Tag: John 17

August 6th 2023: 201st Anniversary Service (p.m.) Gaius Douglas

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To watch this service, please click on the link to our YouTube channel:
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John 17:20-26 Unified by God’s Glory

This morning, we looked at the unity that exists through prayer, in the preaching of God’s Word, and in fellowship. Pray underpins all we do for our Saviour. You cannot function without prayer. People may not speak loudly in prayer meetings, but may be great prayer warriors. This scripture in John chapter 17 tells us that Jesus prayed for you and for me. One of the results of this prayer is that we may be unified, “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.” (John 17:22). Christ stresses the importance of oneness.

I see sadness when I see division – sometimes because of little things, sometimes because of big things. Division may occur when someone says, ‘This is my work, you’ve taken over my work.’ This is God’s work. The gospel is God’s work.  Paul would preach and teach that the gospel is the power and unto salvation. Jesus prays we may be one with Him and His father. It is His work, for His glory and His praise. When Jonah was vomited out of the belly of the whale, he declared, “Salvation is of the Lord.” When we read the Bible, serve the Lord with the children, whatever we do, it’s God’s work. We join in the work, wherever that work is, and we can partner the work through prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ says, ‘The glory you have given me, I have given them.’ The Lord Jesus Christ speaks of the present, but also the future. The future is the result of the present. We can enjoy God’s glory, being in His presence and being like Him now. Jesus is now looking forward to the glory that awaits him, “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” (John 17:5). He came here, laid aside His glory, and now He was looking forward to being back at the right hand of the Majesty, looking forward to the glory that was His.

He looks forward to bringing us into His glory. ““And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.” (John 17:22). What an honour! He has already imparted that glory to us, “As You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.” (John 17:2). That thrills my soul! The greatness is He longs for us to be there much more than we long to be with Him. His love is so deep, His love is so strong, His love is so protective that He will never let us go, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6). This is the assurance He gives to you and me. He has already completed it. It is ours to enjoy. The glory which His disciples experienced when He was with them, grew with them.

We see something of this amazing glory when we look in the first few chapters of the book of Acts, which speaks of the early church. We have gone so far away from that experience. We can do so many things that they could not do, but we have gone so far away, “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.” (Acts 4:32).

I don’t know how you look upon another believer, but every believer who has repented of their sins to God and confessed the Lord Jesus Christ as their saviour, is one with every believer in Christ, wherever that believer is. The Lord Jesus Christ prays that they may be one with them, and for us to be one with each other, bringing unity. This unity comes from being unified with Christ. During those 40 days Jesus lived on this earth after He rose from the dead, he told His disciples they would be scattered. They didn’t believe him. Jesus was seen by at least 500, who were expecting the Lord Jesus Christ to be proclaimed king. In those 40 days, I believe Jesus used this time to draw the disciples back to Himself and He did this by showing them His glory.

In John 20 Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene. When Mary spoke to the risen Lord Jesus He said, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” (John 20:17). She saw the glory of God, the risen Lord. On the first day of the week, after the crucifixion, the Lord Jesus appeared through shut doors and the Lord appeared and stood in the midst of the disciples. They had never seen that before; they had seen the healing of men and women, miracles such as the water turned into wine, the multiplication of the bread and the fish, but here the doors were shut and Jesus appeared. 8 days later, the doors were shut again, and He appeared again. He told Thomas, who was not there previously, to put his fingers into His scars.

In John 21, several of His disciples with fishing. They did not catch anything. One of them recognised the Lord. What was He doing? Jesus was cooking breakfast. He had bread and He had fish. John writes, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”(John 1:14). Peter writes, “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16). This is often referred to as the transfiguration, but was it also part of the glory of God that they had seen?

The glory empowered the disciples. It’s energised and unified them. They had seen something different in those 40 days which brought them together. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). When they saw Jesus go back into heaven, they were empowered.

At Pentecost we see Peter preaching. In chapters 2 to 4 they were unified as one because they had seen something of the glory of God, something they had never seen before. This motivated them, so they continued daily with one accord. They ate their food with gladness and simplicity. They were united, fellowshipping together. They were being renewed with power. Peter and John went to pray. The glory of God brought them together. When they were forbidden to speak and were arrested, they were brought to the high priest. They were released but then preached again! They defied the high priest. This word is powerful.

There is something missing today in my life and maybe yours – the glory of God and the appreciation of it. When Moses asked, ‘Show me your glory,’ oh, that we would ask that. Do we stop praying because the Lord has prayed for us? No! We reach the word and pray, ‘Lord, open my eyes, show me your ways, teach me your path to lead me into your truth.’ The glory of God which empowered and energised the early church is needed today. We need to focus on him. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Do we enter into the presence of God? Do we have a desire to seek him, to see all the things he would display? Is it a reality that way two or three are gathered, He is in the midst?

If that is a reality, how should we act? “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6). If the Lord Jesus Christ is my saviour and I value the work of Calvary, then surely I would want to keep looking into His face. We can’t do the work if we haven’t seen His glory. When we have lost sight of His glory, we are a disunited bunch. We should long to see more of the Saviour’s glory. This is something we should pray for and long for.

When we studied the book of Job we spoke about the inconsistency of grief in Job’s life. He was more down in the dumps than he was up. But there were times in Job’s life when God would so encourage him. One example is Job 19:25, where Job would rise up above his boils, rise above the dust, the worms that were crawling out of his wounds and sores, and says   “For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth.”

This is such an encouragement. Job would rise above. Even in his suffering God would bless him and open his eyes to see something of His glory. Job says,

“Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
(Job 19:27)

‘My heart years within me!’ Is your heart yearning to be with my Saviour, as He longs for us to be with him? Do we appreciate him and long for him? Is he your desire? “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24). We see this deep, deep love Jesus has for us. We see the depth of love when He went to Calvary’s cross and died for us, as He prays for us and longs for us to be with Him. The apostle Paul writes may this be our desire, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12).

Peter writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

August 6th 2023: 201st Morning Anniversary Service Gaius Douglas

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To watch this service, click on the link to our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/WhS7A4EiySw

John 17:20-26

We have been brought here today to bring Him the glory and the praise. One day, we will see Him face to face and we will adore Him. Do you appreciate how blessed and privileged you are? If we know the Lord Jesus Christ we can rejoice in Him. This is a most wonderful chapter. The Bible is an amazing book. In 1 Timothy 2:5 we read, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

This morning, we are looking at the intercessory prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is the mediator, the go-between between God and man. He stands between two parties where there is a difference. He negotiates to try and reconcile both together. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ has done. We have a problem – sin. Since the garden of Eden, mankind has always had an issue with sin. It has separated man from God and God from man. We read in Psalm 51:5, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.”

The problem of sin stands between God’s relationship between you and me. Sin entered the world through man, death came. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). The Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, stood in the gap between man and God, and put away sin being our sin and shame on Calvary’s cross.  “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). As He died and was buried, our sins were buried with Him. He had no sin, so he was raised. We’re here because of the resurrecting Jesus Christ. He is risen! Hallelujah!

We have an invitation, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” (John 5:24). If you know and love the Lord Jesus Christ you have been passed from death to life, living in Jesus Christ. We have the Mediator who has made it possible for each of us to be saved. If you haven’t trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, Christ will say, ‘Depart from me’ on judgement day. You have no excuse to say you have not heard the invitation. Jesus Christ says He has died for us, laid down His life for us. You can rejoice in the fact of having everlasting life if you place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In John chapter 17 the Lord Jesus Christ, before going to Calvary’s cross, prayed for you and me. Remarkable! How much time do you spend praying? In our Bible study of Malachi we have learned we are priests. When we pray, we pray for each other. The work we are engaged in is all supported in prayer. Without prayer, there is no work, the words have little impact. The Lord Jesus Christ prayed. “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25). Do you know the Lord is interceding for each of us here? Do you appreciate it?

This morning we are going to look at the unity of believers in Christ and unity as a basis in the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The unity of believers in Christ

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.” (John 17:20). The Lord Jesus Christ emphasises how important it is to pray. He was speaking from a position where He Himself prayed. He prayed even though He was tired and weary (John 4). Sometimes, I can’t sleep. My mind is buzzing. It is a wonderful opportunity to spend time in prayer. When we come to Luke chapter 18, the Parable of the Persistent Widow, the Lord Jesus starts by saying, “Man ought always to pray and not lose heart.” It is a wonderful thing to pray and not lose heart, to put things into His hands and leave it there.

Jesus went into mountains and prayed. He was the Word who became flesh (John 1:1). He spoke the world into being, yet He still prayed. He knew He needed to pray to His Father. He enters heaven with prayer. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16). We can come right into the presence of God and we can pray. Do you have prayer time with the Lord, communicating with him, spending time with him?

This prayer emphasises the interest the Lord Jesus Christ has for every believer. He has given eternal life for every believer (John 17:2 & 20). We will never die! Do you believe that? “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.” (John 10:27-30). The triple lock!

When we pray the devil trembles. Even the demons believe and tremble. When we pray Satan is scared. We are speaking to our God and Father, He is infusing His life into us. He is giving us the power to go out to serve Him. Jesus prays for those who will believe in Him, through His word. Without prayer, the word has very little meaning. We pray before and after we read, we pray with the word, we pray in the word. We pray together.

Unity as the basis in the gospel of preaching

“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:21). In Penuel Chapel, even though we are small in number, the wonderful thing is how people who come here love to speak about the Lord Jesus Christ. They do it because of the reality of Christ in their lives. If Christ is real in your life you will share about Him. Do you love speaking about the Lord?

Jesus Christ is the common denominator in the unity among the people of God from different parts of the world. We have something to talk about. When the Lord Jesus Christ was here, He always spoke about the father. He lifted up the father in His walk, He lifted up the father in his life, He lifted up the father in His prayer. How often we forget about Him. He lifted up his father’s name, He spent His time praying because it was His Father’s glory to hear His voice. He prayed in the midst of people. This unity in the gospel is based very much on prayer and the word of God. What a privilege that we are one in Christ.

The oneness with Christ surpasses all other relationships. We are heirs with Christ. Everything that belongs to Him belongs to you if you know Him. This is the depth of God’s love. He wants us to express that oneness in our lives. We are one in Christ. What a day of rejoicing that will be when we see Jesus, the one who has made me one with Him. We want others to know our saviour. The oneness that’s with him, is with us.

“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:11-12). Are you a child of God? If you are a child of God, you are one with Him. We have the Spirit of God in us which has bound us with Christ. Do we appreciate who we are in Christ? We are one with Christ therefore you are my brothers and sisters in Christ. I love you because you love Christ. He loves me. That’s all that matters.

All the apostles died for the name of the Lord. Our saviour gave His life a ransom for many, that you may live through Him. You are alive in the power of that endless life.  “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3). I’m heaven bound. My home is heaven. Where is your home? Heaven. Praise the Lord!

June 25th 2017: Ian Middlemist

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Ian-June 2017 John 17: The Highly Priestly Prayer

We are included in this great high priestly prayer of Jesus. We are just like Jesus because of His calling on our lives.

‘And I am no longer on 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.’ (John 17:4). Jesus was going, but we are staying. Jesus came, the God-man came into the world. The second person of the Trinity entered into this world. He came, but is at home today in heaven. It’s amazing God’s people are still here on earth. The reason for this is that we should be a witness for Jesus Christ in this world. How are Christians to cope in this life? Jesus prayers for them. It is Jesus’ obligation to look after us in this world. This prayer spans all of time. Jesus’ prayers for us today are sufficient to make us stand in this world.

‘They are mot of the world, just as I am not of the world.’ (John 17:16). Just as Jesus is not of this world, so we are not of this world. If you are a Christian, saved by Jesus Christ, you are not of this world. We are different. The Bible defines how we are different. The world has different meanings. The world, also known as the cosmos can mean the universe created by God. It can mean the planet earth itself. If can mean the totality of human existence. Here, in John 17, it means the order of this world, how it thinks in unity against God, alienated from God, opposed to that which is to come – the Kingdom of God. The ruler of this world is the devil, ‘Now is the judgement of this world, now will the ruler of this world be cast out.’ (John 12:31). We should have concern for our neighbours who are living under this dictator’s rule, the devil’s rule. The world is alienated from God, ever since the Fall. The systems of this world are against God.

The world does not want God. But Jesus says we are not of this world. We have been hand-picked out of this world to receive a position in His glorious kingdom. Our whole life is now a compass set towards God. Our direction is set towards God. We will be hated because we have embraced Jesus Christ and the Word of God, ‘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.’ (John 17:14). If you have any doubt the world hates God, look at the cross, how Jesus was killed. If you’re a Christian you are not of this world, you make Jesus your delight. He is precious. ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.’ (1 Peter 2:6).

We will be hated, just as Jesus was despised. You may not want to consider this, but Christians are rejected because we have Christ as our leader. There will be uncomfortable silences when we mention we’re a Christian, or mention the name of Jesus. It is difficult because people don’t want to hear His name. Every time this happens, be encouraged, don’t stop saying His name. Be reassured you are a follower of Jesus Christ.

‘As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.’ (John 17:18). Just as Christ was sent into the world by His Father, so we are now sent into the world. Jesus did not just appear as an accident, He was sent from heaven. The whole of the Old Testament points to Jesus. He was sent into the world. We know from the words said at His birth He was set apart.

Jesus was sent on a great rescue mission – to achieve our salvation, ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.’ (John 3:16). Jesus picked us out of the world, He chose us. What a great honour! He washed us. He hung on the cross, He had our names written on His hands. He picked you out to triumph over death and hell. He will work in us that we will defeat sin in His power. In the end He will present us faultless before God. We have been picked out of this world but we are in the world. Some see this as being separated. They see the sinfulness of this world and want to be separated from it. But this denies the truth that there is an inward nature of sin. And what about all the people who need to hear about Jesus? Don’t forget about those around you. Jesus sends us into the world in His power.

Some are happy to compromise with the world. But the church is very different to the world. How can a Christian sing along with songs that are clearly against the church? Or laugh at jokes that are against Christ? They can’t. Psalm 1 reminds us ‘Blessed is the man whom walks not in the counsel of the wicked.’ (Psalm 1:1). We should not compromise. Don’t be ashamed.

‘And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.’ (John 17:19). We are set apart. Just as Jesus was consecrated, so are we. We are consecrated and sanctified. To consecrate is to be set apart. Jesus was set apart by God the Father, so He set Himself apart – for death – so He might save us. To be sanctified is to be made holy, joined with Jesus in His consecration. We are set apart for the work of redemption. Jesus is determined to save those He will save. We are involved in the salvation of others too. He delights to use His church to save others by the preaching of the gospel. We can’t save anyone, only Jesus saves. We can’t open blind eyes. That work belongs to Jesus and Jesus alone. But we are called to bring His redemption message. We are:

Hand-picked out of this world;
Citizens of heaven;
Different – we have a heart for God;
Sent into the world.

‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:19-20).

We have a great commission. It is for all who believe. All of us are sent in to the world to share the gospel. It is the truth that sets us apart. We are to live holy lives, devoted to Jesus Christ, in the place He has set us. Our holiness is vital to this mission. We are not to be defiled by sin. Not all of us are called to be evangelists or pastors but let us have confidence in Jesus Christ and work where we have been called. We are to serve Christ. Do you realise your calling – the great privilege you have been given? We are ambassadors for Jesus Christ. Christ prayed His followers would have an attitude of mission. Let’s pray He would give us the heart too.

August 28th 2016: Lawrence Mitchell

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lawrence mitchell - august 2016Our Sunday morning service was taken by Lawrence Mitchell who preached from John 17 which he referred to as ‘The Heavenly Look’. Jesus lifted up His eyes to heaven. It is good to look up! When life is difficult you may look to Psalms such as Psalm 34: ‘They looked to Him and were radiant’ (Psalm 34:5).  Through the power of God and the spirit of God we are people who have been redeemed and can rejoice in Him.

The great prophet Isaiah said, ‘Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.’ (Isaiah 40:26). Jesus lifted His eyes and spoke of these words. Isaiah says look to the creator, He wants us to look up and see the wonderful things God has done.

In the New Testament the disciples looked up to the Lord. In the Acts of the Apostles as they looked up to heaven they heard a message from God. We have a God who cares, a Saviour who loves. We need to look away from our circumstances and look to the Lord. The way is Christ alone. False religion changes the teaching of the Bible, changes direction. Look to the Lord. God said to the disciples He would come again. What a message, what a hope. No wonder Peter and Paul could teach on the Resurrection. They lifted up their eyes and saw the Saviour.

There was another occasion where Jesus lifted up His eyes – when Lazarus died. (John 11:41). Jesus told them to lift the stone. When the stone was removed Lazarus came forth. We have to move something out of the way to come to the Lord. Jesus then prayed to the Father, it was a prayer that others might follow. He made a personal call to Lazarus.

Stephen also lifted his eyes to heaven. He saw God and Jesus at the right hand of the Father. What a wonderful welcome into heaven.

In this great chapter, called ‘The High Priestly prayer of the Saviour’, we see the glory of Christ, the glory of God and the glory of believers. The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, the upper room and our lives today. Thank God for His glory and the fullness of His spirit. It was a happy day when we met the Saviour.