The High Priestly Prayer (5)
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The High Priestly Prayer
The High Priestly Prayer
Today as we continue in our study of John 17, the High Priestly prayerI have to just quickly remind you of last week’s lesson as we move forward because today builds on that, and some of you were not here.As we continued in the prayer Jesus started praying for those that were His followers.Before He actually starts making specific requests for us what we see repeated 6 times in those verses and was our take home for last week was that God sees us as a gift.He doesn’t see us as people that are a problem, or people who need discipline and trials or people who are a burden.But before anything else as Jesus prays for us as God to God, He mentions that we are a gift, one that God choses for Himself.Which makes us pretty special.I had several of you comment that this was hard for you to absorb.You said that you had never thought of God this way and find it a challenge to see yourself as special to Him.Let me say this.Part of the importance of knowing the Truth of God’s Word is to help you see yourself as God sees you.God sees you as very special.Today we will build on this as we continue in the prayer.Here is what we will consider.God specifically refers to us as a gift, actually as a gift He chose.If you look at other Scriptures we can see we are His most prized possession.So I want you to think for a moment.What is your most prized possession?Or what is your favorite gift you have received?Got something?Now here’s what goes along with that. How do you treat it?When you are given something special or even buy yourself something special you treat it differently than other things.Like for me, when Tammy and I travelled we would always buy something to remind us of our trips.Like when we went to Italy we bought a vase or VAZ on 23rd anniv.Hand painted, right by where my grandfather grew up and really nice.We didn’t just take that and put it in the garage or stick it in the cabinet we have it on a special shelf. One where we know it is safe but also to display it.We want it where we know it is protected and where we can enjoy it.Here is what we will learn today.Once God brings up that we are a gift right away He prays for our protection.This prayer just keeps getting better and better the more I study it.We can see through it just what a loving and caring Father we have.So once again today there are two parts to our take home:Learn to see and experience how God sees you as special.To understand where we need protection.Read
“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.
For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
The part we want to focus on today starts in verse
I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
Now I know when some read this they get confused and say does this mean that God doesn’t love the world and that why not praying for them.No not at all the point and the wrong focus. We know from John 3:16-17 that God loves the world
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
These two verses show us that God loves and cares for the world.His desire is not to condemn it or judge the world but to save it.BUT and this is a big BUT.God does look at His children differently than the rest of the world.Just like we have lots of vases in our house some we really like but they are not treated the same as our Italian vase we bought on our anniversary. It has a special place and treated differently.That is what the focus is here.Once again it’s God telling you that you are special. Different.It is so important that you learn and see this.You are in a category of your own.As we go back to verses 8 we see who these special people are:
For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
Jesus came with a message. That was that He came from God on a mission to save people.When we hear that message, then believe and receive that message then we become part of this special group of people.So please don’t focus on the wrong part here.What God wants you to see from this part of the prayer is that you are special. Your are treated differently from the rest of the world.Let that soak in.I honestly think it is pretty hard to relate to God in the right way if you don’t understand just how much God loves you and how special you are to Him.So I pray that you might see this.Then Jesus start specific prayers for us.We will look at some this week and some next week.For this week Jesus prays for our protection.And He prays a very specific way and for a very specific reason.Let’s start with what He is praying for.He prays. Holy Father Keep them in your name.As we study this prayer it is always important to look at both How Jesus prays and What He prays.He starts with looking at God as The Holy Father.When He calls Him Holy Father for most of us we think right off of purity.Like God is Holy in that He doesn’t sin and is pure.As true as that is it’s not the picture here.When He calls Him Holy Father Jesus means He is separate from the rest.He is in a category all of His own.He is so much better and greater than anyone or anything else.That is the How Jesus always prayed.It is a good way for us to always start.Remember and reflect whom you are talking to.Then His starting place for WHAT HE PRAYS is to Keep us in His name.That means, now that we have believed in Christ, received Christ, Living as the type of gift that God wants us to be:He is praying to God to help keep us safe, keep us going and keep us growing in this world.See Jesus knows the danger this world poses to us.Even though we receive Him and follow Him there is a danger from the world to try and mess up our relationship with God.For me that is the battle we face everyday.It does come at us through the flesh, meaning our natural desires, from the world that Jesus mentions here and the devil that we will look at next week.So when Jesus is praying for us for protection from the World I think He is praying don’t let this world draw us back in or mess us up.Jesus said when I was here I guarded them, but now that He is going back to the Father He still prays that we would be protected.So this is where our application really starts for today.What is the danger the world poses?Let me tell you there are many.But the main one I think God wants us to focus on today has to do with influence.Something will influence you.This takes us back to last week.We must be the type of gift that God will enjoy.How do that by keeping His word.As we live our life directed by the Word we are being the type of gift that God wants us to be.Here is where a problem comes that I want you to think about.Back in Matthew 13 Jesus taught a parable about the sower.One example He gave was that seed could be sewn amongst the thorns and the thorns could choke the word from producing fruit.Then Jesus explained that the thorns were the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches.I think this is a danger for us right now.Here’s why.The cares of the world is just a way of saying you get anxious about living life.You worry about paying bills, getting food, getting petrol, keeping employed, figuring out the daily exchanger rate, buying groceries, taking kids to school, keeping your family happy and I could go on and on.Right now living in Zimbabwe those can cause anxiety or worry.Now they are all important but Jesus warns that that although they are important they can choke the Word from producing fruit in your life.I mean we can get so caught up just trying to MAKE A PLAN TO LIVE that we don’t take time to read, study and meditate on the one big thing that keeps us safe: GOD’S WORD.We need it. It keeps us going in the right direction.But because of the anxiety over what we have to get done, because all of those things need to get done.God’s word gets choked out. Then more anxiety, more stress and trouble.So what do we do? The answer is not to just ignore reality or these problems. That is not it.It’s to keep a balance of focus on God and doing what needs to be done.This is why we need to know how much God loves and cares for us.If you don’t know how much God loves and cares for you will stress and worry more and more when times are tough.But when we know God loves us we will do something different.Listen to what Peter tells us
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Our solution to the cares of the world is to give them to God.But the only way to do this is when you see that God cares for you.This is recognizing that God is your Father.He is your Holy Father who loves and treasures you.He is your Father that looks at you as a His most prized possession.For goodness sakes if I take care of a vase, I protect a vase can you imagine how much more God wants to take care of you.But where we need to do our part is don’t let the world bring you down.Let the worries of life bring you to God.Jesus knew that this world is challenging.He prayed that you would stay with God while you are living in the world.That is your protection.The more cares you have the more you need to spend time with Him.Read the Word, pray about the Word, meditate on the WordIf you do you will keep bearing fruit and won’t get destroyed by the world.