Jesus Prays for His Own – A Sermon (John 17)

The life of our Lord Jesus Christ had an intentionally designed dramatic climax. He was “born to die.” This was not just any death for any person but a death which revealed the depth of God’s love for the world (John 3:16).

In John’s Gospel the glory of the Savior ultimately is his cross. In the death of Jesus we see his glory in the cross for at least five reasons:

1. His greatness is revealed by dying.

2. His work is completed by his dying.

3. He must obey the Father and thus glorify God by dying.

4. His cross is not his end – the resurrection will follow. Vindication is real. It is as if God pointed at the cross and said, “This is what men think of my Son.” But God pointed at the resurrection and said, “This is what I think of my Son.” The glory of the resurrection removed the shame of the cross turning it into glory.

5. The cross is the way back to God. The gateway to glory.

John 17 gives us a great definition of “eternal life” as well. It is about a qualify of life, not its duration.

We must know God is love in our minds to believe him. We must know God in intimacy to share in his life.

Jesus offers to his own two things in his prayer: (1) His joy (2) A warning

Joy is the mark of the gospel in our lives and the warning is that we must live in the world but He will give us peace as we triumph in warfare.

Your can hear this 20 minute sermon at ACT3 Network.