The Easter Prayer

John 17 March 30, 1997

Scripture: Unison Reading, Psalm 118, #712 in Hymnal

Prayer:

Introduction:

If you were Jesus, what would be one of the last prayers you prayed on the night before you went to the cross?

Would you pray for yourself, that God’s glorious purpose might be revealed and completed through the cross and the glory of the resurrection so that your purpose in having been here might not be thwarted?

Would you pray for those whom God has called to your ministry and touched with divine faith, thanking God for them, committing them to God’s protection, securing them in the joy of his fellowship, and seeking their sanctification by the truth you have given them?

Would you pray for those who would yet believe through the message that present believers would proclaim about you, that they might be a visible expression on earth of the oneness of the Triune God, a living testimony of the love of God on earth with the hope of the ever-present love of God in heaven?

Why did Jesus pray anyway? Wasn’t he God? Was it to show us that the same power of God that came to pass through the revelation of prayer by the Son of God, for the Son of God, is available to us as the children of God, through the Son of God? We can teach truth through what Christ prayed because he is truth - and what he asked of God is surely true of himself.

I. The prayer for purpose: Jesus prays for himself. (vv. 1-5)

A. The purpose of glory. (v. 1)

B. The purpose of eternal life. (v. 2)

C. The purpose of knowledge. (v. 3)

D. The purpose of completion. (v. 4)

E. The purpose of God. (v. 5)

II. The prayer for effect: Jesus prays for present believers. (vv. 6-19)

A. The effect of revelation. (v. 6)

B. The effect of source. (v. 7)

C. The effect of believing. (v. 8)

D. The effect of belonging. (v. 9)

E. The effect of possession. (v. 10)

F. The effect of name. (v. 11)

G. The effect of protection. (v. 12)

H. The effect of joy. (v. 13)

I. The effect of righteousness. (v. 14)

J. The effect of Jesus. (v. 15)

K. The effect of the resurrection. (v. 16)

L. The effect of truth. (v. 17)

M. The effect of calling. (v. 18)

N. The effect of the cross. (v. 19)

III. The prayer for fulfillment: Jesus prays for future believers.

(vv. 20-26)

A. The fulfillment of witness. (v. 20)

B. The fulfillment of faith. (v. 21)

C. The fulfillment of unity. (v. 22)

D. The fulfillment of love. (v. 23)

E. The fulfillment of heaven. (v. 24)

F. The fulfillment of recognition. (v. 25)

G. The fulfillment of blessing. (v. 26)

Conclusion:

Was Jesus’ Easter prayer answered? Is was, and is, and always will be. The purpose of God, the effect of God, and the fulfillment of God all came together at the resurrection. The purpose, effect and fulfillment of the resurrection continues into eternity. The purpose, effect and fulfillment of God have fallen upon us who believe and will fall upon all who will yet believe. We are his forever because he is forever. He is alive! We are alive! We are alive together with Christ! In him we were, are and shall be raised from the dead as he is raised from the dead, a mighty host of believers spanning the ages as the kingdom of God by faith. Let us praise the Name of Jesus!

Food for Thought: If your life stood at the crossroad, what would you pray? I submit to you that if you are a Christian, your life is at the crossroad (Luke 9:23). Would you pray for God’s purpose to be exalted through your life, His effect to be evident in the lives of those you touched, and His fulfillment of their witness to touch still other lives with faith in Christ so that all may be brought under the unity of His headship to His eternal praise and glory?

Timeless Truth: The crossroad of prayer leads to the freeway of Easter. Don’t get sidetracked; Jesus didn’t.

The Easter Prayer

John 17 March 30, 1997