Sermon Tone Analysis
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*The Gospel of John XXXIV: *
* Commissioning Prayer*
*John 17:1-26*
*/October 4, 2009/*
* *
*Prep: *
· 079 (Glory), 086 (Persecution), 065 (Engage)
· Leftovers: Sprg “why left here”, “Apprnc,” Driscoll
· Phil 2:1-11
*Scripture reading: JOhn 17:15-21*
Intro
It is ironic that last week I got on a *soapbox* about preaching directly from Scripture rather than using it as a *springboard*, because this week I was really *tempted* to do so.
· There are times for *topical* *preaching*, when need to follow a theme through Scripture.
But this time it was because this passage was *long* and *repeats* a lot points that we have recently studied, so it would have been easier just to use it as a springboard.
· Sheer *embarrassment* made we dig deeper, and I am glad I did.
In this passage, we hear Jesus’ *heart* for both the *disciples* and *us*, his *summary* of *our* *mission* as he leaves this world.
He prays for himself and prays for us, with five specific requests.
· This is where we find “*in* this *world* but not in it.”
Prayer
Speak to us about *our* *mission* on earth.
You could pull us out of this world, but keep us here that we may *be* a *light*.
Help us understand how to *shine* *brightly*.
Jesus prays for himself
This prayer occurs perhaps an *hour* before Jesus is *arrested*.
Jesus is preparing himself and his disciples for what is ahead.
· This is a commissioning prayer.
Not surprisingly, this prayer *sums* *ups* much of Jesus’ *teaching* over the past several chapters.
For that reason, I will be very brief on some points and *refer* you to *past* *sermons*.
NIV *John 17:1-2* ¶ After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come.
Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
Jesus *entire* *mission* was to *bring* *glory* to God. *How* does Jesus glorify God?
By giving *eternal* *life*.
And what does that mean?
*John 17:3* Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
This is interesting: *Eternal* *life* is not defined as living forever or going to heaven, but *knowing* *God*.
And this *loops* right back to the glory of God.
The glory of God is the *full* *brilliance* of his character – *loving*, *just*, *holy*, *kind* and *good*.
It is the *sum* and *source* of all that is *good* and *pleasing* and the *closer* we get to him and the more we know him the *more* we *know* real, eternal life.
· God is then *glorified* when his *character* is most *fully* *known*.
Jesus is praying “*Demonstrate* to the world with *clarity* my *character*, that I might *demonstrate* *your* *character* to the world by bringing them *into* *your* *glory*.”
Upside-down glory (7~/12~/09)
This is what Jesus has been doing the *whole* *time*:
NIV *John 17:4* I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
In his entire ministry he has been *pointing* people to *God*, but not so much through his *miracles* (which were to *validate* his message), but by clearly *demonstrating* the *nature* of God.
· The *Pharisees* had distorted God by *legalism*.
· The *Sadducees* and *Romans* by seeking the *world’s* *glory*.
The thing that is so striking about how Jesus glorified God is it was through thing the world viewed as *inglorious*.
In “*Upside*-*Down* *Glory*” I talked about how Jesus was glorified not just by the resurrection, but by the *cross* itself as an act of *serving*.
Jesus prays for the disciples
In v. 6 Jesus begins praying for the disciples.
In v. 20 he says that this prayer is not just for them, but also for us.
He makes *five* specific *requests*:
REQUEST 1: Protect them as I am leaving them (v.
11-14)
*John 17:11-14 * 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.
12 While 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.
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
In other words, I have been taking care of them up until now – and I have done a pretty good job.
Now it is *your* *turn*.
Hated by the world (9~/06~/09)
Jesus knew that he is leaving us on *enemy* *territory*.
*Chapter* *15* and *that* *sermon* deal a lot with *persecution*.
We are not part of the world and we stand in *opposition* to its idea of glory and that makes us a *threat*.
But Jesus is not asking God to protect us *physically* (he assumes we’ll be *persecuted*), but that we will be *victorious*, bringing God glory and *not* *falling* *away*, as next request shows.
REQUEST 2: Don’t take from world but protect from evil one (v.
15-16)
NIV *John 17:15-16 * My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
· This is where we get the expression “*In* the *world* not of it.”
“Don’t take out of the world” doesn’t just mean don’t take them to *heaven* (that might *hamper* *evangelism*), but not to *remove* themselves like the Essenes.
In light of a world that either *hates* or is *indifferent* to Jesus, and that threatens *corrupt* us, the *appeal* of *isolation* is huge.
But (as he says in *v.
18*) he is *passing* the *baton* to us, giving his mission to us, that we might *glorify* *God*.
Q How can we demonstrate God’s glorious greatness to the world if we are *not* *in* *it*?
We are the *light* and *salt* of the world.
It is now our job *draw* people to the Father.
The *trick* is to do this without being *corrupted* by the world, which leads to the next request.
REQUEST 3: Sanctify them by truth (17-19)
NIV *John 17:17-19* Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus next prayer is that we be made and kept *holy* and *pure* as we are in this world.
The *danger* of corruption is *immense*: We grow up in this world and naturally adopt it’s *ways*, *values*, and *perspective* without knowing it.
· We are like children growing up in a *dysfunctional* *home* that *don’t* *realize* it’s dysfunctional.
There are all of the *obvious* things, but sometimes it the *subtle* stuff is the most dangerous.
How do we rise about corruption and be made holy?
By means of the *Word* of *Truth*, through *Scripture*.
· This is why the *careful* *study* of the *Word* is such an *emphasis* at The Gathering, and will be more in 2010.
*Romans 12:2 * 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We believe it is only through the *Word* that the *Spirit* *confront* the deep roots of the evil one in us and transform us.
Engage our culture
So here is the *challenge* we face, to be *in* the world and *not* *of* it.
As our *mission* *statement* says, to glorify God *while* (and *by*) being fully engaged in the world.
We live in a world that *desperately* *needs* *God* and is looking in all the wrong places and it is our job to be light in darkness.
· “We have *steams* of *living* *water*, but if we don’t give it to them they drink out of the *toilet* because they are *parched*.”
We are *missionaries* to our own country; we need to be able to speak their *language* and understand their *culture*.
Accordingly, it’s vital to remain in the world, *physically*, and *mentally*.
· But even as we do this, we must be *sanctified* and not *engage* *in* the *evil* of the world.
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