derived from God,
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 but that would sustain them when they were scattered,
00:01:05 --> 00:01:06 in their doubts,
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 and in the difficult days that lay ahead for them.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:13 The chapters that we've been exploring over these past few weeks
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 all take place in a four- to five-hour conversation
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 between Jesus and his disciples over a meal.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 It starts at chapter 13,
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 in the passage that you'll be familiar with,
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 where Jesus washes his disciples' feet.
00:01:25 --> 00:01:31 And so the passage in chapter 17 that Helen just read for us
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 draws this time to a conclusion.
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 Jesus' main concern is that he wants the disciples
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 to understand that God should be glorified,
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 that everything he's done is in fulfilment of God's plan,
00:01:43 --> 00:01:47 including the call on the lives of a people to trust in him.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 And this is the last chapter before Jesus is arrested,
00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 before he's tried and crucified.
00:01:52 --> 00:01:57 And so what we have here is an experience of Jesus,
00:01:58 --> 00:02:01 a experience of Jesus that the disciples had not had.
00:02:01 --> 00:02:02 Throughout these chapters,
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 we've had a real sense of the emotion that they've experienced,
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 the grief and the fear that they have
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 in thinking about his departure.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 It feels like quite an intimate moment in Jesus' ministry.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:19 And in this time, Jesus has compressed some of the most confronting
00:02:19 --> 00:02:23 and challenging and comforting words that this group of men would hear.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:25 They've asked questions, they've listened,
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 and I can imagine them feeling pretty emotionally and physically exhausted.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 It feels like a scene to me,
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 like we're standing outside a room,
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 standing at a window,
00:02:38 --> 00:02:39 watching quietly,
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 our noses pressed to the glass,
00:02:41 --> 00:02:42 straining to hear,
00:02:42 --> 00:02:47 realizing that we're witnessing something that is really profound for these men.
00:02:48 --> 00:02:49 And then along the way,
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 we realize that he's also talking to us.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 Jesus has spoken to them about where he's going,
00:02:56 --> 00:02:57 that he has to go,
00:02:57 --> 00:02:58 and that they will remain,
00:02:58 --> 00:02:59 and that they will be scattered.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 He promises his spirit,
00:03:02 --> 00:03:02 the counselor,
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 who will come to continue to reveal the truth to them and to the world,
00:03:07 --> 00:03:08 and to bring God glory.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 Last week,
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 we heard from Nick that Jesus assures his disciples
00:03:12 --> 00:03:16 that they will continue to belong to him after he has gone.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:18 And so at the end of this time,
00:03:19 --> 00:03:20 Jesus turns to prayer.
00:03:21 --> 00:03:24 It's a prayer that gives us some deep insight into the heart of Jesus
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 and his desire for his followers.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 It's a personal conversation with his father
00:03:29 --> 00:03:33 that he opens up for the disciples to hear and experience.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:38 This is the only time in the Bible we get a glimpse of the prayer
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 of one person of the Trinity to another.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:44 We're invited into this intimate fellowship between father and son.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 So there are three parts to Jesus' prayer.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:49 He prays for himself,
00:03:49 --> 00:03:50 he prays for the disciples,
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 and he prays for those who would believe the church.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 Let's start with the first prayer in verse one.
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 Father, the hour has come.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 Glorify your son that your son might glorify you.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 This request that Jesus has for glorification
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 is not about selfish ambition,
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 but fulfilling his divine purpose.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:14 He lifts his eyes to heaven,
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 the posture of prayer,
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 but it says so much more to the disciples in the room
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 about the relationship Jesus has with his father.
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 Jesus' prayer is conveying to God
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 that he has done what God has asked him.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:28 He has completed the mission,
00:04:29 --> 00:04:30 he's brought glory to God,
00:04:30 --> 00:04:34 and seeks that God would continue to glorify him
00:04:34 --> 00:04:35 as he faces the cross.
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 Jesus understands that the hour has come for him
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 to complete the mission on earth
00:04:41 --> 00:04:42 through his death and resurrection.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 This is something he's spoken openly about
00:04:46 --> 00:04:47 in other accounts in the Gospels,
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 making clear that the timing and purpose on earth
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 for him are God's timing,
00:04:53 --> 00:04:54 not for him to choose.
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 Earlier in his ministry at the wedding of Cana,
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 Jesus responds to his own mother's request
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 for him to intervene, to get more wine,
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 by saying in John chapter two, verse four,
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 my hour has not yet come.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 And then later in chapter seven,
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 his brothers urge him to go to Jerusalem,
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 and he says to them,
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 my hour has not yet come.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:20 And yet here he says,
00:05:20 --> 00:05:21 my hour has come,
00:05:22 --> 00:05:26 because he knew that the timing of the plan for his life
00:05:26 --> 00:05:27 was God's to decide,
00:05:28 --> 00:05:31 and his purpose on earth was to bring God glory.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 In verses two and three,
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 Jesus repeats that his purpose is connected
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 to our eternal life.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 For you granted him glory,
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 authority over all people,
00:05:44 --> 00:05:45 that he might give eternal life
00:05:45 --> 00:05:49 to all those you have given him.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 Now this is eternal life,
00:05:51 --> 00:05:52 that they know you,
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 the only true God,
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 and Jesus Christ,
00:05:55 --> 00:05:56 whom you have sent.
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 Jesus makes it pretty simple.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 Eternal life isn't something that starts when we die.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 It isn't something that we search for
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 in a great quest to Mordor,
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 or that we spend our lives
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 trying to be good to achieve.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:11 Eternal life is for all
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 who know the one true God
00:06:13 --> 00:06:14 and his son Jesus.
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 What Jesus is telling them
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 is that eternal life starts then.
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 Verse three assures us today
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 that when we come to know God and his son,
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 we start to experience the things of heaven.
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 Heaven is, after all,
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 about the presence of our heavenly father.
00:06:32 --> 00:06:33 The more we know Jesus,
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 the more we experience what heaven will be like.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 These verses really are the gospel.
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 If you're looking for a simple way to remind yourself,
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 if you're looking for a simple way
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 to explain it to someone,
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 Jesus' prayer for himself
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 tells the disciples and us
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 the good news of eternal life
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 that God has gifted to us by grace
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 and which we receive by faith.
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 Separation from God
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 is the essence of what we see
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 and continual experience
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 from the consequences of sin
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 in our own lives and in the world.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 Jesus' prayer for himself
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 makes clear that his purpose
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 was restoring that relationship
00:07:13 --> 00:07:14 and at its core
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 is the eternal life that we know now.
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 He reverses the effects of sin
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 so that we can know God
00:07:21 --> 00:07:21 through his son.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:25 In this prayer,
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 Jesus shows that eternal life
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 is something given of God
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 along with the knowledge of God.
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 This is the assurance we have
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 that faith is not a leap into nothing.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 After all, faith is belief in something
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 and that's what he gives us,
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 assures us in his prayer.
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 Next, Jesus shifts his focus to the disciples,
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 praying for their protection,
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 their sanctification and their unity.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 Jesus' desire is that God
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 would accomplish his plan
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 through the mission
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 and the ministry of these men.
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 In the context of the room he's in
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 alongside his disciples,
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 he wants them to understand
00:08:06 --> 00:08:07 that they are God's people,
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 that they have been called by God,
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 that they are dependent on him
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 and that they belong to God
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 and as we see in verse 6,
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 they were given to Jesus.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 Jesus makes clear
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 that God has been made known to them
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 and that they have received the message.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 In verses 7 and 8, Jesus prays,
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 Now they know that everything
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 you have given them comes from you,
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 for I gave them the words you gave me
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 and they accepted them.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 They knew with certainty that I came from you
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 and they believed that you sent me.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 Here we see Jesus interceding for the disciples.
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 He's representing their fledgling belief to God
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 so that he might protect and preserve them.
00:08:49 --> 00:08:53 It's evident that despite still being so frail as humans,
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 the apostles have accepted
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 what Jesus has told them,
00:08:57 --> 00:08:57 that they believe,
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 that they have acted on
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 and that they have acted on what they heard.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 They might still have lots of questions,
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 they might not understand it all,
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 but they trust and they believe.
00:09:07 --> 00:09:11 In verse 9, Jesus prays,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:11 I'm praying for them.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 I'm not praying for the world,
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 but for those whom you have given me,
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 for they are yours.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 Now, why wouldn't Jesus pray for the world?
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 It feels a bit uncomfortable,
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 maybe feels a bit unusual
00:09:23 --> 00:09:26 with what we might see the world describe Jesus as.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:29 He doesn't pray this blanket love for everyone.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 He deliberately prays
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 for those who have been chosen.
00:09:33 --> 00:09:37 Jesus does pray for the lost
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 in other gospel records in Luke 23,
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 and later in this chapter,
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 we find Jesus praying
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 for those who will believe in me,
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 for those who are yet Christians.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:48 But here,
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 he's specifically focused on the disciples,
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 his chosen few,
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 in this final time with them.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 Those Jesus is praying for
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 have come to know in truth
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 that Jesus came from God
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 and they have believed
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 that the Father sent Jesus.
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 He prays for their protection,
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 which we see in verse 11,
00:10:09 --> 00:10:10 the power of your name,
00:10:10 --> 00:10:11 the name you have given me,
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 has covered them.
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 Jesus goes on to acknowledge
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 that his presence with them
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 has provided a level of protection for them,
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 and once he departs,
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 that's going to change.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 He knows all too well
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 what they're about to face,
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 and so he prays for protection,
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 or for God to keep them.
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 We know this doesn't mean
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 that they're going to have easy lives,
00:10:33 --> 00:10:33 far from it.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 They will continue to face persecution,
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 and they will ultimately
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 lose their lives on earth.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 But Jesus prays
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 that they'll be protected or kept.
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 It's more about guarding their hearts,
00:10:46 --> 00:10:46 opening them up
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 to a full understanding
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 of God's work for them,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 and to bring them joy.
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 It's about perseverance,
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 peace that transcends understanding,
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 a wisdom about what they will face
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 that gives rise to joy.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 Jesus concludes this prayer
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 to the disciples in verse 17.
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 Sanctify them by the truth,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 the truth of your word.
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 As you sent me into the world,
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 I have sent them into the world.
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 For them I sanctify myself,
00:11:14 --> 00:11:18 that they may too be truly sanctified.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 Jesus prays that God
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 will sanctify the disciples,
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 which means set apart,
00:11:24 --> 00:11:27 in this case,
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 for God's mission and purpose.
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 Given the opposition
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 that they will go on to face,
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 it's perhaps not surprising,
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 it wouldn't be surprising
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 if Jesus had maybe said to them,
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 go, flee, find a cave,
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 give yourself a safe haven.
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 But that isn't what Jesus asks
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 of them, nor of us.
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 He knows the reality
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 of the spiritual battle
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 that they will face,
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 but he also knows
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 that they are critical
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 to God's plan for them
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 to take the good news
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 to the ends of the earth.
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 And that's going to mean
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 persevering through hardship.
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 He knows that the world
00:12:02 --> 00:12:02 will hate them
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 because they don't belong
00:12:04 --> 00:12:04 to the world,
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 just as he did not.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 Jesus doesn't ask the Father
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 to take them out of the world,
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 but protect them
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 and sanctify them
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 by the truth of his word.
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 Jesus' prayer for his disciples
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 really highlights
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 the importance
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 of spiritual protection
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 and growth.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:23 As believers,
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 we're called to live
00:12:25 --> 00:12:25 in the world,
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 but not be of the world,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 which sounds really tricky.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 What it means
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 is that we must rely
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 on God's word
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 and his spirit
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 to keep us holy,
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 to keep us set apart
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 for his purposes.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 God gives us his word,
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 he gives us his spirit
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 and his body,
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 the church,
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 to guide us,
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 protect us,
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 encourage us,
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 and restore us
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 when we need it.
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 And in the final part
00:12:51 --> 00:12:51 of this prayer,
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 Jesus goes on
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 to pray for the church.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 He extends his prayer
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 beyond the immediate disciples
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 in the room with him
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 to include all
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 who would believe in him
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 through their message.
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 Now this is where
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 if we're standing
00:13:05 --> 00:13:05 at that window,
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 listening intently,
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 we hear our name
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 and our ears prick up
00:13:10 --> 00:13:10 because Jesus
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 is talking to us.
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 He prays for unity
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 of all believers
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 that they may be one
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 as he and his father
00:13:18 --> 00:13:18 are one.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 This isn't about unity
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 for the sake of harmony
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 or peace,
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 but for a purpose,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 to show the world
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 that Jesus was sent
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 by the father
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 and to reveal God's love.
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 Unity is a safeguard
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 for believers
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 in facing the challenges
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 and the opposition
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 of this world
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 that would seek
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 to divide,
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 distract from God's purpose
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 and discourage.
00:13:40 --> 00:13:44 In verses 20 and 21,
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 Jesus says,
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 My prayer is not
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 for them alone.
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 I pray for those
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 who will believe in me
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 through their message
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 that all of them
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 may be one.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 Father,
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 just as you are in me
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 and I am in you.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 These aren't verses
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 about denominations
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 or churches.
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 They're about
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 a different kind of unity.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 Twice Jesus speaks
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 of belief in these verses.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 It's the foundation
00:14:06 --> 00:14:06 of unity,
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 grounded in Christ
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 and his mission.
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 It's a unity
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 that we see
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 between father and son
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 and a unity
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 of purpose and intention.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 At its heart for us
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 is unity
00:14:17 --> 00:14:17 for those
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 who will believe in me
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 through the message.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 The unity of believers
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 is such a powerful testimony
00:14:24 --> 00:14:24 to the world.
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 Our love
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 and our unity
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 reflect the love of God
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 and the truth
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 of the gospel.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 Unity is not uniformity,
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 but oneness in purpose,
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 in mission
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 and in love.
00:14:36 --> 00:14:39 And so we should seek
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 actively to promote unity
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 within the body of Christ,
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 working together
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 despite our differences
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 to fulfil the mission
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 in spreading the gospel.
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 This prayer challenges us
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 to live in such a way
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 that our unity
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 becomes a witness
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 to the world.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 Jesus concludes this prayer
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 in verses 25 and 26
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 saying,
00:14:59 --> 00:15:19 Jesus' final prayer
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 is that the world
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 would know God
00:15:21 --> 00:15:21 through him
00:15:21 --> 00:15:23 and those who believe,
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 the spirit continuing
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 to make Jesus known.
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27 we get that strong
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 sense of connection,
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 the connection
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 and the belonging
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 that Nick spoke to us
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 about last week
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 that is deeply anchored
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 in God's love
00:15:35 --> 00:15:35 for his son
00:15:35 --> 00:15:37 and he for us.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 And so as we take
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 a step back
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 from that window
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 and wonder,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 what does it all mean?
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 What's our next step?
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 Well, there's three things.
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 Firstly,
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 Jesus' prayer
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 is a powerful model.
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 It's a model for prayer,
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 for how we pray,
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 when we pray
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 and what we might pray.
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 He prays for God's purpose,
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 he prays for God's plan
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 and his glory.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 His prayer for the disciples
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 show how we might pray
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 for ourselves,
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 for each other,
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 for where our identity
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 is anchored,
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 for protection by his name
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 from the opposition
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 of the world.
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 It gives us the assurance
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 that we can pray
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 in confidence
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 as we have a sure hope
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 in belonging to Jesus
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 and remaining in him.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 It's a model
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 for how we pray
00:16:22 --> 00:16:22 through our lives,
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 lives together
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 as believers
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 and how we pray
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 for mission.
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 We don't know,
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 as Jesus did,
00:16:30 --> 00:16:30 who his believers
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 will be.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 And so our prayer
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 is that as much
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 of the world
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 as possible
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 will be reached
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 for the gospel
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 before Jesus returns
00:16:38 --> 00:16:41 and that we pray
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 for ourselves
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 that we would be
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 faithful witnesses
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 of Jesus
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 in this world.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 Secondly,
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 Jesus' prayer
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 reminds us
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 of the assurance,
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 the joy
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 and the purpose
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 that we find
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 in the gospel.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 Jesus' desire
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 is for his followers
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 to know
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 they are connected
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 to the Father,
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 they are loved,
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 they're protected,
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 they're set apart.
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 In him we have
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 eternal life,
00:17:03 --> 00:17:03 not by anything
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 that we have done,
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 but because of God's purpose
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 he has fulfilled.
00:17:08 --> 00:17:10 In the familiar verses
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 from earlier in John,
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 in chapter 3,
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 for God so loved the world
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 that he gave
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 his one and only son,
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 that whoever believes
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 in him
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 should not perish
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 but have eternal life.
00:17:21 --> 00:17:21 For God did not
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 send his son
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 into the world
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 to condemn the world
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 but to save the world.
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 As someone who has
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 been following Jesus
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 for most of my life,
00:17:30 --> 00:17:30 the simplicity
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 of the gospel
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 has spoken to my heart
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 more times
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 than I could remember.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 The simplicity
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 of what we read
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 in verse 3,
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 now this is eternal life,
00:17:40 --> 00:17:40 that they know you,
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 the one true God
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 and Jesus Christ
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 whom you have sent.
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 That's all we have
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 to believe.
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 Knowing God,
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 believing in him
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 is enough
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 and in hard days
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 that's sometimes
00:17:51 --> 00:17:51 all we have.
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 Perhaps today
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 the world feels like
00:17:55 --> 00:17:55 it's weighing heavy
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 on you.
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 Let me encourage you
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 to turn to Jesus,
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 open your Bible,
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 read this prayer again
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 for yourself
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 and ask the Spirit
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 to speak quietly to you
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 to comfort and assure you.
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 And if you're someone
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 who doesn't know Jesus yet,
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 if you're not sure
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 that he's talking to you,
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 the eternal life
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 that Jesus gave
00:18:14 --> 00:18:14 the disciples
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 and the believers to come
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 is open to you today.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 The only step
00:18:19 --> 00:18:19 you need to take
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 is to believe.
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 So talk to someone today
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 and ask about
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 how you can believe.
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 Finally,
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 Jesus' prayer
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 is that the world
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 might believe
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 because of the unity
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 and testimony
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 of those who would come
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 to believe
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 through the disciples.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 This is about unity
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 of purpose and intention,
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 that glory will be brought
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 to God,
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 pointing people to him.
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 This basis
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 for the unity
00:18:43 --> 00:18:43 and the gospel
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 bringing together cultures,
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 ages, perspectives,
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 background,
00:18:47 --> 00:18:47 is a unity
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 to be celebrated,
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 to be worked on
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 and to be nurtured.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 It's active.
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 It's hard work
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 because we're different.
00:18:55 --> 00:18:55 It means we need
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 to pray together.
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 We need to meet together
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 around the Bible
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 to share our life
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 with people
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 who will encourage you.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 And if you aren't
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 in a community group,
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 let me encourage you
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 to take that step today
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 and get into one
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 because they're awesome.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 This is why
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 our vision
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 here at St Paul's
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 is that we would
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 treasure Jesus together
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 for God's glory
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 and the joy
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 of all people.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 It's important
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 that we have the gospel
00:19:19 --> 00:19:19 at the centre,
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 that we're founded
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 in truth.
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 It's important
00:19:23 --> 00:19:23 that we acknowledge
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 we're different,
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 but it's also
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 our responsibility
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 to share the message,
00:19:27 --> 00:19:29 even though it is God
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 who is sovereign
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 over salvation.
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 Our job
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 is to tell the gospel,
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 speak it,
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 live it,
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 and God will take care
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 of the rest.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 Theologian
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 and writer
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 Martin Lloyd-Jones
00:19:40 --> 00:19:40 says,
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 to us is given
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 the privilege
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 and responsibility
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 of being the representatives
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 of God,
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 of the Son of God
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 in this world.
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 We stand for him.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 People judge him
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 by what they see in us
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 and they do so
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 because we are the ones
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 through whom
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 and in whom
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 he is glorified.
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 Jesus' prayer
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 tells us
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 that if you want
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 to know God,
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 get to know Jesus.
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 He shows the Father
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 to us
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 and by his Spirit
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 he continues
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 to make God
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 known through the world.
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 The love
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 that God
00:20:09 --> 00:20:11 has for his Son
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 is the love
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 that we have
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 through faith in Christ,
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 connected,
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 protected
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 and invested in.
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 What love
00:20:18 --> 00:20:20 and what a great glory.
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 Let's pray.
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 Our Father in Heaven,
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 thank you
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 that you gave your Son
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 that we might know
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 eternal life.
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 For all of us
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 here today,
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 may the message
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 of your Gospel,
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 may his love
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 and protection
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 and grace
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 continue to
00:20:36 --> 00:20:38 spur us on
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 and preserve us
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 in the hard days
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 and in the joyful days.
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 I pray, Lord,
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 for anyone
00:20:43 --> 00:20:45 who is still
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 trying to work out
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 whether they believe
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 in you
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 that they would
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 take their first step
00:20:48 --> 00:20:48 today
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 and seek you
00:20:50 --> 00:20:50 for the first time.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:51 Amen.