John 17:1-26 Private Conversations W/Jesus… Let’s listen in.
Intro.- Here we see Jesus talking with the Father. It is the real Lord’s Prayer. He is not teaching us to pray, He is praying! The Holy Spirit believes that what is being discussed is so important that He records this conversation because He knows it is one we need to hear. Jesus is in the garden the night of His betrayal. After this prayer, the soldiers will come and take Him away. (He goes) Now in light of these events what does the Holy Spirit want us to know about this last night of Jesus Christ on earth?
I. We On Christ’s Heart-
*In reading we come across words like: they, the men, them, these, those, themselves, their. All of them refer to Christ’s followers. IN fact Jesus will refer to His followers 49 times in these 26 verses. Why? Because we are on His Heart!!
John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
*Jesus came because of God’s great Love John 3:16 “For God so loved…”
*Jesus died as an expression of God’s great Love Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth…”
1. You were on His Heart before you came to Christ!
2. You were on His Heart before He died for you!
3. You are on His Heart even right now!
II. We Were On Christ’s Lips
Vs. 9- “I pray for them…”
Vs. 15- “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”
Vs. 20- “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;”
*He is seen praying for us and the Holy Spirit wants us to know that Jesus prays for us!!
Luke 22:31-32 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”
*How does it make you feel to know that Jesus prays for you?
III. We Are In His Plans (He wants to spend eternity with us!)
*We act like it is us that want to go to Heaven, but it is Christ that wants us to be in Heaven with Him.
**Read verse 24!
John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
*God’s great plan throughout the ages is for us to spend eternity in Heaven with Him. Jesus Christ made this possible. If you will but trust Him as your Savior, His Plan will be worked out in you!!