WEBVTT 00:00:01.620 --> 00:00:06.679 Thank you, Daniel and Virginia. We're going to 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:11.619 do something a little special today in that we're 00:00:11.619 --> 00:00:15.320 going to ask several of you to lead in prayer 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:18.920 here in our service. And to find out if you're 00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:20.440 going to be leading in prayer, would you check 00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:22.359 your chair to see if there's a piece of tape 00:00:22.359 --> 00:00:27.739 around the bottom of the leg? And if so, oh, 00:00:27.739 --> 00:00:32.859 I forgot to put the tape on this morning. Nuts. 00:00:35.140 --> 00:00:36.859 Well, there was a lot of prayer going up just 00:00:36.859 --> 00:00:43.880 then. Please, God. Not my chair, Lord. There's 00:00:43.880 --> 00:00:46.640 something about being asked to lead in prayer 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:49.060 in a public meeting that makes us nervous, doesn't 00:00:49.060 --> 00:00:53.380 it? We need to get beyond that point so that 00:00:53.380 --> 00:00:57.259 we understand as we pray We're talking to God 00:00:57.259 --> 00:00:59.280 and it doesn't make any difference if the people 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:01.539 listening like what we say or don't like what 00:01:01.539 --> 00:01:04.700 we say. We're not talking to them. We're talking 00:01:04.700 --> 00:01:10.239 to the Lord. But there is something about leading 00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:12.680 in prayer in public that makes all of us stop 00:01:12.680 --> 00:01:16.459 and think, do I really want to do this? Not so 00:01:16.459 --> 00:01:20.420 with Jesus. Conversation with God was very natural 00:01:20.420 --> 00:01:24.469 to him. And it was so beautiful that his disciples 00:01:24.469 --> 00:01:26.890 said on one occasion, Lord, teach us to pray 00:01:26.890 --> 00:01:31.349 like that. And so he gave them a model prayer, 00:01:32.370 --> 00:01:34.590 which we sometimes call the Lord's Prayer, but 00:01:34.590 --> 00:01:36.870 in fact is the disciples prayer. It's what we're 00:01:36.870 --> 00:01:40.489 to pray. It's the pattern we're to follow. But 00:01:40.489 --> 00:01:44.430 Jesus does pray in John chapter 17 in such a 00:01:44.430 --> 00:01:47.090 way as that we can call this chapter the Lord's 00:01:47.090 --> 00:01:51.409 Prayer. I invite you to turn there with me to 00:01:51.409 --> 00:01:54.629 our text, John chapter 17. This is holy ground. 00:01:56.310 --> 00:01:59.549 Here we have the Son of God praying to the Father 00:01:59.549 --> 00:02:03.730 before the cross, and yet He speaks as though 00:02:03.730 --> 00:02:08.430 the cross were behind Him. The one who is speaking 00:02:08.430 --> 00:02:13.310 here in John 17 is the same as the Word whom 00:02:13.310 --> 00:02:18.099 John introduced in chapter 1. John told us there 00:02:18.099 --> 00:02:21.860 of the glory of the Word before the world was 00:02:21.860 --> 00:02:26.159 even created. He went on to explain in verse 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:29.360 14 of that chapter that the Word became flesh 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:34.000 and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, John 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:38.240 says, in His ministry, in His life. Then as we 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:41.340 saw last week, the glory of Christ is seen in 00:02:41.340 --> 00:02:45.960 His crucifixion. His hour came and He said, Father, 00:02:46.020 --> 00:02:50.520 glorify Your name. And the Father spoke from 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:53.800 heaven and said, I have glorified it and will 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:58.639 glorify it again. And now as we come to chapter 00:02:58.639 --> 00:03:02.939 17, hours before the cross, Jesus is praying 00:03:02.939 --> 00:03:10.039 as though He were already back in heaven. And 00:03:10.039 --> 00:03:13.599 this is what He says, beginning in verse 5. And 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:19.020 now, Father, glorify me in your presence with 00:03:19.020 --> 00:03:22.280 the glory I had with you before the world began. 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:26.639 I have revealed you to those whom you gave me 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:30.539 out of the world. They were yours. You gave them 00:03:30.539 --> 00:03:34.800 to me, and they have obeyed your word. Now they 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:37.719 know that everything you have given me comes 00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:42.830 from you. gave them the words you gave me and 00:03:42.830 --> 00:03:45.909 they accepted them. They knew with certainty 00:03:45.909 --> 00:03:49.650 that I came from you and they believed that you 00:03:49.650 --> 00:03:54.090 sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for 00:03:54.090 --> 00:03:58.490 the world but for those you have given me for 00:03:58.490 --> 00:04:04.490 they are yours." Where are these words spoken? 00:04:04.590 --> 00:04:08.539 Have you ever wondered that? Where did Jesus 00:04:08.539 --> 00:04:13.800 offer this prayer? Chapter 14 concludes with 00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:16.040 him and the disciples getting up from the upper 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:21.560 room and leaving from there. Chapter 18 begins 00:04:21.560 --> 00:04:25.319 by saying that they then crossed over the brook, 00:04:25.339 --> 00:04:30.779 Kidron, into the Garden of Gethsemane. So chapters 00:04:30.779 --> 00:04:34.600 15, 16, and 17 occurred somewhere as they walked 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:39.439 toward the Garden of Gethsemane. It is my conjecture, 00:04:39.500 --> 00:04:42.779 and it's purely that, that they stopped in the 00:04:42.779 --> 00:04:46.199 temple area. If you look at a map in the back 00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:48.800 of your Bible and trace the route, you will see 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:53.759 that the path from the upper room to the Garden 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:56.319 of Gethsemane would likely have taken them through 00:04:56.319 --> 00:05:01.220 the temple area. I believe it was there, in the 00:05:01.220 --> 00:05:04.939 presence of priests and the altars and the sacrifices 00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:10.480 of that Passover season, that Jesus stopped and 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:15.639 offered this prayer to God. You say, well, how 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:17.939 does Christmas relate to all of this? Listen. 00:05:18.939 --> 00:05:21.660 Without the truth of Christmas, that God became 00:05:21.660 --> 00:05:26.259 man, there would be no Savior. And there would 00:05:26.259 --> 00:05:30.160 be no priest, no high priest who could stand 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:33.920 before God and pray like Jesus prayed in this 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:39.199 chapter. In this last of the series of the Christmas 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:42.980 season that we've entitled The Glory of Christmas, 00:05:43.860 --> 00:05:48.699 we see the glory of Christ's session. Now we 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:50.920 need to think about the meaning of that word, 00:05:51.060 --> 00:05:56.720 session. We use it sometimes today when we speak 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:59.199 of the legislature being in session. You know 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:01.100 what time that is, of course. That's the time 00:06:01.100 --> 00:06:04.019 you need to get your hand on your wallet. when 00:06:04.019 --> 00:06:07.220 the legislature is in session, what it means 00:06:07.220 --> 00:06:12.480 is that the legislators are at work and they 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:16.240 are there doing what they're supposed to do, 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:22.860 I guess. And then we talk about courts being 00:06:22.860 --> 00:06:25.639 in session. What do we mean by that? We mean 00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:29.139 that the judge is in the courtroom and he's there 00:06:29.139 --> 00:06:33.540 doing what a judge is supposed to do. So when 00:06:33.540 --> 00:06:36.959 we speak about the session of Jesus Christ, we 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:40.500 are saying that Jesus is in heaven doing what 00:06:40.500 --> 00:06:45.879 a high priest is supposed to do. And the glory 00:06:45.879 --> 00:06:50.660 of Christmas directly relates to that. Because 00:06:50.660 --> 00:06:55.300 if he hadn't come as a man, he could not be before 00:06:55.300 --> 00:07:00.000 God praying for a man today. And so we close 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:03.740 this series by talking about the glory of Christ's 00:07:03.740 --> 00:07:08.279 session. His glory is revealed in His current 00:07:08.279 --> 00:07:11.259 ministry as High Priest on behalf of His people. 00:07:11.939 --> 00:07:16.040 How is this so? But we observe His glory first 00:07:16.040 --> 00:07:20.399 of all in the position He occupies. And then 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:25.120 again in the petitions He offers. And finally 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:29.959 in the perfections He owns. First, consider with 00:07:29.959 --> 00:07:34.079 me the position that Christ occupies. His glory 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:37.379 cannot be surpassed, for he has the highest place 00:07:37.379 --> 00:07:41.279 that God can give. Where is that place? Well, 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:44.959 turn with me to Hebrews chapter 1. We're going 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:47.740 to be using Hebrews as a corresponding book this 00:07:47.740 --> 00:07:50.939 morning. And in chapter 1 and verse 3, about 00:07:50.939 --> 00:07:54.519 the middle of the verse, it says, after he had 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:59.750 provided purification for sins. The Son, Christ 00:07:59.750 --> 00:08:04.430 Jesus, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty 00:08:04.430 --> 00:08:09.230 in heaven. Notice three facts about the position 00:08:09.230 --> 00:08:12.069 that Christ occupies. First of all, it's in heaven. 00:08:12.910 --> 00:08:16.290 Literally, the language says here, the high places. 00:08:18.990 --> 00:08:22.449 Jesus ascended from the earth, was taken out 00:08:22.449 --> 00:08:24.790 of the sight of His disciples in the Mount of 00:08:24.790 --> 00:08:29.410 Olives by clouds. And he entered into heaven. 00:08:29.730 --> 00:08:31.970 We have an eyewitness that he arrived safely. 00:08:32.710 --> 00:08:36.809 Stephen, not long after Jesus was taken into 00:08:36.809 --> 00:08:42.370 heaven, saw him there and said so. The writer 00:08:42.370 --> 00:08:44.830 of Hebrews says that we have a priest who has 00:08:44.830 --> 00:08:47.769 passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of 00:08:47.769 --> 00:08:51.009 God. In other words, he has passed through the 00:08:51.009 --> 00:08:54.330 atmospheric heavens and the starry heavens and 00:08:54.330 --> 00:08:57.990 now has entered into the abode of God, the highest 00:08:57.990 --> 00:09:02.309 place, the heaven of heavens. And that's where 00:09:02.309 --> 00:09:04.350 he is today, but we know a little bit more than 00:09:04.350 --> 00:09:08.049 that. For the verse says, secondly, that he's 00:09:08.049 --> 00:09:11.710 at the right hand of the majesty in heaven. The 00:09:11.710 --> 00:09:14.629 majesty is a name for God. He's at the right 00:09:14.629 --> 00:09:19.100 hand of God. The right hand is the place the 00:09:19.100 --> 00:09:22.700 sovereign gives to the one that he gives power 00:09:22.700 --> 00:09:31.179 to. And so God the Father invited His Son now 00:09:31.179 --> 00:09:35.320 to sit at His right hand in the place of supreme 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:39.039 authority. There is no throne higher than His. 00:09:40.899 --> 00:09:44.200 And the third fact that we see is that He is 00:09:44.200 --> 00:09:47.419 sitting there. He has sat down. at the right 00:09:47.419 --> 00:09:51.700 hand of the Father. That is a position of rest 00:09:51.700 --> 00:09:54.899 because his work is finished. Notice the writer 00:09:54.899 --> 00:09:58.659 says after he had finished the purification of 00:09:58.659 --> 00:10:04.179 sins he sat down. That of course is in contrast 00:10:04.179 --> 00:10:07.360 to the high priest of Israel under the order 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:11.580 of Aaron. God provided in the temple for certain 00:10:11.580 --> 00:10:15.909 pieces of furniture, a table, an altar. a lamp 00:10:15.909 --> 00:10:20.549 stand. The one thing God did not provide for 00:10:20.549 --> 00:10:25.850 in the temple was a chair. The high priest could 00:10:25.850 --> 00:10:30.309 never sit down on his job because he was never 00:10:30.309 --> 00:10:34.289 finished. When one sacrifice was finished, it 00:10:34.289 --> 00:10:37.789 was time to offer another sacrifice because all 00:10:37.789 --> 00:10:41.590 of these were atoning sacrifices, not the ultimate 00:10:41.590 --> 00:10:46.179 propitiation for sin. And so he offered sacrifices 00:10:46.179 --> 00:10:49.440 over and over and over again and was never finished. 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:56.639 But Jesus, once and for all, offered Himself 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:03.279 for our sins as the sacrifice of all time and 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:08.399 is now set down. His work for sins finished. 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:13.659 My friend, that is the position that Christ occupies. 00:11:14.059 --> 00:11:18.220 And so Paul writes to the Philippians, God exalted 00:11:18.220 --> 00:11:22.019 him to the highest place and gave him the name 00:11:22.019 --> 00:11:25.679 that is above every name. And to the Ephesians 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:29.840 he wrote, he who descended, talking about Christ 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:33.600 coming at Christmas and the incarnation, he who 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:38.580 descended is the very one who ascended higher 00:11:38.580 --> 00:11:42.340 than all the heavens in order to fill the whole 00:11:42.340 --> 00:11:48.240 universe. And so today the whole cosmos is filled 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:52.919 with His presence, with His blessings, and He 00:11:52.919 --> 00:11:58.580 is in absolute charge of it all. We see the glory 00:11:58.580 --> 00:12:03.039 of Jesus Christ in the position that He occupies, 00:12:03.559 --> 00:12:06.480 not only as the Son of God, which He eternally 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:12.279 is, but as glorified man now. As glorified man. 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:20.080 He is in the highest position. Secondly, we see 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:25.600 His glory in the petitions that He offers. Turn 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:28.879 back to the Gospel of John to the 17th chapter. 00:12:30.679 --> 00:12:33.440 And notice with me here the petitions that Jesus 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:38.259 specifically asks of the Father. These are glorious. 00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:45.149 They reveal to us His glory. As the God -man, 00:12:46.929 --> 00:12:49.309 two of his position petitions are offered for 00:12:49.309 --> 00:12:52.990 himself and four are offered for his followers. 00:12:53.730 --> 00:12:58.750 And by the way, notice that his followers includes 00:12:58.750 --> 00:13:05.090 the ones then, as he says in verse 8, they knew 00:13:05.090 --> 00:13:07.509 with certainty that I came from you and they 00:13:07.509 --> 00:13:11.120 believed that you sent me, I pray for them. So 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:13.559 he's praying for those who have followed him 00:13:13.559 --> 00:13:17.120 in his earthly ministry. But look at verse 20. 00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:22.799 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:26.240 for those who will believe in me through their 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:30.759 message. In other words, what Jesus prays for 00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:35.320 in this chapter, he prays for you. Because you 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:38.279 have come to believe through the words of the 00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:41.850 apostles. as recorded in God's holy book, the 00:13:41.850 --> 00:13:46.169 Bible. Now, what is it that Jesus prays for? 00:13:47.409 --> 00:13:49.870 Well, as I said, two things He prays for Himself. 00:13:50.070 --> 00:13:54.990 In verse 1, He prays for the exaltation of Himself. 00:13:55.950 --> 00:13:59.990 Father, the time has come. Glorify Your Son, 00:14:00.970 --> 00:14:03.690 that Your Son may glorify You. Is this wrong 00:14:03.690 --> 00:14:06.590 for Him to pray to be glorified? Not at all. 00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:11.879 He is the righteous Son of God, and He is praying, 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:17.779 Father, exalt me. Is God going to deny that petition? 00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:24.059 No. Notice His second request. It relates to 00:14:24.059 --> 00:14:27.980 this, verse 5. It is for the resumption of His 00:14:27.980 --> 00:14:32.299 eternal glory. Father, glorify me in Your presence 00:14:32.299 --> 00:14:34.500 with the glory I had with You before the world 00:14:34.500 --> 00:14:38.620 began. And so now he prays, not only will he 00:14:38.620 --> 00:14:41.080 be glorified with the Father, but he will be 00:14:41.080 --> 00:14:45.139 able to resume the glory that he had before he 00:14:45.139 --> 00:14:48.139 came. In fact, before the world was even created. 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:56.539 And today, he has resumed that glory as the God 00:14:56.539 --> 00:15:04.240 -man. Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:08.480 of God and he has resumed the glory which the 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:14.240 eternal Son has always had with his Father." 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:19.419 God has answered the prayers of Jesus. Now let's 00:15:19.419 --> 00:15:21.440 look at the four petitions that he offers for 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:27.379 us. The first one is found in verses 11 and 15, 00:15:27.419 --> 00:15:31.799 and it is for protection. This implies that we're 00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:36.289 going to have opposition in the world. For example, 00:15:36.370 --> 00:15:39.269 in verse 11 he says, I will remain in the world 00:15:39.269 --> 00:15:43.190 no longer, but they are still in the world. And 00:15:43.190 --> 00:15:47.549 I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them. 00:15:48.350 --> 00:15:51.450 Protect them by the power of your name, the name 00:15:51.450 --> 00:15:55.169 you gave me, so that they may be one as we are 00:15:55.169 --> 00:15:58.929 one. While I was with them, I protected them 00:15:58.929 --> 00:16:01.450 and kept them safe by that name you gave me. 00:16:01.529 --> 00:16:05.059 None has been lost. except the one doomed to 00:16:05.059 --> 00:16:07.600 destruction so that the Scripture would be fulfilled 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:13.639 as Judas. The context here seems to suggest that 00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:16.779 the pressure from the world is going to be to 00:16:16.779 --> 00:16:21.419 try to cut off our relationship with God. And 00:16:21.419 --> 00:16:25.240 if the world could do that today, it would. But 00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:27.559 Jesus says, I'm praying that you will protect 00:16:27.559 --> 00:16:32.019 them, Father. He is praying for the preservation 00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:35.980 of that relationship that we have with the Father. 00:16:38.740 --> 00:16:42.500 Now again, he mentions protection in verse 15. 00:16:44.580 --> 00:16:48.179 My prayer is not that you take them out of the 00:16:48.179 --> 00:16:51.299 world, but that you protect them from the evil 00:16:51.299 --> 00:16:59.179 one, Satan. You see the world. is in the hands 00:16:59.179 --> 00:17:03.179 of Satan. By the world, I'm talking about the 00:17:03.179 --> 00:17:10.099 system that controls the world. Satan organizes 00:17:10.099 --> 00:17:15.960 it. He energizes it. He directs it toward his 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:21.200 intended goals. Now in the end, he can only do 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:23.960 that within the boundaries that God has established. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:31.420 But nonetheless, He is the force. He is the force 00:17:31.420 --> 00:17:36.539 that holds together the world system. And the 00:17:36.539 --> 00:17:40.480 one characteristic that describes it is anti 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:46.000 -Christ. Anything that is of God, anything that 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:49.940 claims to be Christian is attacked by the world. 00:17:51.339 --> 00:17:53.920 And so Jesus prays that we might be protected. 00:17:55.019 --> 00:17:59.799 Does that mean that the devil can never do anything 00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:02.259 to us and we don't have to be cautious of him? 00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:07.019 Not at all. Does that mean that the world can't 00:18:07.019 --> 00:18:08.900 trip us up, that we don't have an enemy in the 00:18:08.900 --> 00:18:13.059 world? Not at all. They are still enemies. But 00:18:13.059 --> 00:18:16.460 ultimately the world nor the devil can ever sever 00:18:16.460 --> 00:18:22.380 our relationship from God. It's permanent. Jesus 00:18:22.380 --> 00:18:26.019 has prayed this. Will God not answer the prayer 00:18:26.019 --> 00:18:32.099 of His Son? Father, keep them. The Father is 00:18:32.099 --> 00:18:36.400 going to keep us. The second petition we see 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:40.380 for us is found in verse 17, where He simply 00:18:40.380 --> 00:18:43.599 says, sanctify them by the truth. Thy word is 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:49.759 truth. Sanctify. What does that mean? Well, in 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:52.099 the most basic sense, it means set them apart. 00:18:53.629 --> 00:18:56.190 Notice that Jesus goes on to say, as you sent 00:18:56.190 --> 00:18:58.329 me into the world, and I've sent them into the 00:18:58.329 --> 00:19:01.849 world, for them I sanctify myself, that they 00:19:01.849 --> 00:19:04.269 too may be truly sanctified. So here's a word 00:19:04.269 --> 00:19:07.890 that's used several times. Jesus says, Father, 00:19:07.970 --> 00:19:10.849 I set myself apart to the work that you gave 00:19:10.849 --> 00:19:13.329 me when you sent me into the world. Now Father, 00:19:14.829 --> 00:19:19.710 set those people who believe in me apart from 00:19:19.710 --> 00:19:23.809 the world. for the work that I leave them to 00:19:23.809 --> 00:19:29.609 do." That's what he's praying for. Father, set 00:19:29.609 --> 00:19:32.849 them apart so that they may go back to the world 00:19:32.849 --> 00:19:35.470 out of which they've been called to deliver the 00:19:35.470 --> 00:19:41.710 message. That's what he's praying for. And every 00:19:41.710 --> 00:19:44.170 time that you witness to someone, every time 00:19:44.170 --> 00:19:46.269 that you share your faith, every time you hand 00:19:46.269 --> 00:19:49.289 out a tract to somebody, you are doing that in 00:19:49.289 --> 00:19:54.680 answer to what Jesus prayed. For he says father 00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:58.359 set them apart for that work that I leave behind 00:19:58.359 --> 00:20:04.700 for them to do The third request for us is found 00:20:04.700 --> 00:20:09.920 in verses 21 to 23 It is a prayer for the identification 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:15.299 of his own as one He says that all of them may 00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:18.460 be one father just as you are in me and I in 00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:23.319 you May they also be in us So that the world 00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:27.220 may believe that you have sent me I have given 00:20:27.220 --> 00:20:29.839 them the glory which you gave me that they may 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:35.039 be one as we are one I in them and you and me 00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:37.859 May they be brought to complete unity to let 00:20:37.859 --> 00:20:40.940 the world know that you sent me and have loved 00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:45.819 them even as you have loved me Jesus is praying 00:20:45.819 --> 00:20:51.349 that his own will identify together I do not 00:20:51.349 --> 00:20:54.190 believe that Jesus is primarily praying here 00:20:54.190 --> 00:20:59.210 for the ecclesiastical ecumenism of all people 00:20:59.210 --> 00:21:05.529 who call themselves Christians. Primarily, I 00:21:05.529 --> 00:21:08.849 believe that Jesus is praying for spiritual oneness 00:21:08.849 --> 00:21:12.630 of His people. That's the kind of oneness that 00:21:12.630 --> 00:21:17.309 He has with the Father. And so on the day of 00:21:17.309 --> 00:21:21.500 Pentecost, the Father fulfilled this prayer and 00:21:21.500 --> 00:21:24.200 continues to fulfill it every time someone believes 00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:28.259 and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. For at that 00:21:28.259 --> 00:21:31.140 moment each one is placed into the body of Jesus 00:21:31.140 --> 00:21:36.299 Christ and is made one spiritually. But I also 00:21:36.299 --> 00:21:40.259 want to say this, that there is a place for a 00:21:40.259 --> 00:21:42.519 visible expression of oneness with others who 00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:46.509 are Christians. That is who named Jesus Christ 00:21:46.509 --> 00:21:49.509 as Lord. I'm not talking about apostates or false 00:21:49.509 --> 00:21:53.990 teachers under the guise of Christianity. But 00:21:53.990 --> 00:21:56.630 I'm talking about those who truly love and know 00:21:56.630 --> 00:22:01.809 our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a time when we 00:22:01.809 --> 00:22:04.309 can join hands together with the blessing of 00:22:04.309 --> 00:22:07.650 God and we should in the face of the opposition 00:22:07.650 --> 00:22:13.299 of the world. Jesus prays for that. And he prays 00:22:13.299 --> 00:22:17.319 that that oneness of believers will be visible 00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:22.099 enough so that the world may believe that the 00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:29.380 Father sent the Son. And then, in verse 24, Jesus 00:22:29.380 --> 00:22:33.680 prays for the glorification of His own. He says, 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:36.799 Father, I want those you have given me to be 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:41.529 with me where I am. and to see my glory, the 00:22:41.529 --> 00:22:44.690 glory you have given me because you loved me 00:22:44.690 --> 00:22:48.890 before the creation of the world. Jesus prays 00:22:48.890 --> 00:22:51.549 that every one of his own will one day be with 00:22:51.549 --> 00:22:55.029 him in glory and be able to see with his own 00:22:55.029 --> 00:23:02.609 eyes his glory as the exalted Son of God. That's 00:23:02.609 --> 00:23:08.470 going to require our own glorification. We shall 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:14.900 Be like him for we shall see him as he is writes 00:23:14.900 --> 00:23:19.819 John in his first epistle Is God going to deny 00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:25.400 these requests of his son? No God is going to 00:23:25.400 --> 00:23:29.819 fulfill every one of them This gives us an idea 00:23:29.819 --> 00:23:32.539 of how Jesus is praying for us today. Do you 00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:36.640 see the glory in it? He begins by saying father 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:40.869 glorify your son He concludes by saying, Father, 00:23:40.970 --> 00:23:43.710 these who believe on me, I want them with me 00:23:43.710 --> 00:23:48.769 there to see my glory. And so we have the glory 00:23:48.769 --> 00:23:53.509 of Christ's session, His high priestly work in 00:23:53.509 --> 00:23:58.710 the petitions that He bears and offers before 00:23:58.710 --> 00:24:03.029 God. But thirdly and finally, I want us to look 00:24:03.029 --> 00:24:06.470 at the perfections that He owns. For here again 00:24:06.470 --> 00:24:10.740 we see the glory of His Session as high priest 00:24:10.740 --> 00:24:13.660 and to do this we need to go back to Hebrews 00:24:13.660 --> 00:24:20.460 the second chapter Verse 10 says in bringing 00:24:20.460 --> 00:24:23.319 many sons to glory it was fitting that God for 00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:26.480 whom and through whom everything exists Should 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:29.140 make the author of their salvation perfect through 00:24:29.140 --> 00:24:32.920 suffering Both the one who makes men holy and 00:24:32.920 --> 00:24:36.640 those who are made holy are of the same family 00:24:37.130 --> 00:24:40.569 So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers 00:24:40.569 --> 00:24:44.809 He says I will declare your name to my brothers 00:24:44.809 --> 00:24:48.109 in the presence of the congregation I will sing 00:24:48.109 --> 00:24:51.269 your praises and again. I will put my trust in 00:24:51.269 --> 00:24:55.410 him And again, he says here am I and the children 00:24:55.410 --> 00:25:00.130 God has given me Since the children have flesh 00:25:00.130 --> 00:25:03.660 and blood he too shared in their humanity so 00:25:03.660 --> 00:25:06.539 that by his death he might destroy him who holds 00:25:06.539 --> 00:25:10.160 the power of death, that is the devil, and free 00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:12.980 those who all their lives were held in slavery 00:25:12.980 --> 00:25:17.420 by their fear of death. For surely it is not 00:25:17.420 --> 00:25:22.700 angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For 00:25:22.700 --> 00:25:24.839 this reason he had to be made like his brothers 00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:27.660 in every way in order that he might become a 00:25:27.660 --> 00:25:30.079 merciful and faithful high priest in service 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:33.259 to God. that he might make atonement for the 00:25:33.259 --> 00:25:36.940 sins of the people. Because he himself suffered 00:25:36.940 --> 00:25:39.500 when he was tempted, he is able to help those 00:25:39.500 --> 00:25:43.200 who are being tempted. Consider with me the perfections 00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:46.119 that he owns as our High Priest. First of all, 00:25:46.359 --> 00:25:51.359 the perfections in his preparation for this work. 00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:54.960 To become the author of our salvation and the 00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:58.660 High Priest on our behalf and service to God. 00:25:59.369 --> 00:26:03.849 He had to be completely identified with humanity 00:26:03.849 --> 00:26:07.769 by becoming one of us And so verse 14 states 00:26:07.769 --> 00:26:13.049 exactly that Because we are of flesh and blood 00:26:13.049 --> 00:26:16.950 he too partook of flesh and blood the Christmas 00:26:16.950 --> 00:26:21.970 story The verb tense here points to one act in 00:26:21.970 --> 00:26:28.759 time when he became human as well as God Verse 00:26:28.759 --> 00:26:32.819 17 says that he had to be made like his brothers 00:26:32.819 --> 00:26:37.680 in every way. It was a necessity. It was a moral 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:42.900 obligation for him to become authentically, genuinely 00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:52.319 man. God spared nothing. He sought every detail 00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:57.779 so that nothing could disqualify his son. the 00:26:57.779 --> 00:27:02.740 role of Savior and High Priest. Perfectly prepared 00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:09.019 by becoming man to do what he is doing. But notice 00:27:09.019 --> 00:27:11.279 secondly the perfections of his character for 00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:18.500 doing this. He suffered as a man so that he could 00:27:18.500 --> 00:27:23.619 know from his own experience the pain that is 00:27:23.619 --> 00:27:27.799 caused by human sin. Now, he was not a sinner. 00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:32.779 He did not sin. But he experienced the pain of 00:27:32.779 --> 00:27:39.720 sin all of his life. Notice verse 10 says that 00:27:39.720 --> 00:27:43.000 God made the author of their salvation perfect 00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:46.980 through suffering. You say, I thought he was 00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:49.539 already perfect as the Son of God. Yes, he was 00:27:49.539 --> 00:27:53.170 and is. But there is another element that as 00:27:53.170 --> 00:27:56.549 the author of our salvation, as our high priest, 00:27:57.849 --> 00:28:01.369 he needed to be equipped to understand what we 00:28:01.369 --> 00:28:06.869 pass through on this earth. And so in his service 00:28:06.869 --> 00:28:12.670 to God now, in his session, he is perfect in 00:28:12.670 --> 00:28:16.190 his character. He understands the loneliness. 00:28:17.130 --> 00:28:23.230 He understands the power of temptation. He knows 00:28:23.230 --> 00:28:30.930 thoroughly the weakness of our humanity. Notice 00:28:30.930 --> 00:28:34.950 that it says that He is a merciful and faithful 00:28:34.950 --> 00:28:39.089 high priest. He is sympathetic. Sympathetic. 00:28:40.410 --> 00:28:44.230 He can understand exactly what we face. He knows 00:28:44.230 --> 00:28:49.869 it. My wife and I have laughed about this thing. 00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:54.960 number of times as I stood by her in labor and 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:58.019 she was bearing a child and I was able to say 00:28:58.019 --> 00:29:02.680 to her I know just how you feel. What a joke. 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:09.960 For I have no idea I've never done that. Jesus 00:29:09.960 --> 00:29:13.019 can stand beside you whatever you're passing 00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:16.480 through and he can say I know how you feel and 00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:23.250 he means it. every kind of temptation that you 00:29:23.250 --> 00:29:29.069 could ever face, He's faced. And He's sympathetic. 00:29:29.609 --> 00:29:32.789 And He's faithful. He's unfailing. He's always 00:29:32.789 --> 00:29:38.170 there when you need Him. He has every quality 00:29:38.170 --> 00:29:41.869 that is so necessary for His work as High Priest. 00:29:43.470 --> 00:29:46.490 We see this symbolized in the Old Testament in 00:29:46.490 --> 00:29:51.400 the adornment of Aaron the high priest. In Exodus 00:29:51.400 --> 00:29:57.220 28 we have a description of his outfit, his garments 00:29:57.220 --> 00:30:01.339 as a high priest. One of them was an ephod, a 00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:04.119 robe -like thing that fit over the front and 00:30:04.119 --> 00:30:07.099 back. It was held together by straps across his 00:30:07.099 --> 00:30:13.859 shoulders and on each strap was an onyx stone. 00:30:16.460 --> 00:30:20.599 And on those stones there were written the twelve 00:30:20.599 --> 00:30:23.779 names of the tribes of Israel, six on each one. 00:30:26.200 --> 00:30:29.500 In addition to that, the high priest wore on 00:30:29.500 --> 00:30:32.380 the outside of this ephod another piece that 00:30:32.380 --> 00:30:35.480 was called the breastplate across his chest. 00:30:36.599 --> 00:30:40.579 It was made out of fine gold. And inset in the 00:30:40.579 --> 00:30:45.900 gold plate were twelve precious stones. each 00:30:45.900 --> 00:30:51.299 unique. And on each wand an artist engraved the 00:30:51.299 --> 00:30:56.640 name of one of the tribes of Israel. So that 00:30:56.640 --> 00:30:59.359 whenever the high priest went into the presence 00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:03.980 of God, he bore there the names of the children 00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:08.519 of Israel. One set on his shoulders, one set 00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:14.640 across his chest. What does this represent? across 00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:19.660 His chest, over His heart the names of the sons 00:31:19.660 --> 00:31:27.019 of Israel. Sympathy. Mercy. On His shoulders 00:31:27.019 --> 00:31:31.299 the place of strength. The names of the sons 00:31:31.299 --> 00:31:39.819 of Israel. Faithfulness. Mercy. And Jesus Christ, 00:31:40.180 --> 00:31:44.000 in His high priestly work before God today, is 00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:48.200 perfect in his character. He is sympathetic and 00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:52.240 he is faithful, always bearing up before God 00:31:52.240 --> 00:31:59.059 our names in prayer. We must note the perfection 00:31:59.059 --> 00:32:02.000 of his work in the past. That's the third perfection 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:06.460 that he owns. It says that he made atonement 00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:08.819 for the sins of the people. That's not a very 00:32:08.819 --> 00:32:11.140 good translation, in my opinion, in the NIV. 00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:19.039 He made propitiation. He offered the final sacrifice 00:32:19.039 --> 00:32:22.160 for sin. It wasn't merely a covering for sin. 00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:25.519 It was a sacrifice that dealt thoroughly with 00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:31.259 sin. And then there is the perfection of His 00:32:31.259 --> 00:32:35.160 work in the present, fourthly. Verse 18 points 00:32:35.160 --> 00:32:39.819 to it. He is able to help those who are being 00:32:39.819 --> 00:32:44.180 tempted. Notice that he was tempted. Jesus was 00:32:44.180 --> 00:32:48.019 tempted in every category of sin that you could 00:32:48.019 --> 00:32:54.759 ever face yourself. And he was tempted far beyond 00:32:54.759 --> 00:33:01.579 what any of us have experienced. He was tempted. 00:33:02.140 --> 00:33:05.680 But notice that we are being tempted. We're still 00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:08.920 here in the world. And we're passing through 00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:12.640 temptation. And it says that he is perfect in 00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:19.079 his present ministry. He's able to help. He runs 00:33:19.079 --> 00:33:23.039 when he's called for. He comes to the aid of 00:33:23.039 --> 00:33:28.000 those who are passing through temptation. And 00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:32.279 verse 16 says that he helps the descendants of 00:33:32.279 --> 00:33:36.039 Abraham. The word helps there means to seize, 00:33:36.740 --> 00:33:42.920 to take hold of, to rescue. We have a great high 00:33:42.920 --> 00:33:45.799 priest who is perfect in his work in the present 00:33:45.799 --> 00:33:51.799 as well as his work in the past The glories of 00:33:51.799 --> 00:33:58.019 Christ in his session The perfections that he 00:33:58.019 --> 00:34:04.440 owns My friend with a high priest like this We 00:34:04.440 --> 00:34:07.380 must beware of ever taking our salvation lightly. 00:34:07.380 --> 00:34:12.170 We must never trifle with it We must never treat 00:34:12.170 --> 00:34:15.809 our faith as though it is superfluous to life. 00:34:17.349 --> 00:34:19.610 We should not play with it as though it were 00:34:19.610 --> 00:34:26.409 some toy. Our faith is serious. And we must beware 00:34:26.409 --> 00:34:30.510 of allowing sin to ever harden our hearts so 00:34:30.510 --> 00:34:34.150 that we turn away from the living God. That's 00:34:34.150 --> 00:34:38.420 what the writer of Hebrews warns us about. We 00:34:38.420 --> 00:34:43.679 must take sin seriously because of the priest 00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:48.199 who stands in heaven on our behalf. How good 00:34:48.199 --> 00:34:52.000 it is to know when we fail, he's there faithfully 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:54.820 and sympathetically as our advocate before the 00:34:54.820 --> 00:34:59.579 Father. Because we have this high priest in glory, 00:35:00.019 --> 00:35:03.840 we must press on to maturity. It is time to put 00:35:03.840 --> 00:35:08.300 away our childish faith. It is time to get on 00:35:08.300 --> 00:35:13.440 with growing in it. It is time to be mature. 00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:17.940 We have no excuse for remaining childlike and 00:35:17.940 --> 00:35:22.739 childish, rather, in our faith. It is time to 00:35:22.739 --> 00:35:27.539 grow up and be mature children of God because 00:35:27.539 --> 00:35:31.260 we have one who stands before God on our behalf 00:35:31.260 --> 00:35:36.980 and prays that we might grow. and mature, and 00:35:36.980 --> 00:35:40.780 no longer be tossed and thrown about like waves 00:35:40.780 --> 00:35:45.719 of the sea. Because we have one who is a high 00:35:45.719 --> 00:35:48.500 priest in glory like this, we can be assured 00:35:48.500 --> 00:35:53.619 that he's able to help in the time of need. Let 00:35:53.619 --> 00:35:56.619 that be an encouragement to you. I don't know 00:35:56.619 --> 00:35:59.400 what your time of need may be. Perhaps it's today. 00:35:59.539 --> 00:36:03.510 Perhaps it's a job that's threatened. Maybe it's 00:36:03.510 --> 00:36:06.269 some uncertainty in your health or in your family 00:36:06.269 --> 00:36:10.849 As you look at 1993 you don't know what it holds. 00:36:11.269 --> 00:36:15.710 Let me tell you Jesus does You say he's the he's 00:36:15.710 --> 00:36:18.289 the same yesterday today and forever. He's already 00:36:18.289 --> 00:36:22.590 in 93 He's already praying about those things 00:36:22.590 --> 00:36:27.150 you're going to face next month He's already 00:36:27.150 --> 00:36:29.670 there preparing so that he will be fully able 00:36:29.670 --> 00:36:32.650 to meet your needs when you come to that day 00:36:32.650 --> 00:36:36.969 or that crisis or that moment of that hour of 00:36:36.969 --> 00:36:41.210 need. Be encouraged as you face the new year. 00:36:42.530 --> 00:36:44.690 A year ago, we did not know what this year would 00:36:44.690 --> 00:36:49.809 hold. And many of us have come to days and hours 00:36:49.809 --> 00:36:52.250 in the last 12 months that we would never have 00:36:52.250 --> 00:36:58.099 dreamed would have come to us. And Jesus was 00:36:58.099 --> 00:37:01.780 faithful. He was there and He met our needs. 00:37:02.059 --> 00:37:05.559 And He will be there tomorrow. And He will be 00:37:05.559 --> 00:37:09.099 there the next day. Why? Because He is faithful. 00:37:11.119 --> 00:37:13.519 Rejoice today in the glory of Christ's session 00:37:13.519 --> 00:37:17.039 for you, my friend. Because of Christmas, because 00:37:17.039 --> 00:37:20.219 He came as man and partook of our flesh and blood, 00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:23.820 He today as glorified man is standing before 00:37:23.820 --> 00:37:28.420 the Father on your behalf, praying. Be encouraged 00:37:28.420 --> 00:37:38.280 and march on Let's pray Father I thank you for 00:37:38.280 --> 00:37:46.539 your son Your son who is glorious In the position 00:37:46.539 --> 00:37:49.500 that he occupies the petitions that he offers 00:37:49.500 --> 00:37:54.500 the perfections that he owns We worship you through 00:37:54.500 --> 00:37:59.590 him We thank you that we can call him our friend, 00:37:59.909 --> 00:38:04.010 our brother, that he understands what it means 00:38:04.010 --> 00:38:09.710 to walk as a human being in this world. That 00:38:09.710 --> 00:38:12.250 he stands before you with perfect knowledge of 00:38:12.250 --> 00:38:19.969 each of us and knows our battles. Thank you. 00:38:21.090 --> 00:38:23.590 Friend, would you at this moment just tell him 00:38:23.590 --> 00:38:28.909 thank you for yourself? And reconfirm yourself 00:38:28.909 --> 00:38:34.949 to walk with Him, to trust Him, to be faithful 00:38:34.949 --> 00:38:39.730 because of His present ministry on your behalf. 00:38:47.269 --> 00:38:52.130 Amen. Amen. Would you take your hymnal please 00:38:52.130 --> 00:38:59.500 and turn with me? We're going to sing a verse 00:38:59.500 --> 00:39:08.320 of 435 that says, what a friend we have in Jesus, 00:39:08.840 --> 00:39:12.760 all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege 00:39:12.760 --> 00:39:15.619 to carry everything to God in prayer. Oh, what 00:39:15.619 --> 00:39:18.940 peace we often forfeit. Oh, what needless pain 00:39:18.940 --> 00:39:21.619 we bear, all because we do not carry everything 00:39:21.619 --> 00:39:25.269 to God in prayer. Let's stand together and sing 00:39:25.269 --> 00:40:31.670 the second verse of 435. Let's bow together. 00:40:32.929 --> 00:40:35.309 Are you weak and heavy -laden, cumbered with 00:40:35.309 --> 00:40:39.590 a load of care? This precious Savior is still 00:40:39.590 --> 00:40:44.489 your refuge. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Do 00:40:44.489 --> 00:40:48.429 thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to 00:40:48.429 --> 00:40:53.170 the Lord in prayer. In his arms he'll take and 00:40:53.170 --> 00:40:58.849 shield thee. Thou wilt find a solace there. Father, 00:40:58.949 --> 00:41:03.699 we thank you. that as we leave this place and 00:41:03.699 --> 00:41:07.739 begin to enter a new year in a few days that 00:41:07.739 --> 00:41:12.199 we do so with our hand in yours and we do so 00:41:12.199 --> 00:41:16.139 with a high priest who knows our situation in 00:41:16.139 --> 00:41:19.639 this world and who is interceding faithfully 00:41:19.639 --> 00:41:24.519 and sympathetically before you and your throne. 00:41:25.719 --> 00:41:30.820 We are encouraged by that. And we go from here 00:41:30.820 --> 00:41:35.519 with fresh strength because of this truth. As 00:41:35.519 --> 00:41:39.659 Wesley said, our souls arise and shake off their 00:41:39.659 --> 00:41:43.619 guilty fears. The bleeding sacrifice in our behalf 00:41:43.619 --> 00:41:48.280 appears. Before your throne our surety stands. 00:41:49.059 --> 00:41:54.199 Our names are written in his hands. And we say, 00:41:54.739 --> 00:41:56.619 praise the Lord. Amen.