John 17

THE GREATEST PRAYER OF THE OVERCOMER!

John’s witness to Jesus given through the record of the high priestly prayer is, unsurpassed.  In this memorable prayer Jesus embraced all believers through the centuries – even us – and demonstrated his compassionate concern for all mankind.  What a wonderful thing that you and I are privileged to listen in as God the Son converses with His Father just as He is about to give His life as a ransom for sinners!  If you and I will understand and apply the truths revealed in this profound prayer, it will enable us to be overcomers, too.

The progression of thought in this prayer is not difficult to discover.  *Jesus first prayed for Himself and told the Father that His work on earth had been finished. * He prayed for His disciples…that the Father would keep them and sanctify them. 6-19. *The LORD prayed for future ones who would become Christians.  *He closed His prayer by praying for you and me and the whole church, that we might be unified in Him and one day share His glory. 20-26. 

Our Lord was a man of prayer!   The N.T. records 13 or more specific instances when Jesus prayed.  John recorded three of the prayers 11:41-42, 12:27-28, and chapter 17.  Jesus gave significance to prayer!

In this prayer, we recognize FOUR privileges that make us overcomers: 

*WE SHARE HIS LIFE!

v. 2-8 This prayer is far more than an example.  Jesus expressed His awareness of responsibility as the Redeemer who God had sent.  His universal authority is clearly stated.  He spoke of the glory He had with the Father before the world was and which He was to receive again. V. 5 

The LORD’s finished work is attacked by the enemy because he knows it is a basis for spiritual victory.  Rev. 12:11.  Don’t allow the enemy to rob you of that victory.  Because we share His life, we are overcomers; for we also share His victory!  “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  I John 5:4. 

WE KNOW HIS NAME. “I have manifested Your name” means that the Lord Jesus had expressed the very nature of the heavenly Father.  The emphasis is on the safety of the believer.  God keeps His own…our safety depends on the nature of God, not our own character or conduct.    Judas was never the Lord’s – He was a fraud…the Lord keeps those who have received Him. 

WE HAVE HIS WORD.   “I have given and delivered to them Thy Word….”  The Father gave the gift of His Word to the Son v.8…Who gave them to His disciples, who in turn have passed them along to us as they were inspired by the Spirit.  The Word is divine in origin.  We must never take it for granted for those who are overcomers know the Word and how to use it in daily life. 

How does the Word enable us to overcome the world?  Gives us joy v. 13, and this inward joy gives us the strength to overcome Neh. 8:10.  Joy in the Word and NOT the world.  Jer. 15:16, Psa. 119:14 and v. 162.  The Word is a gift to enlighten us, enable us, and encourage us!!!

The Lord wanted His disciples to be good witnesses; He prayed for their understanding, strength, and endurance.  He prayed more for believers than for sinners.  The Lord’s statement “I pray not for the world” does NOT mean that He was disinterested in those ‘in the world’.  He was praying for the believers that would be like sheep among the wolves to win the lost.  What greater witness to the world?

v. 15 Jesus did not pray that His disciples be taken immediately out of the world.  We must be in this world to be witnesses.  As Matthew records, the followers of Jesus are salt of the earth – to give flavor, to prevent rotting in decomposition caused by sin.  We are light in the world.  Christians in the world are direly needed.  The LORD prayed for our spiritual unity for the present and for the future. V. 22  Christians have a common faith, a common heritage of Christian experience and common mission which is the redemption of lost men.  Christ alone can bring spiritual unity among believers in HIM.

WE SHARE HIS GLORY…The basis for true Christan unity is the Person and work of Jesus and His glory.  He has already given His glory to us and He promises that we will further experience that glory when we get to heaven!  All true believers have God’s glory within, no matter what they may look like, on the outside.  Christian harmony is not based on the externals of the flesh but the internals and eternals of the Spirit in the inner person.  We must look beyond the elements of our first birth – race, color,  abilities, etc. and build our fellowship on the basis of our new birth. 

v. 23-26  Jesus prayed for oneness and love among Christian believers.  He prayed “that they may be made perfect IN ONE.”  v. 23 in order that the world may know that God had sent His Son.  

It is obvious that Jesus is divine.  He alone can cement the hearts of men in mutual love.  The true unity of Christians would declare His deity.  In a divided, warring, disintegrating world. Jesus is to be the focal Point, the unifying force.  Through Him, hearts are made tender and love heals wound of division and brings about the common heartbeat of purpose that Christ shall be exalted.  Jesus is the pivotal point around Whom all of life revolves.  Without Him one’s life and even his world are sure to be shattered. 

The Lord knew that He had done the will of His Father.  The world that did not know Him was on His heart.  How heavy the load!

As we review this marvelous prayer of our Savior, we can see the spiritual priorities that were in the Savior’s heart; the glory of God; the sanctity of God’s people, the unity of the church; the ministry of sharing the Gospel with a lost world.  We today would be wise to focus on these same priorities. 

One day each of us will have to give an account of our ministry.  It is a solemn thought that we shall stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and give our “final report.” 

Our individual desire and prayer should be, “I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which You gavest me to do” as said by our Lord to our heavenly Father.  V.4