IN THE UPPER ROOM WITH JESUS (25)

Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer (1)

John 17:1-5

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   We have been involved in a series of lessons entitled:  “In the Upper Room with Jesus.”

1.    In this room, Jesus has been instructing His disciples regarding many things prior to His crucifixion that will take place the next day.

2.    In John 17, Jesus’ attention turns from the disciples, and He communes with His Father in heaven.

3.    NOTE:  Some believe that Jesus and the disciples have left the upper room and are on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane when this prayer was prayed.

 

B.   Some facts about this prayer:

1.    Some refer to this prayer as Jesus’ “High Priestly Prayer.”  It was first designated this way by a Lutheran Theologian named David Chytraeus (1530-1600).

2.    This is the real “Lord’s Prayer,” that is, a real prayer that originated from His heart and entered into the throne room of God.  The prayer some called the “The Lord’s Prayer” found in Matthew 6:9-13 is more accurately described as “The Lord’s Model Prayer.” 

3.    This is the longest prayer in the Bible.

4.    This is a wonderful example of an intercessory prayer.

5.    This prayer shows Jesus’ interest in His followers then and in ages to come.

6.    Guy N. Woods:  ‘The prayer is remarkable for His simplicity of language, the profoundness of its meaning, and the earnestness of its appeal” (New Testament Commentaries, “John,” Guy N. Woods, p. 352).

 

C.   In this lesson, we are going to be looking at the opening words of this prayer (John 17:1-5).

 

I.             THE BEGINNING OF THE PRAYER (John 17:1)

 

A.   The Physical Aspects of the Prayer (John 17:1a)

1.    The Definition of Prayer

 

These words spake Jesus…

 

a.    Prayer is simply defined as “speaking words to God.”

b.    Prayer is a simple act, but many individuals struggle to do it.

2.    The Direction of Prayer

 

…and lifted up his eyes to heaven…

 

a.    Jesus looked to heaven while he prayed.

b.    He knew that heaven is the dwelling place of the Father (Ps. 103:19).

 

The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

 

c.    It was almost as if Jesus wanted to see the face of His Father as He spoke to Him.

d.    We often pray with our heads bowed.  This is usually due to an attitude of being unworthy to look in the direction of the Father (The publican, Luke 18:13).

B.   The Principal Concern of Jesus (John 17:1b)

1.    The Day of Anticipation

 

…and said, Father, the hour is come…

 

a.    Jesus knows that the day of His death is imminent.

b.    On previous occasions, He had said:  “Mine hour is not yet come” (See John 2:4).

c.    This was no longer the case.  In just a few hours, He would be nailed to the cross of Calvary.

d.    NOTE:  It was this burden, this mission, this call of duty that drove our Lord to cry out, saying:  “Father.”  He needed the support and assistance that His heavenly Father could give to Him.

2.    The Desires of Jesus’ heart

 

…glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.

 

a.    One of Jesus’ desires was for the Father to glorify Him.

1)    Definition of glorify:

a)    Strong (1392):  to render (to esteem) glorious

b)    Thayer:  to honor, to adorn with lustre, clothe with splendor, to render something excellent, to make renown, to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged

c)    Vine:  To magnify, extol, ascribe honor, acknowledging Him as to His being, attributes, acts

2)    It is interesting that the cross would be the vehicle by which Jesus would be glorified.

a)    A cross was not a symbol of glory.  It was a curse (Gal. 3:13).

b)    This cross would only symbolize a curse for a few brief hours.  It would eventually become the centerpiece of the Christian religion.

b.    The second desire of the Christ was that He might glorify the Father.

1.    Satan would be conquered.

2.    Sins would be forgiven.

3.    Salvation would be attainable.

 

II.           THE BLESSING OF ETERNAL LIFE (John 17:2-3)

 

A.   The Power Given to Jesus (John 17:2a)

 

As thou hast given him power over all flesh…

 

1.    Jesus stood in need of authority

a.    For Him to make the claims He did.

b.    For Him to do the works He did.

c.    For Him to proclaims the doctrines He proclaimed.

d.    For Him to accomplish the task He did.

2.    Jesus acknowledges that this power was given to Him (See Matt. 11:27).

 

All things are delivered unto me of my Father…

 

3.    While Jesus was on earth, the Jews rejected Jesus’ authority.

4.    Eventually, His authority would be confirmed by His resurrection and ascension (See Rom. 1:4).

5.    That authority will continue unto the last enemy, that is death is destroyed (1 Cor. 15: 24-26).

 

B.   The Purpose of Jesus’ Coming (John 17:2b-3)

1.    The Description of His mission (John 17:2b)

 

...that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

 

a.    Jesus came to give eternal life.

1)    Life is a precious commodity.

2)    Sin brought death to man both physically and spiritually.

3)    Jesus came to conquer death and provide eternal life.

b.    “…as many as thou hast given me.”

1)    Those who believe in predestination will often use this as one of their proof texts.  They believe that God ordained certain ones to have eternal life, and these were given to Jesus to save.

2)    Answer:  John 17:3

2.    The Design of Salvation (John 17:3)

 

And this is life eternal, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

 

a.    God did not ordain the salvation of individual persons.

b.    He ordained all those who came to know Him as the true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent.

1)    To know God involves obedience to His will (1 John 2:3-4).

 

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

 

2)    This opens up the possibility for all men to be saved.

3)    This coincides with the teaching of Scripture that Jesus died for all (1John 2:2; John 3:16; Acts 17:30; 1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 2:9; 1 John 4:14; Mark 16:15).

 

And he is the propitiation for our sins:  and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the world.

 

4)    NOTE:  Anyone here today can know God and His Son Jesus and have the hope of eternal life given unto him.

 

III.         THE BEHEST OF JESUS (John 17:4-5)

 

A.   The Desire of Jesus (John 17:5)

 

And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

 

1.    Jesus affirms His pre-existence in this verse.  There was a time when He was with the Father before the world was.

2.    At that time, He was a Spirit being and possessed the same glory and splendor as the Father.

3.    When Jesus became a man, that glory was set aside while Jesus was in the flesh.

4.    He now yearns for that glory once again.

5.    When Jesus says:  “with thine own self,” He means “by the side of thyself.” 

a.    God was in a glorified position in heaven.

b.    Jesus wants to return that same state beside the Father.

 

B.   The Defense of the Desire (John 17:4)

 

I have glorified thee on earth:  I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

 

1.    Jesus came to bring glory to the Father by fulfilling the Father’s plan to redeem man.  He had done that.

2.    Notice the present tense of Jesus’ words:  “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

a.    He had not died on the cross yet.

b.    However, He was so sure that He would do it that He could speak of it as already accomplished. 

3.    Based on the perfect obedience to the Father’s will, Jesus now asks for His pre-existent glory to be restored.

4.    NOTE:  How could the Father deny such a request?

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Jesus has been a man of prayer during His entire earthly ministry.

 

B.   Notice how He addresses His Father in prayer.

Notice how He focuses upon spiritual things in His prayer.

Notice how He harmonizes His will to the Father’s will in prayer.

Notice how He boldly makes request of His Father in prayer.

Notice how His request is based upon His obedience to the Father’s will.

 

C.   Jesus had several emotions He was dealing with at this time.

1.    The sorrow of the cross.

2.    The joy of man’s redemption.

3.    The eagerness to be back with His Father in heaven.