TEXT: John 17:5-19 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with
thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the
world was. 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which
thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest
them me; and they have kept thy word. 7 Now they have known
that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 8 For I
have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they
have received them, and have known surely that I came out from
thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. 9 I pray for
them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given
me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are
mine; and I am glorified in them. 11 And now I am no more in the
world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father,
keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me,
that they may be one, as we are. 12 While I was with them in the
world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have
kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the
scripture might be fulfilled. 13 And now come I to thee; and these
things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled
in themselves. 14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath
hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not
of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of
the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast
sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the
20
world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also
might be sanctified through the truth.
John 17:5
Jesus, in verse 5, asks the Father to honor Him with the honor that the Father has. The word “honour” includes the notion of happiness, or everything which could render the condition blessed.
Jesus specifies the honor that He had before the world was.
There could not be a more distinct and clear declaration of the pre-existence of Jesus than this. This indicates that before the creation of the world Jesus was in existence. In order for this to be, He must have existed from eternity.
The glory which He had then was that which was proper to the Son of God, represented by the expression being in the bosom of the Father, denoting intimacy, friendship, united felicity.
The Son of God, by becoming incarnate, is represented as humbling Himself (Greek, He "emptied himself").
He laid aside for a time the external aspect of honor, and consented to become despised, and to assume the form of a servant.
He now prays that God would raise Him up to the dignity and honor which He had before His incarnation. This is the state to which He is now exalted, with the additional honor of having made atonement for sin and having opened the way to save a race of rebels from eternal death.
The lowest condition on earth is frequently connected with the highest honors of heaven. Man looks on the outward appearance.
God looks to him that is humble and of a contrite spirit.
21
John 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou
gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest
them me; and they have kept thy word.
Beginning with this verse, Jesus begins to pray for His disciples.
(Jesus was praying not only for His disciples present at time, but for all His disciples, present and future. That means even us today.) The word “name” here includes the attributes or character of God.
Jesus had made known His character, His law, His will, His plan of mercy--or, in other words, He had revealed GOD to them.
The word “name” is often used to designate the person as well.
Which thou gavest me.
God gave them to Jesus in His purpose. He gave them by His providence. He so ordered affairs that they heard Him preach and saw His miracles; and He gave them by disposing them to follow Him when He called them.
These were the ones that Jesus had called and chosen. These were those whom He specifically called My Church, The Light of the World, The Salt of the Earth, The Vine and His House.
Thine they were.
All men are God's by creation and by preservation, and He has a right to do with them as seems good in His sight. These men He chose to designate to be the apostles of the Saviour; and He committed them to Him to be taught, and then commissioned 22
them to carry His gospel, though amid persecutions, to the ends of the world.
God has a right to the services of all; and He has a right to appoint us to any labor, however humble, or hazardous, or wearisome, where we may promote His glory and honor His name.
And they have kept thy word.
They had kept the revelation of God that had come to them through John the Baptist, the Holy Scriptures, and through Jesus Christ.
How graciously our Lord commended the word and work of His church-disciples to the Father; and he still does, because they do His work, keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
1. Every man has a work to do for God in this world.
2. The secret of every great and true life lies in grasping this truth.
3. Life's work and worth should not be underestimated.
4. We may have part in the best achievements of our race and time, if we work for God.
5. God plans a division of labor for His children.
6. The seriousness of living.
Conclusion: One simple question: Are we making our lives count for the Lord where it matters most?
23
You are still here, so are you busy doing the work that God has given you to do?
Jesus is our example in how we should be serving the Father. Are you following His example? Are you doing your best to serve Him?
Have you surrendered your life to Him to do whatever He has called you to do?
If not, just tell Him that you are willing to do whatever He would want.
24
THE LORD’S PRAYER