KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF LOVE
[With Reference to the Events Concerning Jesus’ “Passion,” note how Jesus’ love is amazingly displayed throughout and therefore ‘stand in awe of God, the Most High.’]
Lesson Twenty-four
JOURNEY TO GETHSEMANE – [Approximately 1 mile, uphill] (Cont’d.)
Jesus’ Discourse & High Priestly Prayer – (John 15 – 17)
High Priestly Prayer – John 17
Jesus Prays For His Disciples – See John 17:6-19.
V.6 – “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.
I have revealed you – [NIV note: Greek your name …] Note: V.11-12 – 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name–the name you gave me–so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
Hebrews 2:10-12 – 10In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. 12He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.”
They were yours – Example: John 1:35-37 – 35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
Note that as John’s disciples (V.35), they belonged to the Father.
You gave them to me – Note John 6:37, 44-45 – 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
44“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: `They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.
V.9 – I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. This is in keeping with God’s way of making a distinction between His people and the others. Examples: Genesis 4:4-5 – 4But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Genesis 6:5-9 – 5The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth–men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air–for I am grieved that I have made them.” 8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
9This is the account of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
Genesis 18:22-23, 25 – 22The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
25Far be it from you to do such a thing–to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
Exodus 8:22-23 – 23“`But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land. 23I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.'”
Exodus 19:3-6 – 3Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4`You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
Deuteronomy 14:1-2 – You are the children of the LORD your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead, 2for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession.
Deuteronomy 26:18-19 – 18And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 19He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.
Application: 1 Peter 2:9 – But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
V.11 – I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name–the name you gave me–so that they may be one as we are one.
So that they may be one as we are one – Examples of fulfillment – See: Acts 2:44-47; 4:32-35; 5:12-13.
Application: Romans 12:4-5 – 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Galatians 3:26-28 – 26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
V.17-19 – Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Sanctify – [NIV note: Greek hagiazo (set apart for sacred use or make holy).] We are sanctified by:
The Word: John 17:17 – Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
The Blood: Hebrews 13:12 – And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.
The Holy Spirit: Romans 15:15-16 – 15I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Application: 1 Peter 1:15-16 – 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Hebrews 10:29 – How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Jude – 24To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy– 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.